Elving, Philip Juliber, 1913-

Professor of chemistry at the University of Michigan.

Philip J. Eiving was born on March 14, 1913. He received his A.B. in 1934, his A.M. in 1935, and his PhD in 1937, all from Princeton University.

Elving taught analytical and physical chemistry at the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1972. During this time he served on many departmental and university committees. Previously, Elving taught at Pennsylvania State University from 1937 to 1939, 1949 to 1952, and at Purdue University from 1939 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1949. As a visiting professor Elving taught at Harvard University, 1951-1952, and at Hebrew University in 1966, 1973, and 1981.

From 1943 to 1947 Elving was the division head and later assistant director of the research department of Publicker Industries in Philadelphia which specialized in chemical patents.

As an active member of many professional associations, Elving served on editorial and advisory boards. The author and co-author of many articles, Elving received the Fisher Award in analytical chemistry from the American Chemical Society in 1960 and the Anachem Award from the Detroit section of the same society in 1958. Elving's area of research was the study of chemical and physical properties of inorganic and organic compounds which could be used to determine the compound's presence and amounts. This research led to a theory to explain electrochemical behavior of organic compounds with many practical applications, a method to analyze the constituents of plastics, and a method of measuring other biologically and medically important substances. Elving died in 1984.