Distinguished alumnus scholar visits Union College

April 22, 2008 08:47 am

— Special to the Times-Tribune
Dr. Marcetta Darensbourg, an alumnus of Union College and director of the Marcetta Y. Darensbourg Research Laboratories at Texas A & M University, paid a visit to her alma mater last week as part of Union’s Distinguished Alumni Scholars program.
A native of Artemus, Darensbourg attended Knox Central High School before enrolling at Union. She graduated from Union with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1963. During her visit to the area, Darensbourg made special appearances at both Union and Knox Central High School.
Darensbourg talked with students about the importance of scientific research, helping them make connections between research conducted in her laboratory and real-world application. She explained her work with inorganic processes that aid in the production of hydrogen, and asked students to think about why that work might be important.
“We see that we’re running out of fuel sources,” she said. “Another way of gaining energy is to use hydrogen.”
Darensbourg gave an impromptu lesson at the chalkboard, demonstrating the need for a way to convert hydrogen into power within a fuel cell.
“Microbes do this all the time in nature,” she told the class.
Her research focuses on how to make the conversion happen, inorganically and without an explosive reaction, in a fuel cell.
In addition to visiting classes at Union and Knox Central High School, Darensbourg also spoke to Union’s science club, had lunch with math and science teachers at Knox Central, and met campus and community members at a president’s reception in Sharp Academic Center.
During one of her classroom visits at Union, Darensbourg shared her affection for her home state and encouraged students, many of whom are also from Kentucky, to protect its distinctive beauty.
“I love Kentucky,” she told them. “I love the wildness, the wilderness, the mountains. Keep a watch on that. Guard that. I encourage you to work where you can to keep Kentucky wild and beautiful and green.”
Dr. Darensbourg is a winner of the OAK Award for outstanding alumni of Kentucky, a recipient of the American Chemical Society Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry, has served as a National Student Affiliates “Eminent Scientist” lecturer for ACS, has edited and authored several publications and textbooks, written more than 140 research publications and serves on many national advisory committees.

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