Sandra I. Lamb, Ph.D.

Sandra Lamb has two great passions in life: her family and chemistry. While raising her four children, Sandra earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and had a distinguished teaching career at several California universities, including UCLA and UCSB. Since her retirement in 2002, Sandra has been enjoying quality time with her family, but her affection for chemistry and the American Chemical Society remains close to her heart.

Sandra has been a member of ACS for nearly six decades, committing her time and resources to the advancement of chemistry. In return, ACS provided her with opportunities to travel, network with other chemists and keep abreast of the latest breakthroughs in chemistry. "ACS has always supported me in all of my endeavors," says Sandra gratefully.

ACS was also a perfect fit for Sandra's social nature. "Interacting with other chemists was one of the most rewarding things about being an ACS member," recalls Sandra. As an ACS Councilor, she wanted to extend that benefit to others, so she started the California Los Padres Section of ACS in Santa Barbara so more members had close access to meetings.

Because ACS was so important to her, Sandra has included a bequest for the Society in her estate planning. "ACS meant a lot to me and my career, and I want to repay them for all they've done," she explains. Sandra's gift will be used to fund a Project SEED college scholarship. After years of instructing students in classrooms and labs, as well as training teaching assistants, she felt it was only natural to establish a legacy that will help sustain the future of chemical education. "Project SEED motivates students to go into chemistry and shows them how rewarding it can be," observes Sandra, who hopes that her legacy at ACS will encourage future generations of aspiring scientists to carry on her passionate commitment to chemistry.

 

*Sandra Lamb died on April 29, 2015. We honor her contribution to the chemical enterprise.