About the Coblentz Society
Coblentz Officers, Committees & History
The Coblentz Society was founded over 65 years ago with the purpose of fostering the understanding and application of vibrational spectroscopy and that continues to be our goal today.
The Society is named after Dr. William W. Coblentz (1873-1962), who devoted most of his life to investigating the infrared spectra of “pure” compounds.
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- Society Officers – President, Treasurer and Secretary
- Members of the Board of Managers
- Committee Chairs
- Committee Members
- Meeting Delegates and Representatives
- Society Members
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Coblentz Society History & Timeline
1950s
1953 – Columbus Committee is formed at Ohio State Symposium to investigate formation of “The Infrared Society.” Committee consists of Drs. Howard Cary, Bryce Crawford, R. A. Oetjen, Eugene Rosenbaum, Van Zandt Williams, and Norman Wright.
1954 – The Coblentz Society is formally announced, complete with an executive committee and written by-laws. Society is named after William Weber Coblentz. The objective of the society is: “To foster the understanding and application of infrared spectroscopy”
1956 – Program of collecting, compiling, and selling spectra contributed from members is proposed on the basis of membership surveys initiated in 1954.
1957 – Program was initiated to publish quantitative infrared methods through Analytical Chemistry, which was latter transferred to Applied Spectroscopy. This program was supervised by A. Lee Smith.
1960s
1960 – Over 2000 spectra are collected by Clara Craver, and first set of 1000 spectra are published.
1962 – Dr. Ellis R. Lippincott testifies that an infrared spectrum is a characteristic of a material for patent purposes.
1962 – Society and the Perkin Elmer Corporation republish the monumental work of W. W. Coblentz.
1963 – The Coblentz Award is established to honor the memory of Dr. William Weber Coblentz and his pioneering contributions to infrared spectroscopy.
1970s
1975 – The Lippincott Medal is established to honor the contributions of Dr. Ellis R. Lippincott to molecular spectroscopy. The award is sponsored jointly by the Coblentz Society, the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and the Optical Society of America.
1980s
1982 – Spectrum publication program reaches 10,500 spectra, some of which are sold in five special collections. All 10,500 spectra are available in 32 loose leaf volumes.
1987 – The Bomem-Michelson Award is established to honor the contributions of Dr. Albert A. Michelson to infrared spectroscopy. The award is sponsored by ABB and administered by the Society.
1990s
1991 – The Society and the National Institute of Standards and Technology enter into an agreement to complete the digitization of the Coblentz Spectral Library, which soon becomes available on CD.
Coblentz Society – Organization
Present Officers
President:
The Ohio State University
President-Elect:
Rigaku Analytical Devices
Immediate Past President:
Consultant
Secretary:
DP Spectroscopy and Training, LLC
Treasurer:
SABIC
Virtual Office Manager:
1467 Siskiyou Blvd., #2086
Ashland, OR 97520
541-261-9800
Coblentz Board of Managers (Governing Board)
Term Expires Fall 2023
Ark Biotech
Term Expires Fall 2024
Ohio University
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Term Expires Fall 2025
Boeing
Term Expires Fall 2026
The Pennsylvania State University
Department of Chemistry
Term Expires Fall 2023
University of Michigan
Department of Chemistry
Term Expires Fall 2024
University of Nottingham
School of Chemistry
Term Expires Fall 2025
Janssen Supply Group, LLC
Term Expires Fall 2026
MJH Lifesciences – Spectroscopy Magazine
Committees & Chairs
Membership
Savitha Panikar
Ark Biotech
Student Affairs
Zhan Chen
University of Michigan
Department of Chemistry
Newsletter Editor
Savitha Panikar
Ark Biotech
Advisory Group, Awards, Solicitation & Nominations (Past Presidents)
Ellen Miseo, Past President
Consultant
Brandye Smith-Goettler, Past-Past President
Merck & Co., Inc.
Mark Druy
Galvanic Applied Sciences
James Rydzak
Specere Consulting
Meeting Delegates & Representatives
Delegates to FACSS Governing Board
Coblentz Society
Current Society President
Delegates to EAS Governing Board
Merck & Co., Inc.
