New Chemistry Professorship

2021-12-14

Writer(s): Steve Scherer

Professor Jianguo Mei has been named the Richard and Judith Wien Associate Professor of Chemistry for a five year term in recognition of his high academic accomplishment. Appointment to this position required a rigorous academic review, which included evaluation of his work by expert and respected scientists from outside the university. 

This professorship was made possible by a generous gift from Dick and Judy Wien. Dick is a 1967 undergraduate alum of our department, and his wife Judy is also a Purdue undergraduate alum from Health and Human Sciences.

Photo - Richard and Judy Wien

After Purdue, Dick earned an NSF fellowship at Stanford University where he received his PhD in 1971. His 34-year career at Eastman Kodak moved from research to product development to lab manager. Work on movie film-stock led to his group receiving a technical Emmy Award and an Academy Award.

Dick was named a Hero of Chemistry by the American Chemical Society in 1996 and awarded the NASA Public Service Medal in 1995 for his space industry work on Image Quality and Customized Digital Imaging System.

He is also the founder of medical device startups working to provide higher quality healthcare at lower costs.

Here at Purdue, he is currently a member of the Honors College Dean's Advisory Committee and has previously served on our department’s alumni council, worked with student teams in Purdue’s EPICS program, and was presented Purdue Chemistry’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 2015.