In 2016 , the Department of Chemistry hosted the inaugural Robert W. Parry Lectureship in Inorganic Chemistry. This annual lecture recognizes Distinguished Professor Bob Parry, one of our most notable former faculty members. The first lecture was delivered by Prof. Harry Gray, a world-class inorganic chemist from CalTech, a friend of Bob Parry’s, and a donor to the fund. Marjorie Parry and other family members are also the atteneeds and supporters of the Parry Lecture.

Distinguished Professor Robert W. Parry was a giant in his profession. He was the founding editor of Inorganic Chemistry in 1960. He served as the President of the American Chemical Society in 1982, won the first Utah Governor’s Medal in Science and Technology in 1987, and received the American Chemical Society’s Priestley Medal in 1993. In his 60-year career, Bob taught thousands of undergrads and mentored over 60 Ph.D. students and postdocs. Together with Henry Eyring and Cheves Walling, Bob played a key role in the growth and development of chemistry at Utah.

The Science History Institute recently (2024) published a biography on Robert W. Parry, written by Judith Kaplan and Dennis Sauer.