|
|
- August 21, 2006
Chemistry's Robert Angelici recognized by American Chemical Society
-
With more than 370 publications, countless research grants to his name
and major contributions to inorganic chemistry, Robert Angelici, Distinguished
Professor of chemistry, has more than enough credentials to be recognized
by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
But Angelici feels it's a contribution he made early in his career that
was an important factor in his receiving the ACS Award for Distinguished
Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry.
This contribution is his laboratory text, Synthesis and Technique
in Inorganic Chemistry. As a young assistant professor at Iowa State
in the mid-60s, Angelici discovered that the inorganic laboratory course
for juniors and seniors was in dire need of a textbook.
"At the time, the students were taught in a way that required them to
make starting compounds for the chemistry research groups," Angelici said.
"I thought the course didn't give students a broad understanding of techniques
in inorganic chemistry. I looked for experiments that gave them skills
they would need to become functioning chemists."
Now in its third edition, Synthesis and Technique in Inorganic Chemistry
remains a primary textbook for college inorganic chemistry labs throughout
the nation.
Angelici has also been active within the ACS, serving on a number of committees
including chair of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry. He has received
numerous other awards, including several teaching awards from Iowa State.
He was a fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and also a Royal Society
Guest Research Fellow in England.
Angelici is the third Iowa State chemistry professor to receive the ACS
Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry
since 2000. Previous recipients were John Corbett (2000) and James Espenson
(2004), both Distinguished Professors of chemistry.
"It is remarkable that three ISU faculty members have received this
award within an 8-year period. No other unviersity, including the very
top chemistry departments in the country, have 3 recipients of this award
in the past 25 years," Angelici said. The $5,000 award, sponsored
by Strem Chemicals, Inc., recognizes individuals who advanced inorganic
chemistry by significant service in addition to performance of outstanding
research.
The ACS award comes as a capstone to Angelici's career since he plans
to retire in May 2007.
"It's a nice kind of recognition for a lifetime of contributions
to inorganic chemistry," he said. "It would have been better
if it had come five years sooner, because recipients of this award in
the past are pretty much assured that their next NSF (National Science
Foundation) grant application will be funded. But I'm not writing any
more NSF grants at this stage of my career."
That doesn't mean that Angelici's research group isn't still active. He
spent this past summer writing eight papers on the group's latest research.
And he plans to continue his writing even after his retirement, although
his lab's research activities will come to a close this May.
Angelici's research has involved many different areas of organometallic
chemistry including the interaction of biodiesel, peptides, and buckybowls
with transition metals – elements that "most people don't worry about
too often."
"My research has gone in many different directions," he said.
"I've very much enjoyed generating new ideas with the goal of creating
new research opportunities in chemistry."
|
|
