Steve Szatynski, Candidate for Chair-Elect

Steve Szatynski of Eastman Kodak Company is originally from Niagara Falls, NY. He received an Associates Degree in analytical chemistry from Niagara County Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester. At Kodak since 1979, Steve advanced through positions of increasing responsibility to his current position as a manager in the Materials and Media Design Division. His group develops and commercializes film formulas for the Aerial and Industrial Markets, Document Imaging, and Color Negative Films. Steve was also Worldwide Formulation Manager for Kodacolor films, providing him with the opportunity to travel internationally to support manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Australia, France and China. Steve is married to Aileen and they have three children in their twenties, none at home (currently).

Position Statement
I am honored to have been nominated as Chair-Elect of the Rochester Section in 2010. It is my hope to use 2011 as a year of learning, both in leadership skills and for identifying opportunities that we might address in our section. I believe that we can build stronger and more synergistic relations with several associated groups and area institutions. I consider myself fortunate to be Chair- Elect during the planning year for Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM) and Chair in 2012 when we host NERM.

50-Year ACS Member: Ronald E. Bambury (2009)

Ron Bambury was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota but moved to Minneapolis as a child and later to the north suburbs. Here he completed his secondary education, graduating from Anoka high school in 1950. While still in grade school he expressed an interest in being a chemist at a large company and showed his other scientific bent by describing the details and uses of a binary number system to his classmates. To pursue his chemist dream he entered the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota for the five year program. He graduated with a Bachelor of Chemistry degree, and his senior project on nitro-olefins was the basis of his first publication.

Ron then entered the graduate program at the University of Nebraska, and received an M.S. in 1958 and a PhD in 1960 with a major in organic chemistry and minors in physiology and biochemistry. His thesis work on Tetralones, done under Prof. N.H.Cromwell resulted in five publications. He was elected to Sigma Xi and Phi Lambda Upsilon.

Employment during college included janitorial work as well as summer chemistry lab jobs at Russell Miller Milling and the Minnesota Water Department. His dream to be a large company chemist was realized in subsequent years, first at American Cyanamid Animal Health Division (1960-64) working on anthelmintics and antiprotozoal agents. He then worked at Merrell-National Labs, (1964-76) and Diamond Shamrock(1976-83) on antiprotozoals, antimicrobials, Beta Lactam antibiotics, and growth promotion agents. Ron's last employer was Bausch and Lomb in Rochester, Contact Lens Division(1984-97), working on synthesis and development of novel contact lens materials. He retired in 1987.

During his professional career Ron authored over 50 publications and patents, notable of the latter were 2 on antihelmintics and the siliconhydrogel polymer used in the manufacture of the Pure Vision(TM) contact lens. He also authored a chapter in "Burger's Medicinal Chemistry" on antimicrobial agents, and served as a referee for both the Journals of Medicinal Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Ron's ACS activities included a stint as chairman of the local section in Wooster, OH. in 1970. He also served as chairman of the Sycamore School Planning Commission in Cincinnati and most recently as a field agent for the 2000 census.

While in his last year of college, Ron married Laura Ukasick, and they have children Cathy, Kevin, and Jennifer, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Over the years Ron's hobbies have been varied, including photography, camping, hiking, and biking along the Erie Canal. Taking much of his time currently is woodworking, with emphasis on designing and building furniture in the Arts and Crafts style. The many fine pieces of furniture in the Bambury home attest to Ron's skill in creating beauty from a few simple pieces of wood.

George A.Brown

50-Year ACS member: James K. Elwood (2009)

James K. Elwood was born in 1936 in Ladysmith, WI. His interest in science was kindled by a microscope set he received while in Fourth Grade. In those days it was a simple matter to order replacement chemicals by mail. After graduating as salutatorian from Ladysmith High School, he attended Wisconsin State College in Eau Claire, which is now a branch of the University of Wisconsin. He graduated magna cum laude in 1958 with majors in chemistry and mathematics. In the fall, he began his graduate work at Michigan State University in E. Lansing, MI., where, under the supervision of Robert Herbst, his thesis work involved the synthesis of tetrazole analogs of glutamic acid. This work was hampered by the discovery that tetrazoles, when treated with acetic anyhydride, rearrange to 1,3,2-oxadiazoles.

In September 1953 Jim began work at Kodak Research Labs in Jack Gates’ Emulsion Addenda Synthesis Laboratory. This work included the syntheses of antifoggants and developers along with the study of some Claisen rearrangements involving pyrazoles which led to a publication. A few years later he moved to Don Heseltine’s Sensitizing Dye Synthesis Laboratory. One of his initial projects involved the preparation of cyanine dyes containing the phenalene ring system in place of the polymethine chain. Two publications resulted from this interesting work. Another interesting project was the preparation of cationic cyanine dyes having lanthanide chelate counter anions.

Over the years, the original Sensitizing Dye Synthesis Laboratory underwent a number of changes in name, emphasis, and lab heads. As a result, Jim was able to work on a number of projects at various times, including nucleating agents, spectral sensitizing dyes for reversal systems as well as negative systems, conventional image dyes, and metallizable image dyes. A few more joint publications and about a dozen patents resulted.

