OCTOBER 15, 2004 TheRecord 5

Chemistry Department Boasts Six Awards and New Faculty

olumbia’s chemistry dep- Academy of Sciences. Brus also will Professor Emeritus of Chemistry In the early 1950s, Stork led ter systems. He was associate pro- artment is no stranger to be named the Samuel Latham and special research scientist in groundbreaking work in synthesiz- fessor with tenure in the chemistry accolades. The University Mitchell Professor of Chemistry. Columbia’s chemistry department, ing precise three-dimensional struc- department at Harvard and is the Chas been home to many Koji Nakanishi, Centennial will receive the 2005 Herbert C. tures of many complex organic first tenured professor of chemistry renowned chemists, among them Professor of Chemistry, has been Brown Award for Creative Research compounds, knowledge that has to leave Harvard for a professorship Nobel Laureates Harold Urey, the awarded the 2004 Te- become central to phar- elsewhere. discoverer of deuterium, a form of trahedron Prize for maceutical research. Laura Kaufman, an experimental- hydrogen, and Edward Kimball, a Creativity in Organic Since the Herbert C. ist working on confocal microscopy pioneer in the study of cortical Chemistry. The prize is Brown Award was first studies of the dynamics of cellular steroids, hormones produced by for his research on the bestowed in 1998,half of and colloidal systems, has joined the adrenal cortex. Louis Hammett, makeup of cancer-caus- its recipients have been the department as assistant profes- the father of physical organic chem- ing and anti-cancer sub- affiliated with the “Stork sor of physical chemistry. She istry and Victor LaMer, a pioneer in stances, specifically, the group,” as his research received her Ph.D. at the University the physical chemistry of colloidal structural determination team is known. Stork of California at Berkeley and systems were longtime members of of 250 physiologically himself has received a worked as a postdoctoral research the department as well. So it’s no natural products, and number of honors, scientist at Harvard. surprise that the department’s clarification of the struc- including the National Brent Stockwell, a chemical biol- award-winning legacy continue as tural basis of benzpyrene Medal of Science, the ogist from the Whitehead Institute the department brings its cutting- carcinogenicity and mit- Welch Prize, the Wolf at Massachusetts Institute of edge research into 21st century. So omycin C. Nakanishi also Prize and a number of Technology joined both the biology far this academic year, six members has contributed in clari- honorary doctorates, and chemistry departments as assis- of the faculty have been singled out fying the basis of visual including one from tant professor. for prestigious awards. In another transduction and age- Columbia. He is an hon- Assistant Professors Virginia indicator of the department’s related macular degener- orary member of various Cornish,Colin Nuckolls and Dalibor health, three new faculty members ation. He has received distinguished societies, Sames have each been promoted to have been recruited and three awards from 12 nations. including the French the rank of associate professor with assistant professors have been pro- Since 1996, a Nakanishi Académie des Sciences. tenure. Associate Professor Jim moted to tenure this year. Prize of the Chemical Two other professors Leighton has been promoted to the “The Department of Chemistry Societies of Japan and are to receive Mayor’s rank of full professor with tenure. consists of an extraordinary group USA is awarded in alter- Medals. William P. Professors Cornish and Nuckolls of chemists, recognized by numer- nate years in the two One measure of [the chemistry Schweitzer Professor of work in the fields of chemical biol- ous awards, and this is shaping up countries. “ Chemistry, Nicholas ogy and materials organic chem- to be a banner year.One measure of Professor of Chemis- Turro, will be awarded istry, respectively. Professors Sames its stature in the scientific world is try Jack Norton’s kinetic department’s] stature in the scientific the New York Mayor’s and Leighton both work in the field that eight professors in the depart- and mechanistic studies Medal for Excellence in of synthetic organic chemistry. ment are members of the National on organometallic com- world is that eight professors in the Physical Sciences. And “The department of chemistry Academy of Sciences, almost one plexes, especially metal Colin Nuckolls, associate has been very successful in recruit- quarter of the members from all of hydrides, have provided department are members of the professor in the field of ing outstanding young scientists. Columbia University,” said Bruce a rational basis for under- Organic Materials Chem- The addition of Kaufman,Reichman Berne, Eugene Higgins Professor of standing their reactivity National Academy of Sciences, almost istry, will receive the and Stockwell and the promotions Chemistry and chair of the depart- and developing novel Mayor’s Medal for Ex- of Cornish, Nuclolls, Sames and ment. catalysts that accelerates one quarter of the members from all of cellence in Science for a Leighton attest to this success. Louis Brus, professor of chem- the rate of a chemical Young Investigator. Instrumental in the recruitment of istry and chemical engineering, reaction. These results Columbia University. —Bruce Berne, new faculty and the retention of won the 2005 American Chemical have been useful in ” In the Department young faculty is the renovation of (ACS) Chemistry of Materials Prize, developing new catalysts Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry and the laboratory space in Chandler sponsored by DuPont. The award that enable chemical After a long and rigorous Hall and the promise of a new sci- recognizes research in establishing reactions to occur while department chair search, three new faculty ence building on the north campus. the field of semiconductor remaining unaffected members have been Without the extraordinary support nanocrystals, which has applica- themselves. For his added to the Depart- of the Central Administration, none tions that range from working as work, he will receive the ment: David Reichman of this would have been possible,” luminescent labels for studying bio- ACS Award in Organometallic in Synthetic Methods. This award has joined the department as pro- said Berne. logical systems to serving as effec- Chemistry for 2005, sponsored by was established to recognize “out- fessor of chemistry.Reichman,a the- For more information, go to tive components of medical diag- the Dow Chemical Company standing and creative research” in oretical chemist, is a leading www.columbia.edu/cu/chemistry. nostic tools. Earlier in 2004, Brus Foundation. this particular area of organic chem- researcher in the field of statistical was elected to the National Gilbert Stork, Eugene Higgins istry. mechanics of soft condensed mat-

