The first half of the twentieth century at the College of Charleston was characterized by two professors with exceedingly long tenure as instructors of chemistry. Professor Horatio Hughes (B.S., College of Charleston, 1905; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, 1913) served as Professor of Chemistry from 1923 to 1950. Professor Earle DeWitt Jennings (B.S., University of North Carolina, 1922; Ph.D., 1926) was on the faculty form 1926 to 1965. Professor Jennings also served as the Dean of the College from 1949 until 1958. It is for Dr. Jennings that Room 300 of the Science Center, the Biochemistry Lab, is named.
It has only been within the past few decades that a Department of Chemistry as such has come into being at the College. In earlier years, the chemistry courses, few in number, were frequently taught by only one man, who might also hold the position of instructor in physics as well as chemistry.
The standards of excellence that characterizes today's Department of Chemistry at the College can largely be attributed to two men, Professor Edward E. Towell and Professor Carl J. Likes. Originally hired as an instructor in Physics, Professor Towell (B.S., College of Charleston, 1934; Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1944) served on the faculty from 1943 until his retirement as Professor of Chemistry in 1976. In addition, Prof. Towell served as Dean of the College from 1958 to 1964 and again from 1968 to 1970. Professor Likes (B.S., College of Charleston, 1937; Ph.D., University of Virginia, 1941) served on the faculties of Tulane University and Hampden-Sydney College before joining the faculty in 1958. Professor Likes retired in 1982. Their leadership in maintaining high academic standards for students of chemistry as the College expanded its enrollment from 400 students to nearly 10,00 helped to ensure that the Department of Chemistry maintained its reputation for excellence during a period of unparalleled growth in the College's history.
Prof. Gerald W. Gibson (B.S., Wofford College, 1958; Ph.D., University of Tennessee, 1964) joined the Department of Chemistry in 1965 and served as chairman from 1967 until he left the department in 1982. Prof. Gibson presided over the growth of the Department of Chemistry from a faculty of four teaching about 150 students in 12 courses to a faculty of 10 full-time professors and two full-time teaching associates.
In 1974, the Department of Chemistry moved from its former location in Randolph Hall to its present location on the third floor of the Science Center. The department maintains an inventory of chemical instrumentation that is valued at more than $1 million for use in undergraduate teaching and research laboratories.
The Gamma Delta Chapter of the Alpha Chi Sigma Chemistry Fraternity was chartered in 1981. Dr. Gary Asleson serves as the Chapter Advisor. The chapter helps provide social and service opportunities to our students. An annual service project is the hosting of a chemistry merit badge class for local Boy Scouts.
In 1982 Dr. W. Frank Kinard became chairman when Dr. Gibson was named Associate Provost of the College. An area of specialization leading to a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry was added to the Department's curriculum in 1984. The program became the third largest in the state and second largest in terms of the number of ACS-certified graduates. Construction started in the spring of 1986 on the new wing of the Science Center. The Department of Chemistry occupied its newly renovated space in August of 1987. Additional space for chemistry lectures and research was included in the upgrading of facilities. In addition, new instruments for teaching and research were added giving the Department some of the most modern facilities for undergraduate teaching and research in the nation. At those dedication ceremonies Dr. Marion T. Doig, III was named to the first William Mebane Teaching Chair in Chemistry and Physics.
Dr. Henry Donato served as chairman from 1990-1992 during a time of tremendous growth at the College. It was during this period that the College added the title of University of Charleston and divided into schools with the Department of Chemistry was placed in the School of Science and Mathematics. The Department grew to twelve full-time faculty members with three full-time teaching associates. The Department began hosting Woodrow Wilson Institutes for High School Teacher Development during this time with Prof. Elizabeth Martin directing these efforts. From 1991-93 Professor Martin also served as a mentor for the United States Chemistry Olympiad Team. In 1993 the team had its best performance ever.
Dr. Charles Beam became chairman in 1992 and served for three years. During 1993 the faculty of the College of Charleston voted to reorganize its governance using a representative Faculty Senate that first met on September 8, 1993. Drs. Frank Kinard and Gary Asleson were the first Faculty Senators from the Department of Chemistry. Under Dr. Beam's leadership as chair in 1995 the name of the department was changed to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The Department added a thirteenth faculty member and was teaching nearly 2000 students. Facilities became very crowded. Some remodeling of the facilities occurred to try to accommodate additional faculty and staff. The undergraduate program in chemistry at the College of Charleston is presently the largest program in the state of South Carolina in terms of total number of chemistry and biochemistry graduates and is second largest public baccalaureate-degree-only chemistry program in the nation. Over half of our graduates with majors in chemistry or biochemistry go on for further study in chemistry or to medical, dental or pharmacy school. In the past five years, chemistry graduates of the College of Charleston have won fellowships for graduate study worth more than $1,000,000. In May 1995 Professor Martin was honored with the Charles Townes Award for Support of Science and Mathematics Education from the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics.
