Progress Report on the Chemical

Heritage Foundation’s 25th Anniversary

Initiative TransmutationsN O . 1 ■ A U T U M N 2 0 0 5 Treasure the past Educate the present Inspire the futureN O . 1 ■ A U T U M N 2 0 0 5

Bill Nye Helps CHFIntroduce the 25th Anniversary Initiative

Bill Nye, “The Science Guy,” appeared in

Philadelphia on 19 April to give the Heritage

Hour talk at the spring meeting of CHF’s board of

directors. Earlier, Nye had featured CHF in an

episode of the Science Channel’s series The 100

Greatest Discoveries. Not surprisingly, Nye

shares our enthusiasm for chemical heritage.

“Chemistry affects all of us every moment of

every day; everything you can touch and see was

created by chemists. So to know your place in

your own world, you should know about the

history of chemistry,” he said.

After a dinner attended by the CHF board, affiliates, and

friends, Nye introduced CHF’s president, Arnold Thackray, who

announced the foundation’s 25th Anniversary Initiative. The

$75-million campaign will enable CHF to share the story of

chemical achievement and innovation more effectively than

ever. First, CHF aims to a new level of programmatic maturity

with the establishment of the Roy Eddleman Institute for

Interpretation and Education (see page 4) and the Center for

Contemporary History and Policy. Second, the physical transfor-

mation of CHF’s building will reflect the programmatic goals

of the strategic planning process, with new and expanded

educational space, including enlarged exhibit and conference

facilities, as well as additional areas devoted to the use and

To know your

place in your

own world,

you should

know about

the history of

chemistry.

Left: Bill Nye visits CHF to discussgreat discoveries in the history ofchemistry with CHF’s president,Arnold Thackray, for the filming of a program for the Science Channel.Above: Nye returns to share his enthu-siasm for chemical heritage during a Heritage Hour talk at the springmeeting of CHF’s board of directors. Photos by Douglas A. Lockard.

c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 9

specialization have followed ascending exponential curves

through the last one hundred years.

Together these realities create an urgent set of needs:

• to tell the glorious story of chemical achievement

to a world at once jaded, suspicious, and fearful—

yet yearning for better medicine, nutrition, and

material resources;

• to recruit fresh generations to the age-old adventure

of advancing knowledge and improving life;

• to bring balanced perspectives and honest information

to public discussion; to provide a fuller understanding

of the promise of innovation; and to facilitate an

enlightened science policy;

• to record modern science and innovation, even as it

further accelerates; and

• to preserve the growing record of this most central of

human achievements.

Thanks to the faith and work of friends and supporters

in all 50 states and overseas—corporations, trade and

professional organizations, foundations, and above all,

individuals—CHF today enjoys:

• collections with a value in excess of $25 million;

• an annual budget of over $10 million; and

• endowments and board reserves of over $125 million.

Imaginative action by committed individuals, careful

stewardship, sacrificial giving of time and talents—and

above all the urgency of the mission of CHF—these have

established CHF as the central place for the central science.

With our unique ability to treasure the past, we must continue

to use the glorious record of the past to fulfill CHF’s mission

to educate the present and inspire the future. After an intensive,

two-year period of reflection and strategic planning, the

board of the Chemical Heritage Foundation announced our

25th Anniversary Initiative on 19 April 2005. Through this

and future newsletters we want to let you know of our goals

and progress and to invite you to join us.

A note from the president

Why Have a Chemical Heritage Foundation? In one

form or another, everyone associated with CHF—affiliated

organizations, staff, the board of directors, scholars, visitors,

magazine subscribers, or Web surfers—whether supporter or

supplier, has asked some version of this question.

Things chemical are the stuff of life, of health, of material

progress. From humankind’s first attempts to harness fire,

through centuries of alchemy, to today’s focus on biotechnology,

electronics, and nanotechnology, chemicals and chemistry

have been central to all that is distinctively human.

Depending on your definitions, the chemical heritage is

anything from almost two hundred years old (the modern,

science-based, “high-tech” form of the heritage) to over four

millennia in age. So why was CHF created in 1982? The

answer is important.

