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October 28, 2005
Richard Smalley, R.I.P.
World-renowed Rice University chemistry, physics and astronomy professor, Richard E. Smalley, died today at the age of 62. The Chronicle's Eric Berger provides an excellent obituary of Professor Smalley, who was one of the best of Houston's numerous fine scientists. Among his numerous awards, Professor Smalley won the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Eric's obituary passes along a fine anecdote about Professor Smalley's Nobel award banquet that had been passed around Houston professional and business circles for years:
The chairman of Rice's board of governors at the time [that Smalley was awarded the Nobel], William Barnett, recalled Smalley agonizing over whom to give the 10 tickets he had received for the awards banquet in Sweden. Barnett said Smalley gave two to his son, Chad, who later told his father he was bringing his mom, one of Smalley's ex-wives. Smalley had three."I think his reaction was, 'Oh lord, now I've got to ask the other one,'" Barnett said. "The Swedes were so taken with this, the joke going around the banquet was that they were going to tell Rick, if they had only known this in advance, they would have awarded him the peace prize as well."
Posted by Tom at October 28, 2005 04:41 PM
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� Smalley tributes ... and one great idea from SciGuy
Here's what some science and non-science bloggers are saying about the passing of Richard Smalley... The Speculist: it is beyond question that Richard Smalley, who died on Friday, was an integral leader of and contributor to the emerging field of... [Read More]
Tracked on October 31, 2005 06:56 AM
� Smalley tributes ... and one great idea from SciGuy
Here's what some science and non-science bloggers are saying about the passing of Richard Smalley... The Speculist: it is beyond question that Richard Smalley, who died on Friday, was an integral leader of and contributor to the emerging field of... [Read More]
Tracked on October 31, 2005 09:46 AM
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