For immediate release:
Cal State L.A. Presents its
11th Ferguson Lecture Featuring
Distinguished Chemistry Faculty
Donald J. Darensbourg
Los Angeles, CA -- On Friday, February 10, California State University, Los Angeles will present its annual Lloyd N. Ferguson Distinguished Lecture, entitled ÂAcademic Life: ItÂs a Wonderful Life by Donald J. Darensbourg, professor of chemistry at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. This lecture is free to the public and will begin 1 p.m. at the Golden Eagle Ballroom on the Cal State L.A. campus. (Lunch will be served at 12 noon; reservations required.)
Donald J. Darensbourg received his B.S. in chemistry from Cal State L.A. in 1964 and his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1968. After a year at the Texaco Research Center in Beacon, New York, he joined the Department of Chemistry at SUNY Buffalo. In 1973, he moved to Tulane University where he quickly rose to the rank of full professor and, then in 1981, he moved to Texas A&M University where he is currently professor of chemistry.
Dr. DarensbourgÂs research activities are focused in the organometallic and inorganic chemistry of transition/main group metals, homogenous and heterogenous catalysis, and applications of infrared spectroscopy. His recent research has been directed toward establishing a clearer mechanistic view of carbon-hydrogen, carbon-carbon, and carbon-oxygen bond forming processes resulting from carbon dioxide insertion into M-H, M-C, and M-O bonds.
He has published more than 300 refereed papers, delivered numerous papers at research conferences, served on national panels, and received numerous research grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and other granting agencies. He has received many awards including the Texas A&M University Distinguished Teaching Award and the Texas A&M University Faculty Award for Distinguished Research.
Established in 1995 in honor of Lloyd N. Ferguson, a current Cal State L.A. emeritus professor of chemistry, The Lloyd N. Ferguson Distinguished Lecture brings experts in the field of science to the Cal State L.A. campus. Dr. Ferguson, who retired from an illustrious 21-year career at Cal State L.A. in 1986, has authored more than 50 journal articles and seven textbooks. His research has spanned the areas of cancer chemotherapy, the relationship between structure and biological activity, and the functioning of our sense of taste. He was chairman of the American Chemical SocietyÂs Division of Chemical Education, served as director of Cal State L.A.Âs Minority Biomedical Research Support program from its inception in 1973 through 1984, and was program director for many National Science Foundation teaching and research participation programs. Before coming to Cal State L.A., he taught in the Chemistry Department at Howard University for 20 years. His numerous distinctions include honorary doctorates, the CSU Outstanding Professor Award, the Chemical Manufacturers Association Award in Chemical Education, and the American Chemical Society Award in Chemical Education. He has served as a role model for many hundreds of minority students who have entered careers in science and technology.
This lecture is sponsored by the College of Natural and Social Sciences and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Cal State L.A. Unless otherwise directed, guests should park in areas with permit dispensers (Parking Structure II, Lot F and Lot G). For reservations or more details on the Lloyd N. Ferguson Distinguished Lecture, call the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Cal State L.A., (323) 343-2300.
Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 185,000 alumniÂwith a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds--reflect the cityÂs dynamic mix of populations. Six colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Among programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, to be housed in the Los Angeles Regional Crime Lab now under construction. www.calstatela.edu
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