Specere Consulting
Meetings, Arrangements & Programs
Pittsburgh Conference
Coblentz Society
ISMS
The Ohio State University
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Past Officers
| Years | Name | Affiliation |
| 2021-2023 | Zachary Schultz | The Ohio State University |
| 2019-2021 | Ellen Miseo | Consultant |
| 2017-2019 | Brandye Smith-Goettler | Merck & Co., Inc. |
| 2015-2017 | Mark Druy | Galvanic Applied Sciences |
| 2013-2015 | James W. Rydzak | GlaxoSmithKline PLC |
| 2011-2013 | Michael L. Myrick | University of South Carolina |
| 2009-2011 | Ian R. Lewis | Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc. |
| 2007-2009 | Mary W. Carrabba | Rogue River Spectroscopy, LLC |
| 2005-2007 | Robert G. Messerschmidt | Aspectrics, Inc. |
| 2003-2005 | Andre’ J. Sommer | Molecular Microspectroscopy Laboratory, Miami University |
| 2001-2003 | John Hellgeth | Hewlett-Packard |
| 1999-2001 | David M. Haaland | Sandia National Laboratories |
| 1997-99 | Arlene A. Garrison | University of Tennessee |
| 1995-97 | John E. Bertie | University of Alberta |
| 1993-95 | Laurence A. Nafie | Syracuse University |
| 1991-93 | Rachael L. Barbour | BP America Research |
| 1989-91 | Kathryn S. Kalasinsky | Mississippi State Chemical Labs |
| 1987-89 | Robin S. McDowell | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| 1985-87 | D. Bruce Chase | E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co |
| 1983-85 | Albert B. Harvey | Naval Research Laboratory |
| 1981-83 | William C. Harris | National Science Foundation |
| 1979-81 | Bernard J. Bulkin | Polytechnic Institute of New York |
| 1978-79 | Ira W. Levin | National Institutes of Health |
| 1977-78 | Peter R. Griffiths | Ohio University |
| 1976-77 | Robert J. Jakobsen | Battelle Memorial Institute |
| 1974-76 | James R. Durig | University of South Carolina |
| 1972-74 | Robert A. Bauman | University of Alabama |
| 1971-72 | James R. Scherer | USDA Western Regional Research Lab |
| 1969-71 | Charles L. Angell | Union Carbide Corp. |
| 1968-69 | Freeman F. Bentley | Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| 1966-68 | Nelson Fuson | Fisk University |
| 1964-66 | A. Lee Smith | Dow Corning Corp. |
| 1962-64 | R. Norman Jones | National Research Council Canada |
| 1960-62 | Robert A. Friedel | U.S. Bureau of Mines |
| 1959-60 | Foil A. Miller | Mellon Institute |
| 1955-59 | Norman Wright | Dow Chemical Co. |
Office instituted 1973; discontinued 1978, with provision for a President-Elect.
|
1977-78 |
Ira W. Levin |
National Institutes of Health |
|
1976-77 |
James J. Elliott |
Exxon Research and Engineering Co. |
|
1974-76 |
Robert J. Jakobsen |
Battelle Memorial Institute |
|
1973-74 |
James R. Durig |
University of South Carolina |
|
1958-59 |
Raymond R. Sawyer |
Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
|
1955-58 |
Van Zandt Williams |
Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
In 1959 the offices of Secretary and Treasurer were authorized, though these were combined under one Secretary-Treasurer until 1963.
