Gerald R Van HeckeDr. Gerald R. Van Hecke is Professor of Chemistry at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1961 from Harvey Mudd College and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Physical Chemistry in 1963 ad 1966 from Princeton University. Prior to his arrival at Harvey Mudd College in 1970, he was a Chemist at Shell Development in Emeryville, California. His research interests involve studies of liquid crystalline materials, from synthesis of new materials to their characterization bythermodynamic and spectral measurements. He also uses laser light scattering to measure thermodynamic properties of mixtures of simple liquids. He is co-author with Kerry K. Karukstis of A Student's Guide to Lasers in Chemistry, amonograph for undergraduates on the applications of lasers in chemistry. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the International Liquid Crystal Society, the Council on Undergraduate Research, and Society of the Sigma Xi - The Scientific Research Society. His curricular initiatives have focused on introducing undergraduate applications of lasers in chemistry. Read More Read Less