Patterson to Present Faculty Forum Series Talk
Eric Patterson, associate professor of chemistry at Truman State University, will present the first Faculty Forum series talk of the year at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4 in Magruder Hall 1000. The title of his presentation is “The Chemistry of Killing: Pest Control and Chemical Warfare.”
Patterson will show how the 1909 invention of the first commercially viable method for the synthesis of the simplest nitrogen fertilizer ushered in a new age in agricultural science, but also ushered in the modern age of chemical warfare. His talk will explore the connections between agricultural chemistry and chemical warfare, with a focus on events and personalities of the last 100 years.
The Truman Faculty Forum was created in 2003 to give faculty the opportunity to present their research and creative work to the Truman community, and to enhance the importance of scholarship and creativity in the culture of the institution. Patterson has established a research program that focuses on the chemical destruction of nerve agents-the most lethal of all chemical warfare agents. As an amateur history buff, Patterson focuses on examining the historical context of chemical discoveries and their influence on human events.
Patterson will show how the 1909 invention of the first commercially viable method for the synthesis of the simplest nitrogen fertilizer ushered in a new age in agricultural science, but also ushered in the modern age of chemical warfare. His talk will explore the connections between agricultural chemistry and chemical warfare, with a focus on events and personalities of the last 100 years.
The Truman Faculty Forum was created in 2003 to give faculty the opportunity to present their research and creative work to the Truman community, and to enhance the importance of scholarship and creativity in the culture of the institution. Patterson has established a research program that focuses on the chemical destruction of nerve agents-the most lethal of all chemical warfare agents. As an amateur history buff, Patterson focuses on examining the historical context of chemical discoveries and their influence on human events.
