Tailored Professional Tribute
Sam Jenkins
Distinguished Departed Pioneer
Professional background
Samuel H. Jenkins (1901 – 1983) – in the view of the three editors of the TPTs, Reiter, Kroiss, and Olsson – is the true father of IAWPR. His legacy deserves special attention among all the Distinguished Pioneers. Sam began his academic studies at the Victoria University of Manchester and was rewarded BSc in Technical Science with first-class honours in 1923. With a further scholarship he conducted research on the spontaneous combustion of powdered coal in connection with mine safety and was granted a master at Victoria University in 1942. Despite a promising career in fuel research, he became a chemist at the dyeworks of Robert Cawley & Co., Manchester.
He got his first contact with the field of water pollution in 1927 at the Rothamsted Experimental Station in Harpenden (40 km NW of London), conducting laboratory and pilot-scale investigations for the British Water Pollution Research Board, formed in 1927. Sam worked on chemical, nutritional and microbiological aspects of the aerobic and anaerobic decomposition of sugars, fats, and fatty acids. For this work he was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry from the University of London in 1931. He confirmed the role of nutrients in biological treatment, and he participated in the development of alternating double filtration, high-rate filtration and activated sludge for milk waste treatment as well as a novel process where anaerobic pretreatment was followed by activated sludge.
Dr Jenkins joined the Birmingham Tame and Rea District Drainage Board (now the Severn-Trent Authority) in 1928 as Chief Chemist. He worked there until his retirement in 1969 on laboratory and full-scale investigations of a wide range of waste treatment processes, and their effects and the ecology of rivers. In 1941 he was awarded the Doctor of Science degree from the University of London.
He was elected Associate Member of the Royal Institute of Chemistry in 1925 and a Fellow in 1931. He joined the Institute of Sewage Purification (now the Institute of Water Pollution Control) in 1938 and was elected Fellow in 1944 and President in 1957. He was active in these organizations until the time of his death.
Major Contributions to IWA
Sam Jenkins is an outstanding personality in the IWA history. He served IAWPR from its inception and was member of the committee organizing the first International Conference on Water Pollution Research, London, 1962. He played a significant role at the Tokyo conference in 1964. The formal formation of IAWPR took place not until 1965, when two significant international conferences already had taken place. A grassroot network had been established, and Sam´s almost prophetic attitude was a critical factor. IAWPR was formed with the key mission “to eliminate all water pollution” and not primarily to become a hierarchical organization.
Sam Jenkins had the early vision that publishing is a lifeline of a professional organization, both to reach out with the knowledge and to form a major economic basis for the organization. He joined the Editorial Board of the Air and Water Pollution in 1962, becoming its Editor in 1964. When Water Research was established in 1967, he became its Honorary Executive Editor. He made a brilliant contribution to WR. He personally reviewed every submitted paper and his superb style and critical ability established WR as one of the top journals in the field. I have some personal experiences of his generosity and gentle style, when he carefully instructed us young water professionals how to present our conference contributions in the 1970s. Sam also became the editor of the new IAWPRC journal, Water Science and Technology. A special issue of WST was produced in 1982 to honour his 80th birthday.
The planning and organization of the early IAWPR conferences were primarily driven by the grassroots. Important decisions were taken among members. Sam Jenkins played a major role in the organization of biennial and specialized conferences, and in the publications of their proceedings. He was most often present at the conferences and many planning meetings and was considered as the “head office” and could encourage and support the decisions and plannings. Sam Jenkins was truly committed to the best of IAWPR from its inception until his last day in life. Sam was elected Honorary Member of IAWPRC in 1974.
Sam became a role model for many water professionals. I have a personal memory where he attended a seminar that I gave in Berkeley at his son David’s department. Sam was approaching 80 years, and still he was the one in the audience asking most questions out of an admirable curiosity. This gentle and kind man was driven by an inner force to learn, produce, and excel.
He was active to the end. Sam died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 81. On the day before his death, he had travelled a round trip by train from his home in Birmingham to the headquarters of IAWPRC in London. On the day following his death he was to have flown to Madrid for four days of IAWPRC meetings. His desk and home office floor were piled high with papers and books for review, plans for future conferences and current correspondence.
Authors: Gustaf Olsson, Sweden
Major source of information: David Jenkins’ (1935-2021) tribute to his father
