Investing in Intellect
A lasting contribution A new lectureship honors—and continues—the work of Norman Farnsworth
T
he legacy of Norman Farnsworth lives on.
During his 41 years at UIC, Farnsworth, a distinguished professor in the department of medicinal chemistry and pharmocognosy, garnered international acclaim for his research on the properties of medicinal plants and natural products. His 2011 passing inspired the College of Pharmacy to raise money to establish the Norman R. Farnsworth Lectureship, a program that invites globally renowned leaders in pharmacy to present annual public lectures on pharmacognosy research and education. Many alumni and friends have donated to support the lectureship. “We get a lot of public interest in our efforts to find drugs from plants and other natural sources,” says Jerry Bauman, dean of the College of Pharmacy. “We’re hoping that the lectureship will further bolster our reputation by exposing more individuals to our College.” Paul Coates, director of the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health 10
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pharmalumni.uic.edu
– Fall 2013 – Catalyst
(NIH) and a close friend and collaborator of Farnsworth, was the lectureship’s first guest speaker. On March 22, the eve of Farnsworth’s birthday, Coates delivered the lecture “Dietary Supplement Research—How Hard Can it be?” During the lecture, he covered the topics including research funding, research collaborations and the outlook for the dietary supplements field. “Coates is very much like Norm; he unites people, remarks Guido Pauli, a professor in the department of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy. “Norm inspired individuals to work together, which is the same function this lectureship has. The lectureship helps fill the vacuum Farnsworth left and reminds faculty members to come together.” “As the first-named lectureship in the department of medicinal chemistry and pharmacognosy at UIC, I know it’s going to benefit the faculty and our graduate students greatly,” adds Judy Bolton, professor and head of the department.
Jordan Gunn, a PhD student in pharmacognosy, agrees. “Just to have Paul Coates speak at UIC exemplifies Farnsworth’s influence living on,” he says. Dr. Coates is one of the biggest names that has walked through the doors in my time here. His NIH branch supports a number of research programs in our department.” Those benefits are not lost on those who choose to support the lectureship with monetary means. “Public funding, including tuitions and fees, are small in the context of the programmatic needs and costs in higher education,” says Harry Fong, professor emeritus. “Lectureships such as the Norman R. Farnsworth Lecture in Pharmacognosy are enriching to the academic community.” “This is not just a named lectureship,” adds Pauli, “but an active part of UIC’s pharmacognosy program that’s supported by the researchers, faculty and students.”