Scientific Research

Scientific research has a twofold nature. First, the process that I’ve developed for mentoring undergraduates (over more than four decades, hundreds of students of whom 73 were coauthors on 155 of my more than 1650 papers to date) in carrying out the work—from the initial literature search to the process of honoring requests for reprints of the published article—is discussed. Second, the product—student presentations at scientific meetings, studies of the separation of inorganic isomers and other coordination compounds, inorganic syntheses, laboratory experiments including replication of “classic” experiments, historical studies, lecture demonstrations, reviews of books and instructional media, and other investigations—is reviewed with citation of outstanding student coauthors and their later accomplishments. Highlights of my education, mentors, and professional career are also briefly presented.