Professor Park Dal-jo: Pioneer of Freon and Teflon, Former Chair of the American Chemical Society's Fluorine Division

Professor Park Dal-jo (박달조), born in 1906 to Korean immigrant sugarcane workers in Hawaii, made significant contributions to the development of Freon and Teflon. After earning his Ph.D. from Ohio State University, he became a prominent figure in the field of chemistry, serving as the chair of the American Chemical Society's Fluorine Division. In the 1970s, he played a crucial role in helping South Korea develop its own Freon, contributing to the country's industrialization and scientific advancement. Despite his achievements, many in the scientific community remain unaware of his legacy.

Park's father, Park Yun-ok, immigrated to Hawaii in 1904 aboard the ship Doric, seeking a better life. After marrying Barbara in Hawaii, he welcomed his son, Joseph Park (박달조), in 1906. Joseph excelled academically, graduating from St. Louis School in Honolulu in 1925 before attending the University of Dayton, a Catholic institution known for its affordability.

During his studies, Park was not only an academic star but also excelled in boxing and public speaking, winning a national oratory competition and receiving an award from President John Calvin Coolidge Jr. After graduating, he joined Frigidaire in 1929, where he worked under Thomas Midgley on developing refrigerants, leading to the creation of Freon, a gas that revolutionized home refrigeration.

Park's work extended beyond Freon; he was involved in the commercialization of Teflon, a coating used in various household products. Although he contributed significantly to these innovations, he did not receive patent recognition due to the restrictive policies of the time.

In 1933, he pursued a Ph.D. in chemistry at Ohio State University, becoming the second Korean to earn a doctorate in chemistry by 1937. He later joined DuPont's Jackson Laboratory, where he developed aerosol propellants and Teflon coatings, securing 35 U.S. patents throughout his career.

In 1947, he became a professor at the University of Colorado, establishing a leading training center for organic fluorine chemistry. He emphasized the importance of industry-academia collaboration, serving as a research consultant for over 20 companies, including DuPont.

Park married Kim Bong-hee, a pioneering researcher who was the first Korean to earn a master's degree in immigration studies from the University of Hawaii in 1937. In 1964, he returned to Korea to support the development of domestic Freon, leading to the successful production of 'Kopron-12' at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

In 1972, he was appointed the second president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), where he advocated for practical problem-solving in scientific research. Despite his limited proficiency in Korean, he left a lasting impact on the fluorine chemistry industry in South Korea, laying the groundwork for its growth.