Claibourne Smith

Last updated

Claibourne Smith
Born (1938-01-06) January 6, 1938 (age 86)
Education
Occupation(s)Chemist, Educational administrator
Board member of Delaware State University Board of Trustees
SpouseRoseann Smith

Claibourne Smith (born January 6, 1938) [1] is an African American chemist. He worked at DuPont and served on the Board of Trustees of Delaware State University and on the Delaware State Board of Education. He was acting president of Delaware State University from 2008 to 2010.

Contents

Early life and education

Smith was born in Memphis, Tennessee, where he graduated from Melrose High School. He earned a BS and an MS in chemistry from the University of Denver while working at the Denver Research Institute in chemical synthesis. In 1964, he earned a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Oregon. [1]

Career

Smith worked for 34 years at DuPont, first as a research chemist and subsequently in marketing. At his retirement in 1998, he was vice president of technology [2] and vice chairman of corporation education aid. [1] [3]

After voluntary work assisting the chemistry department at Delaware State University, a historically black university, Smith was appointed to the board of trustees in 1987–88 as a replacement for a board member who had resigned. [4] Except for during his acting presidency of the university, he served on the board for 28 years, from 1993 to 2015 as chairman; he left the board at the expiration of his term in January 2016 and was appointed trustee emeritus. [2] [4] In 2015, when he resigned the chairmanship, the board voted to name the university's administration building for him. [5] [6]

Smith was appointed acting president of Delaware State University in 2008 after the resignation of Allen Sessoms. He served until January 2010, when Harry L. Williams succeeded to the position. [4] [7]

Smith served two terms on the Delaware State Board of Education, from 1993 to 2005. [8] He also served at the state level on the Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform Advisory Board and the Delaware Council on Crime and Justice and was a member of the board of directors of the Fair Housing Council of Delaware. [1]

Honors

Smith was awarded the Dean's Alumni Achievement Award of the University of Oregon in 1989 and The News Journal 's Jefferson Awards Certificate of Excellence in 1994. In 2006 he received the Distinguished Service Award of the National Association of State Boards of Education. [1] In 2009 he was honored by the Delaware state YMCA as one of its Black Achievers in Business and Industry. [3]

Personal life

Smith is married to Roseann Smith, [1] [4] whom he met at DuPont. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete du Pont</span> American politician (1935–2021)

Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV was an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 68th governor of Delaware from 1977 to 1985. A member of the Republican Party, he was the United States representative for Delaware's at-large congressional district from 1971 to 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delaware State University</span> Hstorically black university in Dover, Delaware, US

Delaware State University is a privately governed, state-assisted historically black land-grant research university in Dover, Delaware. DSU also has two satellite campuses: one in Wilmington and one in Georgetown. The university encompasses four colleges and a diverse population of undergraduate and advanced-degree students. Delaware State University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell W. Peterson</span> American scientist and politician (1916–2011)

Russell Wilbur Peterson was an American scientist and politician from Wilmington, Delaware. He served as Governor of Delaware as a member of the Republican Party. An influential environmentalist, he served as chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality and president of the National Audubon Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pierre S. du Pont</span> American businessman (1870–1954)

Pierre Samuel du Pont was an American entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist and member of the prominent du Pont family.

Wilbert Lee "Bill" Gore was an American engineer and scientist, inventor and businessman who co-founded W. L. Gore and Associates with his wife, Genevieve (Vieve).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henderson State University</span> Public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, U.S.

