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A History of UBC Chemistry by Gil Hooley

A personal account of Professor Gilbert Hooley

 

​Born in Vancouver on September 26th, 1914, Gilbert Hooley was UBC Chemistry Alumni who later joined the UBC Faculty. As a student and faculty member, Hooley had contact with original UBC faculty and some of the department’s first graduates.  Upon retiring Hooley was urged by others to write a departmental history. Chemical Reminiscences, is a five part collection of anecdotes where he gives an account of Vancouver and its evolution from the 20’s onward, as well as a history of the department of chemistry. Hooley describes his young life as a Vancouverite, and divulges details of the life of a UBC Chemistry student. He then goes on to give an account of his early career as a research chemist in the 1930’s and later as a UBC Chemistry faculty member- all the while he ties in historical elements and personal reflections.