Nobel laureate is professor-at-large this month

By Susan Lang

Richard Ernst, 1991 Nobel laureate in chemistry and professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, will visit Cornell Oct. 14-29 as an A.D. White Professor-at-Large.

During his visit, Ernst will give six public lectures: "The Fascination of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Medicine," Wednesday, Oct. 14, 4:40 p.m. in 200 Baker Laboratory; "The Potential of Multi-Dimensional NMR," Thursday, Oct. 15, 4:40 p.m. in 119 Baker; "Intramolecular Dynamics Studied by NMR," Tuesday, Oct. 20, 4:40 p.m. in 119 Baker ; "Looking Inside Solids by NMR," Thursday, Oct. 22, 4:40 p.m. in 119 Baker; "Exploring Polymers by Spin Diffusion and Polarization Transfer," Tuesday, Oct. 27, 4:40 p.m. in 119 Baker; and "Hydrogen Dynamics in Liquids and Solids Explored by NMR," Thursday, Oct. 29, 4:40 p.m. in 119 Baker.

His Cornell hosts are Jack Freed, professor of chemistry and chemical biology, and Earl Peters, executive director of chemistry and chemical biology.

"Ernst must be counted in a small and unique group of 20th-century physical scientists whose research achievements have directly revolutionized many fields, including chemistry, physics, engineering, biology and medicine," Freed said.

Ernst, the co-author of Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in One and Two Dimensions (often referred to as the "New Testament of NMR"), is the recipient of many honors, including numerous honorary doctorates and the Wolf Prize for chemistry, the Ampere Prize and the Benoist Prize.

The A.D. White Program for Professors-at-Large began in 1965 to bring distinguished scholars to the Cornell campus for formal and informal exchanges with faculty and students. Up to 20 professors-at-large are named at Cornell at any one time. They make periodic visits to campus over six-year terms and are considered full members of the Cornell faculty.

Their efforts enrich the lives not only of faculty but of students; in addition to giving public lectures, professors-at-large participate in office hours, seminars and thesis consultations with undergraduate and graduate students.

For information on the program, contact Gerri Jones, professors-at-large program administrator, at 255-0832.