M. A. Battiste Award

The M. A. Battiste Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry is generously sponsored by Petra Research, Inc. in honor of the late Professor Merle A. Battiste. Professor Battiste obtained his B.S. degree (1954) from The Citadel (Charleston, SC) and an M.S. degree (1956) from Louisiana State University. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1959 from Columbia University (as Prof. Ronald Breslow’s first Ph.D. student), and a research position at UCLA (1960), Dr. Battiste became a professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Florida where he served for 42 years. Prof. Battiste is remembered as a dedicated, passionate teacher and consummate scientist.

Originally established in 2005 as the Petra Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, the award name was changed in 2007 to honor Professor Battiste.

Applications will be solicited via Departmental email, typically in the late Spring or Summer A. The award, consisting of $500 and a plaque, will be announced by the end of the summer C semester and presented formally at the fall departmental meeting.