Chemistry Lectureships
Chemistry Lectureships

Chair Lectureship

The Chair Lectures were established in ...

Recent Recipients
2013 Joseph S. Francisco
Pablo G. Debenedetti
Younan Xia
2012 Geraldine L. Richmond
2011 Ho-Kwang Mao

Dewey/Kelly Lectureship

The founders of the M.L. Dewey and C.H. Kelly Award, Marjorie Dewey and Kay Kelly, have enjoyed a life-time involvement with science which began when the two sisters were students at the University of Nebraska in the late 1940s. The pair, both NU graduates, were co-owners of Morris Laboratories in Sacramento, Calif. Marjorie Dewey and Kay Kelly wish to encourage others to pursue a similar commitment to the field of science through the Dewey/Kelly Lectureship series bring leading scientists from around the world to UNL.

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Recent Recipients
2020-21 Jack Szostak
2018-19 Stuart L. Schreiber
2010-11 Jacqueline K. Barton
1997-98 Alan Fersht
1996-97 Christopher M. Dobson
1995-96 Kurt Schaffner

Michael L. Gross Lectureship

Professor Michael L. Gross joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska in 1988 after post-doctoral studies with Professor Fred McLaffarty at Purdue University. Grounded in his formal training as an organic chemist, Professor Gross was an early leader in the study of ion-molecule reactions using mass spectrometry. Professor Gross left the University in 1994 but his research interests continue in the development of mass spectrometric methods. We gratefully acknowledge Professor Michael Gross for his support of this lectureship.

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Recent Recipients
2019 Gary Siuzdak
2018 Carlito Lebrilla
2017 Catherine Costello
2014 Alan Marshall
2012 Vicki Wysocki
2008 Igor Kaltashov
2008 John Klassen
1999 Martin Vestal
1998 Michael Gross

Gustavson Lectureship

The Reuben G. Gustavson Memorial Lectures were established in 1975 in recognition of Dr. Gustavson’s contributions to education and research. The lectures at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln are jointly administered by the Department of Chemistry and the School of Biological Sciences. The lectures deal with Science and Society, with emphasis on questions related to resources and the environment.

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Recent Recipients
1987 Frank H. Westheimer
1984 Edward A. Knapp
1982-83 Howard A. Schneiderman
1979 Philip Handler
1978 W. J. Hubbard

Hamilton Lectureship in Organic Chemistry

Cliff S. Hamilton joined the faculty of the University of Nebraska in 1923. He served as chairman of chemistry from 1939 to 1955 and retired in 1957. His research interests included the synthesis of organic compounds containing arsenic, antimony, or phosphorus, and the study of heterocyclic compounds utilizable as drugs. Because of his great contributions to chemistry the new chemistry building at the University of Nebraska was dedicated in his honor on October 25, 1970, and we continue to honor him with this organic chemistry lectureship and others like him who strive for excellence in chemistry.

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Recent Recipients
2021-22 Cynthia J. Burrows
2020-21 Richard B. Silverman
2019-20 Gregory C. Fu
2018-19 Frances H. Arnold
2017-18 John F. Hartwig
2016-17 Chaitan Khosla
2015-16 David MacMillan
2014-15 Laura Kiessling
2013-14 Peter H. Seeberger
2012-13 Kendall N. Houk
2011-12 Carolyn R. Bertozzi
2010-11 Stephen L. Buchwald

Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) Award Lectureship

The IAB Award Lectureship was established to strengthen ties between scientists in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and those in the industrial world of chemistry. The Lectureship will, from time to time, bring outstanding scientists from the industry to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus to present their work and engage in discussions on topics of mutual interest with faculty and students in the Department.

Recent Recipients
2017 Margaret Y. Chu-Moyer

Merski Memorial Lectureship

The Jack Merski Memorial Lectureship in Physical Chemistry was established by his friends, colleagues and family in memory of his intense interest in science and his dedication to excellence in its practice. These lectures reflect Dr. Merski's interest and delight in the nature of collective interactions and their many manifestations in the chemistry and physics of condensed matter.

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Recent Recipients
2016 F. Fleming Crim
1999 Ahmed H. Zewail (1999 Nobel prizewinner)
1986 Peter Wolynes

Carl Georgi-Walter Militzer Memorial Lectureship

Carl Georgi came to the University of Nebraska in 1935 as an instructor in bacteriology and was promoted to full professor in 1947. In 1936, Dr. Walt Militzer came to the University of Nebraska as an instructor and was promoted to full professor in 1948. Carl's and Walt's friendship dated from their undergraduate student days at Wisconsin. While at the University of Nebraska, they jointly pioneered research on thermophilic bacteria, a fundamental problem in biochemistry. This lectureship honors their collaborative spirit and genuine interest in student learning.

