Dr. Henderson Granted Membership into Royal Society of Chemistry

A letter requesting he apply for membership to the Royal Society of Chemistry came as a surprise to Dr. Douglas J. Henderson, he said, especially because the President of the society, C. David Garner, offered to be his endorsement. Generally, those interested in membership submit an application and wait months to hear whether they’ve been accepted or not. Dr. Henderson suspects he was selected because he has published in the society’s journals. As part of admittance into the society, Dr. Henderson is entitled to use the initials FRSC after his name, meaning he’s a fellow of the RSC. There are three levels of membership in the RSC: Associate (AMRS), Member (MRSC), and Fellow (FRSC). To be considered a fellow of the society means the member has at least five years of experience and has made an outstanding contribution to either the advancement or application of chemical science, the chemical science profession or the management or direction of an organization in which chemical science is important. Dr. Henderson said to use the initials after his name is a form of recognition, or in a sense like having a degree. He said this recognition is also an indirect reflection of Brigham Young University, because he taught and continues to do research here. As well as the initials, Dr. Henderson will have his name printed in the Times of London along with the other new members. The RSC is a global society based in London with a membership of over 46,000. It hosts conferences and meetings at national and local levels. It is a major publisher and participates in activities involved with the science and profession of chemistry. Dr. Henderson was a student of Dr. Henry Eyring at the University of Utah and said Dr. Eyring influenced him to study chemistry. Dr. Henderson received his undergraduate in mathematics and his Ph.D in physics. He taught physical chemistry courses at BYU for 13 years. He retired in 2005 and for the last six or seven years has been conducting research on biophysics. Dr. Henderson is also a member of the American Chemical Society.

By Keri Lunt