Syracuse Sun

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) mourns the passing of John Baldwin, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of chemistry.

Remembered as a dynamic scholar of physical organic chemistry, Baldwin was a pioneer in utilizing density functional theory to gain insight into chemical bonding and reaction mechanisms. He published more than 150 articles over the course of his career and continued to publish important works up until his retirement, including articles in the Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry (2014), the Journal of Organic Chemistry (2008), and the Journal of the American Chemical Society (2006).

Baldwin was born in 1937 in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Oak Park, Pennsylvania. According to his obituary, he was an exceedingly well-rounded student, excelling in many sports and becoming valedictorian of his high school class at Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1955. He continued both his studies and athleticism at Dartmouth College, participating on the ski, lacrosse, and track teams, once again becoming valedictorian of his class in 1959. He earned his doctorate in physics and chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1963.

Baldwin began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he was recognized through an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, associate membership at the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois, and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. He soon transitioned to the University of Oregon as a full professor, where he spent 16 years. Baldwin then joined Syracuse University’s chemistry department as the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowed Professor of Science in 1984, where he was to spend the next 40 productive years.

From the start of his career, Baldwin developed a reputation for excellence as a scholar and researcher but also interpersonally; he was a generous collaborator, teacher, and mentor. Baldwin became known for successfully addressing highly challenging questions regarding organic reactions by applying rigorous methods with exacting measurements and careful analysis while combining experimental work with molecular computations.

This work's history and development were summarized by Baldwin himself in a seminal Chemical Reviews (2003) article. A collaborator recently stated: “When John’s illness prevented him from communicating his creative thoughts about reaction mechanisms and science more broadly, a large hole was created in the field of physical organic chemistry—a hole that no one has since been able to fill. He has been irreplaceable.” Another colleague remarked: “Having been impressed and amazed by John’s published work, I was excited to start my career in the same department. John was always a treasured colleague both for his expertise and personal approach—always with caring kindness and friendship.”

Baldwin’s service to the field and University were extensive. He served on several prestigious committees including the President’s Science Advisory Committee; Medicinal Chemistry Study Section of the National Institutes of Health; National Science Foundation’s Chemistry Division Standing Review Panel; executive committee of American Chemical Society Division of Organic Chemistry; Advisory Board for Petroleum Research Fund at American Chemical Society among others. His accolades include receiving American Chemical Society’s James Flack Norris Award (2010), awards from John Simon Guggenheim Foundation & Alexander von Humboldt Foundations.

In addition to teaching/research roles chairing Syracuse University's chemistry department playing pivotal role lobbying Life Sciences Complex opened 2008 contributing facility design resulting new teaching labs research space chemistry receiving Chancellor's Citation Excellence awarded Distinguished Professor title graduating over ten Syracuse University Ph.D students lab before retiring earning emeritus status 2014 remembered thoughtful listener mentor gentle respectful manner fostering development graduate students remember.

Baldwin interests broad including history music philosophy foreign languages spoke Russian Swedish German known taking genuine deep interest vocations friends regardless industry served board Chamber Music Society supported Society New Music Syracuse hosted concerts home relished professional personal opportunity travel held visiting professor appointments Heidelberg Munich Hamburg Germany Krakow Poland Stockholm Göteborg Sweden alma mater Cal Tech.

Baldwin is survived by wife children Claire Miller Baldwin husband Ferdinand von Muench John Nordlander Baldwin late wife Daphne Berdahl-Baldwin Wesley Hale Baldwin wife Melisa Barrick Baldwin grandchildren Carrie von Muench husband Shankara Anand Sophie von Muench Audrey Berdahl-Baldwin Eloise Berdahl-Baldwin Jack Baldwin Ella Baldwin Poppy Baldwin Maisie Baldwin sister Martha Baldwin Swanson many nieces nephews.

Read Baldwin’s full obituary.

This story was written by Lesley Porcelli.

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