From the Senate University Senate Opens 36th Session By Thomas Matthewson

he Senate opened its 36th series of annual rent increases tion notice for research officers college loans. The campaign will annual session quietly on above inflation. among his group’s goals for the culminate in lobbying efforts in Sept. 24, with reports from Noting some large cost increases year. The current Faculty Washington next spring for legisla- Tthe Committees on in the IRE budget, the report Handbook, which outlines notice tion establishing an NTE. Housing Policy, Research Officers, objected to rent hikes that “burden provisions for a number of faculty Sen. Jeremy Waldron (Ten., Law) Student Affairs and Senate Structure the tenants with the expenses of titles, says there is no such provi- spoke briefly to a late annual report and Operations. debt service (nearly $17 million in sion for research officers. A number that had been circulated for Sen. Matan Ariel (Stu., GS), stand- 2004-05, an increase of more than of units have allowed research offi- Structure and Operations. He sum- ing in for Housing Policy Chairman 20 percent) that result from the cers’ appointments to expire with- marized a wide variety of solutions William Harris, summarized a late upgrading of sub-standard buildings out informing them they would not offered in inconclusive committee 2003-04 annual report from that which Columbia has acquired over be renewed. “The result has been discussions last year to the Senate’s committee. Its lateness was one the years.” that a number of research officers longstanding difficulties in assem- theme of the report,which protested “Columbia is more than ever have suddenly and unexpectedly bling the three-fifths majority the timing and rationale of the dependent on favorable housing found themselves unemployed,” needed to amend its by-laws,includ- guideline rent increases announced arrangements for its faculty, admin- Savin said.“Our committee has seen ing a “wall of shame” listing chronic for tenants in apartments managed istrators and graduate students,”the how the current system can lead to absentees. by Columbia’s Office of report said toward the end. “As far what we believe are abuses. For The Senate fell only one member Institutional Real Estate (IRE) in as rent policy is concerned, the example, it is unrealistic to expect a short of a three-fifths majority on 2004-05. Because of the timing of University appears to have no senior research officer, with a lab research officers, and a formal Sept. 24, with 56 of 95 senators the budget process last spring, the policy beyond squeezing as much and perishable samples, to find a grievance function like the one present, even though the group had report said,“the central administra- as possible from its tenants without new institution to move to on short mandated for the Faculty Affairs nothing to vote on and despite the tion in effect hampered the timely provoking a widespread protest.”It notice.” He called for a minimum Committee. absence of eight of the administra- ventilation in the Committee and called for discussion of long-term notice period for researchers with Student caucus co-chair Nathan tion’s nine senators, including the Senate” on the rent increases. rental policy issues in 2004-05 with some number of years of service, a Walker announced that student sen- President Lee C. Bollinger. The report said the hikes—3.9 per- Deputy IRE Vice President William period that would increase in ators will work this year,both in the The Senate meets next on Friday, cent, on average, for faculty and Scott and other administrators. length with seniority. Other goals Columbia Senate and with students Oct. 22, at 1:15 pm in 501 staff, 3.75 percent for students— Sen. Daniel Savin, a research sci- for the researchers’ group include from colleges around the country, Schermerhorn.Anyone with a CUID were higher than guideline salary entist in astrophysics and chair of an increase in committee seats for to promote the idea of a National is welcome. Most Senate docu- increases for faculty and research the Research Officers’ Committee, the Senate’s recently enlarged Tuition Endowment (NTE), to be ments are available on the Web at officers and were the latest in a highlighted the need for termina- researcher delegation, new titles for funded from interest charged on www.columbia.edu/cu/senate.