Jim wrote a computer program to calculate the basicities of basic nuclei which correlated well with their measured basicities when expressed in energy terms.

He also conducted modeling studies on the structural features of sensitizing dyes with a view of reducing dye stain.

Jim has two sons, John and Christopher, with his former wife Donna, and one grandson, Keane. John is an associate professor of physics and current department head at E. Stroudberg University in Pennsylvania.

In retirement, Jim spends time gardening, playing the piano and pet-sitting for his sons.
When asked if he would do anything differently if he had the chance, he said: “Probably not, since my choices always followed my interests”.

50-Year ACS Member: Roy Orvis (2009)

Roy Orvis grew up in western Canada, but spent his entire career with the Kodak Research Labs. He was born in Calgary, but attended schools in Mirror, Alberta. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Honors Chemistry from the University of Alberta in Edmonton and continued there to get an M.Sc, under Prof. R. B. Sandin. He came to graduate school in the US, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he received a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry under the direction of Prof. E. E. VanTamelen.

Roy joined Eastman Kodak in 1964 in the Color Organic Chemistry Lab in the Color Photography Division directed by Ilmari Salminen. After 14 years doing synthesis of color photographic couplers, colored (masking) couplers, and nucleating agents there, he became a Staff Assistant in the division, a position he held until he retired in 1991 in the big Kodak buyout.

In retirement Roy manages an antique car collection that includes the first car that he owned, a 1953 Chevrolet, which he has restored. He is also interested in genealogy and has traveled widely with his wife Marina. They live in Greece and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Roy and Marina have a son and daughter; the daughter, Carey and son-in-law Paul have two teen-age children, Roy and Marina’s two grandchildren. Carey works for a financial consulting firm and Paul is a banker here in the Rochester area. The son Mark lives in Rhode Island and is employed in the packaging field.

50-Year ACS Member: Arnold F. Schmeckenbecher (2009)

Arnold F. Schmeckenbecher was born in Allendorf/Lumda, Germany in February 1920. He graduated from the ‘Kreuzschule’ (School of the Cross), a humanistic ‘Gymnasium,’ in Dresden in 1940 where he studied English, Latin and ancient Greek. His father was a Lutheran pastor.

After two weeks of study at the Technical University in Dresden, he was drafted into the German Army in October 1940 , served from June 1941 in Russia and from April 1944 in Italy. He was taken prisoner by the U.S. Army near Siena (Tuscany) in June 1944, and shipped to a POW camp in Louisiana. He returned to Germany (American Occupation Zone) in November 1946 and was reunited with his parents and sister who had lost their home in the Dresden air raids.

Arnold Schmeckenbecher resumed his academic studies (chemistry) at the University of Heidelberg (Germany) in April 1947. Arnold’s father had given him a chemistry set when he was 12, perhaps in memory of his uncle, a chemistry student, who had volunteered in the German Army in World War I and was killed on the Russian front in 1915.

He graduated from Heidelberg with a degree ‘Dipl. Chem.’ in 1950, and pursued graduate study at the University of Kiel (Germany). He was awarded the degree ‘Dr. rer. nat.’ (magna cum laude) in July 1953. A summary of Schmeckenbecher’s research under Prof. Dr. Robert Juza was published in Naturwissenschaften (1955), ‘Magnetochemischer Nachweis von Chlorgraphit.’ He then served as a ‘Postdoc’ at Kiel with a stipend from the ‘Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft’ from August 1953 – October 1954.

Dr. Schmeckenbecher’s entire industrial career was with American firms. From January 1955 to October 1958, he performed research at General Aniline & Film (GAF) in Linden, NJ on the decomposition of metal carbonyls, e.g. ‘Carbonyl Iron’ particles used in ‘low loss cores’ of early television induction coils. He then worked with Remington Rand Univac in Philadelphia from October 1958 to July 1960 doing research on magnetic NiFe computer memories.

The bulk of Arnold Schemeckenbecher’s career was with IBM from July 1960 until his retirement in April 1989 at Poughkeepsie, NY focusing on packaging and cooling of silicon chips for mainframe computers, elecroless nickel-iron alloy plating and many other projects. He was promoted to ‘Senior Chemist’ in April 1969, was awarded 23 U.S. patents and published several peer reviewed papers. He was the recipient of the IBM Award for ‘Outstanding Technical Achievement’ and of twelve IBM awards for creative contributions to IBM progress.

Dr. Schmeckenbecher has been married (happily !) to Rose, nee Zettler, since August 1953. Rose obtained a BS degree in Behavioral Science from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY at the age of 65 ! In 1996, the Schmeckenbechers moved to a retirement community in Metropolitan Rochester to be closer to their daughter and four grandchildren. Their daughter, Eva, obtained a BS degree in Biochemistry from Union College (1977) in Schenectady, NY. Arnold and Rose are proud of the accomplishments of their grandchildren: the two oldest recently graduated from Medical School and are now in internship and residency; the third obtained a BS degree in accounting from Roberts Wesleyan College and is working with a Rochester accounting firm; and, the youngest, just started (2008) at SUNY/Brockport.