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Recent Recipients
2013 Jon Clardy
2003 Sir John Walker
1993 Har Gorbind Khorana
1989 Stanley Choen
1984 Konrad Bloch
1980 David Baltimore

Nebraska Cluster for Computational Chemistry (NC3) Award Lectureship

Nebraska Cluster for Computational Chemistry (NC3) Award Lectures were established in ...

Recent Recipients
2021 Glenn H. Fredrickson
2019 Juan J. de Pablo
2018 Sharon Hammes-Schiffer
2017 Peter Rossky
2016 Kenneth Dill

Phi Lambda Upsilon, Rho Chapter Lectureship

Phi Lambda Upsilon was founded as an honorary chemical society in March, 1899 at the University of Illinois. The aims and purposes of the Society were from its inception "the promotion of high scholarship and original investigation in all branches of pure and applied chemistry." Through these lectureships, PLU’s endeavors to serve the field of chemistry.

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Recent Recipients
2021-2022 Julius Lucks
2019-2020 Mollie Meffert
2018-2019 James Tour
2017-2018 Richard N. Zare
2016-2017 Christina M. White
2015-2016 Milan Mrsksich
2014-2015 Chad A. Mirkin
Daniel C. Harris
2013-2014 Daniel Harris
Emily P. Balskus
2012-2013 Mark Meyerhoff
2011-12 Oliver Fiehn

Rieke Award Lectureship

The Rieke Award Lectures were established in ...

Recent Recipients
2018-2019 George M. Whitesides

Nolan and Gloria Sommer Lectureship

Dr. Nolan B. Sommer retired as a Senior Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of American Cyanamid Company in June, 1978. During his 10 years as a Cyanamid corporate officer and Director, Dr. Sommer was also a member of the Executive Committee. He had a major responsibility for the continued development of the company's operations outside the United States. This lectureship has been designed to honor Sommer’s commitment and contributions to the academic community.

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Recent Recipients
2017 Richard W. Roberts
2013 Barbara Imperiali
2005 Carolyn Bertozzi
2004 Michael L. Gross
2003 Victor J. Hruby
2002 Ned A. Porter
2001 Gunda I. Georg

Stiefvater Memorial Lectureship

The Charles A. Stiefvater lectureship was established by his family, friends, and colleagues in memory of his interests in Inorganic and Organometallic chemistry. He conducted research on multiply bonded arsenic compounds before joining the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Department of Chemistry in 1983. Under the supervision of Prof. Reuben D. Rieke, Chuck's research at UNL involved various aspects of the chemistry of metallic cobalt and nickel.

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Recent Recipients
2011 Melanie S. Sanford
2006 Barry Trost
2001 Miguel Yus
2000 John E. Bercaw
1996 Albert I. Meyers

Streck Award Lecture

The Streck Award Lecture was established in 2016. Located in La Vista, Nebraska, Streck develops and manufactures products in hematology,immunology, molecular diagnostics, cell stabilization, infectious diseases and urinalysis for clinical and research laboratories. Streck’s passion for innovation, quality and service are what makes the organization a world leader in the development of quality control and diagnostic products helping laboratories ensure accurate and timely results for patients. Streck also offers automated erythrocyte sedimentation rate instruments for testing in EDTA tubes.

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Recent Recipients
2021 Carolyn Bertozzi
2019 Benjamin Cravatt
2018 Tom Muir
2017 Jim Wells
2016 Kevin Shokat

E. Roger Washburn Memorial Lectureship

E. Roger Washburn’s friends and family in memory of his 40 years of service on the faculty of UNL’s Department of Chemistry established the E. Roger Washburn Lectureship. It is appropriate that these lectures, by their topics, reflect Professor Washburn's interest and curiosity about the nature of molecular interactions and the many manifestations of behavior, which give each molecule its own chemical personality.

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Recent Recipients
2020 Joan F. Brennecke
2018 John H. Seinfeld
2017 Hongjie Dai
2016 Richard J. Saykally
2015 Gábor Somorjai
2010 Bruce J. Berne
2007 Charles M. Lieber
2005 Donald G. Truhlar
1999 David Chandler
1995 Hans W. Spiess