Dr. Erling Grovenstein Jr., CHEM 44: Longtime Tech Chemistry Professor
By: Alumni Publications | Categories: In Memoriam
Grovenstein attended Georgia Tech, graduating magna cum laude in 1944 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry under an intensified wartime program. He obtained his doctorate degree in organic chemistry from MIT, returning to Georgia Tech in 1948 as a faculty member, teaching chemistry and performing related research.
A member of Georgia Tech's faculty for 40 years, Grovenstein ultimately was named to the Julius L. Brown Chair in Chemistry.
During his time at Tech, he taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses, ranging from freshman chemistry to physical organic and heterocyclic chemistry. He also supervised 35 graduate thesis students and 15 postdoctoral fellows.
During his career, he published more than 65 research articles and papers, including works for the German Chemical Society. He also contributed to numerous textbooks. He was a member of the Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies, along with several professional societies, including The American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry (London), the Georgia Academy of Science, the American Association of University Professors and Alpha Chi Sigma.
A member of the American Hemerocallis Society and the Daylily Society of Greater Atlanta, Grovenstein hybridized and introduced several hundred named varieties of plants. He was also a charter member of the Georgia Hosta Society.
Grovenstein recalled in an interview with the Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine: “Someone told me that my students thought that I was a hard teacher. I thought that was nice, because after all, it doesn't matter whether you are hybridizing daylilies or working as a chemist, unless your work hard, you will not be successful.”
Early in his career, Grovenstein met and married Katherine Carson Gangwer, a librarian at Georgia Tech. Following her death in 1952, he married Lillian Anne Enloe, now deceased.
He was a charter member of Shallowford Presbyterian Church, where he served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, elder and longtime choir member.
Grovenstein is survived by his son, Fred Grovenstein; son John and daughter-in-law Lisa Ray Grovenstein; grandsons Evan Grovenstein (Mary), Jack Grovenstein (Meghan); and great-granddaughter, Sawyer Ray Grovenstein. He is also survived by his sister Lucy Ann Moore, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