Arnold Schmeckenbecher’s hobbies include: gardening, hiking (as long as the legs cooperate) and learning how to play the piano.

Max M. Boudakian

Richard Bent, 1917-2008

Longtime Rochester ACS Member Richard L. (Dick) Bent passed away Sunday, November 9 at the age of 91. Dick served the Rochester Section in many capacities over the years, most recently as its historian and photographer. Below is a biography that Dick himself wrote on the occasion of his 50-year ACS anniversary in 1995.
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I was born in Rochester in 1917. but after the family moved to England in 1920 I lived in Harrow, near London, until just before the war. I received most of my early education at two excellent boarding schools,
Orley Farm in Harrow and St. Edward's in Oxford. Discipline was strict in those days and at the latter canings were given for such minor offenses as skipping the compulsory cold shower in the morning!

After passing the School Certiticate exam with the required number of credits, I entered Cambridge University. residing at Queens which was founded in 1448. l majored in both physics and chemistry and received a Bachelor's degree in 1939. This was followed over here by
additional studies at Berkeley and at the U of R, including some evening courses.

In 1941 I started work as a production chemist in the Synthetic Chemistry Division, Kodak Park West, where World War I sheds were still being used as labs. ln 1948 I transferred to the Building 129 Research Lab headed by C. F. H. Allen, working with Jack Thirtle in A. Weissberger's group. In 1950 this group was incorporated into the Color Photography Division and we moved to the main Research Labs in Buildings 59 and 82.

For nearly 30 years. until my retirement in 1979 as a Research Associate, much of my time was devoted to the synthesis of p-phenylenediamine color developers which react to form the appropriate dyes in many photographic products. Several patents and joint publications resulted from this work. After retirement I was persuaded to return on a part-time basis (without remuneration, however) to write several detailed reports on developers.

From 1954 to the present I have served the Rochester Section in many capacities including the post as Secretary in 1963-4. As a volunteer I have worked for a number of years at St. John's Home and have also been involved in the Meals on Wheels program.

My long-term hobbies have been photography and building a scientific library, which I continually keep up to date and which now totals over 2000 volumes. Travel has been a major interest and few years go by without going abroad. This year's trip in August was a little more
rugged than usual as it involved exploring Spitzbergen — located about 750 miles from
the North Pole - and the coastal areas around Greenland.

James H. Reynolds: Candidate for Chair-Elect

Jim Reynolds is a Research Associate at Eastman Kodak Company, where he has been employed since 1992. His current assignment is in the Materials and Media Design Division developing new films and technologies for color imaging systems. He received a B.A. in chemistry from Colby College and a Ph.D. in physical-organic chemistry from Yale University. Jim lives in Brighton with his wife Ginny and his daughter Maya.

Rochester Section Activities: ACS Member since 1983. Section Councilor (2000-2008); Member-at-Large (1994-1995, 1998-1999); National Chemistry Week Chair (1998-2000); Section Webmaster (1996-present), Audit Committee Chair (2002-present), Section Awards Committee (2003-2005, Chair 2003); High School Awards Committee (2001-present), NERM 2004 Committee; CHEMunicator Newsletter editor (2007-present); Rochester Section Special Recognition Award, 1999; Rochester Section Award winner, 2002 and 2005 (with NERM Committee); Salutes to Excellence Award, 2008.

National ACS Activities: Member of the Local Section Activities Committee and the LSAC sub-committee on Local Section Assistance and Development (2002-2008).

Statement: I am delighted to have been asked to run for Chair-Elect of the Rochester Section. I have been an active member of the Section for more than 15 years, and I look forward to serving the Rochester Section in a larger role. I will continue to be a strong advocate for the Section's signature events including the Harrison Howe Award, the High School Chemistry Awards, and its educational outreach activities. I am committed to working with my colleagues on the Executive Committee as together we learn how to "do more with less" and how to better serve our local ACS members.

Richard Hartmann: Candidate for Councilor

I earned my doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2000. Since that time I have been employed by Nazareth College where I am currently and associate professor and director of the general chemistry program. I have spent the last few years incorporating undergraduates into my research which focuses on designing and analyzing novel catalysts for biodiesel synthesis from used cooking oils. I have been active in the local section for a number of years, first as a member at large and most recently as the chair of the section. These years of involvement have shown me that we are fortunate to have an excellent contingent of people who diligently serve the members of the section and strive to maintain its vibrancy in spite of diminishing numbers and finances. I have decided to run for councilor as I have found that I greatly enjoy working with local chemists who have a vision for the future of chemistry and the ACS in Rochester. I am committed to working with the new executive committee to continue the work that has been started in the past few years as well as to continue to plan for a great future for the section.

Robert Murray: Candidate for Alternate Councilor

Education: B.S., Universuty of Nebraska – Lincoln (1969); Ph.D. in organic chemistry, University of Nebraska – Lincoln (1973).

