Robert Marchessault
The Montreal native was among the first graduates of the newly established chemistry program at Loyola College, one of Concordia’s founding institutions. He continued his studies at McGill University, where he earned a PhD in chemistry in 1954.
After postdoctoral studies at the University of Uppsala in Sweden, Marchessault became a research assistant at the American Viscose Corporation in Philadelphia. He then entered academia, joining the State University of New York (Syracuse) to teach polymer physical chemistry.
In 1969, Marchessault returned to his hometown as a faculty member in Université de Montréal’s Department of Chemistry. His tenure included a term as department chair. In 1978, he moved back to industry to become vice-president of the Xerox Research Centre of Canada in Mississauga, Ont.
In 1987, he stepped back into the academic world — where he would remain for the rest of his career — as the Xerox-NSERC Industrial Research Chair in McGill’s Department of Chemistry.
Marchessault’s McGill research focussed on developing biopolymer materials for imaging, drug delivery and environmental applications. He was appointed to the prestigious E.B. Eddy Chair of Industrial Chemistry in 1995.
During his career, Marchessault published more than 300 scholarly papers and co-invented 20 patents. He was named professor emeritus of chemistry when he retired in 2005.
Marchessault received many honours to recognize his influence in the advancement of scientific research. He won the Anselme Payen Award from the American Chemical Society in 1976 for outstanding teaching and research, and the Archambault Award (Pure and Applied Sciences) from l’Association canadienne française pour l’avancement des sciences in 1981.
The next year he was elected as a fellow to the Canadian Academy of Science and Concordia granted him an honorary doctorate. Marchessault was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000 and received a Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002.
His scientific and academic achievements were only part of his legacy.
Marchessault was an outstanding athlete. While at Loyola, he competed in football, track and field, boxing and hockey — he even played professional hockey for the Montreal Royals senior team. He was inducted into Concordia’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.
He also showed great interest in philosophy and theology. In the 1950s, Marchessault became one of the first participants in the Great Books discussion group in Montreal and later started a Great Books discussion group in Philadelphia.
Throughout his life, Marchessault remained dedicated to his alma mater. He served as a member of Loyola’s Board of Trustees from 1970 to 1973.
Marchessault is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary, as well as six children and 10 grandchildren.
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