Bennett Careers for Chemists Program
This event honors Dr. C. Eugene Bennett who was a major benefactor of the WVU Chemistry Department.
2023 Presenters include:
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry
West Virginia University
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Oxford College of Emory University
Rural Medicine Physician
Virginia Tech - Carilion Clinic Family Medicine Program
About: Dr. Bennett was born in Rutherford, West Virginia (Ritchie County). He graduated from Cairo High School at the age of 16 and earned bachelor’s & master’s degrees in chemistry (1951, organic chemistry) from WVU. In 1954, Dr. Bennett earned a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Michigan. After graduate school, Dr. Bennett engaged in chemistry research at the U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Research Laboratories and at DuPont, where he specialized in gas chromatography. In 1959, Dr. Bennett and two colleagues formed F&M Scientific Corporation, which produced analytical instruments such as gas chromatographers. In 1965, Dr. Bennett's company merged with Hewlett-Packard. Dr. Bennett and his wife Edna Bennett have graciously supported the WVU Chemistry Department since 1994 by establishing an initial $1.6 million endowment that was followed by another $5 million from Edna Bennett.