John Monnier

John Monnier, 76, of Columbia, South Carolina, died April 6, 2024.

“John’s study of higher olefin epoxidation began at Eastman in 1986 and culminated in discovering a catalyst that selectively epoxidizes butadiene to 3,4-epoxy-1-butene using molecular oxygen. This was the first advancement of olefin epoxidation using molecular oxygen in more than 50 years. After Eastman, in his 20 years at the University of South Carolina, John advised 22 PhD students and numerous visiting scholars, postdoctoral researchers, and undergraduate students. These mentees and his colleagues will remember John with tremendous affection as a brilliant catalytic scientist whose numerous accomplishments and accolades were always exceeded by his humility and his humanity.”—John Regalbuto, colleague

Most recent title: Professor of chemical engineering, University of South Carolina

Education: BS, chemistry, St. Ambrose University, 1970; MS, chemistry, 1972, and PhD, chemistry, 1978, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Survivors: Wife, Pamela Monnier; children, Susanne Cabrera, Philip Monnier, and Stephen Monnier; six grandchildren; siblings, Stephen Monnier, David Monnier, Mary Reed, LouAnn Metternich, and Nancy Halpin

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