Dr. Lane A. Baker has been appointed as head of the Department of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, effective June 1, announced Dr. Mark J. Zoran, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Baker, who is a 2001 Texas A&M chemistry Ph.D. graduate and renowned as one of the world's preeminent analytical chemists, joined the Texas A&M Chemistry faculty as a full professor in January 2022 after 16 years on faculty at the University of Indiana. Two months later, he was appointed as the inaugural holder of the Dr. Carl D. McAfee '90 Endowed Chair in Analytical Chemistry at Texas A&M, where his research focuses on nanoscale electrochemical methods for analysis and imaging and developing new tools for related measurement. Overall, he and his group are pursuing new routes to high-throughput electrochemical analysis useful in studying a variety of phenomena at the interface of biology, materials and environmental science, and synthesis.
“Dr. Baker is a prominent research chemist in the subfield of electrochemistry and brings to his role of department head a deep and broad understanding of our research missions,” said Zoran, a professor of biology and holder of the R.H. Harrison Family Dean’s Chair of Arts and Sciences. “I am confident Lane will lead the department with strong interpersonal skill and humility. He clearly has a keen interest in advancing the department’s excellence in teaching, research and service. I look forward to our work together on behalf of Chemistry’s faculty, staff and students.”
Baker received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Missouri State University in 1996. After earning his doctorate at Texas A&M working with former Texas A&M chemist Dr. Richard M. Crooks, he completed two postdoctoral appointments — a National Research Council Postdoctoral Associateship studying scanned probe microscopies with Dr. Lloyd J. Whitman at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC (2001-2004), followed by a subsequent appointment studying nanopore membranes and single nanopore platforms with Dr. Charles R. Martin at the University of Florida (2004-2006) — prior to beginning his independent academic career at Indiana in 2006. He had been the James F. Jackson Professor of Chemistry in the Indiana Department of Chemistry since 2014.
Baker is a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), Royal Society of Chemistry and American Association for the Advancement of Science. During the past two decades, his research program has been supported by multiple grants from the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Welch Foundation. To date, he has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed articles in a variety of leading multidisciplinary science journals and publications and written several book chapters and editorials. In addition, he has one pending patent application at present. Beyond research, Baker is actively involved in enhancing student training in measurement science and analytical chemistry at Texas A&M — instrumentation and analytical techniques that he views as fundamental to driving the future of science and engineering research.
“Coming back to Texas A&M a few years ago has reminded me what a special place the Department of Chemistry is,” Baker said. “I'm excited to work with my colleagues to build on our shared history of excellence in research and teaching at Texas A&M University.”
Already in his relatively young academic career, Baker has received numerous accolades, including an NSF CAREER Award (2009), a Cottrell Scholar Award (2009), the highly prestigious ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Electrochemistry (2021), the Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry’s (SEAC) Charles N. Reilley Award in Electroanalytical Chemistry (2023) and Royce W. Murray Young Investigator Award (2012), and a special creativity award from the NSF. In addition, he currently serves as SEAC president and is a prior member of the SEAC Board of Directors. He is also a past chair of the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry (2019).
Coming back to Texas A&M a few years ago has reminded me what a special place the Department of Chemistry is. I'm excited to work with my colleagues to build on our shared history of excellence in research and teaching at Texas A&M University.
Baker succeeds longtime Texas A&M chemist Dr. Simon W. North, John W. Bevan Professor of Chemistry who has been the head of Texas A&M Chemistry since August 2016 after serving as interim head of the department for the previous seven months and as associate head from Sept. 2013 to Feb. 2016. On June 1, he transitioned to a new role as executive associate dean in Texas A&M Arts and Sciences, where he provides leadership for the college’s research functions, graduate student affairs, facilities, technology services and lab operations.
“Under Dr. North’s leadership as head of Chemistry, the department has made important progress in increasing its research funding to the highest level in department history while overseeing significant increases in service teaching to many majors across the Texas A&M campus," Zoran said. "I believe that Dr. North leaves his departmental headship with Chemistry in very good shape in terms of its research and educational missions.
“A true testament to a departmental leader is the ability to retain faculty, and Chemistry has lost very few members during Simon’s tenure. I — and I am sure the other deans with whom Simon has worked through the years — appreciate the time and effort he has dedicated toward strengthening our colleges and his department. I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. North in his new role as executive associate dean and in expanding our college’s research impacts.”
Learn more about Baker and his teaching, research and service activities or find additional information about the Texas A&M Department of Chemistry.