Professional Experience: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Department of Medicinal Chemistry University of Kansas (1973-1974); Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Sidney Farber Cancer Institute (1975); Senior Scientist / Group Leader, Pennwalt Corp (1976 – 1985): Section-head Medicinal Chemistry, Fisons Corp (1985 – 1996); Associate Director Chemistry, Astra (1997- 2000); Director for Chemistry, Serono Research Institute (2001 – 2004); pharmaceutical consultant (2005 – present).

ACS Service: member since 1972.

Rochester Section ACS Service: Finance Committee, 1985-1987 (chairman, 1986-1987); Nominations and Elections Committee, 1986, 1990 and 1991 (chairman 1991); Rochester Section Award Committee, 1987, 1990 and 1995 (chairman 1995); NERM-17, treasurer (1987); Alternate Councilor, 1988; Chairman-Elect, 1989; Chairman, 1990; Treasurer, 1992; Adopt-a-School Program volunteer (Cobbles School), 1992 – 1996: Alternate Councilor, 2008.

Honors: Rochester Section Award (1994).

Statement: I am pleased to have been asked to run again for office in the Rochester Section. If elected, as alternate councilor and thereby a voting member of the Executive Committee I would support the excellent programs which have been started at the local level as well as encourage thoughtful planning and frequent program reviews to ensure their continued success. In addition, I will work to ensure that the vision for local sections as expressed by national are adopted locally so that we continue to “connect chemistry with the community” and thereby carry out the mission of the ACS: to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. At the national level I would represent the interests of the Rochester Section and its members in council as required.

Elizabeth Burns: Candidate for Secretary

Biography
ACS Rochester Section
Academic Record:
LeMoyne College (1994) B.S. Chemistry with Departmental Honors
Nazareth College (2003) M.S. Education
Syracuse University (enrolled) M.S. Forensic Science
Honors:
American Institute of Chemists Student Medal Award (LeMoyne College)
Outstanding Student Teaching in Chemistry (Nazareth)

Professional Positions:
Fairport High School (Fairport, NY), Chemistry and Forensic Science Teacher, 2001 to Present
Eastman Kodak Company (Rochester, NY), Chemical Buyer, Quality Assurance Engineer, 1996 to 2000
Bristol Myers Squibb (Syracuse, NY), Assistant Scientist Chemical Development Labs, 1994 to 1996

Service in ACS: Member since 1994
Member: ACS Division of Chemical Education

Statement

It is an honor to be nominated to run for Secretary of the Local Rochester ACS Section. As a member of the ACS since 1994, I have had many opportunities to utilize the services of the ACS through conferences, workshops and access to ACS publications. I am looking forward to having a more active role in the Local Section. As a teacher, I love getting my students excited about chemistry. I am looking forward to finding opportunities to promote chemistry in Rochester.

Maryann Mendel: Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography
Dr. Maryann Mendel has been an ACS member for 43 years. Her contributions to Chemistry were in the area of Photography at Eastman Kodak Company, where she worked as a Senior Development Manager in the Entertainment Imaging Business. During her tenure, more than 15 new innovative film products were successfully delivered to the Motion Picture Industry. More recently, she filled the role of Business Development and Program Manager for digital products until her retirement in 2005.

Mendel holds a BA in Chemistry from Immaculata College and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Boston College. She also completed The Duke Advanced Management Program.

In addition to her ACS membership, Mendel is a Research Fellow and Lifetime Member of the Research Scientific Council, Eastman Kodak Company and is currently a Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc. During her career, Mendel received many team technical awards such as 2 Academy Awards of Merit (Oscar) from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Board of Governors. She also received the Fuji Gold Medal Award from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc. for individual advancements to color science.

She is currently a resident of West Irondequoit, New York with her husband John and their 2 dogs, Teddie and Annie.

Statement
Over the last year, the Rochester Section of the American Chemical Society presented a new look to chemistry by focusing on Chemistry and its relationship to the Arts. Several lectures were provided that covered Chemistry and its relationship to Art. These presentations were very well received and allowed other disciplines to realize the role of chemistry beyond technology. As we move forward, if elected, I would continue to support non-classical chemical presentations.

Todd Pagano: Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography
Todd Pagano, an assistant professor and director of the Laboratory Science Technology (LST) program, came to Rochester Institute of Technology/ National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID) in 2002 where he led the implementation of the new LST program. During his career at RIT/NTID, he has set-up a state-of-the-art instrumentation laboratory, architected the new degree program, and helped to place numerous deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals into careers in the chemical sciences. He has worked on several pedagogical and chemical research projects and has presented or co-authored over sixty papers at regional, national, and international symposia. He has been honored as a recipient of RIT’s Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching, EPA’s STAR Fellowship, Institute on College Teaching Fellowship, Dawan L. Albritton Faculty Humanitarian Award, Delta Sigma Phi Faculty Humanitarian Award, and ACS’s Stanley C. Israel Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences. He is active in encouraging underrepresented students into science fields and leads outreach initiatives to K-12 deaf and hard-of-hearing students. He has been a member of the ACS for 12 years, serves on the ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities, and is co-editor of the Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities.

