scienceSotechnology
Tuesday, January 18, 2000
THE BATTALION
Cotton’s impact on field grows
Wolf Prize for contributions to inorganic chemistry
Artificial eyes may aid bin
A&M professor awarded
BY SCOTT JENKINS
The Battalion
R unning chemical reactions on an old kitchen
stove as a youngster sparked a passion for
chemistry that has continued throughout the
productive career of Dr. F. Albert Cotton, Texas
A&M distinguished professor of chemistry.
For his extensive accomplishments in the
field of inorganic chemistry, Cotton last week was
named the recipient of the 2000 Wolf Prize in
chemistry. The international award, given by the
Wolf Foundation of Israel, will be presented in
May by Israeli president Ezer Weizman at a cer
emony in Jerusalem.
During a career spanning five decades. Cot
ton and those working in his laboratory have de
termined the structures of more than 2000 new
molecules, including one of the first thorough de
terminations of an enzyme’s structure. Even
though this was done early in his career, the
knowledge of that structure is still widely used to
day in studies of enzyme function. In addition,
some of the first examples of compounds with
double and triple metal-metal bonds were creat
ed in Cotton’s laboratory.
Cotton’s current research focuses on making
new types of molecules, pushing metal atoms
very close together to make new compounds with
previously unknown bonds and then investigat
ing their structures and properties. “We find out
what makes them tick,” Cotton said.
The atoms are pushed so close together that
“the ideas of simple chemical bonds are tested,
most certainly extended, and perhaps even ques
tioned,” Dr. Marcetta Darensbourg, professor
and researcher in inorganic chemistry, said.
Darensbourg said it is possible for new bonding
principles resulting from Cotton’s research to bet
ter explain phenomena for which only incomplete
descriptions now exist.
Dr. Kim Dunbar, chemistry professor and
former post-doctoral associate with Cotton’s
group, said that Cotton’s work on metal-metal
bonds is one of the most creative and influential
accomplishments in chemistry this century. She
echoed the assessment of the chemistry com
munity in saying that the significance of his re
search is monumental.
The selection committee for the prize wrote
that Cotton’s extensive work in the chemistry of
metallic elements is “a major contribution to
chemistry,” adding that his work has also had
wide-ranging influences in biochemistry, physics
Dr. E Albert Cotton, winner of the 2000 Wolf Prize in chemistry. Cotton is the
second A&M professor to be awarded the honor.
NEW YORK (AP) - To the blind nun w tlh a tmy
camera \s ired to his brain, the world knikN like dozens of
scattered specks of light, v> inking on and oil like die st.irs
when clouds roll by.
But as he showed a reporter last week, that’s eiKHigh
to let him find a mannequin in a room, walk to a black
stocking cap hanging on a vs hue vs ail. and then return to
the mannequin to plop the cap on its Itead
He can also recognize a 2-inch-tall letter from five
feet away, researcher William Dobellc said The man's
performance is the first demonstration dial an artificial
eye can provide useful vision, Dobellc. who's develop
ing the device, said.
“He can do remarkabh well” w ith the limned v isu-
al signal. Dobellc said.
Dobellc is chairperson of the IXibclle Institute, a
medical device company in New York
He described the device and its performance in this
month’s issue of the ASAIO Journal, a publication of
the American Societ) of Artificial Internal Organs
Richard Normann, who studies artilicul v ision at the
University of Utah, said he’s encouraged by how much
the blind man can do.
The new report suggests that sontedav, even limited
signals to the brain will let blind people do relative!)
complicated v isual tasks, he said.
It's the first demonstration of useful artilic ul v ivton,
he said, hut he stressed the dev ice is still "a verv limit
ed nav igational aid, and it's a far cry from the v isual ex
perience that normal people enjoy.”
Dr. Bill Heetderks, wlwdircctsa National Institutes
of Health program to develop electronic implants that
w ork u ith the brain, said an implant that helps blind
people nav igate would be a major step forward.
“When Dr. Dobelle provides additional details on
his methodology that establishes this result, we may be
there." Heetderks said after reading IXvbellc's rcpiwt
While IXvbellc’s dev icc uses a brain implant, some
other scientists arc study mg implants in the retina
Giving ‘sight’ to the blind
• *..-***, *j mo* a o* rttao** >
Die retina strategy made news rcccnth«
entertainer Nicv ic Wonder expressed i
tXibcllc’s patient, who asked to be i
Jerry, fee. been blind since age 36.
