{"id":1729,"date":"2024-09-25T13:37:07","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T17:37:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/?page_id=1729"},"modified":"2025-10-15T08:42:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T12:42:42","slug":"helen-murray-free-endowed-lecture","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/helen-murray-free-endowed-lecture\/","title":{"rendered":"Helen Murray Free Endowed Lecture"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"588\" height=\"481\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/09\/20240919_RBNSN_CLS_MARCM_017-EDIT.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2267\" style=\"width:306px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/09\/20240919_RBNSN_CLS_MARCM_017-EDIT.jpeg 588w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/09\/20240919_RBNSN_CLS_MARCM_017-EDIT-300x245.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2025 Events: October 21-23<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-e5c3898dfca5f4817b53ab048af49764\">Gregory H. Robinson, PhD, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of Georgia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations to Professor Robinson for his outstanding achievements in inorganic chemistry. He will receive the <em>M. Frederick Hawthorne Award in Main Group Inorganic Chemistry<\/em> at the National ACS Spring 2026 meeting in Atlanta, GA. Learn more about his work: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gregoryhrobinson.com\/\">https:\/\/www.gregoryhrobinson.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Schedule:<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1009\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot-1024x1009.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2363\" style=\"width:179px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot-1024x1009.png 1024w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot-300x296.png 300w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot-768x757.png 768w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot-1536x1514.png 1536w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/chile-pepper-spot.png 1803w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tuesday, October 21<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>11 AM: Context Session<\/strong>: <strong>Journal Article Discussion<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faculty will hold a context session on one of Dr. Robinson&#8217;s papers: <a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.acs.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1021\/ja075932i?ref=article_openPDF\">2007 JACS diborene<\/a>, RWW 045, Refreshments provided<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thursday, October 23<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>11 AM: Technical Lecture<\/strong>&nbsp;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and Dithiolene Radicals: Counterintuitive Main Group Chemistry&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>12 PM: Lunch: Get to Know Me<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>All students invited to attend &#8211; RSVP encouraged but not required by Tuesday, October 21, 4:30 PM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Severance 105 (STEM Zone)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>7:30 PM: Public Lecture<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cFrom Hydrogen to Radon: Playing the <em>\u2018Long Game\u2019 in Inorganic Chemistry\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ruth W. Williams Hall of Life Science, Room 060. \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reception immediate follows sponsored by the Wooster Section of the American Chemical Society<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Details:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"663\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-663x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2340\" style=\"width:492px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-663x1024.jpg 663w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-768x1187.jpg 768w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-994x1536.jpg 994w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-1325x2048.jpg 1325w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/Robinson-Poster-Full-Detail-scaled.jpg 1656w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 663px) 100vw, 663px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-33bd018b7f309359244af8335f4272c2\">Technical Lecture: <em>N-Heterocyclic Carbenes and Dithiolene Radicals: Counterintuitive Main Group Chemistry<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-department-of-chemistry wp-block-embed-department-of-chemistry\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"mLh4zzURLZ\"><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/event\/helen-murray-free-endowed-lecture\/\">Helen Murray Free Endowed Technical Lecture<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Helen Murray Free Endowed Technical Lecture&#8221; &#8212; Department of Chemistry\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/event\/helen-murray-free-endowed-lecture\/embed\/#?secret=JBQ2ChqQGG#?secret=mLh4zzURLZ\" data-secret=\"mLh4zzURLZ\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-1260c4d4b0794557d8e18fee6c33c892\">Get to Know Me Lunch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-945429161f40f76b1c8532eb7c0d1682\">Public Lecture: <em>From Hydrogen to Radon: Playing the \u2018Playing the \u2018Long Game\u2019 in Inorganic Chemistry<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-department-of-chemistry wp-block-embed-department-of-chemistry\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ew5B2mgBa9\"><a href=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/event\/helen-murray-free-endowed-lectures-2\/\">Helen Murray Free Endowed Public Lecture<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Helen Murray Free Endowed Public Lecture&#8221; &#8212; Department of Chemistry\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/event\/helen-murray-free-endowed-lectures-2\/embed\/#?secret=mKxXrrSWuC#?secret=ew5B2mgBa9\" data-secret=\"ew5B2mgBa9\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Public Lecture Link<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Biography:<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2365\" style=\"width:242px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2025\/10\/grains-of-paradise-spot.