|
|
-
Chemistry gifts
A pair of gifts will enhance different areas in the Department of
Chemistry.
-
Cal Rayburn was largely unknown to the faculty of the Department of Chemistry.
That can't be said for the Hach Scientific Foundation. That foundation
has long been a supporter of the academic department.
Despite their individual level of familiarity, both Cal Rayburn and the
Hach Scientific Foundation have attracted a lot of attention recently
from the Department of Chemistry.
Rayburn, an Iowa State chemistry alumnus, died in January 2001 and left
half of his estate to the Department of Chemistry. The gift will total
almost $400,000. Rayburn’s estate, given via the ISU Foundation, also
provided generous support to WOI Radio and Iowa Public Television.
The Hach Scientific Foundation has also pledged to continue its support
of chemistry at Iowa State. The foundation will increase its annual donation
for undergraduate scholarships in chemical education by $15,000 a year
until an annual grant amount of $75,000 is reached.
The founder of the foundation, Clifford Hach, attended Iowa State.
These contributions correlate with the “Investing in People” initiative,
a two-year effort of the University and the ISU Foundation to raise private
funds for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships and faculty
support at Iowa State.
"Their (Hach Scientific Foundation) goal is to fund 15 or more scholars
in the program," said Patricia Thiel, professor and chair of the
Department of Chemistry. "This will, of course, significantly expand
the undergraduate scholarships that we can offer to recruit prospective
freshmen."
The scholarships will be awarded to incoming freshmen with a high school
GPA of at least 3.0; currently enrolled undergraduate students with a
concentration in chemistry education; post-baccalaureate students studying
chemistry education; or entering transfer students enrolled in a chemistry
education program.
Although she didn't know Rayburn before his death, Thiel says that has
changed.
"I feel like I know him now," she said. "He was an excellent
photographer, who studied at one time with Ansel Adams."
Rayburn became well-known throughout Iowa as a crime scene photographer
with the Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI). He also served as
a forensic scientist in the DCI's Alcohol Division.
He developed an intoxilizer system for the State of Iowa and helped mandate
laws regarding blood/alcohol levels. He testified throughout Iowa at trials
when the defendant tried to invalidate the intoxication test.
No matter how you were associated with Cal Rayburn, Thiel says you didn't
forget him.
"Everyone glows when they talk about him," she said.
The Department of Chemistry plans to utilize the Rayburn funding to establish
an endowment, with the proceeds to be used in two ways. Thiel says one
non-tenured professor will be named the Cal Rayburn Junior Faculty Scholar
with a portion of the donation and will keep the title until they receive
tenure.
"This should be quite attractive to junior faculty members,"
Thiel said. "They will receive a continuing amount of money that
they can use to help them establish their research programs at Iowa State."
The remainder of the funds will be used to establish the Cal Rayburn Chemistry
Internships for graduate, and possibly undergraduate students at the DCI.
"This will be a nice way to commemorate Cal and satisfy our students'
interest in forensic chemistry," Thiel said.
The Rayburn and the Hach Scientific Foundation donations have something
else in common.
"They both fill enormous needs in the department," Thiel said.
Around LAS
February 25 to March 10, 2002
|
|
