Virginia Blue Ridge Section Awards

Gene Wise Award | James Lewis Howe Awards | High School Teacher Award | Regional Science Fair Awards | National Chemistry Week Award

The Gene Wise Award in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Professor Gene Wise served on the faculty of the Virginia Military Institute for thirty six years, five of them as head of the Chemistry Department. Prior to that he completed his undergraduate studies at Capital University and received his doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 1950. He served in the United States Navy during both World War II and the Korean conflict. While at VMI, Dr. Wise taught physical chemistry and industrial chemistry, guiding the freshman course for engineers for many years. His availability and willingness to help cadets was a hallmark for his career at the Institute. He was also actively involved in research both for industry earlier in his career and more recently guiding students from area colleges in the chemistry department's summer research program.

As a recipient in 1983 of the Distinguished Service Award from VMI, Dr. Wise was recognized for his many years of service to VMI and to the community. This effort included more than 32 years as chairman or co-chairman of the Rockbridge Christmas Basket Program, aiding the needy of the area for half his life. Additionally, he served as chairman of the Rockbridge Chapter of the American Red Cross for 22 years, and for 12 years he headed VMI campaigns in support of United Way as well as the American Cancer Society. Colonel Wise worked with the Boy Scouts for many years and served in a number of different capacities. He was President of the Rotary Club and founded an affiliate organization, the Interact Club, at Lexington High School. Colonel Wise was posthumously awarded the Clara Barton Award from the Red Cross in 1986 (the highest award given to volunteers) and the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for furtherance of understanding between peoples of the world in 1990.

His interest in and dedication to the Virginia Blue Ridge Section of the American Chemical Society was evident in his willingness to serve as an officer for several years, leading up to his chairmanship in 1963. He then served as Alternate Councilor from 1966 to 1974 and then as Councilor for the rest of his career.

The Gene Wise Award was created in honor of his dedication to chemistry as a profession and service to that career and to the community without anticipation of reward. The award is therefore open to all members of our section and is based on achievement in the areas of chemistry or chemical engineering, coupled with notable community service. Nominations may be self-initiated or may come from any other member of the section.

Dr. Larry T. Taylor of Virginia Tech was the inaugural awardee in 1988, Dr. Charles J. Hansrote of Lynchburg College received the award in 1991, and Professor Terrill Wilson from VMI was the awardee in 1994. The 1999 awardee was Dr. David G. I. Kingston of Virginia Tech and Dr. James P. Wightman from Virginia Tech was the 2001 recipient of the award. It is the purpose of this award to discover and recognize professionals in our section who have dedicated their careers to the advancement of the chemical sciences while at the same time giving generous and unselfish effort in community service.

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The James Lewis Howe Award

James Lewis Howe was for many years Professor of Chemistry and Head of the Department at Washington and Lee University. As one of the most distinguished chemists in the Blue Ridge Section, we have chosen to name our annual awards to outstanding students in his memory.

Dr. Howe was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1859; this is the same year in which Svante Arrhenius was born, and during Dr. Howe's professional career he was to know many of the famous early chemists, such as Liebig, Wohler, Bunsen, and many others. He attended Amherst College, where he pursued his favorite subjects of chemistry, German and religion. He was selected to deliver the graduation address on the subject of "The Scientific Method and Religion".

He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Gottingen, and published his first scientific papers on the subject of aromatic carbon chemistry. He then began an intensive literature search of the platinum metals, beginning a bibliography for which he was to become world famous. He decided that the most interesting and least known metal of the group was ruthenium.

In 1883 he married Henrietta Leavenworth Marvine of Scranton, Pa. This marked the beginning of a marriage of 60 years duration. The Howes became the parents of two daughters and a son (who was also a chemist). After Mrs. Howe's death in 1944, one of his daughters, Guendolen Howe, became her father's constant companion.

Dr. Howe's teaching career began at Brooks Military Academy in Cleveland. From there he went to Central University in Richmond, KY, where he was Professor of Chemistry (and later of Physics and Geology as well). In 1894 he accepted the Chair of Chemistry at Washington and Lee University, and for almost half a century he was at that institution.