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>When Gregory H. Robinson, a native of Anniston, Alabama, was born (1958) the American South remained firmly in the throes of racial segregation. Consequently, he began his education by attending an underfunded, overcrowded racially segregated elementary school. Robinson obtained his B.S. in Chemistry (1980) from Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL). While attending JSU, Robinson was also a four-year letterman on the Gamecock football team, earning All-Gulf South Conference and Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year (1979). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Attending graduate school at The University of Alabama and studying synthetic inorganic main group chemistry in the laboratory of Professor Jerry L. Atwood, Robinson received his Ph.D. (1984). After spending a decade on the faculty of Clemson University (South Carolina), Professor Robinson joined the faculty of The University of Georgia (1995) and now holds the title Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Professor Robinson\u2019s research, involving the synthesis, structure, and reactivity of unusual molecules of the main group elements, has been described as provocatively innovative. Research highlights include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>(a) experimental realization of the concept of <em>metalloaromaticity<\/em>\u2014that properly constrained metallic (gallium) ring systems can exhibit traditional aromatic behavior; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(b) synthesis and molecular structure of the first compound containing a metal-metal triple-bond between two main group metals; <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(c) synthesis of the first compound containing a boron-boron double bond\u2014the first \u201cdiborene; and <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>(d) room temperature stabilization of highly reactive molecules such as disilicon, diphosphorus, and diarsenic. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Professor Robinson\u2019s peer-reviewed research articles, now numbering over 175, have been published in prestigious journals including <em>Science<\/em>, <em>Nature Chemistry<\/em>, the <em>Journal of the American Chemical Society<\/em>, and <em>Organometallics<\/em>. Professor Robinson has received numerous awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Selected Awards<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected in 2025)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>National Academy of Sciences (elected 2021)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2017)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>F. Albert Cotton Award in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry by the American Chemical Society (2013)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Humboldt Research Prize (2012)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lamar Dodd Creative Research Award\u2014the highest research award of The University of Georgia (2010)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Southern Chemist Award (1998)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helen Murray Free<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"192\" height=\"294\" src=\"https:\/\/inside.wooster.edu\/chemistry\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/59\/2024\/09\/helenfree.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1731\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Helen Murray Free, a 1945 College of Wooster graduate and a pioneering scientist who was inducted into the National Inventor\u2019s Hall of Fame in 2000, was honored with the inaugural Helen Murray Free Endowed Lecture, featuring Dr. Mary Lowe Good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The lecture series was established by Helen\u2019s children and endowed through the Al and Helen Free Foundation. Each year, this endowed fund brings a renowned chemical scientist to campus to interact with chemistry students at a technical level and present an all-college convocation on the contributions of science to the quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Free, whose research in clinical chemistry not only revolutionized diagnostic testing in the laboratory, but also in the home, developed the \u201cdip-and-read\u201d glucose tests for diabetics. She was awarded seven patents for her clinical diagnostic test inventions, and also helped to develop a product for diagnosing Hepatitis \u2018A\u2019 while working for Miles Laboratories. In addition, she provided invaluable leadership in the testing of newborn infants for genetic or metabolic disorders that might lead to mental retardation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout her career, Free has been an active advocate of science education. From 1987 to 1992, she chaired the American Chemical Society\u2019s (ACS) National Chemistry Week Task Force. In 1980, she was chosen as one of Wooster\u2019s Distinguished Alumni Award winners; in 1992 she received an honorary degree from Wooster; and in 1993 she was elected president of the American Chemical Society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Free has authored more than 150 professional articles, and co-authored two widely used textbooks in the field. Her accomplishments have been recognized in a number of ways, including the awarding of the ACS Garvan Medal and the Professional Achievement Award in Nuclear Medicine from the American Society for Medical Technology, as well as the establishment of the ACS Helen M. Free Public Outreach Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2025 Events: October 21-23 Gregory H. Robinson, PhD, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of Georgia Congratulations to Professor Robinson for his outstanding achievements in inorganic chemistry. 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