Newsroom

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Joseph Nibler, a professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry at Oregon State University, has been named a 2010 Senior Scientist Mentor by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of the chemical sciences.

Nibler was one of only 12 educators in the nation to receive one of these awards, which will include $20,000 to help support his innovative research done with undergraduate college students - on high resolution infrared and coherent Raman studies of novel molecules.

"The wealth of experience and knowledge of many emeritus faculty make them a unique and valuable educational resource for undergraduates," said Mark Cardillo, executive director of the foundation. "Firsthand experience with the scientific research process is of value to all students, some of whom may be motivated to join the next generation of chemists."

Nibler has received several awards for his teaching, and in his research uses various spectroscopic methods to study simple reactive molecules, radicals, ions, and weak complexes formed in cold molecular beams. He is also the co-author of a leading textbook, "Experiments in Physical Chemistry."

"I am delighted to receive this award," Nibler said. "It will provide support to some of our very best undergraduates for basic research on molecular properties, and the development of novel new experiments for undergraduate laboratory instruction."