MSU Gallery of Chemists' Photo-Portraits and Mini-Biographies

The Collection

You see in this booklet the collection as it now stands. There are 133 portraits, each with a mini-biography, of 131 chemists (I could not resist displaying two portraits each of Pauling and Woodward, 20th century chemical giants whose accomplishments could not be easily summarized in the space of a single mini-biography). Each portrait is approximately 11 x 14 inches (28 x 36 cm.) in a frame that measures 18 x 27 inches (46 x 69 cm). The original Kedzie portraits are designated by an asterisk; all portraits are in black and white except for 36 that are in color, indicated by a double asterisk. [Ed. note: The 36 color portraits are show in black and white in the printed brochure and in these web pages.] The portraits are numbered here alphabetically, but they are displayed in appropriate subject areas throughout the building (for present locations, see Appendix 1).

The portraits were obtained from many sources (see each portrait, and also Appendix 2). Some (47) were obtained directly from the person whose picture is shown; others (86) were obtained from at least 25 different sources, some public (for example museums, art galleries and university archives), others from private collections.

Material for the biographies was in some instances prepared from CVs obtained directly from the portrait's subject, but more often from various literature sources (see Appendix 3). I alone am responsible for and regret any errors.

In assembling this collection, some attention was given to including women and minorities as role models for our students. Except for the MSU pioneer Robert C. Kedzie, no current or past MSU faculty are included, though many are outstanding; I did not want to draw a line of who would or would not be included.

Many people were helpful in making this project work. I am deeply grateful to each of them; they are acknowledged individually in Appendix 4.