High Impact Opportunities
Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt Endowed Lectureship for First Year Chemistry
Dr. Keeney-Kennicutt taught in the First Year Chemistry Program from 1984 until she retired in 2015, having taught more than 23,000 students. She received many teaching awards including the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching at the College (1991) and University (2001) level and the Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence in 2009. She also held the position of Associate Director of the First Year Chemistry program from 1997 to 2015. Her teaching philosophy was simple: “teach your students as you would want to be taught - with enthusiasm, and with a passion for the subject combined with respect and understanding for the student.” Among Wendy’s many outreach projects was as coordinator for Chemistry Open House from 2000 to 2013; she nurtured it from a small outreach program for a couple hundred visitors into the extraordinary event it is today with thousands of visitors every year. Even after retirement, she continues to give back to the First Year Program by holding a free helpdesk either in person or Zoom for 5 hours per week.
Please join the us in honoring Wendy through this endowed lectureship to support instructional faculty who excel in teaching.
Gopalakrishnan Endowed Lectureship in Organic Chemistry
Dr. Gopalakrishnan taught in the Organic Chemistry Program and guided approximately 25,000 students during his four decades as an instructor. He played a major role in helping to develop the organic chemistry program teaching in its formative years. His genial, straightforward teaching style in conveying the structure of molecular compounds found in living things, often punctuated with humorous anecdotes, made him revered by his students who came to affectionately refer to him as “G.G.” He was recognized for excellence in teaching with numerous awards, including the Student Led Award for Teaching Excellence (2008), the Piper Professor Award (1999), and the Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching at the College (1994) and University (1998) level. His teaching philosophy was to put himself “in the shoes of each student and explain things in a way that they would be able to understand” and to care about the students as individuals, not just students. In addition to teaching, Gopalakrishnan was a stalwart of educational outreach, helping to organize the Brazos Valley Regional Engineering and Science Fair for 15 years and the Joy of Chemistry in Summer Program for local junior high students for five years.
Please join the us in honoring Ganesa through this endowed lectureship to support instructional faculty who excel in teaching.
D. Wayne Goodman Professorship in Chemistry
The late Professor D. Wayne Goodman was a distinguished and internationally recognized Texas A&M chemist whose many pioneering achievements helped revolutionize the fields of surface science and heterogeneous catalysis. He was also a beloved colleague who made significant contributions to our department during his 24-year career at A&M. We are committed to establishing the D. Wayne Goodman Professorship in Chemistry. Please join us in honoring Wayne’s memory by helping to endow this professorship to recruit and retain bright, young, faculty who will elevate the intellectual stature of department and mentor a new generation of students.
Departmental Impact Opportunities
Support Chemistry at Texas A&M by establishing an endowed fund for one or more of the following:
Chemistry Excellence Fund
The Chemistry Excellence Fund consists of non-endowed funds that can be used at the discretion of the department head to enhance the programs and activities of the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M.
Student Impact Opportunities
Help us honor chemistry majors at Texas A&M by giving funds for an academic, research, or travel award. Contact chemhead@chem.tamu.edu for more information regarding student impact opportunities.
Recruiting Impact Opportunities
Help us continue to recruit the brightest undergraduate students into our graduate program by sponsoring a graduate recruiting event. Contact chemhead@chem.tamu.edu for more information.
Outreach Impact Opportunities
Your gift will allow the Chemistry Road Show or the Chemistry Open House to amaze K-12 students across Texas with the wonders of chemistry and heighten their interest in science.
Chemistry Road Show
The Chemistry Road Show is a traveling, free public service program. Our aim is that students will remember the excitement and surprises of chemistry they feel during our demonstrations!
Chemistry Open House
Every year Texas A&M's Department of Chemistry hosts a free and open to the public Chemistry Open House to celebrate National Chemistry Week. The Chemistry Open House features the popular Chemistry Road Show, guided lab tours, hands-on and computer activities
Contact chemhead@chem.tamu.edu for more information.