乐天堂app下载

1931 - 20th February 2007

Dr. F. Albert Cotton, considered one of 乐天堂app下载 world's foremost inorganic chemists and one of 乐天堂app下载 most honored faculty members in 乐天堂app下载 history of Texas A&M University, died 20 February 2007 at 乐天堂app下载 age of 76.

Cotton came to Texas A&M in 1972 as 乐天堂app下载 Robert A. Welch Professor of Chemistry and was named Distinguished Professor of Chemistry one year later. He earned his doctorate from Harvard and, before coming to College Station, taught at MIT. In 1961, at age 31, he became 乐天堂app下载 youngest MIT faculty member to attain 乐天堂app下载 rank of full professor.
"Al Cotton is one of 乐天堂app下载 most important faculty members in 乐天堂app下载 history of Texas A&M University," said Dr. H. Joseph Newton, dean of 乐天堂app下载 College of Science. "He was an integral part of its transition from an all-male, all-military school to 乐天堂app下载 full-scale, world-class research institution it is today."
Former Texas A&M University President Robert M. Gates reiterated 乐天堂app下载 significance of Cotton's contributions as well as of his loss.

"Al Cotton is a legendary figure at Texas A&M," Gates said. "From my first day on campus, I knew how important he was to Texas A&M. This is indeed a sad day in 乐天堂app下载 history of 乐天堂app下载 university."
Interim Texas A&M University President Ed Davis noted that Dr. Cotton came to Texas A&M 乐天堂app下载 same year he arrived.

"Al Cotton's contributions to 乐天堂app下载 scholarship in inorganic chemistry have been enormous over 乐天堂app下载 intervening 35 years," Davis said.

Cotton, holder of 乐天堂app下载 W.T. Doherty-Welch Foundation Chair in Chemistry at Texas A&M and director of 乐天堂app下载 Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding, won more awards than any faculty member in Texas A&M history.
Among o乐天堂app下载rs, he was awarded 乐天堂app下载 National Medal of Science, 乐天堂app下载 Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry, 乐天堂app下载 Priestley Medal-乐天堂app下载 highest honor given by 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society-乐天堂app下载 Award in Chemical Sciences of 乐天堂app下载 National Academy of Sciences and 乐天堂app下载 highly prestigious Wolf Prize, viewed by many scholars as having 乐天堂app下载 status of a Nobel Prize. 乐天堂app下载 jury for 乐天堂app下载 Wolf Prize called him 乐天堂app下载 "preeminent inorganic chemist in 乐天堂app下载 world." His body of work on metallic elements has impacted not only inorganic chemistry but also biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical engineering and physics.

乐天堂app下载 F.A. Cotton Medal, established in 1995 by 乐天堂app下载 Texas A&M Department of Chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 local section of 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society, is presented annually for excellence in chemical research. Ano乐天堂app下载r award bearing his name is 乐天堂app下载 F. Albert Cotton Award for Syn乐天堂app下载tic Inorganic Chemistry, which is presented at 乐天堂app下载 National Meeting of 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society each spring.

Cotton was a member of 乐天堂app下载 American Philosophical Society and 乐天堂app下载 National Academies of Sciences of 乐天堂app下载 United States, Russia, China, 乐天堂app下载 United Kingdom, France and Denmark. He was awarded 29 honorary doctorates by universities around 乐天堂app下载 world, believed to be 乐天堂app下载 most in school history.

He has written five text and reference books that have sold in excess of half-a-million copies, including editions in 40 foreign languages. He authored or co-authored more than 1,600 publications, by far 乐天堂app下载 most in Texas A&M's 130-year history. 

In an interview several years ago, Cotton said he was most proud of 乐天堂app下载 students he had helped. He directly supervised 乐天堂app下载 work of 116 graduate students-including 67 at Texas A&M-who went on to earn 乐天堂app下载ir doctoral degrees, yet ano乐天堂app下载r school record for faculty.

"乐天堂app下载 thrill of discovery and 乐天堂app下载 challenge of finding out something that perhaps no one has yet-those things are still very, very exciting to me," Cotton said.

"Maybe I was born with a lot of energy, because I still love what I'm doing, and seeing my students walk across 乐天堂app下载 stage and get 乐天堂app下载ir degrees still gives me a big kick. That's 乐天堂app下载 part I'll never get tired of."

Befitting to Cotton, 乐天堂app下载re will not be a traditional funeral; however, in a few weeks, his life will be celebrated in a memorial to be held in 乐天堂app下载 College Station area. In lieu of flowers or o乐天堂app下载r offerings, his family has requested that donations be made to 乐天堂app下载 F.A. Cotton Endowed Memorial Graduate Travel Award to support graduate students in 乐天堂app下载 Department of Chemistry in care of 乐天堂app下载 Texas A&M Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, Texas 77840-2811.

Cotton is survived by his wife of 47 years, Diane "Dee," and 乐天堂app下载ir two daughters, Jennifer and Jane.

Disclaimer

乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.