Because of the very success of the chemical sciences,

world population (think Fritz Haber and nitrogen fixation-

fertilizers), literacy and education (think books, paper, and

printing technologies), travel and communications (think oil,

polymers, and silicon chips), and professionalization and

2

CHF’s president, Arnold Thackray, with Thomas Reilly, and Robin and Fred Webber during a campaign event hosted by Fred Webber

at the City Club of Washington in Washington, D.C.Photo by CHF staff.

Meet the Campaign Leaders

William Stavropoulosof Dow

The success of CHF’s 25th Anniversary Initiative is the product

of the work of many dedicated volunteers. Taking an early

lead in spearheading the $15 million industry portion of the

campaign was William S. Stavropoulos, chairman of the

board of directors of The Dow Chemical Company. He

became involved in fall 2004 after a careful look at CHF’s

plans and leadership. After helping to refine

the industry campaign, he recruited other

industry leaders to cochair the campaign with

him: Klaus Peter Lobbe, chairman and CEO of

BASF Corporation, and Peter Huntsman, CEO of

Huntsman Corporation. Chairing the Honorary

Committee of the Initiative is John Haas,

philanthropist and chemical company execu-

tive, who will be profiled in our next issue.

Stavropoulos began his career in pharma-

ceutical research with Dow in 1967 and headed

several divisions before becoming chief oper-

ating officer in 1993. He served as CEO from

1995 to 2000 and was then brought out of

retirement in 2002 to serve in that position

again until 2004; he has served on Dow’s

board since 1990. He is past chairman of the

American Chemistry Council and the Society of

Chemical Industry, American Section, and is

the recipient of numerous awards, including

the Palladium Medal of the Société de Chimie

Industrielle and the Chemical Industry Medal of the Society

of Chemical Industry. In addition Stavropoulos serves on the

boards of BellSouth Corporation, Maersk Inc., NCR Corporation,

and the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

Stavropoulos particularly supports the components of the

25th Anniversary Initiative that relate to public understanding

of chemistry’s role in modern life. He believes the new

Center for Contemperary History and Policy, with its histor-

ically based approach, will serve as a source of credible

authoritative information for both the general public and the

industry. “I really believe that CHF has the ability and

credibility to cut through the fog that’s out there, the

misunderstanding of the chemical industry.” Stavropoulos

laments the disparity between the public’s and insider’s

views of the chemical industry. “What we see as the science

of chemistry, improving people’s lives, the public largely

sees as manufacturers of chemicals whose use is at best

obscure, and whose danger is manifest. [CHF] has the

intellectual capacity to tell our story in a clear and coherent

way to the public, to NGOs, and to the government.”

Stavropoulos appreciates the approach taken by the

Roy Eddleman Institute for Interpretation and Education. Its

many activities, described elsewhere in this issue, are

important to those who care about the future of the scientific

enterprise because they not only increase general science

literacy but also inspire young people to consider careers

in the chemical and molecular sciences and industries.

CHF is deeply grateful for his enthusiastic support of the

campaign and its goals.

I really believe

that CHF has

the ability and

credibility to

cut through

the fog that’s

out there,

the misunder-

standing of

the chemical

industry.

William Stavropoulos, chairman of the board of directors of The Dow Chemical Company. Photo by Sam Pieprzyca.

3

The newly organized Roy Eddleman Institute for

Interpretation and Education is the public face of the

Chemical Heritage Foundation. The naming gift was

announced to the public on 19 April 2005, as part of the

launch of the 25th Anniversary Initiative. While many

organizations promote science or chemistry education,

CHF is unique in that it bases its outreach programs on

its unparalleled collections. These books, archives, oral

histories, artworks, instruments, and apparatus embody

the human story of chemical achievement. Encompassing

a wide range of activities, the institute will convey to a

broad audience the excitement and implications of chem-

ical innovation through the ages. Robert Hicks, director

of the Roy Eddleman Institute, summarizes CHF’s basic

message of chemistry as an activity deeply rooted in

human experience, a message which underlies all the

institute’s programs: “The chemical sciences have fur-

nished insights into the make-up of the material world

and the very nature of life itself.”

The institute

seeks to

increase general

science literacy

and inspire

young people

to consider

careers in

science.

