Inorganic Chemistry for Geochemistry and Environmental Sciences

Professor George W. Luther, III, School of Marine Science & Policy, University of Delaware, USA

Professor Luther has joint appointments in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Plant and Soil Science.

Professor Luther taught an ACS accredited course on advanced inorganic chemistry from 1973-1986 to senior undergraduate students. As he moved into environmental and marine chemistry, he began using environmental examples in inorganic chemistry. In 1988, he started a similar course titled ‘Marine Inorganic Chemistry’ that has been taught biannually at the University of Delaware, attracting students in Chemical Oceanography, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geology / Geochemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Plant and Soil Science.

In 2013, Professor Luther was awarded the Geochemistry Division Medal by the American Chemical Society for his wide-ranging contributions to aqueous geochemistry. He is recognised for the application of physical inorganic chemistry to the transfer of electrons between chemical compounds in the environment, and also the development of chemical sensors for quantifying the presence of elements and compounds in natural waters.

Professor Luther was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2011 and the American Geophysical Union in 2012.