Zare, Richard N.
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Richard N. Zare is the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor in Natural Science at Stanford University. He is a leading figure in the field of chemistry, particularly in the area of laser chemistry. In this oral history interview, Zare discusses his family background, the path that led him to Stanford, and highlights from his research and teaching career. Zare begins by reminiscing about his childhood in Ohio. He describes his school-aged self as socially awkward, inquisitive, and a bit of a troublemaker. After switching to private school, Zare blossomed both socially and academically. He attended Harvard University on a scholarship as an undergraduate and majored in chemistry and physics. Zare describes how he came to do his graduate work with Dudley Herschbach and how after he completed his PhD at Harvard he received an offer to teach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Zare spent an interim year at the University of Colorado working at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) where he further developed his research interests in laser chemistry. Zare laments his eventual move to MIT because of the lack of support he received for his research. He explains why he quickly left MIT and returned to JILA. Zare then discusses his move to Columbia University where enjoyed working with some of the biggest names in the field and successfully advanced his research. Zare also describes his introduction to the chemical industry through his involvement with IBM’s Science Advisory Committee. Zare accepted a position at Stanford, arriving on campus in 1977. He recalls some of his accomplishments as department chair, such as his response to gender inequality issues. He hired more female faculty and constructed a family leave policy for graduate students. Zare also describes the establishment of a biological chemistry track, which led to the expansion of the department. Zare talks about the scientific mindset he believes to be crucial to successful teaching and research. In order to prepare the next generation, Zare incorporates questioning and problem-solving skills into his coursework. As a mentor, he encourages freedom and flexibility in choosing projects and fosters non-competitive partnerships among his students. Zare highlights other career events, such as the meteorite research he conducted for the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center and the resulting “Mars Madness” publicity. He reveals how this project shifted the research focus of NASA from space walks to life on other planets. Zare mentions his lab’s patent success, focusing on the expanded application of cavity ring-down spectroscopy to chemical analysis. He also talks about the Faculty Advisory Board, the Zare Committee, and the birth of the Bio-X program, including the origin of the name. Zare concludes the interview with a discussion about the culture at Stanford. He believes the bottom-up flow of ideas, the collaboration between departments, and the array of university resources are the keys to its success. In spite of its world-class reputation, Zare hopes the university remains humble going forward.
Description
| Type of resource | mixed material |
|---|---|
| Date created | May 25, 2017 |
Creators/Contributors
| Author | Zare, Richard N. | |
|---|---|---|
| Contributing author | Fetter, Alexander L., 1937- | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Richard Zare |
|---|---|
| Subject | Stanford Historical Society |
| Subject | oral histories |
| Subject | interviews |
| Subject | higher education |
| Subject | professors |
| Subject | chemistry |
| Subject | astrophysics |
| Subject | gender inequality |
Bibliographic information
| Related item |
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|---|---|
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/hy263wz2608 |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Preferred citation
- Preferred Citation
Zare, Richard N. (2017).
Oral History. Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program Interviews (SC0932).
Department of Special Collections & University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford,
Calif. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/hy263wz2608
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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- Contact
- universityarchives@stanford.edu
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