In August 1995 Dr. James P. Deavor was appointed chairman. The Department went on-line with its World Wide Web page. In 1996 changes were made to the degree requirements for both the BS in chemistry and the BS in Biochemistry so that students completing either program would receive ACS certified degrees.
Professor Elizabeth Martin was honored on March 29, 1996 with the Governor's Award for Excellence in Science Awareness. The award was presented at the annual meeting of the South Carolina Academy of Science.
The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education reviewed the physical science programs in the state during the spring semester 1996. On February 5, 1998 the department received a commendation for excellence for its chemistry B.A. and B.S. programs as a result of that review. The only other chemistry program so honored was USC-Columbia. In 1997 the B.S. biochemistry program was reviewed as a part of the life sciences C.H.E. review. It has been recommended to receive a commendation. In 1997 the department added its fourteenth tenure-track faculty member.
On March 20, 1998 the Earle D. Jennings Biochemistry Lab was dedicated in honor of Dr. Jennings who taught for many years in this department. In 1998 the department once again expanded, added a third biochemist as its fifteenth faculty member. The department also received an National Science Foundation grant to purchase a high field NMR.
In 2000 Dr. Charles F. Beam, Jr. received the Chemist of the Year Award from the South Carolina Section of the American Chemical Society–the first person from a strictly undergraduate school to be so honored. He also received the School of Sciences and Mathematics Distinguished Achievement Award.
On February 10, 2000 the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry along with the other departments of the School of Science and Mathematics were commended and honoreed by the passage of concurrent resolutions in the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate.
The 2002 Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society was hosted by the Department. Over 1500 chemists from around the Southeast attended. The gala receptions was held at the South Carolina Aquarium.
The annual meeting of the South Carolina Academy of Science in March 2003, Dr. Charles F. Beam received the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science Awareness in recognition of his thirty years of being a leader in south Carolina in promoting undergraduate research.
On August 6, 2004 Dr. Gary Alseson received the Ronald T. Pflaum Award as the outstanding chapter advisor for Alpha Chi Sigma at their bienniel conclave in Blacksburg, VA.
The following faculty members have received college-wide honors:
1977 Carl Likes : Distinguished Teaching Award
1984 Marion Doig: Distinguished Research Award
1987 Marion Doig: William Mebane Chair in Chemistry and Physics
1988 Elizabeth Martin: Distinguished Teaching Award
1988 Elizabeth Martin: Distinguished Service Award
1990 Gary Faber: Distinguished Teaching Award
1990 Charles Beam: Distinguished Research Award
1991 James Deavor: Distinguished Teaching Award
1992 Elizabeth Martin: William Mebane Chair in Chemistry and Physics
1994 Elizabeth Martin: SSM Outstanding Achievement Award
1996 Henry Donato, Jr.: William Mebane Chair in Chemistry and Physics
1997 Kristin Krantzman: SSM Outstanding Achievement Award
2000 Charles Beam: SSM Outstanding Achievement Award
2000 Frank Kinard: William Mebane Chair in Chemistry and Biochemistry
2001 Marion Doig: Distinguished Advising Award
2002 James Deavor: Distinguished Advising Award
2002 James Deavor: SSM Outstanding Achievement Award
2003 F .J. Heldrich: School of Sciences and Math Outstanding Achievement Award
2004 Pamela Riggs-Gelasco: School of Sciences and Math Outstanding Achievement Award
CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT CHAIRS
| 1967 - 1982 | Gerald Gibson |
| 1982 - 1989 | W. Frank Kinard |
| 1990 | Charles F. Beam, Jr., interim |
| 1990 - 1992 | Henry Donato, Jr. |
| 1992 - 1995 | Charles F. Beam, Jr. |
| 1995 - 2001 | James P. Deavor |
| 2001 - 2002 | F. J. Heldrich, interim |
| 2002 - | James P. Deavor |
