Edward Wight Washburn (May 10, 1881 – February 6, 1934) was an American chemist.

Having taken all the chemistry courses available at the University of Nebraska (1899–1900) while teaching high school students (1899–1901), he entered the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1901, receiving a B.S.

[1] Later that year Washburn became head of the division of physical chemistry at the University of Illinois.

One of its first projects was to compile the International Critical Tables of Numerical Data, Physics, Chemistry and Technology.

Washburn was chairman of the division of chemistry and chemical technology of the National Research Council in 1922–1923, chairman of the International Commission on Physico-Chemical Standards, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.