Leonard Mullins


Leonard Mullins was a scientist and long-time Research Director at the former Malaysian Rubber Producers' Research Association. He is known for his work on the stress-softening behavior of rubber, a phenomenon now known widely as the Mullins effect.

Personal

Mullins was born on 21 May 1918. Mullins died on 19 September 1997 at the age of 79.
Leonard was the eldest of 7 children, with his brothers Eric, Kenneth, John, known as Alan, and sisters Sylvia, Muriel and Eugenie.
He married Freda Churchouse on 6 March 1943 and had 2 daughters Margaret and Janet.

Education

Mullins graduated from University College London in 1939
BSC, PhD, DSc

Career

He had originally hoped to enter academia, but World War II interrupted his plans and he ended up working in weapons research for the British government.
In 1949, he oversaw the dismantling of the Bayer A.G. rubber labs and pilot plant at Leverkusen, Germany.
In 1950, he joined the physics group of the British Rubber Producers' Research Association. He became deputy director of the group in 1960 and its director in 1962. He retired in 1983.
During his tenure, MRPRA's control shifted to Malaysia from Great Britain. He expanded the association's research team and laboratories.

Awards and recognitions