Wallace H. McCurdy, Jr. Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry

Since its inception in 2000, the Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry had been funded by an annual gift from an anonymous donor. That changed dramatically this year, as a consequence of a major gift from Associate Professor Emeritus Wallace McCurdy (FAC 59-92), which has made it possible to fund this Award in perpetuity. Accordingly, the Department unanimously agreed to name the Award in his honor.

Professor McCurdy literally founded the Division of Analytical Chemistry in our Department when he began his tenure as a U of D faculty member in 1959. Indeed, he WAS the Division of Analytical Chemistry until Professor Burnaby Munson arrived in 1967. He was the first person to teach CHEM-119/120 Quantitative Chemistry, which he did for many years, during which time his “Qually Wally” Award became the stuff of legend. His ability to keep instruments functioning in CHEM-438 Instrumental Methods Laboratory with “chewing gum and baling wire” was equally noteworthy. At the graduate level, a number of the doctoral students he mentored have gone on to produce exceptionally successful careers in both academia and industry. His generosity is most appreciated.