Statement
I have enjoyed working with the ACS in many different capacities. As a member-at-large, I plan to continue the close collaboration between the Rochester section of the ACS and RIT/NTID. I am anxious to provide opportunities for underrepresented individuals in the field, including members of our deaf and hard-of-hearing community. I hope to continue to promote outreach initiatives to K-12 students, build alliances between academia and industry, and progress the general goals of the local section.

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Lew Allen

An excellent role model, Lew Allen has long promoted the technical education of minorities and the disadvantaged and has encouraged them to pursue science degree programs. In 1969, while teaching at Florida A&M University, he first mentored a student in Project Catalyst, forerunner of the ACS SEED program (Summer Educational Experience for the Disadvantaged). For many years, he has been a driving force behind the local ACS Project SEED and was very active for 10 years on the national SEED Committee, co-chairing anniversary symposia.

Believing it is crucial to reach grade school students before they develop mind sets, Lew has long participated in the adopt-a-school program of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). He still serves NOBCChE locally as moderator for various Science Bowl competitions. He had also worked on the PRIS2M program to interest local high school students in science and math. In the late 70’s, he was one of eleven black Ph.D.’s at Kodak, a high-water mark for U.S. companies.

Currently serving the Section as Member-at-Large and chair of the Retired Chemists and Project SEED Committees, Dr. Allen represented the Section as Councilor for 15 years. He was our Chairman in 1987, the Section’s 75th Anniversary year, which was capped by a very successful NERM-17 symposium. His other Section activities have included serving as treasurer, photographer, and on the lecture series, membership, and long range planning committees. In 1993 he received the well-deserved Rochester Section Award.

Born in Monroe, LA (1937), Lew grew up in New York City and took a competitive exam to attend the Bronx High School of Science (Class of ’54). Lew considered a pre-med track for college, but his respected H.S. teacher persuaded him that a chemistry career would provide a broader horizon. He received his B.S. from Queens College (City University of NY, 1958), and his Ph.D. (physical organic chemistry, 1963) from Syracuse University. From 1963-70 he served on the Florida A&M faculty, then joined the Color Photographic Chemistry Division in the Kodak Research Labs. On a 9-month detour to KRL’s Personnel Office, he conducted Ph.D. recruiting. In 1974 he was asked to coordinate responses to customers’ environmental questions. He envisioned a short-term job developing a catalog of standard answers, but questions became complex enough to be handled eventually by a group of more than 30. In 1980, Lew joined the Industrial Laboratory (later, Chemicals Quality Services), and soon became head of the Environmental Analytical Services Lab, and retired in 1992.

By special request, Lew taught Chemistry 101 for three years at MCC’s brand new lab on the Damon Campus (Sibley Building). He also managed to fit in teaching chemistry labs one semester each on the Brockport and Geneseo campuses and an MCC summer course for 3M first-level supervisors, who had little chemistry background. He countered “chemophobia” by providing them an awareness of chemistry’s contributions to society and its impact on consumers’ concerns. From 1993-9 he pursued his love of teaching at Empire State College. There, students at mid-career in their 30’s designed their independent studies for a degree, so Lew expanded his knowledge in toxicology, quality assurance, fire protection, and chemical safety.

Lew and his wife Diane, a retired Greece middle school math teacher, have a son, two daughters, and three grandchildren. They love to travel and have taken over 20 cruises. Last year they bought a Sarasota condo and became snowbirds. Lew has been active in Toastmasters and has served on the boards of the Bay View YMCA and the Retired Professional Society of Rochester. As an avid bridge player, he travels frequently to tournaments and has earned the title of Silver Life Master. J. Dolf Bass

50-Year ACS Member (2008): John Deutsch

John L. Deutsch was born in New York City in May 1938. He graduated from High School in Hattiesburg, MS. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from Tulane University in 1959. As an
undergraduate, he also served as a Chemistry Tutor and Research Assistant. His
academic accomplishments at Tulane included: Phi Beta Kappa; Sigma Pi Sigma
(Physics Honor Society); and, ACS Award for the Outstanding Chemistry Student.

John Deutsch was nationally recognized as a Rhodes Scholar (1959) and embarked on graduate studies at Trinity College, Oxford University (UK). His doctoral supervisor at Oxford was Prof. Richard Barrow (Physical Chemistry/Chemical Physics). John specialized in molecular spectroscopy and was awarded D.Phil. in 1963. He has since maintained a close association with Oxford: post-doctorate research (1964); three occasions as a Summer Visiting Scientist with Professor Barrow. He has also conducted post-doctorate research in physics at the University of Stockholm and as Visiting Scientist at the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Ottawa.

Prior to joining SUNY Geneseo in 1966, John Deutsch served as Visiting Assistant Professor at Pomona College in California.

He recently completed a distinguished 41-year career at SUNY Geneseo (1966 – 2007). John was hired as the Chemistry Department’s first physical chemist. He taught a full spectrum of courses (analytical; inorganic; physical; freshman chemistry), as well as supervising undergraduate research.

Professor Deutsch was the recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Chemistry (1974; 1976). He has had a passion for encouraging high standards for chemical education by establishment of several John Deutsch Awards at SUNY Geneseo: Excellence in Chemical Thermodynamics; Excellence in Molecular Spectroscopy; Excellence in Physical Chemistry; and, General Chemistry Achievement.