Henderson State University (HSU) is a public university in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, Founded in 1890 as Arkadelphia Methodist College. Henderson has an undergraduate enrollment of around 2,500 students. The campus is located on 156 acres (0.63 km2).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Gurney du Pont</span> American chemist, inventor of smokeless gunpowder, and member of the du Pont family

Francis Gurney du Pont was an American businessman and chemist who served as a vice president of E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company and invented smokeless gunpowder with the assistance of cousin Pierre S. du Pont. A member of the du Pont family, Francis had ten children, including E. Paul du Pont, founder of Du Pont Motors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lammot du Pont I</span>

Lammot du Pont I was a chemist and a key member of the du Pont family and its company in the mid-19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uma Chowdhry</span> American chemist

Uma Chowdhry is an American chemist whose career has been spent in research and management positions with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. She has specialized in the science of ceramic materials, including catalysts, proton conductors, superconductors and ceramic packaging for microelectronics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerome H. Holland</span> American diplomat (1916–1985)

Jerome Heartwell "Brud" Holland was an American university president and diplomat. He was the first African American to play football at Cornell University, and was chosen as an All American in 1937 and 1938. He was also the first African American to chair the American Red Cross Board of Governors, which named its Laboratory for the Biomedical Sciences in his honor. He was the first African-American to sit on the board of the New York Stock Exchange (1972), and the first appointed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology's governing body, "The Corporation".

Paul S. Anderson is an American chemist. He worked at Merck, DuPont-Merck, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen J. Kullman</span> United States business executive (born 1956)

Ellen J. Kullman is a United States business executive. Since November 2019, she has been the chief executive officer of Carbon (company). She was formerly Chair and Chief Executive Officer of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company ("DuPont") in Wilmington and is a former director of General Motors. Forbes ranked her 31st of the 100 Most Powerful Women in 2014. Kullman retired from DuPont on October 16, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herschel H. Cudd</span>

Herschel Herbert Cudd was the director of the Georgia Institute of Technology's Engineering Experiment Station from 1952 to 1954, succeeding Gerald Rosselot in that position. He would later become the president of Amoco Chemical Company and serve on the board of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chadwick A. Tolman</span>

Chadwick A. Tolman is an American chemist. He obtained his B.S. in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry as a microwave spectroscopist from U.C. Berkeley under the guidance of William Dulaney Gwinn.

Edward G. Jefferson was a British-born American chemical engineer, chemist, businessman, CEO and Chairman of DuPont corporation. During Jefferson's leadership as Chairman, DuPont suffered from numerous controversies; such as polluting public waterways.

Hugh Rodney Sharp Jr. was an American businessman, aviator, and university trustee. He worked nearly half a century for the DuPont corporation, which was founded by his great-great-grandfather.

Dwight Morrell Smith served the University of Denver (DU) from 1972 to 1989 and 1992 to the present as a chemistry professor, academic administrator, and chancellor of the university. In 1984 he was named the 15th chancellor of the university.

Chester M. Alter (1906–2006) served as the twelfth Chancellor at the University of Denver (DU) from 1953 to 1967. He was a scientist and an educator. He worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert S. Eleuterio</span> American industrial chemist (1927–2022)

Herbert S. Eleuterio was an American industrial chemist noted for technical contributions to catalysis, polymerization, industrial research management, and science education. In particular, he discovered the olefin metathesis reaction and several novel fluoropolymers. Additionally, he explored techniques for research leadership, especially methods for fostering collaboration, globalization, and scientific creativity.

Mary Agnes Kaiser was an American chemist. She worked at E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, where she was the first woman promoted to senior research fellow. A woman scientist of distinction, she was internationally known for her work in environmental analytical chemistry.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Claibourne Smith's Biography". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Claibourne Smith, DSU trustee, steps down after 28 years". Denver Post (press release). January 25, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2024 via The News Journal.
  3. 1 2 "Dr. Claibourne Smith Honored at Black Achievers Ceremony". Delaware State University News. December 11, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Howard, Arshon (February 6, 2016). "Smith leaves his legacy at Delaware State University". Bay to Bay News. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  5. "Leadership change for Delaware State Univ. Board of Trustees". Delaware Public Media. January 20, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Holmes, Carlos (May 27, 2015). "Claibourne D. Smith Admin Bldg. Dedicated". Delaware State University News. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  7. Stuart, Reginald (January 18, 2010). "Delaware State Trustee Reflects on Interim Presidency". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  8. Allen, Jean W. "President's Letter" (PDF). Annual Report, Delaware State Board of Education, 2006–2007. Retrieved February 9, 2024.