Chemistry Chair Richard (Dick) Zare was honored on Jan. 6 with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. He was among 87 recipients of the award, which was presented by Pres. Obama at the White House.

The award was presented to Zare “for embodying excellence in mentoring underrepresented students and encouraging their significant achievement in science, math and engineering.” Zare was nominated for the prestigious award by Associate Dean of Research and Chemistry emeritus Prof. John Bravman.

A Stanford professor since 1977, Zare has distinguished himself as an educator and leader in public service, and he remains active in both research and teaching.

“I like the satisfaction of helping people,” Zare said. “I like to do things in life that make a difference.”

Professors, graduate students and alumni alike had praise for Zare. Former student Lori Gottlieb ’89 fondly reminisced about her Stanford experience with him. “I was a French major, but I still always hung out at his office,” she said. “He related to people of all majors.

“He was so available,” she added. “You could just come into his office and talk about even tangential things.”

Gottlieb noted that Zare caused his students look at the world in an entirely different way and “made science like storytelling.” She described her experiences in medical school.

“There was a difference between those people who had taken very traditional science classes and those people who I knew had gone through Professor Zare’s classes,” Gottlieb said. “The people who had gone through his classes looked at problems differently.

“He was one of the most inspiring professors–no, human beings–that I know,” she added.

Zare has also made an effort to reach out to foreign students. Tatsiana Lobovkina, a postdoctoral scholar from Sweden and current member of the “Zarelab”–the professor’s laboratory–commented on her experience coming to America to study chemistry.

Lobovkina said Zare supported her fully through correspondence while she was seeking financial aid support. “He really helped me with my application for a scholarship,” Lobovkina said. “All my questions were answered in such a nice way that it felt like I was an important person. I was really welcomed by him.”

Lobovkina recalled her first encounter with Zare: “I really liked the way he was talking about science–when I was talking to him, I just really got the feeling that this is the place I really want to be,” she said. “I could really feel like I could work with this professor.

“When I get back to Sweden,” she added, “I really want to spread the same type of attitude that Professor Zare displays to make people just as comfortable as I am.”

David Leahy Ph.D. ’92, current lab manager for the Zarelab, who was also one of Zare’s former students, said the professor motivated him to pursue his research career.

“He very much encouraged the sense of enthusiasm for having the passion for pursuing your problems of interest,” Leahy said.

A long-time veteran of the chemistry department, Zare also mentored several members of the current faculty.

Chemical engineering Prof. Stacey Bent Ph.D. ’92 was one of Zare’s mentees. According to Bent, a big part of her decision to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry was the desire to do the kind of research that Zare was doing in his laboratory, which she described as “state-of-the-art.”

Bent first met Zare when he presented at her school, UC-Berkeley. “His presentation was memorable because he had so much enthusiasm for the topic he was discussing,” Bent wrote in an e-mail to The Daily.

In addition to mentoring individuals, Zare has worked to improve the conditions for his department colleagues. When he became chair of the chemistry department five years ago, Zare instituted a paid maternity leave policy.

“I was interested in making the chemistry department family-friendly,” Zare said. “There’s no good time to have a child if you’re trying to have a career at the same time.

“Men and women are different, and no man gives birth that I know about,” he added. “We need to understand that, so that women can be involved; if not, we just cut off 50 percent of the population.”

Along with mentoring accomplishments, Zare also has received a slew of awards for research. He says he is best known for bringing laser techniques to bear on chemical problems–from how reactions occur to the chemical analysis of tiny volumes.

“What’s so unique about Prof. Zare is that he’s both an outstanding teacher and mentor who cares deeply about inspiring his students, and also a brilliant researcher making tremendous scientific contributions to the world,” Gottlieb said. “It’s not often that you find these two qualities in the same person.”