Support Students in the Department of Chemistry by giving

Funds to support

The Department of Chemistry invites donations from alumni and friends to support the endeavor about which they are most passionate. The Department is indebted to the continued generosity of alumni and friends who donate to these funds.

You can donate to any of the funds or scholarships listed below by visiting the PSU Foundation: Giving website

 

Chemistry Department General Fund

This fund supports a variety of activities that contribute to the academic experience of our undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty, including the departmental seminar program where local, national, and international scientists present their work to the Chemistry Department.

 

The Larry Vockler Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was established to honor Larry Vockler, founder of ICD High Performance Coatings. The scholarship is awarded annually to two outstanding Sophomore Chemistry Majors, providing each with a $2,500 scholarship, and is intended to help promising students complete their studies.

Larry Vockler Scholarship awards are administered in concert with the Office of Financial Aid. Students may apply for this scholarship - and search other scholarship opportunities - via the University's Online Scholarship Application.

 

The Carl Wamser Student Summer Research Scholarship

This award was established by Richard and Helen Phillips to honor Professor Carl Wamser, who served as the faculty research mentor to Richard Phillips when he was an undergraduate student. The award provides a summer scholarship of $5,000 to support a PSU undergraduate Chemistry Major pursuing a research project in the laboratory of a departmental faculty member, in particular those focused in the areas of chemical biology, biochemistry, or organic chemistry. The scholarship can be applied in summer or during the academic year following the summer research experience. 

Richard Phillips, a former student of Professor Wamser’s, initiated this scholarship program in 2015 and hopes to establish it as an endowed fund capable of providing perpetual support for student research.  Through their foundation, Richard and his wife Helen have pledged to match any gifts towards this scholarship fund up to $65,000. 

Students who are nominated by faculty in the Department of Chemistry with whom they are conducting research submit application materials for consideration for this award.

 

The Clyde Johnson Scholarship Fund

This award was established in honor of Clyde Johnson, the Founding Department Chair and Professor of Chemistry at Portland State from 1950 to 1964.  The Johnson Award recognizes the outstanding Chemistry Major in their Junior year, and provides an Award of $3,000.

Students are nominated for this award by faculty in the Department of Chemistry.

 

Paul Emmett Award Fund

This award was established in honor of Paul Emmett, Professor of Chemistry at Portland State from 1971 to 1985, member of the National Academy of Science, and friend and brother-in-law of Linus Pauling.  This award recognizes an outstanding Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry in his or her penultimate year.

Students are nominated for this award by faculty in the Department of Chemistry.

Graduate Student Travel Fund

This fund was established by Richard and Helen Phillips to support students' professional development by funding travel to scientific conferences, allowing them to present the results of their research and to network with others in their field. The fund supports three students a year; the award can be applied to costs of conference registration, transportation, and lodging.

Information about applying for Graduate Student Travel funding and links to the application and recommendation forms are available on the Awards & Scholarships page of the Department's website.

 

Chemistry General Scholarship Fund

The Chemistry General Scholarship fund supports the Awards for the outstanding undergraduate students in Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and the Outstanding Senior Award. This fund also supports the Alfred S. Levinson Award for Outstanding Teaching, which recognizes outstanding teaching by a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Chemistry. This award was established in honor of Alfred S. Levinson, Professor of Chemistry at Portland State from 1963 to 1994, recognizing the value that Al placed on excellence in teaching.

Students are nominated for these awards by faculty in the Department of Chemistry.

 

Other Awards that benefit students in the Department of Chemistry

We also administer awards for the Clark and Shirley Chow Scholarships and Travel awards, El-Mansy Family Fellowships, and local ACS section scholarships and travel awards. A full list of department administered awards can be found here

 


Thank you for your consideration of an investment in Portland State University. Donations to the Department of Chemistry are tax deductible and can support the development of an endowment. Please note that all gifts and pledges are payable over 3-5 years.

We welcome the opportunity to meet with potential donors to discuss mutual interests. Please contact

  • Sarah Bartlett, Interim Manager, Department of Chemistry: (503) 725 2310 | sbart2@pdx.edu
  • Kathleen Hampton, Director of Development, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: (503) 725-3526 | hamptonk@psuf.org