Dr. Deutsch became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) in 1983, a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemists in 1985 and has been a Member of the AAAS since 1960.

John Deutsch has also served our local ACS Section in the following capacities:
Chair, Rochester ACS Section (1989); Chair (four years), Harrison Howe Award Committee. While Chair of the Rochester ACS Section, he created the ACS Award for Outstanding Chemistry Students graduating from Colleges and Universities in our Section.

Dr. Deutsch has co-authored 19 publications in scientific journals and made 17 presentations at scientific meetings.

He met his future wife, Edna Robertson, when she was a graduate student studying Physical Chemistry on a Carnegie Scholarship at Oxford University in England. She has also maintained a strong interest in technical fields: post-doctoral research at Pomona College; teaching (SUNY Geneseo in computer sciences and mathematics; The Harley School in mathematics).

Edna and John Deutsch have two children: Karin and Erik. Karin (named in honor of a former Swedish queen) earned a Ph.D. in history at Cambridge University (UK). She is now associated with Freedom House in New York City. Erik (named after the Patron Saint of Stockholm) was awarded a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at MIT. He currently specializes in ‘MEMS’ (micro electrical mechanical systems).

John Deutsch has also maintained a life-long interest in music going back to Junior High School (1949). He later played in the Tulane University Wind Orchestra. While at Oxford, John Deutsch played French horn with four different symphony orchestras. His commitment to music continued with the SUNY Geneseo Orchestra playing horn and trumpet.

Max M. Boudakian
July 27, 2008

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Jack Kampmeier

On November 13, professors J. Kampmeier (Rochester), D. Gosser (NYC), and P. Varma-Nelson (Indianapolis) will be honored by the ACS Northeastern Section as recipients of the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry. This coveted award recognizes their leadership work to develop the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Workshop model for teaching chemistry. A break from the traditional lecture/recitation model, PLTL trains students to guide small teams of students of the following year’s class in working together to solve challenging problems designed by the faculty member. This provides a greatly enhanced learning experience for the students, a leadership role for the undergraduate leader, and a creative new dimension to faculty teaching. Currently, 1500-2000 peer leaders are engaged on more than 150 campuses to facilitate Workshops for over 20,000 students each year. PLTL is propagating from science and math courses to engineering, economics, and business school courses, since it provides students better conceptual understanding as they construct their own knowledge. Students find it fun because they discuss, debate, question, and try to explain the meaning of observations and data with their peers, just as scientists do in research meetings.

Jack is excited to have had a pivotal role in developing these new teaching techniques and is grateful for NSF grant support. His leadership in teaching was previously recognized by receipt of UofR’s E. P. Curtis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (1974), its R. H. Goergen Award for Artistry and Achievement in Undergraduate Teaching (1999), and the Chemical Manufacturer’s Association’s Catalyst Award for Excellence in Science Teaching (1999).

Born (1935) into a family of engineers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jack attended schools in the suburban Chicago and Philadelphia areas. Receiving his A.B., cum laude, from Amherst College (1957) and Organic Chemistry Ph.D. from University of Illinois (1960, under Prof. Curtin), he directly joined the University of Rochester chemistry faculty and rose to full professor by 1971. Dr. Kampmeier views his UofR teaching career in overlapping 15-year segments, where his main focus was chemical research (1960-75), administration (1975-90), and pedagogical research (1990-2005). His teaching and research in organic chemistry emphasized reaction mechanisms of free radical, organometallic, and electron transfer reactions. Administrative positions included Chemistry Department Chairman, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Associate Director of the NSF Center for Photoinduced Charge Transfer. Building on his teaching innovations of the ‘60’s, Jack teamed up with Vicki Roth of UofR’s Learning Assistance Services in 1995 to introduce peer-led teaching in his course in organic chemistry. The UofR initiative has now propagated to include 15-20 courses in eight different departments. His two sabbaticals, as NSF Faculty Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley (1971-2) and as Fulbright Senior Research Scholar at the Albert Ludwigs Universitat, Freiburg, Germany (1979-80), have been the only interruptions of a career devoted to the University of Rochester. As Emeritus Professor, Jack still has a UofR office and is working on publishing collaborative papers both in chemistry and education.

Jack’s local ACS activities included chairing the Program and Harrison Howe Committees, and encouraging U of R’s Student Affiliate. Nationally, he has long been a member of the Organic Chemistry and Chemical Education Divisions. Hobbies include bird watching, reading, play going, music, and opera. Jack first met Anne Derk in 5th grade and some dozen years later (1958) they were married and lived along the Rhine in Germany for a few months. They still love river cruises and other travel in Europe. Jack and Anne have two professional sons and a daughter, who is a classical pianist in NYC. Always smiling, Jack has made the most of his academic and professional career and enjoyed interactions with many friends and co-workers. J. Dolf Bass

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Dolf Bass

Born in 1933, the son of a chemist, growing up in Midland, Michigan “within nose range” of Dow Chemical, and a fascination with the creative potential of “tailor-making” compounds for specific tasks may be among factors enticing Dolf Bass into a chemical career. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan (1956) and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin (1960 under W.S. Johnson). During his two years of USAF duty, he helped set up a laboratory and research program on solar energy conversion systems at the AF Cambridge Research Laboratories near Boston. In 1963, after a year’s postdoctoral photochemistry research project at Harvard under E.J. Corey, Dolf joined the Kodak Research Laboratories. Over the years he explored diverse areas of photographic chemistry including image application systems, silver complexes, physical development, lithography, color couplers, sensitizing dyes, and diffusion transfer studies. As Research Associate in the Emulsion Research Division patent liaison group, he did patent searches, assisted attorneys in patenting inventions, and assessed other manufacturers’ technical advances. He was part of a technical intelligence group focusing on Kodak competitors’ environmental efforts when he retired in 1991.