|
1961-63 |
Heinrich B. Kessler |
Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
|
1959-61 |
Raymond R. Sawyer |
Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 2022-present | Deborah A. Peru | DP Spectroscopy and Training, LLC |
| 2015-2022 | Luisa Profeta | Rigaku Analytical Devices |
| 2010-2015 | Richard Crocombe | Thermo Fisher Corp. |
| 1991-2010 | David Schiering | Smiths Detection |
| 1968-91 | Robert W. Hannah | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 1963-68 | Heinrich B. Kessler | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 2022-present | Nancy L Jestel | SABIC |
| 2017-2022 | Ian R. Lewis | Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc. |
| 2012-2017 | Mary W. Carrabba | Rogue Spectroscopy, LLC |
| 2005-2012 | André J. Sommer | Molecular Microspectroscopy Laboratory, Miami University |
| 1989-2005 | D. Bruce Chase | E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. |
| 1986-89 | Jaan Laane | Texas A&M University |
| 1982-86 | Robert J. Obremski | Beckman Instruments |
| 1972-82 | Howard J. Sloane | Beckman Instruments / SAVANT |
| 1963-72 | Willis J. Potts Jr. | Dow Chemical Co. |
| 2018-present | Savitha Panikar | Ark Biotech |
| 2014-2018 | Katherine Cilwa | Naval Medical Research Center |
| 2011-2016 | Karen Esmonde-White | University of Michigan |
| 2011-2013 | Francis Esmonde-White | University of Michigan |
| 2008-2011 | David Heaps | Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals |
| 2007-2008 | David S. Trimble | Swathmore College |
| 1986-2007 | Kathryn S. Kalasinsky | Mississippi State Chemistry Laboratory ChemAlysis Inc. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology |
| 1981-86 | Tomas B. Hirschfeld | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
| 1967-80 | A. Lee Smith | Dow Corning Corp. |
The Society was founded with a Board of seven, including the President and Registrar, serving for three years. Beginning in 1960, the Immediate Past President automatically served on the Board for one year (changed to two years in 1963) after the expiration of the term as President. Starting about 1964, the Board consisted of seven or eight including the President and Past President. The other officers were not Board members ex officio, though they and Committee Chairs are sometimes listed in the Newsletter as “appointed Board members”; only regular Board members are listed below. In 1974 Board membership was extended to four years, and the Board was expanded to nine (including President and Past President) with the appointment of two members for one year. Starting about 1977 the Past President served on the Board one year only. With the By-Laws revision of 1979, the President’s tenure on the Board was extended, if necessary, to completion of the term of office, but the Past President held only an honorary, non-voting Board seat. In 2000, the By-Laws were revised to confirm that the President was a voting member of the Board even if he/she was selected from previous rather than current Board members.
| 2020-2021 | Susanne Schreyer | Rigaku Analytical Devices |
| (appointed to complete Haibach’s term) | ||
| 2017-2021 | Zachary Schultz | The Ohio State University |
| 2017-2019 | Fred Haibach | Confluent Consulting (resigned) |
| 2017-2020 | Rohith Reddy | Harvard Medical School |
| 2017-2020 | Xiaoyun (Shawn) Chen | Dow Chemical Co. |
| 2015-2019 | David Tuschel | Horiba Scientific |
| 2015-2019 | Katherine Cilwa | Naval Medical Research Center |
| 2014-2018 | Mary M. J. Tecklenburg | Central Michigan University |
| 2014-2018 | Richard Crocombe | Crocombe Spectroscopic Consulting, LLC |
| 2013-2017 | Ellen Miseo | Analytical Answers |
| 2013-2017 | John Kauffman | Food and Drug Administration |
| 2012-2016 | Francis Esmonde-White | University of Michigan |
