Gustavus Adolphus College Associate Professor of Chemistry Dwight Stoll has been named the recipient of the 2016 Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award. The award was presented at the College’s annual Honor’s Day Convocation on Saturday, May 7.
“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by my faculty peers for an award like this. Since I arrived at Gustavus eight years ago, I have been blessed with wonderfully supportive faculty colleagues both in chemistry and across the College, which have enabled the success we have enjoyed in my laboratory,” Stoll said.
Stoll holds bachelor’s degrees in plant biology and biochemistry from Minnesota State University, Mankato and a doctorate in analytical chemistry from the University of Minnesota. He is recognized as a leading expert in the field of multidimensional liquid chromatography, which is a technique that allows researchers to separate complex substances so they become easier to analyze.
As a student-focused professor at a liberal arts college, Stoll has produced a tremendous amount of scholarly material since joining the Gustavus community in 2008. In that time he has published 25 peer-reviewed articles (11 with Gustavus students) and has presented at numerous national and international conferences including the Pittsburgh Conference, the HPLC20XX series, and Analytica.
In recent years he has been recognized with the John B. Phillips Award, LCGC’s Emerging Leader in Chromatography Award, the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the American Chemical Society’s Young Investigator in Separation Science Award, and was named to The Analytical Scientist’s “Top 40 Under 40 2014 Power List.” He has served at Gustavus as chair of the Academic Technology Committee and as co-chair of the chemistry department, and is an editorial board member of LCGC Magazine and Chromatographia.
“All of these accolades are notable and significant, and perhaps suggest that Dwight’s primary professional objective is focused on publication and prestige. On the contrary, Dwight has a profound belief in the importance of engaging undergraduate students in scientific research,” Interim Associate Provost of Science and Education and Associate Professor of Chemistry Brenda Kelly said. “He has mentored numerous undergraduate students in his Gustavus research laboratory, providing them with the one-on-one faculty/student mentoring which results in transformative learning and academic experiences. Not only does Dwight provide his research students with exceptional training and direction, he allows them to explore science and gather necessary skills in independent learning and problem solving.”
“I am deeply interested in the line of research in two-dimensional liquid chromatography we have committed to in my laboratory over the past decade. It has been my experience that students engaging in this work with me have found it to be a container within which they can develop highly effective problem-solving skills,” Stoll said. “This takes time, and failure is an essential part of the process, which makes it very difficult to replicate in a traditional classroom setting. In the end, students report that they find these skills invaluable after they leave Gustavus, whether they land in industry, graduate school, or any of the health professions.”
First awarded in 1986, the Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award was reestablished in 2004 and is now announced during the annual Honors Day Convocation. Award recipients are nominated for this honor by fellow faculty members based on professional accomplishments regarding research activities in private, public, or corporate settings; publication; presentations at scholarly meetings or conferences; and exhibits or performances.
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