The Roy Eddlemafor Interpretatio

The Alchemist at Work, by Mattheus van Helmont, is part of CHF’s EddlemanCollection of alchemical paintings. The iconic image of a practicingchemist studying fluid in a flask persists today.Photo by Will Brown.

4

5

an Instituten and Education

Laura Turner (left), assistant image archivist, takes a visitor through CHF’s latest exhibit,The Sky’s the Limit.

Consistent with CHF’s mission, the insti-

tute broadly strives to treasure the past,

educate the present, and inspire the future.

More specifically the institute seeks to

increase general science literacy and inspire

young people to consider careers in science.

Its strategy is to maximize its impact in these

areas by reaching those who reach and influ-

ence others, rather than delivering programs

directly (although CHF’s Web resources are

available to all). “We are the ‘wholesaler’

that creates outreach programs, which oth-

ers can ‘retail’ for global consumption,”

explains Hicks. Key audiences are science

teachers and those who set science educa-

tion policy.

The Eddleman Institute’s activities can be

divided into three areas: education, exhibits

and collections, and fellowships.

Education■ The institute is collaborating

with television producers in

the creation of a number of

programs for broadcast. A NOVA

biography of African American

chemist Percy Julian will be aired nationally in 2006,

and will be complemented by materials on the CHF

Web site. Also in the works is a six-hour prime-time

PBS television series on the history of chemistry enti-

tled Mystery of Matter, created in partnership with

documentarian Stephen Lyons, a 2004 Haas Fellow at

CHF. The series will be accompanied by a traveling

exhibit, a book, video-based educational modules, and

Web projects.

The chemical

sciences have

furnished

insights into

the make-up

of the material

world and the

very nature of

life itself.

Stephen Lyons (left), documen-tarian and 2004 Haas Fellow,has been working on a PBStelevision series on the history of chemistry.Photo by Steven Begleiter.

Top: Percy Julian portrait.Courtesy of the DePauw University Archives and Special Collections.

■ Using the new opportunities offered by the World Wide

Web, the institute will develop an authoritative Web- based

resource on the history of chemical science and industry. A

major feature of the “Explore Chemical History” section of

CHF’s site will be a timeline with drop-down descriptions of

major events, discoveries, and personalities. Another major

component of our Web-based educational efforts is

Science Alive!, a series of modules portraying the lives of

contemporary scientists in their social context. These

stories help visitors understand the factors that encour-

aged or discouraged individual scientists in their pursuits

and can inspire young people to see science as a human

endeavor undertaken not in isolation but within a broader

context. By blending science and social science, Science

Alive! will reach both science and humanities teachers.

■ For five years, CHF has held the annual Leadership Initiative

in Science Education (LISE) conference to explore aspects

of science education, ranging from “best practices” in

science education to ways of encouraging minority

participation in science careers. LISE is unique in bringing

together a range of participants, including academics,

administrators, entrepreneurs, teachers, industry represen-

tatives, government officials, and other policy makers.

■ The institute proposes to establish a biennial summer sem-

inar on the history and nature of science for master teachers

and educational administrators. Building on CHF’s current

workshops for teachers, the seminar will focus on science

as a human achievement and will lead to the development

of model science and social studies curricula to be posted

on our Web site.

6

Above: Participants at the fifthannual Leadership Initiative on Science Education.

Top Right: Norman Lederman,chair and professor of mathe-matics and science education atthe Illinois Institute of Technology,addresses “Inquiry and the Natureof Science” during LISE 5.

Right: M. Blouke Carus, chairmanand CEO of Carus Corporation, talkswith a participant during LISE 5.Photos by Douglas A. Lockard.

Bottom Left: A web capture ofCHF’s new Science Alive!Web site featuring Percy Julian.

7

About Roy Eddleman

Roy Eddleman, the man who now seeks to share his

enthusiasm for chemistry through the institute that bears

his name, has been fascinated with chemistry since

childhood. Born in 1940 and raised in Kannapolis, North

Carolina, Eddleman began experimenting with Chemcraft

and Gilbert chemistry sets at an early age. He assembled

his own laboratory in the basement of the family home

by sixth grade and credits his eighth-grade science

teacher with inspiring his serious pursuit of chemistry.

