Theodore L. Cairns (July 20, 1914 – September 26, 1994) was an American chemist, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, a research scientist at DuPont Central Research, known for his contributions to U.S. scientific policy and applications of chemistry.
Cairns was the director of the Central Research Department of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. He was also the chair of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the National Research Council, on President Richard Nixon's Science Policy Task Force and Nixon's Science Advisory Committee. His daughter Margaret C. Etter became a noted chemist in her own right, conducting her research at the University of Minnesota.
Awards and distinctions
The City of Wilmington's Outstanding Citizen Award, 1963
The American Chemical Society Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, 1968 SOCMA (Society of Chemical Manufacturers Association) Medal for Creative Research in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, 1968 Honorary Doctor of Laws degree, University of Alberta, 1970 Perkin Medal, American section of the Society of Chemical Industry, 1973 Elliott Cresson Medal, The Franklin Institute, 1974