James A. de Haseth and James L. Anderson Department of Chemistry University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602
Lockhart Burgess (“Buck”) Rogers, Emeritus Graham Perdue Professor of Chemistry at t h e University of Georgia, passed away March 31, 1992. Buck was born in Manchester, CT, on July 16,1917. He was a n outstanding young man who became the 1935 valedictorian of Manchester High School and was voted by his classmates as “the one who’s most likely to succeed.” He received his B.A. degree (1939) from Wesleyan College i n Massachusetts and his M.A. degree (1940) and his Ph.D. (1942) from Princeton University. Buck’s education tempered his attitudes, and consequently he was always a devout advocate of the idea that graduate students should prepare multiple research propositions as part of their training. The full import of this is felt when we examine Buck’s own graduate student r e search propositions at Princeton. They provide a general blueprint of Buck’s career-electrochemistry, fluorescence, and chromatographic sep arations-as his graduate proposals contained the essence of many of his 0003-2700/92/0364-687A/$02.50/0 0 1992 American Chemical Society
later research successes. After graduating from Princeton, Buck moved to Palo Alto, CA, where he was an instructor and later a n assistant professor at the university he fondly referred to as the Leland J. Stanford, Jr., University. After four years at Stanford, Buck came back to the East and was a group leader at Oak Ridge National Laboratories from 1946 through 1948. From Oak Ridge he went to MIT, where he was hired as a n assistant professor. During his 13-year tenure at MIT, he was promoted to profes-
sor. I t was at MIT that Buck began to establish remarkable rapport with his graduate and undergraduate students. Buck’s days at MIT are perhaps best summarized by one of his former students: David M. Hercules, Miles Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. To focus on Buck‘s days at MIT requires looking at three things: Buck as researcher, Buck as teacher, and Buck as role model. In research, as with many other things, Buck‘s efforts can be characterized by diversity and imagination. At a time when most analytical chemists were highly technique focused, Buck was the
supreme generalist. He worked in electrochemistry, explaining the phenomenon of undervoltage in electrodeposition and inventing anodic stripping voltammetry. He was the first analytical chemist to explore the broader aspects of fluorescence and phosphorescence spectrometry as applied to analysis. He was a pioneer in the development of thermal methods, and he began what was to become his major longterm scientific effort: analytical separations. Buck always appreciated the impor tance of teaching; he stressed writing articles for the Journal of Chemical Education as well as articles for teaching the general public. He pioneered two important developments in the teaching of analytical chemistry. First was the concept that in instrumental analysis laboratories the understanding of the function and limitations of instruments should be conveyed, rather than just the study of specific analyses. Second, at a time when there was essentially no analytical separations literature-because the relevant information was scattered in publications covering fields from engineering to biology-he was the first person in analytical chemistry to develop a course on separations. As a role model Buck was supreme. He always did first-rate science with a flair and was able to lead and inspire students rather than to drag and push them. New ideas and approaches were always welcome. He was always willing to try something new even if the “experts” said it couldn’t be done. In this regard, his advocacy of the “quick and dirty experiment” showed the experts to be wrong more of-
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ten than not. He recognized the importance of students as people and was able to be “one of the boys” while still maintaining respect. He will be sorely missed. While a t MIT, Buck was very active in the Electrochemical Society and the American Chemical Society. He was treasurer and secretary of the Northeastern Section of the ACS, and from 1957 to 1958 he was chairman of that section. It was a n auspicious time during which the section presented the Norris Award to Farrington Daniels and the Richards Medal to Robert Burns Woodward. Buck left MIT in 1961 to become head of the Analytical Division of the Department of Chemistry at Purdue University, where he stayed until 1974. One of Buck’s former colleagues a t Purdue-Fred W. McLafferty of Cornel1 University-remembers the days a t Purdue in this way: Buck was always active in professional affairs, and his most intense commitment was to analytical chemistry; he made continuous contributions to organizations such as the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry, the Gordon Conferences, and ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. At Purdue he created a world-class Division of Analytical Chemistry that raised the standards-and the pride-of the entire discipline. This recognition has greatly increased the demand for analytical Ph.D.s, and the proportion of these in chemistry has more than doubled to approximately 20%. At Purdue, Buck and Eleanor [Mrs. Rogers] cheerfully took the total responsibility for everyone and everything in the Analytical Division-teaching, research, funding, space, faculty problems, student problems, seminars, and social functions-his time was everyone’s time. He led by example; his research program was first class, and he was involved in important projects worldwide. Of course it was a blow to Purdue when he left, but the university’s present-day first-class ranking is a permanent tribute to Buck’s building program. Although Buck‘s example is one that we will never be able to live up to fully, it will serve to guide and inspire us for many years to come. In 1974 the University of Georgia was fortunate enough to attract Buck a s G r a h a m P e r d u e Professor of Chemistry. Under Buck’s guidance and leadership, the Division of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Georgia grew in strength a n d prominence. From 1982 t h r o u g h 1985 Buck was interim head of the Department of Chemistry at the university. H e r e t i r e d a n d became E n e r i t u s Professor in 1986, after which he continued to be very active in the ACS and in consulting work (primarily with Du Pont). Buck was 688 A
