John Roth, 89, Emeritus Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, died September 15, 2023.
Professor Roth joined the Vanderbilt chemical engineering faculty in 1962 and served as associate dean of the School of Engineering in the 1960s. He took sabbatical leave to serve in other roles, including Commissioner of Environmental Protection for the State of Kentucky from 1976 to 1978. Roth remained at the School of Engineering until his retirement in 2005.
Roth, also a professor of environmental engineering, consulted on global projects focused on hazardous waste disposal and wastewater management. He was very active in research and worked collaboratively with Vanderbilt professors Frank Parker, William Eckenfelder and Alan Bowers, all internationally recognized experts in hazardous waste remediation and wastewater management.
Roth earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees followed by a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1960 from the University of Louisville, after which he served two years in the U.S. Air Force.