James M. Dotson

A native of Ritchie County, Jim Dotson attended a one-room grade school, taught by his father. In the eighth grade, he won the prestigious Golden Horseshoe award.

At Cairo High School, encouraged by his physics and chemistry teachers, Dotson decided to become a chemical engineer.

But first, Uncle Sam had other plans for him. After receiving his commission in the United States Naval Reserve, he served in the Pacific theater until the end of WW II.

In the fall of 1946, he joined many other veterans at West Virginia University in the Department of Chemical Engineering, from where he received degrees in 1948, 1949 and 1954. Honorary fraternities included Sigma Gamma Epsilon, Phi Alpha Tau and Sigma Xi. His master’s and doctoral theses were funded by the Bureau of Mines in support of their coal gasification program.

From 1949 until 1951, he worked at West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in their research and development department.

IN 1954, Dotson joined General Electric Company at their silicone products department in Waterford, New York. In this capacity, he successfully developed an improved fluidized-bed process for the production of their basic silicone intermediate. This patented process is currently used in the production of essentially all of their intermediate chlorosilanes.

In 1968, Dotson accepted a transfer to the GE-nuclear energy division in Pleasanton, California, as manager of the chemical process engineering component. While there, he was awarded two additional patents.

Dotson holds Profession engineer Licenses in the states of New York and California.

AIChE activities included the holding of all of the elective offices of the Northern California Section. In 1979, he was elected to the grade of Fellow.

Dotson and his wife, Irma, reside in Danville, California, where they are active volunteers in their local museum. They have also published genealogical books. The Dotsons are members of the Irvin Stewart Society.