Flowers named Danser Distinguished Faculty Chair in Chemistry

	Robert Flowers

Robert Flowers has been awarded the Danser Distinguished Faculty Chair in Chemistry. The distinguished chair is given in honor of excellence in research, teaching and service.
“Bob’s distinguished record of research provides both national and international visibility to the department and the university, and has played a significant role in the growth and development of the chemistry department,” said Anne Meltzer, Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Flowers has served as chair of the Department of Chemistry since joining the Lehigh faculty in 2003. He has strong expertise in physical organic chemistry, and studies three general areas of interest including the energetics and thermodynamics of lanthanide-mediated organic reactions; the development of novel methods for protein renaturation; and solution calorimetric studies of molecular recognition and molecular assembly. His research is internationally recognized and he has been an invited speaker at numerous universities and international symposia.
“As chairman of the Department of Chemistry, Bob has been instrumental in fostering the redesign of General Chemistry into a modern guided discovery experience,” said Ned Heindel, the Howard S. Bunn Professor of Chemistry. “He has also put in place professional laboratory managers for both the freshman and sophomore courses whose assignment is to modernize the experiments and stimulate the students with the joy of personal discovery.”
Flowers teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses at Lehigh. Prior to joining the department, he taught at the University of Toledo and Texas Tech University. His teaching accomplishments were recognized with the Outstanding Teacher Award at the University of Toledo in 1998 and designation as a Master Teacher in 2000. His research accomplishments were recognized with the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Research Award at Texas Tech University in 2002. Flowers received his B.S. in chemistry from East Stroudsburg University and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Lehigh.
“Bob has worked tirelessly and exhibited outstanding leadership to renew and grow the department,” said Meltzer. “Bob's excellence in research is matched by his dedication to teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students in research. He truly exemplifies the teacher-scholar, the model for all faculty at Lehigh.”
Flowers will be officially recognized during the Founder’s Day celebration in October.
The Danser Distinguished Faculty Chair in Chemistry was made possible by the late Lowry S. Danser '33, who majored in chemical engineering. He was a member of the men's swimming team and Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Danser had a successful career with E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company as a chemical engineer. He and his wife, Mary, were longtime benefactors of Lehigh. In addition to their multiple gift annuities and endowed chair support, the Dansers gifted valuable artwork and pottery to the university's galleries. Lowry Danser passed away in December 2007.
--Tricia Long