| 2012-2016 | Christina Young | Food and Drug Administration |
| 2011-2015 | Karl Booksh | University of Delaware |
| 2011-2015 | Heather Brooke | University of South Carolina |
| 2010-2014 | Christian Pellerin | University of Montreal |
| 2010-2014 | Luisa Profeta | MRI |
| 2009-2013 | Brandye Smith-Goettler | Merck and Co., Inc. |
| 2009-2013 | Linda Kidder | Malvern Instruments Inc. |
| 2008-2012 | Gloria Story | Procter & Gamble Company |
| 2008-2012 | Rohit Bhargava | Beckman Institute, University of Illinois |
| 2007-2011 | Clara Craver | Craver Consulting |
| 2007-2011 | Scott Little | Focal Point International |
| 2006-2010 | Brian Marquardt | University of Washington – APL |
| 2006-2010 | Michael Myrick | University of South Carolina |
| 2005-2009 | Mark Druy | Physical Sciences, Inc. |
| 2005-2009 | Richard Larsen | Jasco, Inc. |
| 2004-2008 | Ian R. Lewis | Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc. |
| 2004-2008 | Christine Wehlberg | MITRE Corporation |
| 2003-2007 | Dave Himmelsbach | USDA/Russell Research Center |
| 2003-2007 | Don Pivonka | AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals |
| 2002-2006 | Mary Carrabba | Rogue Spectroscopy, LLC |
| 2002-2006 | Jerry Workman | Argose, Inc. |
| 2001-2005 | Rebecca Dittmar | 3M |
| 2001-2005 | James Rydzak | SmithKline Beecham |
| 2000-2004 | Michael J. Pelletier | Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc. |
| 2000-2004 | E. Neil Lewis | Spectral Dimensions |
| 1999-2001 | David M. Haaland | Sandia National Laboratories |
| 1999-2003 | Andy Sommer | Miami University |
| 1999-2003 | Robert G. Messerschmidt | Spectra-Tech Inc./Argose, Inc. |
| 1998-2002 | Richard McCreery | Ohio State University |
| 1998-2003 | John Hellgeth | SRN |
| 1997-2001 | John Coates | Coates Consulting |
| 1997-2001 | Concetta M. Paralusz | Permacell |
| 1997-1999 | Arlene A. Garrison | University of Tennessee |
| 1996-2000 | Michael D. Morris | University of Michigan |
| 1996-2000 | Nancy R. Klymko |
IBM Corp. |
| 1995-99 | Terry Lee Gustafson | Ohio State University |
| 1995-99 | Fran Adar | Instruments SA |
| 1994-98 | Nancy S. Ferris | Eastman Kodak |
| 1994-98 | Robin L. Garrell | University of California, Los Angeles |
| 1993-97 | David W. Schiering | Spectra-Tech Inc. |
| 1993-95 | Laurence A. Nafie | Syracuse University |
| 1993-97 | Donald Kuehl | Galactic |
| 1992-96 | Richard A. Palmer | Duke University |
| 1992-97 | John E. Bertie | University of Alberta |
| 1991-95 | David M. Haaland | Sandia National Laboratories |
| 1991-95 | Richard A. Dluhy | University of Georgia |
| 1990-94 | Curtis Marcott | Proctor & Gamble |
| 1989-93 | Arlene A. Garrison | University of Tennessee |
| 1989-93 | Sanford A. Asher | University of Pittsburgh |
| 1988-92 | Geraldine L. Richmond | University of Oregon |
| 1988-92 | Hector L. Casal | National Research Council, Canada / BP America Research |
| 1988-94 | Matthew A. Harthcock | Dow Chemical Co. |
| (appointed to complete Hudson’s term; elected to a full term starting 1990) | ||
| 1987-91 | John F. Rabolt | IBM Almaden Research Center |
| 1987-93 | Rachael L. Barbour | BP America Research |
| 1986-90 | D. Warren Vidrine | Measurex |
| 1986-88 | Bruce Hudson | University of Oregon (resigned) |
| 1985-91 | Kathryn S. Kalasinsky | Mississippi State Chemistry Laboratory / ChemAlysis Inc. |
| 1985-89 | James A. de Haseth | University of Georgia |
| 1984-88 | Laurence A. Nafie | Syracuse University |
| 1984-89 | Robin S. (Rod) McDowell | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| 1983-89 | Jaan Laane | Texas A&M University |
| 1983-87 | David G. Cameron | National Research Council, Canada |
| 1982-86 | John O. Lephardt | Philip Morris Research & Development |
