Dr. Rajiv M. Banavali will present the 18th Annual Distinguished Alumni Lecture in May, 2005. Rajiv received his Ph.D degree here in 1985 under the direction of Bob Murray. He was the last postdoctoral fellow to work with Professor Paul Bartlett at Texas Christian University. He began his career with Rohm and Haas in Houston in 1987 as a process chemist. In 1992 he became the Manager of the R&D for Primene amines. In 2000, he took on the additional responsibilities for the Dyes and Markers businesses and moved to Philadelphia with the company in 2001. Following year he became the global R&D director for the Inorganic Specialties business in addition to his previous responsibilities. In 2004, he was named the Global research manager for Organic Specialties and Ion Exchange resin catalysis. Rajiv has been awarded 10 patents and is an author of over 25 publications. Rajiv met his wife Marysusan when she was a student here and taking Chemistry classes. Marysusan is a graduate of the School of Education at UMSL.
