Stoffer Lecture Series

ABOUT THE DR. JAMES STOFFER LECTURE SERIES

The purpose of this lecture series is to invite highly respected and qualified professionals to Missouri S&T to discuss topics relevant to chemistry, especially polymer chemistry. Speakers shall address the faculty and students of the department, as well as the university community.  The topics chosen should vary in order to cover a full spectrum of the fields of interest relevant to the department.  Preference shall be given to speakers from the chemistry department alumni and/or those specializing in polymer chemistry and shall be chosen in a collegial manner by a means normal to the operation of the department. Annually, the lecture series provides an opportunity for an alumnus or other outstanding individuals to speak to students and the campus community about the impact and importance of education on their career.

James Stoffer

ABOUT DR. STOFFER

James Stoffer is Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Past Director of the Graduate Center for Materials Research. He has taught many courses in the Chemistry department including Freshman Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Polymer Chemistry.  Additionally his experience includes the teaching of paint short courses at Rolla for over 30 years, at the National Paint Show and at the American Chemical Society meeting each year. He has advised some fifty graduate students and his research with these graduate students includes the first papers on microemulsion polymerization processes, one of the first papers on polymerization of liquid crystals, the first papers on ultrasonic dispersion of pigments for paints, on ultrasonically initiated and microwave initiated free radical catalyzed polymerizations, and on transparent composites. Most of his research deals with the preparation and properties of coatings and polymers.   Since 1992 he, working with Dr. Tom O’Keefe and their students, developed a replacement for chromium as the corrosion inhibitor for aluminum for aircraft.  Dr. Stoffer has over 150 publications and 12 patents, one of which provides royalties to fund this lecture.