Webb, A. Dinsmoor (Albert Dinsmoor), 1917-2003

Webb joined the UCD chemistry faculty in 1948. He was an assistant and associate professor of enology and chemistry from 1948-1960. In 1960 he became a professor of enology and chemistry, and served as the viticulture and enology department chair from 1973-1981.

From the description of Papers, [1943-2002]. (University of California, Davis). WorldCat record id: 53353864

Biography

Biographical Narrative

A. Dinsmoor Webb (October 10, 1917 - August 8, 2003) received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1939. Upon graduation, he was employed at both E&J Gallo Winery and Petri Wine Company as a chemist, and from 1941-1943 he served as a technician in enology at the University of California, Davis. His interest in winemaking led him to enroll in the chemistry Ph.D. program at UC Berkeley. World War II intervened, however, and he postponed his studies in 1943 to work for the US Army at the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, National Laboratory. He resumed his studies in 1945 at both UC Berkeley and UC Davis, earning a PhD in Chemistry in 1949.

Dr. Webb joined the UCD chemistry faculty in 1948, beginning research on the flavor and aroma of wines. He was an assistant and associate professor of enology and chemistry from 1948-1960. In 1960 he became a professor of enology and chemistry, and served as the viticulture and enology department chair from 1973-81. In 1982 he became an emeritus professor.

His research centered on the isolation and identification of trace aroma and pigment materials in grapes and wines. Much of his work was done in collaboration with Professor Richard E. Kepner of the UC Davis Department of Chemistry. Together, they built the first gas chromatograph on the UC Davis campus in the 1950's.

Webb published over 150 technical research papers and numerous articles. Author of Vinegar, published by Kirk-Othmer Concise Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, he was also an enology editor and contributor to the Oxford Companion to Wine and co-author of Technology of Winemaking .

From the guide to the A. Dinsmoor Webb Papers, 1929-2002, (University of California, Davis. General Library. Dept. of Special Collections.)