1921-

American chemical engineer who, with Charles Plank, developed the first zeolite catalytic cracking system for petroleum refining. In catalytic cracking, materials called catalysts are used to speed up chemical reactions, helping to produce gasoline, fuel oil, and other petroleum products made from crude oil. More efficient and less dangerous than traditional methods of fractional distillation, this process marked a major step forward for the petrochemical industry. Rosinski held or shared a total of 76 patents, most dealing with catalytic cracking, leading to new or improved techniques for processing hydrocarbons. A paper that he and Plank co-authored was voted one of the 12 most important papers to be published in the journal Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.