University of California: In Memoriam, 1986
Eugene L. Jack, Food Science and Technology: Davis
| 1899-1986 | |
| Professor Emeritus |
Eugene L. Jack, Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology on the Davis campus, died in Sacramento on March 27, 1986, at the age of 86. He was born in 1899 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. After obtaining his early education and starting university studies, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War I. Following his discharge, he returned to the family dairy farm and later returned to The Pennsylvania State College, where he received the bachelor's, master's, and doctor's degree in dairy science in 1933, 1934, and 1936, respectively.
Jack worked as a research chemist for the Borden Company before joining the faculty of the University of California in 1937 in what was then the Division of Dairy Industry. He served as chair of the Department of Dairy Industry from 1946 to 1959 and retired from UCD in 1964.
Long considered one of the nation's leading authorities in dairy chemistry, Jack's major areas of research included the chemistry of milk fat, nutritional values of dairy products, fat fractionation and molecular distillation, properties of dry milk, and dairy technology. He was the first to show that high heat treatments before drying develop in milk antioxidants that retard the development of oxidized flavor. In later years, he studied the molecular structure of milk fats and employed new techniques to analyze the structure of several milk fats commonly used for human food, including the fats of human, cow, water buffalo, sheep, and goat milks.
Jack represented the United States at International Dairy Congresses at The Hague in 1953 and at Rome in 1957. He presided at sessions of the 15th such Congress in London in 1959.
He was a member of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), the American Chemical Society, the American Oil Chemists' Society, the Institute of Food Technologists, and the International Association of Sanitarians. In 1961 he served as President of the ADSA. In 1960 he received the Borden Award in Chemistry of Milk from the American Chemical
Jack had great interest in education and in the role of the university in helping students achieve their educational objectives. His strong convictions about the needs of students during the rapidly changing conditions following World War II provided leadership for his colleagues and the food industry. His objectivity in judgment, his inherent sincerity, and his good will won deep admiration and the respect of all who worked with him in promoting both the university and, especially, education in dairy and food science.
He was a member of Alpha Zeta, an honorary agricultural fraternity; Gamma Sigma Delta, an honor society of agriculture; Phi Kappa Phi, a renowned scholastic honorary fraternity; and Sigma Xi, an honorary scientific society. After his retirement, he enjoyed continued associations with friends in Ireland and retained life-long interests with his associates in his golf club.
Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Sue Thomas Jack, in 1967. A son, James Jack, now residing in Ohio, survived him. His spirit and influence will long be remembered by his many friends and colleagues.
Courtesy of University Archives, The Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000; http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/info
http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb767nb3z6&brand=oac4
Title: 1986, University of California: In Memoriam
By: University of California (System) Academic Senate, Author
Date: 1986
Contributing Institution: University Archives, The Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000; http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/info
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