August 8, 2005

Zare to Serve as Chair of Chemistry Department

Professor Richard Zare has accepted an appointment by Dean Sharon Long to serve as Chair of Chemistry for a period of three years beginning September 1, 2005.

Richard N. Zare is the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor in Natural Science at Stanford University. He is a graduate of Harvard University, where he received his B.A. degree in chemistry and physics in 1961 and his Ph.D. in chemical physics in 1964. In 1965 he became an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but moved to the University of Colorado in 1966, remaining there until 1969 while holding joint appointments in the departments of chemistry, and physics and astrophysics. In 1969 he was appointed to a full professorship in the chemistry department at Columbia University, becoming the Higgins Professor of Natural Science in 1975. In 1977 he moved to Stanford University.

Professor Zare is renowned for his research in the area of laser chemistry, resulting in a greater understanding of chemical reactions at the molecular level. Professor Zare has won numerous awards for teaching and research. For more information, visit his groups website at: http://www.stanford.edu/group/Zarelab/