Holy Cross Chemist Honored for Outstanding Scholarship

WORCESTER, Mass. – Richard Herrick, professor of chemistry at the College of the Holy Cross, was recently named the 2007-08 recipient of the Mary Louise Marfuggi Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship. Made possible by a generous gift from Richard A. Marfuggi, M.D., ’72, in honor of his mother, the award recognizes faculty with an exemplary record of scholarship and outstanding achievement in the creation of an original work in the arts and sciences.

“Professor Herrick conducts research at the very frontier of scientific discovery, competing successfully with colleagues from major research institutions,” says Timothy Austin, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. “Like many Holy Cross faculty members, he does so while still taking the time to recruit and train our undergraduate students to become true partners in his work. This year's Fenwick Scholar, Brent Franklin '08, is the perfect example; with Professor Herrick's mentorship, Brent will graduate as the co-author of multiple professional papers in bioorganometallic chemistry. This is surely an excellent example of what a Holy Cross education experience at its best can offer to faculty members and students alike.”

A member of Holy Cross faculty since 1984, Herrick earned his B.A. from Union College and his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His research interests lie in the new area of bioorganometallic chemistry.  He and his students synthesize and study new compounds as potential diagnostic imaging/therapy agents. He has been published in numerous leading journals including Dalton Transactions, Inorganic Chemistry Chemical Communications and the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry.

Herrick has received numerous grants including a $586,500 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help establish the new Clavius Scholar Program that will kick off in the fall at the College. Herrick is the director of the program.

“This is a great program that helps financially disadvantaged students interested in careers in science or mathematics attend Holy Cross,” says Herrick. “The mission is to target academically promising students who have financial need, including students from groups underrepresented in the sciences, and to instill in them an appreciation of the process of science or math and a love of learning they will take with them as they leave Holy Cross.”

Herrick has been running the College’s highly successful NSF student research program for the last 24 years. He was the science coordinator at the College from 2003-08.

Herrick and Jude Kelley, assistant professor of chemistry at Holy Cross, have just finished shooting experiments and interviews for an episode of The History Channel’s hit show Modern Marvels. The program, which is focused on iron, will air in August.

He resides in Worcester with his wife and two daughters.