Who inspired you?

“Not too far from our house in Budapest I found a small laboratory. So I wandered in and asked for some chemicals for my collection. The guy, who apparently was a retired university professor, said no. But he told me he would let me do my chemistry experiments there. And I said, ‘That fine with me. My mother will be much happier if I don’t blow up the house!’ So as a consequence, I kept going there and he encouraged me in every which way.”
Bela Buslig, retired chemist, Auburndale, Fla. He is a 44-year ACS member.

“I was fortunate to have an uncle who was a materials engineer and loved to talk about science and technology. He even got me some chemicals once to grow crystals. My father also recognized the value of science and technology and always egged me on. Beyond that, I was also fortunate to have some great math and science teachers at various stages of my pre-college education that were both demanding and inspiring, a killer combination!”
Gary Calabrese, Vice President, Science and Technology, Corning, Inc. Corning, N.Y. He is a 30-year ACS member.

“My first real mentor in science was the Chair of my undergraduate chemistry department, Dr. Vandon White. He was eventually surpassed by my organic teacher, Dr. Wilbur Clark. Both encouraged me to go on and get a Ph.D. in chemistry, something I had never heard of until they told me about it.”
Isiah M. Warner, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives; Boyd Professor and Philip W. West Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry at Louisiana State University. He is a 33-year ACS member

“‘Just do your best’ was a phrase I heard often from my parents. They wholeheartedly supported any career choice, whether I followed in their footsteps or struck out on a different path. Even today when faced with a daunting task, their words still help.”
Erica Jacobsen, Secondary School Chemistry Education Editor, Journal of Chemical Education, The Dalles, Ore. She is a 4-year ACS member.

“I continue to add to my mentor list, but my chemistry mentors are Dr. Doris Kolb of Bradley University and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I carry them both around with me in my head to inspire me to keep science attainable and fun for everyone, and remind me to keep a smile on my face knowing how lucky I am to be in a unique position to make science fun for the next generation who face even more challenges than we do on this Earth today.”
Jill Rockwood, science teacher, Montessori Children's House, Peoria, Ill. She is a 10-year ACS member.

“My first mentor was Dr. Gregory Pritchett. He was the first African American I met who had a Ph.D. in chemistry. Curiously, we are from the same hometown in rural Alabama. My other mentor is Dr. Katherine Seley-Radtke, my former Ph.D. advisor. She helped me through some difficult times during my graduate school matriculation and helped me to achieve some great successes.”
Sylvester Mosley, former ACS Scholar; Postdoctoral Research Associate, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Bethesda, Md. He is a 4-year ACS member.

“First and foremost, my grandfather who was a constant until his death and his memory still inspires. My connections within the ACS have also provided a number of mentors – in fact I frequently use the Helen Free test to determine if it is something I should take on – i.e., asking myself do I have the passion to see this through – not time, not resources – but passion.”
Frankie Wood-Black, Senior Air Professional, Trihydro Corporation, Ponca City, Okla. She is a 21-year ACS member.

“Lila Poonawalla, who is my Godmother. Lila Poonawalla runs an organization called ‘Lila Poonawalla Foundation’ in Pune, India, which helps promote women for higher education and professional careers. Her foundation’s generous fellowship sponsored my England studies in 1998. Her kind help brought a turning point not only to my career but to my life. I still look up to her for guidance. Lila Poonawalla Foundation continues to help talented girls to pursue their dreams who otherwise would have hard time in achieving their goals due to financial reasons.”
Jyoti Dalvi-Malhotra, Senior Research Associate, Brewer Science, Inc., Rolla, Mo. She is a 7-year ACS member.

“Roald Hoffmann's beautiful writing has inspired me in my local public outreach efforts. The public wants to understand molecular science better, and they are very appreciative when you can explain it in a way that they can truly understand. By following Roald's lead in this area, I have found that my own love of chemistry has grown.”
Preston MacDougall, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn. He is a 13-year ACS member

“For life, it is clearly my mom. Without the support from home, there will be no tomorrow. Academically, Ms. Zoe Proctor (Elizabethtown College), Dr. Richard Pagni (Tennessee) and Dr. Georgia Kabalka (Tennessee) were my research advisors and my most influential mentors. Each one, in different ways, challenged me to be the best chemist and the best person. They let me solve the problems, even if I got the wrong answer. I still carry their message to my classes today: ‘I will not give you the answer, but I will give you the tools to find the answer.’“
Michael B. McGinnis, Professor, Department of Chemistry, North Georgia College & State University, Dahlonega, Ga. He is a 17-year ACS member.

“The many wonderful men and women who have contributed to me through the ACS are really too numerous to count. Foremost among them, however, is Mort Hoffman, from the Division of Chemical Education. He went out of his way to guide me, open doors for me and help me feel comfortable. He even arranged for me to do a theatrical presentation at the Division dinner in San Diego to showcase my particular talents and even participated himself. He also introduced me to the Gordon Conferences. I can’t thank him enough.”
Lynda J. Jones, author of "HOLY MOL-EE! Chemistry," Pico Rivera, Calif. She is a 4-year ACS member.