The Dr. Rory “Ziggy” Uibel Memorial Endowed Award


The Dr. Rory “Ziggy” Uibel Memorial Endowed Award

The Dr. Rory “Ziggy” Uibel Memorial Endowed Award was established by the family of Dr. Rory “Ziggy” Uibel to honor his life, intellectual contributions, and enduring legacy, as well as to support outstanding graduate students in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Utah. This endowed award recognizes graduate students who demonstrate exceptional creativity, intellectual curiosity, productivity, and excellence in scientific research, particularly in the areas of analytical chemistry, spectroscopy, and advanced methods of data analysis.

Ziggy entered the University of Utah’s analytical chemistry PhD program in 1996 and conducted his doctoral research under the mentorship of Joel Harris, PhD. His research focused on the development of in situ Raman spectroscopy instrumentation and data analysis techniques for the quantitative analysis of molecular populations at liquid-solid interfaces. After earning his PhD in 2003, Ziggy pursued a successful career in private industry, where he led the design, development, and implementation of Raman analyzers for process monitoring and quality control, primarily within the petroleum industry.

Over the course of his career, Ziggy authored four peer-reviewed publications and co-authored 14 additional publications. His work has been cited more than 690 times, showcasing the lasting impact of his scientific contributions.

Reflecting on Ziggy’s influence as a graduate student, Dr. Harris shared the following:

“Ziggy’s outstanding intellectual gifts were, in many ways, exceeded by his spirit, energy, and generosity. He raised the spirits of those around him through his sense of humor, playfulness, and encouragement of others through his caring, friendship, and boundless energy.”

Ziggy’s guiding advice, taken from his curriculum vitae, remains fitting: “Go Big or Go Home.”

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