It was here that he began his intensive bibliographic study of the platinum group and his outstanding research on the element ruthenium. In 1917 he was appointed chairman of a special subcommittee on platinum of the National Research Council. His work led to the development of platinum alloys, and averted a potentially crucial shortage in platinum threatening our efforts during World War I. He later received several presidential commissions dealing with the platinum metals.

Dr. Howe was beloved by his students and colleagues at W&L. For the first fifteen years he was a one-person department. His lectures were informal, but completely up to date. He was known for his extreme congeniality, charming personality, mild manner and even temper. He was unceasingly helpful, and believed that more could be learned in the laboratory than from lectures.

Dr. Howe's unflagging energy found him serving in many capacities outside the scientific field. He was an Elder of the Lexington Presbyterian Church, an active Mason, and held positions in the Town Council in Lexington and the People's National Bank of Lexington.

The James Lewis Howe Award is given to the outstanding students who are majoring in an area of chemistry in the Colleges and Universities in the Virginia Blue Ridge Section.

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2007 James Lewis Howe Award

  • Concord College - Daniel Puckett, Athens, WV, B.S. Chemistry (Pre-Professional and BS Biology (Pre-Professoinal), May 2007

  • Ferrum College - Julia Danielle Bishop, California, B.S. Chemistry with Teacher Education Minor, May 2007

  • Hollins University - Robin Leigh Mizzell, Montclair, VA, B.A. Chemistry, May 2007

  • Lynchburg College - Sarah Zimmermann, Bedford, VA, B.S. Chemistry, May 2006

  • Radford University - Rebecca Lenn Damron, Pulaski, VA, BS in Chemistry, Biology Minor, May 2007

  • Roanoke College - Mandy Strutner, Gate City, VA, B.S. Biochemistry, May 2007

  • Sweet Briar College - Erica Kennedy, Chapmansboro, TN, B. S. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, May 2007

  • Virginia Military Institute - Hershel H. Lackey, Hickory, NC, B.S. Chemistry with Honors, May 2007

  • Virginia Tech, Biochemistry - Justin Lemkul, Manassas, VA, B.S., Biochemistry in Honors, Chemistry Minor, Biotechnology Concentration, May 2007

  • Virginia Tech, Chemistry - Lori Beth Bagby, Powhatan, VA, B.S. Chemistry, May 2007

  • Virginia Tech, Chemical Engineering - Sarah M. Huffer, Churchville, VA, B.S. Chemical Engineering, May 2007

  • Washington & Lee University - Yo Miura, Yokohama, Japan, B. S. Chemistry, June 2007

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    Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year for 2007

    Karen Hicks, Glenvar High School.

    Karen Hicks received her BS degree (Biology/ Chemistry) from Roanoke College in 1995, and returned to Roanoke College in 1997 to become endorsed in teaching. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Radford University. Mrs. Hicks has been teaching in Roanoke County Schools for 10 years and her current coarse load consists of AP chemistry, chemistry, and biology.

    Mrs. Hicks wants students that come through her classes to see the connections between what they are learning and how science impacts them personally. She believes in asking the students questions rather than answering theirs as much as possible. She is part of a team of teachers from Glenvar High and Middle School awarded a Learn and Serve Virginia grant for 2006-2009 titled "From the Roots of the Watershed and Into the Stream". Her advanced and AP chemistry students collected water quality data to serve as a baseline for future studies.
    The Virginia Blue Ridge Section has been presenting the Outstanding HS Teacher Award since 1969. Click here to see the names and schools of previous winners.
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    Regional Science Fair Awards 2007

    The Virginia Blue Ridge Sections awards a $50 US Savings Bond to the project selected as the best overall chemistry project at each of the two regional science fairs in its boundaries. The two winners for 2007 are as follows:
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    Student Affiliate Chapter Winners National Chemistry Week Award

    The VBRS Executive Council initiated a new award for the Student Affiliate Chapter which had the most outstanding activities during National Chemistry Week. The chapters were invited to submit a report of their activities during NCW, with pictures to support the reports. Two SACs were selected for the First Annual NCW Award which was given out at the November 2003 section meeting at Ferrum College. The winning chapters were the Roanoke College SAC and the Sweet Briar College SAC. Each chapter received a certificate and a check for $50. A student representative from each college was also invited as dinner guest of the section at the meeting.
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    This page was updated on April 10, 2008