Flygare Memorial Lectures

Richard N. Zare is the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor in Natural Science at Stanford University with an appointment in the Department of Chemistry and a courtesy appointment in the Department of Physics. 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 JILA, University of Colorado at Boulder 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 Department of Chemistry 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. By experimental and theoretical studies he has made seminal contributions to our knowledge of molecular collision processes and contributed very significantly to solving a variety of problems in chemical analysis. His development of laser induced fluorescence as a method for studying reaction dynamics has been widely adopted in other laboratories.

Professor Zare has received many awards and honors, including the National Medal of Science (1983) and the Welch Award in Chemistry (1999). He was honored with a Distinguished Service Award for his work as Chairman of the National Science Board. In 1998, he received the ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry, and Harvard University's Centennial Medal. He has received the Earle K. Plyler (1981) and the Irving Langmuir Prizes (1985) from the American Physical Society, and the Peter Debye Award from the American Chemical Society (1991). He has also received the Pauling Award from the Puget Sound, Oregon and Portland Sections of the ACS (1993), the Willard Gibbs Medal from the Chicago Section of the ACS (1990), the Kirkwood Award from the Yale University New Haven Section of the ACS (1986), the Remsen Award of the Maryland Section of the ACS (1985), and the Harrison Howe Award of the Rochester Section of the ACS (1985). Other honors include the National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences (1991), the Stanford Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching (1987), and the Bing Fellowship Award for Excellence in Teaching from Stanford University (1996). He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Arizona (1990), Northwestern University (1993), and the Eidgenšssische Technische Hochschule ZŸrich (1993). Professor Zare has given named lectures at numerous universities. He is a member of the editorial advisory boards of Cambridge University Press, Chemical Physics Letters, Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, and Molecular Physics, and is Chair of the Board of Directors of Annual Reviews, Inc. He has served previously on the boards of Analytical Chemistry, Accounts of Chemical Research, Applied Physics, Chemical and Engineering News, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Journal of Chemical Physics, Optics Letters, and Science. He has authored and co-authored over 600 publications.