The University of Texas at Arlington
Office of Media Relations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact: Sue Stevens, (817) 272-3317, sstevens@uta.edu

ARLINGTON—Dr. Daniel Wayne Armstrong, former Caldwell Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University and the DOE Ames Laboratory, has joined The University of Texas at Arlington as the university's first Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry.

"Dr. Armstrong’s move to UT Arlington reflects the fact that the College of Science has become a top flight unit with many internationally recognized scholars and a high level of external funding of research," said Dean of Science Paul Paulus. "The addition of Daniel Armstrong and the other top scientists we have hired in the past few years will significantly enhance the research prowess of our college and our ability to provide a world class education for both our graduate and undergraduate students."

Armstrong has more than 380 publications and 10 patents. He has been named one of the world's most highly cited scientists by the Scientific Citation Index. Armstrong has more than $3 million in currentresearch grants. He has won numerous national and international awards, and is on the editorial board of 11 scientific journals.

"Attracting a world class scientist of Dr. Armstrong's stature to UT Arlington will have a tremendous impact not only on theuniversity but on Texas, as well," said Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Zoltan A. Schelly, chair of the Welch Chair searchcommittee.

"His dynamic creativity will ferment collaboration between universities and industry, just as much as between universities and medical schools, and among researchers of different disciplines in various academic departments," Schelly said. "Such collaborative efforts can result ina quantum jump in federal research funding to the state."

Armstrong earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington & Lee University in 1972, a master of science in oceanography from Texas A&M in 1974 and a doctorate in bio-organic chemistry from A&M in 1977.

A university does not "apply" for a Welch Chair; it is a recognition bestowed on a Texas university or medical school by the Welch Foundation, Schelly said. Once a university is granted a Welch Chair, it must match the $1 million provided by the foundation to support the scientist's research.

The Welch Foundation is a legacy from Robert Alonzo Welch, who came to Houston as a youth and made his fortune in oil and minerals. Over the course of his career and life, he became convinced of the importance of chemistry for the betterment of the world. When he died in 1952, Welch left a generous portion of his estate to his employees and their families and the balance to establish the foundation. Based in Houston, the foundation is one of the United States’ oldest and largest private funding sources for basic chemical research.

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