The chemistry department could not continue to offer high-quality programs without the political, logistical, and especially financial support provided by our alumni. As graduates of one of the oldest degree-granting programs in the University of Massachusetts Amherst system, our alumni have a long and proud record of distinguished service to their profession and to their university. They have been trustees of the university, chancellor's medal awardees, and advisors to both university and college administration. They have created new courses and lecture series, founded numerous fellowships to recognize student excellence, and have been major political driving forces for new building programs on the campus. Many served in illustrious roles as company CEOs, COOs, and as divisional vice-presidents, while many others are distinguished faculty in universities and colleges around the world.
GRADUATE STUDENT ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Kendrick Lewis (Ph.D. ’76) was recently highlighted as a trailblazer by Organometallics for his career and contributions in Organometallic Chemistry. Dr. Lewis received his PhD in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry from UMass in 1976, where he was a member of Dr. Ron Archer's lab. Dr. Lewis is a pioneer in the chemistry of silicones. He began working with silicones in the late 70’s, and is a leading scientist in this industry today. Paul J. Chirik, author of the Pioneers and Influencers: A Profile of Dr. Kenrick Lewis article stated, “…in the end, what I think would make Ken happy is knowing that the next time you use a kitchen spatula, caulk your shower, or use any other of a host of silicone products, you might think of him and the teams of chemists that did the creative science to bring them to you.”
Join our Campus Alumni Association
The UMass Amherst Alumni Association plays a vital role in engaging and mobilizing alumni, enriching the student experience, and advancing UMass Amherst as a leading public research university. With a network of over 292,000 alumni worldwide, the Alumni Association offers year-round programming, communications, and opportunities for alumni to connect and demonstrate their UMass pride.
The Alumni Association benefits from the dedication of hundreds of alumni and students who volunteer their time and expertise to support important university initiatives. To learn more about the Alumni Association and stay connected with your alma mater, please explore their website, join their global online community Connect UMass, or send them an email.
You were. You are. UMASS.™
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Prof. Mary K. Carroll (Postdoc '92) was a postdoctoral fellow in the Chemistry Department, where she worked in Prof. Julian Tyson's research group. During her time at UMass she developed low-cost spectroscopic instrumentation, suitable for undergraduate teaching experiments, to implement time-based measurements in flow injection analysis. In particular, she devised a way to measure the time interval (Δt) between the two peaks formed on the leading and trailing edges of a large volume of analyte solution injected into a single stream of colorimetric reagent under flow conditions, for which Δt is directly proportional to the logarithm of the concentration (spectroscopy’s answer to the Nernst equation). She was recently elected as the president of the American Chemical Society.