extremely interested i n measurement and good laboratory practices, so he continued to teach courses with the ACS a t national meetings. He was a member of the ACS for more than 50 years. During his career Buck was author or co-author of 258 publications. He also held three patents. Buck was a true pioneer of analytical research and is rightly credited with having helped raise the field of analytical chemistry to international stature. He had many firsts-in areas that we now take for granted and in areas that are only now reaching some of the promise he saw in them, sometimes decades ahead of his time. Using a pencil lead, he developed the graphite electrode, now one of the dominant electrodes in electroanalyt ical chemistry. He discovered underpotential deposition, which was not recognized and exploited until much later and now has promise for the production of highly ordered compound semiconductors under mild conditions. His development of a n odic stripping voltammetry has had a major impact on trace analysis. His work on fluorescence analysis and separations has strongly influenced generations of analytical chemists. Many of his former students are now leaders in the field. Buck is, of course, noted as one of the early advocates of the use of computers in the laboratory. Bucks ability to s t a y a t t h e c u t t i n g edge throughout his career is reflected by the fact that he also was one of the earliest users of laboratory strip chart recorders in analytical chemistry. Buck was the recipient of many national and international awards, including the ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry, the ACS Award for Chromatography, the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award for Excellence in Teaching, the first Dal Nogare Award, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists’ 100th Anniversary Award, the Society of Anal y t i c a l C h e m i s t s of P i t t s b u r g h Award, and the Benedetti-Pichler Award in Microchemistry. He trained more than 200 students, including 85 Ph.D. students. Of the undergraduate students who worked with him, 16 published undergraduate theses. Buck was keenly interested in education and always respected and honored his students. In turn, his stud e n t s a l w a y s held Buck i n t h e highest esteem. Such regard is best stated by one of Bucks former undergraduate students: Barry L. Karger, the James L. Waters Professor of An-
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alytical Chemistry a t Northeastern University. We are all aware of Buck’s scientific
achievements and the high esteem in which he was held by his peers. As much as this, he should be remembered as a wonderful role model of what a professor should be. In a real sense he was the Mr. Chips of analytical chemistry. He cared for his students and was always proud of their achievements. I recall the love his former students felt for him at his retirement affair. An era has come to a close, but all of us who knew him as our professor were enriched by his friendship. Hospitality was one of Buck’s traits. He and Eleanor always took the time to entertain visitors from out of town. Very often the visitors were treated to dinner at the Rogers’ house, after which there was a reception. Buck strongly encouraged graduate students to attend these receptions and insisted that they speak with the visitor. Not only did this make the visitor feel welcome, but the students benefited from the interaction. Buck never ceased to find ways to educate students. There were also purely social events. When Buck was a t MIT, he invited his students to spend time a t the Rogers house on Cape Cod. Buck always made people feel welcome, and he always sought opportunities to converse with students and colleagues alike. There was much more to Buck’s life than his professional interests. In 1941 he won the national broad jump championship, setting a record a t Madison Square Garden that stood for many years. He maintained athletic interests throughout his life and was a n avid fan of football and basketball a t the various institutions where he worked. Buck often vacationed on Cape Cod, where he earned t h e reputation-according to his family, a t least-as “the best body surfer on the East Coast.” Buck’s success in body surfing supposedly was a result of the fact that he always waited for the fifth wave. Buck i s survived by h i s wife, Eleanor Greene Rogers, of Athens, GA; a son, Winslow S. Rogers, of Claremont, CA; a daughter, Eleanor R. Johnson, of South Hadley, MA; and four grandchildren. A memorial service will be held a t the Federated Church in Orleans, MA, on July 11, 1992. A fellowship fund has been established in Rogers’ name for the education of analytical chemistry graduate students a t the University of Georgia (The L. B. Rogers Fellowship F u n d , D e p a r t m e n t of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-2556).
