Richard E. Partch, senior university professor with Clarkson University's Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP), was recently named a fellow of the American Chemical Society.

ACS fellows are nominated by their peers and selected for their “outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the profession, and the society,” according to a press release from Clarkson.

Partch, who completed his 50th year at Clarkson in June, was recognized for mentoring youth to understand the importance of both fundamental academic and applied government and industrial advances through chemistry.

He was also cited for his more than 40 years of volunteer outreach to high school science teachers and their students throughout the United States and sharing how chemistry impacts every aspect of human life.

"Dick Partch has been an integral faculty member at Clarkson for more than half a century and a key contributor to the success of our Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) for over 25 years now," said CAMP Director S.V. Babu.

"His scientific achievements and his dedication to sharing his knowledge of chemistry with both young and old make it extremely befitting that he receive this great honor from ACS."

Partch has served the ACS as the Northern New York section officer and Chemistry Olympiad coordinator and as a councilor and member of the Committee on Technician Affairs at national ACS meetings.

He is the only Clarkson chemistry faculty member ever to be invited to be an ACS National Tour speaker, to receive a Northeast Regional ACS Award (E. Ann Nalley Award) for exemplary service to the society, to be selected as a short course presenter at annual national meetings, and to be elected as an ACS fellow.

Partch has been a Clarkson professor since 1965, teaching chemistry to all levels of students from precollege, university and postgraduate to Elderhostel. He has mentored more than 130 senior undergraduate, and graduate master of science and Ph.D. theses.

His research productivity is reflected in successful achievements in several areas of chemistry, including ceramics, composites and electronics, including abrasives for CMP, imaging, lighting, medical and polymer industries. Partch has received research funding of more than $5 million from industry, as well as many branches of government.

That level of external funding has resulted in numerous publications and patents dealing with organic and medicinal chemistry, polymer chemistry, vapor nucleation and aerosol reactions, nano-micro particle coating and surface functionalization, composites, and waste conversion to fuel oil.

Partch is a recipient of Clarkson's Outstanding Advisor Award, a National Academy of Science Research Fellowship, a Rotary International Exchange Scholarship and the Tom Plastino Award from the Northern New York Business Solutions Agency for successfully interfacing technology between academia and industry.

The list of 2015 ACS Fellows appeared in the July 13 issue of Chemical & Engineering News and an article is available at cen.acs.org/articles/93/i28/2015-ACS-Fellows.html.

The 2015 class of ACS Fellows will be honored at a ceremony during the ACS national meeting in Boston Aug. 17.