The David Sinclair Award American Association for Aerosol Research

David Sinclair was born in New York City in 1901, the only child of 23-year-old writer Upton Sinclair. Upton Sinclair published The Jungle in 1906, a novel that drew worldwide attention. David had a most unusual childhood, with a sporadic early education, a famous father devoted to social causes, and family acquaintances with many celebrities of the time. Sinclair earned his A.B. (Physics) at the University of Wisconsin (1924) and Ph.D. (Physics) at Columbia University (1937). It was at Columbia, during postdoctoral research (1940-1944) with renowned scientist Victor K. laMer, that he became interested in aerosol physics.

His early contributions while at Columbia University as a student, instructor, and researcher included the Sinclair-LaMer aerosol generator verification of Mie theory the “Owl” for measuring particle size in nearly-monodisperse aerosols He retired in 1966, but in 1967 answered a want ad from a small government physics laboratory in Manhattan seeking a scientist to work on aerosol questions. This facility became the Environmental Measurements Laboratory. Sinclair’s publications from 1967-1985 rank among some of the most noteworthy in the aerosol science literature.

The award memorializes David Sinclair, one of aerosol science’s great innovators, known for his knowledge, ingenuity and energy. The David Sinclair Award “recognizes sustained excellence in aerosol research and technology by an established scientist still active in his/her career. The individual’s research must have a lasting impact in aerosol science”.

2004 Recipient of the David Sinclair Award Philip K. Hopke Baynard D. Clarkson Distinguished Professor in Chemical Engineering, Clarkson University “one of the founders of the field of source-receptor modeling, and undisputed leader of the field for more than 10 years” President of AAAR and past Editor-in-Chief of Aerosol Science and Technology Previous Chair of the Air Chemistry and Physics Review Panel of EPA