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GERARD ADDISON ROHLICH
1910-1983
BY EARNEST F. GLOYNA
GERARD ADDISON ROHLICH, an outstanding educator and
environmental engineer, died sucIdenly of a heart attack on
September 16, 1983, at the age of seventy-three. At the time
of his death, Dr. Rohlich held dual positions as professor of
civil engineering and professor of the Lyndon Baines ~ohn-
son School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at
Austin.
The world is a better place in which to live because of the
efforts of Gerarc! A. Rohlich. The contributions he made in
providing safe (drinking water supplies, abating water pollu-
tion, and improving the general environment have been var-
iect and numerous. His career spanned four decades of
teaching, research, administration, scientific and profes-
sional activities, and public service.
Dr. Rohlich applier! the principles of the biological, chem-
ical, and physical sciences and of engineering to the solution
of real-worId problems. An excellent teacher, Dr. Rohlich
helpec! to mold the careers of other engineers and scientists.
He also left his mark on the engineering profession and on
society through his distinguished contributions and unselfish
public service.
Gerard Rohlich was born on July 8, 1910, in Brooklyn,
New York. His engineering career was launched when he
served as an engineering assistant in New York City's Bureau
299
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300
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
of Sewers while concurrently studying civil engineering in
1934. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in Madison
and earner! a second undergraduate degree in civil engineer-
ing in 1936 and an M.S. in 1937. His illustrious academic
career began as an instructor at the Carnegie Institute of
Technology. He returned to the University of Wisconsin in
1939 and earned his Ph.D. in sanitary engineering in 1940.
In 1941 Dr. Rohlich joiner! the faculty of Pennsylvania State
University as an assistant professor anct advanced in rank to
associate professor.
His teaching career was interrupted briefly while he served
as senior sanitary engineer for the War Department's Office
of Engineering from 1943 to 1944 and as chief project engl-
neer with the Elastic Stop Nut Corporation of America in
1945. In 1946 he returned to the University of Wisconsin as
professor of civil engineering to begin a tenure on the faculty
that would last until 1971.
While at the University of Wisconsin, Gerarc! Rohlich be-
came one of the first individuals in the Uniter! States to eval-
uate the variables that affect the activated sludge process for
the treatment of municipal and inclustrial wastewaters. Many
of the finclings of this early research have been reconfirmed
in more sophisticated laboratory-controlled bench-scale ex-
. .
perlmentatlon.
His pioneering work in the use of oxidation-reduction po-
tential measurements to control biological systems was also
consiclerect by many to be a significant contribution. How-
ever, his fundamental work on eutrophication of lakes anc!
streams and the application of these findings to the control
of eutrophication in natural waters are landmark achieve-
ments that established his preeminence in the areas of ecol-
ogy and environmental conservation.
Highlights of his career at the University of Wisconsin in-
clucle his directorship of the Water Resource Center anct the
Institute for Environmental Studies. He also served as asso-
ciate clean of the Gracluate School; participated as a member
.
.
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GERARD ADDISON ROHLICH
301
of the governor's Water Resources Committee, which drafted
the Wisconsin Water Resources Act; and served on the Wis-
consin Natural Research Board, a position in which he had a
significant impact on the aquatic environment in the state of
Wisconsin. For his continuer! contributions in this area, Dr.
Rohlich was recognized as Wisconsin's Water Man of the Year
by the National Water Works Association in 1969.
In 1972 Gerry Rohlich went to the University of Texas at
Austin to assume the dual positions of C. W. Cook Professor
of Environmental Engineering and professor in the Lyndon
Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs. At Texas, he be-
came more involved in formulating public policy and in pub-
lic service. While continuing his research and his role in the
education of future engineers ant! scientists, Gerry was also
able to influence future civic leaclers and policymakers then
enrolled in the School of Public Affairs, providing indiviclu-
als responsible for establishing public policy with an appre-
ciation of natural ecosystems.
A personal source of pride to Gerry Rohlich was his elec-
tion to the National Academy of Engineering in 1970 for his
contributions to improving man's environment and for his
work teaching engineers about environmental control. Some
of Dr. Rohlich's later public service activities and contribu-
tions to the profession included his chairing the National Re-
search Council Committee on Water Quality Criteria and the
Committee on Safe Drinking Water. The reports of these
committees are significant documents that have become val-
uable resource materials for engineers and scientists. He also
chaired the National Research Council Committee on the Po-
tomac Estuary Study.
In acictition, Dr. Rohlich undertook the monumental as-
signment as chairman of the National Research Council
Committee on Eutrophication. The findings of this commit-
tee, in addition to the results of his extensive research into
eutrophication, were documented in published reports that
are currently used worldwide as source material. He also
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MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
served on the National Research Council Environmental
Studies Board. At the time of his death, Gerry chaired the
Environmental Engineering Pane} of the Science Advisory
Boars! of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Many honors were bestowed on Gerry Rohlich by his peer
groups. He received an honorary and life membership in the
Water Pollution Control Federation; he was one of the
Walker Ames lecturers at the University of Washington; he
held an honorary membership in the Brazilian Section of
AIDIS (Inter-American Association of Sanitary Engineer-
ing); and he was a fellow of the American Society of Civil
Engineers.
His awards included the Harrison Prescott EcIdy Medal for
Noteworthy Research, the Benjamin Smith Reynolds Medal
for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Wisconsin,
the Karl Emil Hilgard Prize of the American Society of Civil
Engineers for research in hydraulic engineering, the George
Warren Fuller Award of the American Water Works Associa-
tion, and the Gordon Maskew Fair Award presented by the
American Academy of Environmental Engineers for his
achievements, leadership, and contributions to the total en-
vironmental effort.
Gerry Rohlich enjoyed the respect, admiration, and
friendship of the students he guided and the faculty with
whom he collaborated in research and teaching. In addition,
he quickly garnered the respect of everyone else with whom
he came in contact during his lifetime. He was a welI-known,
well-respectec} figure in the Department of Civil Engineering
at the University of Texas at Austin. Through those persons
now involves! in government, private industry, and academia
who passed within his sphere, Dr. Rolich's technical exper-
tise, ethics, ant! philosophies are continuing to have a major
impact on the environmental quality of the world in which
we live.
Gerry Rohlich elevated a substantial amount of his time to
public service, advising ant! assisting local, state, and federal
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GERARD ADDISON RO~ILICH
303
agencies and governments throughout the world on engi-
neering problems relater! to the control and enhancement of
the environment. His dedication to cleveloping and imple-
menting solutions to the problem of maintaining ant! im-
proving the quality of man's environment was sincere and
substantial.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
gerard addison
