Times have certainly changed since 1965, our genesis year, when 7 faculty, 5 staff, 3 first year graduate students and a handful of advanced students made up the Chemistry department family. The eldest member of the original faculty was Bob Taft at age 42. Dave Brant, Ed Lee, Marjorie Caserio and Hal Moore were assistant professors.  Don Bunker was appointed as an associate professor and Sherry Rowland (1995 Nobel Laureate) was the founding chair. The department was housed in Steinhaus Hall along with the departments of Physics, Mathematics, Biology and several administrative groups.

Of the seven founding faculty only one remains at UCI.  Four have passed away, Don Bunker in 1977, Ed Lee in 1986, Bob Taft in 1996 and Sherry Rowland in 2012.  Marjorie Caserio left UCI in 1990 to assume the position of Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at UCSD.  She has now retired but is still involved with the UCSD campus.  Dave Brant also retired and has now relocated in Washington DC.  Hal Moore retired but still haunts the halls of the Chemistry department at UCI.