In retirement, Dolf continued active involvement in the Webster Presbyterian Church. This included a third term as Elder, chairing a pastor search committee, resettling Sudanese refugees, serving on Trustees and the Stewardship & Budget Committee, writing WPC’s annual financial reviews, helping select organists and choir directors, and working on successful energy conservation construction projects. As a choir member for more than 40 years, he’s “the tenor with the longest tenure”. In 1971 he co-chaired the University of Life lecture series program sponsored by the Webster Council of Churches.

Dolf has been active in the Rochester Section for more than four decades, both behind the scenes and in leadership positions, and was the 1983 Rochester Section Award recipient. In addition to serving as 1975 Section Chairman, he has chaired the High School Teachers’ Night, Education, Centennial, Spring Lecture Series, and Long Range Planning committees. He also worked on NERM 11 and 17, Nominating, Program, High School Teachers’ Award, Membership Affairs, and Rochester Section Questionnaire committees. He has served as Alternate Councilor (1978-9, 1988, 1990-1) as Councilor (1980-7, 1989) and on the national ACS Committee on Patents and Related Matters (1983-91). While Section Chairman, he was instrumental in launching the local Technician Affiliate Group and in mounting the Operation Interface program to foster better cooperation and communication between members in industry and local colleges. In many of these activities he encouraged others toward a more active ACS participation. He initiated a Section investment program replacing low-yield CDs with much higher yielding mutual funds. In recent years he’s been active with the Retired Chemists Committee.

Dolf’s interest in encouraging innovation led him to organize and chair a national ACS innovation symposium and a very well received 1983 Rochester ACS lecture series entitled, “The High Tech Innovation Challenge – Creativity, Productivity and Invention”. He was successful in obtaining some financial backing from the ACS Program Development Fund and persuading other local professional societies to assist in cooperative sponsorship.

Married in 1959, Dolf and his wife Edie live in Webster and have four daughters -- Kristin, Erika, and twins Berit and Margrit. Dolf enjoys writing birthday verses for their five grandchildren. For relaxation he enjoys reading, travel, Sudoku, and swimming nearly a mile weekdays at the Y. His travel has included several cruises, many with family. He’s been involved with fundraising for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and served six years on the Bayview YMCA Board. Dolf has been happy to work with and learn from so many able and dedicated people in various efforts over the years.

Lew Allen

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Anil Mukherji

Anil Mukherji was born in Gwalior, India but grew up in Jhansi where he completed his high school education. His BS, MS, and PhD degrees in chemistry were all received from Allahabad University. The subject of his PhD thesis was Metal Complexes. Anil was also elected to the Sigma Xi honorary society.

After moving to the United States, Anil performed post-doctoral research work at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge from 1957 to 1960 in the fields of air and water pollution. He was then appointed an Assistant Professor at LSU, New Orleans where he taught Analytical Chemistry until 1965. Moving then to Philadelphia, he was an Associate Professor at Drexel University, also teaching Analytical Chemistry there until 1972. Anil has published prolifically with about 200 papers and a book to his credit, the latter being "Analytical Chemistry of Zirconium and Hafnium", published by Pergamon Press.

Anil left teaching to enter the industrial realm by joining Xerox in Rochester in 1972. His career there spanned 28 years, the first 13 in the laboratory involving analysis of polymers. Subsequently he worked in quality control ensuring the maintenance of specifications for the raw toner and photoreceptor materials. Anil retired from Xerox in 2000. His wife Nina is also retired after working 25 years as a librarian in the Xerox Research Library.

Retirement for the Mukherjis has been busy. They maintain a small garden, and he does volunteer work at Hill Haven in Webster and occasionally at the India Community Center. Both Anil and Nina are seasoned travelers and have already visited Australia and about 13 countries in South America, Europe, and Asia. Their most memorable trip so far was a three day journey from Lhasa, Tibet through remote areas of the country to Katmandu and then climbing to the base camp of Mt. Everest at 18000 ft. elevation. Luckily, and rarely no clouds obscured the peak and the magnificent view remains etched in his memory. Another of Anil's favorite trips was to the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru.

The Mukherjis have 4 grandchildren, 2 grandsons living with daughter Monica and husband in Darien, Ct. and a grandson and granddaughter in Brighton with daughter Keya and her husband. Visiting the grandchildren, tending the garden, volunteering, and planning and embarking on travel adventures keep the Mukherjis well occupied. A soon to be trip to India to visit relatives is already in the works, and who knows what after that?

