Lawrence B. Robinson, 85; UCLA Professor Emeritus of Engineering
Lawrence B. Robinson, 85, professor emeritus of chemical engineering at UCLA’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, died March 21 of natural causes at his home in Los Angeles.
An expert in thermodynamics and energy conversion devices, Robinson became a member of the UCLA engineering faculty in 1960 as an associate professor. He taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in thermodynamics, nuclear reactor engineering, properties of materials and chemical physics, among other topics.
He later served as vice chairman and acting chairman of the chemical engineering department and as associate dean of the school. He retired in 1990.
Born in Tappahannock, Va., Robinson received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Virginia Union University and his master’s degree and doctorate at Harvard.
He taught at Howard University and Brooklyn College and spent several years working in private industry before joining the UCLA faculty.
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