Ken Wagener Selected For Two Distinguished Lectureships

March 1, 2026

The University of Florida Department of Chemistry congratulates Ken Wagener, George & Josephine Butler Professor Emeritus, for his being chosen to present two named lectureships at universities in the Southeast. The 2025 S. Dexter Squibb Distinguished Lectures at the University of North Carolina in Asheville consisted of two presentations, the first about his pioneering research creating the ADMET Reaction, chemistry now practiced around the world. The second lecture focused on matters affecting everyone, entitled “The Positives and Negatives of Plastics in Today’s Society”.

The prior year, Professor Wagener was selected to present the H. Garth Spencer Distinguished Scholar Lectureship at Clemson University in South Carolina. In earlier years, Clemson University named him among its first members inducted in the University Academy of Engineers & Scientists.

Wagener’s academic and industrial career has led to 350 publications & 66 patents describing significant international contributions in polymer chemistry. In addition to receiving the American Chemical Society Award in Polymer Chemistry, named awards in polymer science include the Charles Overberger International Prize, the Paul J. Flory Polymer Education Award, the Herman F. Mark Polymer Chemistry Award, the Turner Alfrey Professorship, and the highly prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Senior Research Prize.