Melvin DeGroote (1895-1963) graduated with a degree in chemical engineering in 1915, received his professional degree in chemical engineering in 1942 and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science in 1955 all from Ohio State.
He has been recognized as one of America’s greatest inventors of all times and has been listed on over 900 U.S. patents. In 2000, TIME magazine’s millennium issue recognized him as one of the most prolific inventors in the United States in regards to the number of patents issued to him. In fact, he was second on the list only to Thomas Edison.
DeGroote invented and patented many of the de-emulsifying agents that separate crude oil from impurities crucial to the process of oil production. He also invented the chemical recipe that allows chocolate to stick to ice cream, leading to the creation of the Eskimo Pie.
He was awarded the Lamme Medal in 1950 by the College of Engineering for “meritorious achievement in engineering and the chemical arts”.