Dr. Henry Taube (left), 1983 Nobel Prize Laureate in Chemistry, and Ron Steer, professor of Chemistry, following the unveiling of a plaque recognizing Dr. Taube's achievements.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Henry Taube was born in 1915 in Neudorf, Saskatchewan. He attended Luther College in Regina. Dr. Taube received his BSc from the University of Saskatchewan in 1935, followed by his MSc in 1937. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1940. Unable to obtain an academic position in Canada, Dr. Taube spent his entire professional career in the United States, and became a U.S. citizen in 1942. He served on the faculties at Berkeley (1940-1941), Cornell University (1941-1946), and the University of Chicago (1946-1961), before moving to Stanford University in 1961. Upon Dr. Taube’s retirement in 1986 he was named Professor Emeritus. Dr. Taube published 380 articles and one book. His work has been central to many different fields such as electron transfer at semiconductor electrodes, chemiluminescence, solar energy conversion, photosynthesis, electron transfer in proteins, in colloids, in polymers, and others.” Dr. Taube received many honours and awards throughout his career, including the National Medal of Science (1977), the Robert A. Welch Foundation Award in Chemistry (1983), and the Priestly Medal (American Chemical Society, 1985). Dr. Taube was the first Canadian-born individual to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, awarded in 1983. He also received honorary doctorates from nine universities in Canada (the U of S in 1973), the United States, Hungary and Sweden; and was a fellow or honourary member of several academic societies, including the National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal Society of London. Dr. Taube died on 26 November 2005 in Palo Alto, California at age 89.