Irving Shain was born on January 2, 1926 in Seattle, Washington, and died on March 6, 2018.

He was a chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Irving Shain served as the Chancellor of the university from 1977 to 1986.

He served in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946.

Irving Shain attended the University of Washington, where he received his BS in 1949 and his Ph.D. in 1952, both in chemistry.

Irving Shain started teaching chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1952, and later served as the vice chancellor from 1970 to 1975.

Shain went to the University of Washington in order to serve as the vice president of academic affairs, from 1975 to 1977 before returning to UW–Madison to become the chancellor in 1977.

He retired from the university in 1986 and worked for the Olin Corporation until his retirement in 1992.

He died on March 6, 2018, after a brief illness at 92 years old.