With her encouragement, he earned numerous awards at

science fairs. He attended the University of North

Carolina and UCLA for a time, but was soon consumed by

his passion for the commercial and entrepreneurial

aspects of chemistry, which he first encountered in his

work as an analytical biochemist for CalBiochem.

In 1970 Eddleman founded Spectrum Medical

Industries to create radioimmunoassay tests for clinical

chemistry. While the tests themselves were not a com-

mercial success, the equipment that Spectrum sold for

the tests did prove to be profitable. Now known as

Spectrum Laboratories, the company develops and sells

membranes and membrane devices for existing and

emerging applications, including separation and

purification of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, food,

beverages, and fluids for industry and research.

Eddleman has patented (with others) many products,

including the successful “fleaker,” a combination of the

Griffin beaker and the Erlenmeyer flask, and coauthored

a series of patents involving magnetic particle separation

for clinical chemistry assays.

Clearly, Eddleman’s professional

experience underlies his conviction

that no aspect of contemporary life is

untouched by chemistry. His interests

also reach back to the origins of chem-

istry, which are illustrated in artworks

depicting alchemists at work. “Alchemy

was not simply quackery but includes

real science,” he says, citing alchemists’

work in manufacturing dyes, paints, and

medicines, as well as improving the

quality of metals and glass.

In 2002 Eddleman donated to CHF a

collection of 17th- through 19th-century

alchemical paintings along with funds

for their care. Further discussions

ensued, leading to his commitment to

create the new institute. He and Robert

Hicks, the institute’s director, have been discussing plans

for the new endeavor, which will feature new techniques

in imaging and exhibit design. “Roy sees the promise of

new technologies to convey information and excite

young people, and is eager for us to take the lead in

using them at CHF,” says Hicks. The man who himself

was inspired as a child and encouraged by a knowledge-

able teacher seeks similarly to engage and inspire the

next generation through the Roy Eddleman Institute for

Interpretation and Education.

The man who

himself was

inspired as

a child and

encouraged by

a knowledgeable

teacher seeks

similarly to

engage and

inspire the next

generation.

Roy Eddleman.Photo by Douglas A. Lockard.

8

Exhibits and Collections■ CHF has developed six traveling exhibits that reach

thousands of people across the nation. The most recent was

Her Lab in Your Life, which describes the achievements of

women in chemistry, with the goal of inspiring more young

women to consider careers in the field. Currently under

development are two exhibits. Molecules That Matter is

being planned with Skidmore College’s Tang Teaching

Museum. It will combine molecular models, graphics,

and artifacts from CHF and elsewhere to

highlight the progress of organic chemistry

in the 20th century. It will focus on one

molecule representative of each decade—

from aspirin and nylon to DNA, DDT,

and Buckministerfullerene—and will explore

that molecule’s scientific and social impli-

cations. Under development with the

Philadelphia Museum of Art is an exhibit

based on CHF’s outstanding collections in

alchemical art; the exhibit will use the works

of art to explore the origins of modern chem-

istry and the worldview of the painters, their

subjects, and their audiences.

■ With progress in instrumentation criti-

cal to advances in chemistry, CHF has

long collected important scientific

instruments. To bring these instruments

to life, CHF is making video recordings

of the memories and experiences of those

who invented or used the instruments in

new ways. This project is urgent, as the

passage of time means that fewer of

these pioneering scientists remain

available to interview.

Fellowships■ Scholarly study has been at the core of

CHF’s mission and success from the

beginning. As CHF’s collections have

expanded, their value to scholars of the

history of science has increased. These

fellows publish academic and popular books and articles

that shape historical study and influence textbooks and

education. The Eddleman Institute plans to expand this

program to include scholarships ranging from one month to

an academic year in length, in fields including education,

policy, journalism, history, and curating and interpretation

at science institutions.

The Eddleman Institute will use CHF’s own outstanding

collections as the unifying base to integrate all of its out-

reach efforts. New staff, stronger exhibits both at CHF and

for travel, more partnerships with others, and an expanded

fellowship program—all these will tell the story of chemical

heritage more widely and vividly than ever before.

