Roderic Quirk is an Emeritus University of Akron professor noted for contributions to anionic polymerization technology[1] that is used to produce butadiene, isoprene and styrene homo and block copolymers.
[2] [3] Quirk completed a BS in Chemistry in 1963 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
In 1965, he earned a doctorate in organic chemistry under advisor David Curtin at the University of Illinois.
[4] Quirk's first academic appointment began in 1969 at the University of Arkansas and continued until 1978.
In the summer of 1974, Quirk worked at Phillips Petroleum in Henry Hsieh's anionic polymerization lab.