Now *2. he volunteered fie liar study t
implant in I^TK, scientists have been <
to improve the software
Jerry uses the dev icc only two or threed
IXvhclIe's lab, as researchers tinker with 1
ts how hesi to pros ide depth perception, i
the range finder. Jerry had to walk i
proached the mannequin and the wall i
demonstration, w ith an arm out to prevenu
Dohclic said an improsed version<
should go on sale overseas in limited <
year It’s not clear when it might becomei
the United States, lie said
and molecular chemical engineering.
The impact of Cotton’s accomplishments has
spread beyond laboratory research. Darensbourg
calls Cotton’s textbook. Chemical Applications
of Group Theory, “one of the most important
books in all of chemistry.”
His legacy includes many former students
who have gone on to make significant accom
plishments themselves, including four who have
been elected to membership in the National
Academy of Sciences.
Cotton followed in his engineer father’s foot
steps at the beginning of his undergraduate ca
reer, but soon realized that chemical engineer
ing was not quite right for him. He entered the
chemistry program at Philadelphia’s Temple
University, and went on to study inorganic
chemistry at Harvard University.
Now, with decades of research behind him
and a mantel full of awards. Cotton still has no
shortage of ideas about new compounds to in
vestigate and new reactions to try. "Probably
more ideas than we have time for,” he said.
In his laboratory. Cotton and his students are
always striving to "do things that will broaden our
understanding of the principles of chemistry,”
The Wolf Foundation was established in 1976
by Dr. Ricardo Wolf, an inventor, diplomat and
philanthropist, along with his wife Francisca
Subirana-Wolf, in order to “promote science and
art for the benefit of mankind.”
Prize winners are selected by an appointed
committee of experts in each field in which
awards are given.
NASA bids farewell to lost Mars prot-
PASADENA, Calif. (AP)
NASA on Monday gave up try ing to
contact the missing Mars Polar Lander,
con finning vv hat had been suspected fir
more than a month: Tlw SI65 million
spacecraft was dead on arrival.
Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propul
sion Laboratory listened for the
spacecraft one last time and heard
only silence.
“It is closure in the sense that I
think we did every thing we could to
re-establish contact, and, yes, it's
time to get on to other things," pro
ject scientist Richard /urek said.
The spacecraft vanished IXx 3
while trying to land on Mars. It was
to have studied the atmosphere and
dug for icc during a 90-day mission.
Among the possible explanations
for its failure to call home The thrcc-
legged lander burned up in the at
mosphere. crashed on Mars or tipped
ov cr on the rugged surface and dam
aged itself.
An internal JPL hoard and a team
of independent mv
looking into the faiiurtt
loss of the Mars
which apparently
atmosphere last
of a mtxup between
metric units. The mv
also take a hard k<ok*^
tire Mars program.
At least some »
peeled by mid-Mardizr’
before the next Manotte
dcr are set to launch
May and August 2000 grads!
Plan to Attend
Job Search 2000!
Tues, January 18, 5-8 pm 224 MSC
Mon, January 24, 5-8 pm 110 Koldus
5:00 - Interview Seminar
6:00 - Resume Writing
7:00 - Placement Orientation
(refreshments will be served - other grad dates welcome to attend)
n
Announcing LibCat
New online library cata
from the library home page at
library.tamu.edu/
NOTTS no longer available after Fri., Jan. 21
LibCat has materials in Evans, Annex, West,
and PSEL libraries
Stop by Rudder and see what 300 Ags
have in common.
We currently have challenging part time openings in the following
area5
♦ Purchasing
♦ Technical Writing
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♦ Programming
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♦ PC/LAN Support
♦ Inventory Control
♦ Clerical
We consider all types of majors and provide complete training,
so don’t miss this opportunity to visit us this week in Rudder Tower
to see if you’re the person we’re looking for.
Tuesday 502 Rudder
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Thursday 502 Rudder
Friday MSC Flag Room
On Friday we will be attending the SBSLC Career Fair in the MSC Flag Roorr
We will be there from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Stop by and see us about full or
part time employment.
This is a great opportunity to talk with some of our employees, fill out some
paperwork, or just make an appointment to speak with us at a later date.
We will have snacks, beverages and free koozies.
The rooms in Rudder Tower can be reached by going to the elevators next
to the MSC Box Office. We will be there between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and
we look forward to talking with you.
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