| 1982-87 | D. Bruce Chase | E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. |
| 1981-85 | Robert J. Obremski | Beckman Instruments |
| 1981-85 | Albert B. Harvey | Naval Research Laboratory |
| 1980-84 | Thomas B. Malloy, Jr. | Shell Development Co. |
| 1980-84 | Hugh E. Diem | B. F. Goodrich Research Center |
| 1979-83 | Tomas B. Hirschfeld | Block Engineering / Lawrence Livermore National Lab. |
| 1979-83 | William C. Harris | National Science Foundation |
| 1978-82 | John E. (Jack) Katon | Miami University of Ohio |
| 1978-82 | Christopher W. Brown | University of Rhode Island |
| 1977-81 | Abraham Savitzky | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 1977-81 | Dana W. Mayo | Bowdoin College |
| 1976-81 | Bernard J. Bulkin | Hunter College, CCNY / Polytechnic Institute of New York |
| 1975-79 | Ira W. Levin | National Institutes of Health |
| 1975-79 | Jack L. Koenig | Case Western Reserve University |
| 1974-80 | Paul A. Wilks, Jr. | Wilks Scientific Corp. / Foxboro-Wilks |
| 1974-75 | Howard J. Sloane | Beckman Instruments |
| 1974-79 | Peter R. Griffiths | Ohio University |
| 1974-78 | James J. Elliott | Exxon Research and Engineering Co. |
| 1973-77 | Ronald O. Kagel | Dow Chemical Co. |
| 1973-78 | Robert J. Jakobsen | Battelle Memorial Institute |
| 1972-76 | Eugene R. Nixon | University of Pennsylvania |
| 1972-77 | James R. Durig | University of South Carolina |
| 1971-74 | Kermit B. Whetsel | Tennessee Eastman Co. |
| 1971-76 | Robert P. Bauman | University of Alabama |
| 1970-73 | John R. Ferraro | Argonne National Laboratory |
| 1970-73 | Norman B. Colthup | American Cyanamid Co. |
| 1969-74 | James R. Scherer | USDA Western Regional Research Laboratory |
| 1969-72 | Edwin D. Becker | National Institutes of Health |
| 1968-71 | Jeanette G. Grasselli | Standard Oil Co. (Ohio) |
| 1968-73 | Charles L. Angell | Union Carbide Corp. |
| 1967-70 | Samuel C. Krimm | University of Michigan |
| 1967-70 | Ronald E. Kagarise | National Science Foundation |
| 1966-69 | William G. Fateley | Mellon Institute |
| 1966-71 | Freeman F. Bentley | Wright-Patterson Air Force Base |
| Forrest S. (Jack) Mortimer | Shell Development Co. | |
| 1965-70 | Nelson Fuson | Fisk University |
| 1964-67 | John Overend | University of Minnesota |
| 1964-67 | Robert S. McDonald | General Electric Research Laboratory |
| 1963-66 | James E. Stewart | Beckman Instruments |
| 1963-68 | A. Lee Smith | Dow Corning Corp. |
| 1962-65 | Lester E. Kuentzel | Wyandotte Chemical Corp. |
| 1962-65 | Velmer A. Fassel | Iowa State University |
| 1961-63 | Heinrich B. Kessler | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 1961-64 | M. Kent Wilson | Tufts University |
| 1961-66 | R. Norman Jones | National Research Council, Canada |
| 1960-63 | Ellis R. Lippincott | University of Maryland |
| 1960-63 | John C. Decius | Oregon State University |
| 1959-62 | Willis J. Potts, Jr | Dow Chemical Co. |
| 1959-64 | Robert A. (Gus) Friedel | U.S. Bureau of Mines |
| 1958-61 | Clara D. Smith | Battelle Memorial Institute |
| 1958-61 | Raymond R. Sawyer | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 1958-61 | David N. Kendall | American Cyanamid |
| 1957-61 | Foil A. Miller | Mellon Institute (Robert A. Friedel acted for Miller, 1957-58) |
| 1957-60 | Richard C. Lord, Jr. | M.I.T. |
| 1956-59 | Harald H. Nielsen | Ohio State University |
| 1955-59 | Norman Wright | Dow Chemical Co. |
| 1955-58 | Van Zandt Williams | Perkin-Elmer Corp. |
| 1955-58 | Eugene J. Rosenbaum | Sun Oil Co. |
| 1955-58 | Edward D. McAlister | Eastman Kodak Co. |
| 1955-56? | Robert A. Oetjen | Ohio State University (replaced by Harald H. Nielsen) |
| 1955-57 | Bryce L. Crawford, Jr. | University of Minnesota |
| 1955-57 | Howard Cary | Cary Instruments |