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Roland William Lovejoy ’55

A picture of Roland Lovejoy

Roland William Lovejoy ’55, April 19, 2010, in Tucson, Arizona. Roland grew up in Portland and was the first in his family to attend college. After a year at Vanport College (now Portland State University), he transferred to Reed and earned a BA from the college in chemistry. Throughout his life, he retained fond memories of Professor Arthur Scott [chemistry 1923-79]. Roland spent 18 months working for Swift and Company, and then went on to receive a PhD in chemistry from Washington State University. He did postdoctorate work at the University of Washington, and joined Lehigh University in 1962. During his 32-year career, he did research in the area of molecular spectroscopy and structure, and received grants from Stanford and NASA to investigate the depletion of the ozone by taking measurements of molecules found in the stratosphere above the poles. Roland traveled with his wife, Deborah Daniels Lovejoy, on sabbatical to conduct research in infrared astronomy at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. The trip led to their decision to retire in Tucson. Roland, who was an amateur astronomer, also built telescopes and had a passion for constructing and flying model airplanes. He was a member of the American Physical Society, Sigma Xi, and the Tucson Free Flight Club. Survivors include his wife, two daughters, three granddaughters, and a brother.

Appeared in Reed magazine: September 2010