George A. Brown

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Daniel W. Grisley

Dan Grisley was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1930, of schoolteacher parents. He received his elementary and secondary education in the Providence schools, and went on to Brown University, graduating with a B.A., majoring in chemistry. His graduate work was done at Yale under Prof. Emile White, with research on nitroamides resulting in his Ph.D. in organic chemistry. in 1958. He was then employed at the central research laboratories of Monsanto at Dayton, Ohio, working on organic synthesis projects. He then went on to the company's Massachusetts and St. Louis laboratories, spending 11 years with Monsanto. This was followed by 3 years of pesticide work at Syracuse University's Research Corporation, and then two years of various application projects at W.R Grace, ending in 1970. Dan then spent two years on a post-doctoral study of clinical chemistry at Hartford Hospital, followed by a position as clinical chemist at Deaconess Hospital. In 1976 he joined Kodak, working for 10 years with Dr. Roy Rand on clinical testing projects at the Health, Safety and Environmental Laboratory. He ended his career at Kodak working with Glen Bodman in the Technical Safety Laboratory, retiring in 1991. Dan married Katherine Weaver in 1955. They have two daughters, one son, and 6 grandchildren. He is involved in wildlife and environmental matters, and enjoys gardening.
Norman Allentoff

50-Year ACS Member (2008): Ralph Reynolds

Ralph Reynolds’s entire career was with Kodak in what eventually came to be called Health, Safety and Environment.

Ralph was born and raised in New York City, Queens, and graduated in 1947 from Brooklyn Tech High School, which with over 5000 students offered a chemistry course. After high school he worked as a lecture assistant at CCNY for about four years.

He was drafted into the army in 1952 and went to a radar school in El Paso, TX. He was kept on as an instructor in electronics there, but eventually decided in 1954 to go back to school, MIT, and with some credits from CCNY graduated in 1957. He worked his way through as a glass worker, building glass apparatus.

After a preliminary summer job at Synthetic Chemistry, Ralph started at Kodak in the Laboratory of Industrial Medicine, which through the years and a succession of name changes has become Health, Safety and Environment. Through the years he worked on many different problems under the general heading of biochemical toxicology.

One area of investigation was metabolism of foreign substances, such as photographic developers and food additives. He also synthesized compounds containing radioactive tracers (C14) and used them in metabolic experiments with humans. One food additive was sucrose acetate isobutyate, introduced by Tennessee Eastman, as a carrier for water-insoluble food constituents.

Other studies concerned skin sensitization by color developers, the toxicology of clothing dyes, what happens on ingestion of certain polymers, and the use of cyanoacrylate “superglue” for surgical suturing. In many of these studies he worked with Bernard Astill in Rochester and with the chemists at Tennessee Eastman.

Ralph retired in 1995. He lives on Ridge Road in Greece with his wife Katherine. They have two children, a son who is an architect in Los Angeles, and a daughter who is a stay-at-home mom for their 15-year-old grandson in the Philadelphia area. Over the years they have traveled widely, usually on their own, in Africa, South America, Europe and the Caribbean. Their only travels now take them to Martha’s Vineyard, where they spend two weeks every summer with their families.

Ralph has been active in the local chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, as President for 10 years. He and Katherine have also been members of ACLU, Planned Parenthood and MCPEARL (Monroe Citizens for Public Education and Religious Liberty). He has a very nice shop in his basement and keeps busy with projects around home.

2007 Candidate for Member-at-Large: Lew Allen

Biography: Lewis E. Allen took early retirement in 1992 from Eastman Kodak where he was director of the Environmental Analytical Services Laboratory. He then served on the adjunct faculty at Monroe Community College, Brockport and Geneseo and as a mentor at SUNY Empire State College before retiring again in 1999. Before joining Kodak he was associate professor of chemistry at Florida A&M University from 1963 to 1970. He received his B.S. in chemistry from Queens College and his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from Syracuse University. He has served the Rochester Section as Alternate Councilor in 1982-83 and Treasurer in 1984-85. He served as Chair-elect in 1986 and as Chair during the Section’s 75th Anniversary year of 1987 when the section hosted the 17th Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM). As past chair in 1988 he served as chair of the nominating committee and on the audit committee 1988-92. He has also served the section as photographer and on the local Project SEED committee. He was an associate member of the (national) Council Committee on Project SEED from 1990-92 and as a member of the committee 1993-2001. He also served on the national committee on Minority Affairs and served one year as associate member of the Committee on Environmental Improvement. He then served six years as a member of the Council Committee on Meetings and Expositions where he served on three subcommittees. He is also coordinator of the local section’s Project SEED program and chair of its Retired Chemists Committee. Lew was honored with the Rochester Section Award in 1993.

Statement: I have been active in local section activities since 1981 working in a variety of areas in an effort to contribute to the excellent record of the Rochester Section. After fifteen years I have decided to retire from the ACS Council but would like to continue to be a member of the local section executive committee. I will continue my work with Project SEED and the Retired Chemists. I hope you will vote for me as a member at large.