CHF has

developed

six traveling

exhibits

that reach

thousands of

people across

the nation.

Scholarly

study has

been at

the core of

CHF’s mission

and success

from the

beginning.

Leah O’Brien (left), professor in the Department of Chemistry at Southern Illinois University, and Ann Nalley, professor ofchemistry at Cameron University and 2005 ACS president-elect, admire CHF’s traveling exhibit, Her Lab in Your Life:Women in Chemistry, at Washington University.Photo by CHF staff.

Bill Nye and the Initiative c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 1

care of our extraordinary collections. Finally, the future of CHF’s

programs and operations will be ensured by an increase in

the endowment, providing a vital stream of support for visiting

fellowships, public access, and collection stewardship.

At the time of the announcement, CHF’s closest friends

had committed 40 percent of the goal during the “quiet

phase” of the effort. By 30 June 2005, the 25th Anniversary

Initiative had received additional gifts and pledges to bring

the total to $45 million. CHF’s board was the first group to

be solicited. The board goal is $5 million, and is largely

completed. Helping the board reach these heights is the

effort’s honorary chairman, John Haas, whose commitment

included a matching gift of $1 million to challenge his board

colleagues. With William Stavropoulos and his cochairs

taking the lead, the industry part of the campaign has

already raised over 40 percent of its $15 million goal, start-

ing with leadership gifts of $1.5

million each from Dow, BASF,

and Huntsman Corporation. On

the foundation front, we are

pleased to receive the continuing

support of the Beckman Foundation,

whose $2 million gift will be rec-

ognized by the new Beckman

exhibit of instrumentation. While

cash and other current gifts are

important to fund construction

and programmatic goals over the

next several years, deferred or

planned gifts are also playing an

important role in the campaign

and are especially appropriate for

the endowment.

9

The future

of CHF’s

programs and

operations

will be ensured

by an increase

in the

endowment,

providing a

vital stream of

support.

John Haas visits with Christopher Stanwood, access services librarian, in CHF’s rare book room, which houses a treasure trove of important works in the history of the chemical and molecular sciences.Photo by Douglas A. Lockard.

Michael Grayson, (opposite page) here with his wife, Margaret, and his son, Scott, hosted an event at the Artists’ Guild and Galleries in St. Louis, Missouri.All Photos by CHF Staff.

10

Honorary CommitteeJohn C. Haas, Chair

Herbert D. Doan

Irénée du Pont, Jr.

Roy T. Eddleman

Harry B. Gray

Kathryn C. Hach-Darrow

Gordon E. Moore

William S. Stavropoulos

Barbara Ullyot

P. Roy Vagelos

4.8 5.2

35.5

45.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Mon

ey R

aise

d (m

illio

ns)

CHF Board

Industry

Individual & Foundation

Total

Funding Category

22.5

25

14.4

25 25

8.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Fund

s (m

illio

ns)

Raised

Goal

Endowment Capital Programs

Funding Use

M O V I N G T O W A R D O U R G O A L

Treasure the past Educate the present Inspire the future&25th Anniversary InitiativeProgressevents

Stanley Procter, Helen and William Carpenter, and Gregory Wall at the Artists’ Guild in St. Louis.

James Zwolenikand ThomasGibian meet inWashington, D.C.

Top: Seymour Mauskopf, a former CHF Edelstein Fellow, shares his memories of chemistry in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Above: Priestley Medalist Ernie Eliel listens intently to CHF representatives report new and exciting activities at the foundation.All Photos by CHF Staff.

Event host Rudy Pariser welcomesguests to brunch at the Siena Hotel

in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

11

Chemical Heritage Foundation315 Chestnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19106

Treasure t h e p a s tEducate t h e p r e s e n t

Inspire t h e f u t u r e

N O N P R O F I TO R G A N I Z AT I O NU . S . P O S TA G E

P A I DC I T Y, S TAT E Z I PP E R M I T N O . X X X

Transmutations INTHISISSUE

13411

Bill Nye Helps CHF Introduce the 25th Anniversary Initiative

William Stavropoulos of Dow

The Roy Eddleman Institute for Interpretation and Education

Campaign Progress & Events