Remembering Chemistry Faculty

Dr. Tao Yu

In honor and memory of the Dr. Tao Yu, Assistant Professor  of Chemistry at the University of North Dakota (UND), passed away unexpectedly and suddenly on June 13, 2021.

Tao Yu was born and raised in China. Upon graduating from Fudan University, he continued pursuing a Ph.D. degree at the University of Minnesota. Before joining UND, he was a postdoctoral research associate at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an assistant professor at Tennessee Tech University. Tao was a talented chemist. Most people around him remember him as a kind-hearted and generous person who was always willing to help others. He was an inspirational figure and always acted as a big brother to new students and scholars. "The conversation with him always made me feel warm," as one friend described him. His thoughtful generosity toward others, his willingness to listen without judgment, and his quiet humor have positively touched many. He will be greatly missed.

The memorial fund towards endowment for scholarships and other department priorities started by Tao Yu's parents is greatly appreciated. 

DR.Tao yu's Memorial Fund

Dr. Kathryn Thomasson

In honor and memory of the Dr. Kathryn Thomasson, Professor  Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of North Dakota (UND), who passed away in December, 2020.

Dr. Thomasson joint he UND faculty in 1993 and showing everyone that women can pursue hard science in the field of Physical Chemistry. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 1999, and has been a full Professor since July 2004; until she retired 15 May 2020. Her expertise in computational biophysical chemistry made her eminently qualified for both tasks, and complemented the expertise of her colleagues for the betterment of the Department. Dr. Thomasson has been a productive scholar with 70 peer-reviewed research papers in journals as highly ranked as the J. Amer. Chem. Soc., J. Phys. Chem. and the Biophys. J. Her dedication to students and her passion for teaching made her the ideal person for advising and mentoring many students that went on to have great careers.

We greatly appreciate the Scholarships Endowment Fund initiated by Alumni to honor her memory.

Dr. Thomasson’s Endowment Scholarships

Professor Thomasson's Endowment

Dr. Neil Franklin Woolsey

In honor and memory of the Dr. Neil Franklin Woolsey, Professor  Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of North Dakota (UND), who passed away in June, 2021.

Dr. Woolsey earned his Bachelor of Science for Chemistry at 1957 at the University of Portland OR and then PhD in Organic Chemistry while receiving a prestigious National Science Foundation Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1961. His excellent academic performance earned Neil many accolades the prestigious Delta Epsilon Sigma fraternal order at Washington DC (1957), the Society of the Sigma Xi at UW, Madison (1960) and a rare Rhodes Scholarship for Chemistry placing him in the top 1% in the world post secondary chemistry students. He was invited to attended Imperial College at Oxford University in London England (1961-1963) where he worked with Professor DHR Barton (Nobel Prize winner in chemistry) to earn his PhD. In 1963 he became postdoctoral fellow at Iowa State University in Ames. Dr. Woolsey joined UND in 1965 as a Professor of Organic Chemistry (1965-1998) where he spent his teaching and research career closely working with  Chemistry Students.