Norm DovichiDovichi has taught at the universities of Wyoming and Alberta and is now at the University of Washington. In 2001, the prestigious journal, Science, named Dovichi as one of a dozen “unsung heroes” (and the only chemist) of the Human Genome Project, for his development of the high-throughput DNA sequencer that was used to speed up the process of solving the human genome.
Kathleen O. HavelkaAfter completing her doctorate, Havelka took a job with Lubrizol Corporation. She is recognized as an expert in the field of electrorheological fluids—liquids that change viscosity (becoming almost a semi-solid) when an electric field is applied. They are used in shock absorbers and in torque transfer in clutches, for example. Havelka now heads the applications technology group at Lubrizol, where she directs a research staff of 33. She was profiled in the Oct. 28, 2002 issue of “Chemical & Engineering News” as part of its “Women in Chemistry” series.
John P. McKearnSince March 2005, he has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of Kalypsys Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, where he also served as President and Chief Scientific Officer from August 2004 to March 2005 and Chief Scientific Officer from July 2003 to August 2004. In addition, Dr. McKearn has been a member of the board of directors of Kalypsys since July 2003. Prior to that, he was with Pharmacia Corporation, formerly G.D. Searle and Co., a pharmaceutical company, since 1987. Kearn received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the NIU Alumni Association in 2003.
Ronald Ream As executive director of corporate development at Wrigley Yorkville in Illinois, Ream's guidance and ingenuity have helped the company remain at the forefront of the confectionary industry and his work there may now help save lives. Among his well-known creations are Hubba Bubba, Big League Chew, and Bubble Tape, which Ream not only developed in Wrigley laboratories, but also marketed to net the company more than $1 billion in total sales throughout his 40-year career. The author of more than 70 patents, Ream most recently worked with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research to develop Stay Alert Caffeine Supplement Chewing Gum, which has been provided to American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. The technology also will be further applied in the pharmaceutical industry to improve the administration and absorption of medication. Ream received the F.R. Geigle Award from NIU in 2005.
Emil R. SchiesserIn 1961, Schiesser began a long and distinguished career with NASA. He worked on the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, shuttle and International Space Station missions. Among his awards: a 1969 Presidential Letter of Commendation, the 1970 Thomas L. Thurlow Award from the Institute of Navigation and the 1983 NASA Exceptional Service Award. Presently retired, Schiesser also worked from 1990-2001 for McDonnell Douglas/Boeing.