John Gleaves, former chemical engineering faculty, 79
Gleaves was co-inventor of the TAP reactor system
John Gleaves, emeritus professor in the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, died June 2, 2025. He was 79.
Gleaves was a member of the chemical engineering faculty from 1988-2022. His research focused on heterogeneous catalysis, with areas of expertise in heterogeneous selective oxidation and developing novel transient response techniques to study gas-solid catalytic reactions.
Gleaves was co-inventor of the TAP reactor system, which he began while working at the Monsanto Co. He received a U.S. patent in 1986. Throughout his career, he developed the commercial TAP reactor system, the TAP high-pressure reactor system and invented the TAP-2 reactor system. He created Mithra Technologies in 1992, a private company building many of the TAP reactors in use today. There are more than 22 TAP reactor systems designed and/or built by Gleaves operating in academic and industrial laboratories.
“He shared with his students the wonderment and awe for science,” said Gregory Yablonski, an adjunct professor in the Department of Energy, Environment & Chemical Engineering who co-directed the Heterogeneous Kinetics and Particle Chemistry Laboratory at WashU with Gleaves. “He made science fun and was known for his great stories, especially ‘How I entered Russia in 1998 without a visa.’ His legacy lives on with each pulse response in the TAP installations around the world.”
Gleaves earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Louisville in 1968 and a master’s and doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1972 and 1975, respectively.
Gleaves is survived by his three children, John, Chris and Cara Gleaves, and other extended family.
Memorial contributions may be made to the No Time to Spare Animal Rescue and Sanctuary in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 3838 East Highway 47, P.O. Box 253, Winfield, MO 63389.
