Dr. Richard Morrison, associate professor of Chemistry, has been named a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, the university’s highest recognition for excellence in instruction.

Kenneth W. Whitten, a professor emeritus in the UGA Department of Chemistry, passed away on April 8, 2020 at the age of 88.  He was a respected member of the faculty for more than 30 years, and was a tireless supporter and benefactor of the department throughout his career and retirement.

The Department of Chemistry is pleased to announce that Dr. Christopher Newton will join the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry, beginning in August 2020. Dr. Newton comes to UGA from the University of Adelaide in Australia, where his research is focused on directly addressing the problem of step-economy through the development of new reactions and strategies that enable the rapid generation of molecular complexity.

Kaitlin Luedecke, an Honors major in the Chemistry Department, has been selected to receive a 2020 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF). Selection as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow is a highly significant national accomplishment; recipients constitute an elite group of fellows who have gone on to distinguished careers in STEM or STEM education. This award reflects Ms. Luedecke's outstanding academic achievement and commitment to pursuing a career in the STEM fields.

Single-use plastics plague our oceans as landfills overflow and waste is mismanaged. Jambeck et al estimated that only 30% of all plastic ever produced are currently in use, and in 2015 only 9% was recycled.[1] The packaging and single-use plastics industry are two main contributors to this ever increasing amount of plastic production and pollution.

Professor Henry F. Schaefer (Director of the Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at UGA) is the recipient of the 2019 Southern Chemist Award. This award honors outstanding researchers who are U.S. citizens, have worked in the South for at least 10 years, have actively participated in ACS events, and have brought unusual recognition to the South through their activities and accomplishments. UGA Chemistry Professor Gregory H. Robinson received the 1998 Southern Chemist Award.