Remembering Dr. Reed M. Izatt

With the new year, often, comes changes; a series of firsts. For the Brigham Young University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, this marks the dawn of the first year and first semester since Dr. Reed M. Izatt’s passing.

Born October 10, 1926, Izatt passed away in his home and in the presence of his family on October 29, 2023. He had just turned 97 years old. His funeral was held on November 4, 2023 in Provo, UT; he was buried in his hometown of Logan, UT that same day.

Izatt’s relationship with BYU began when he became a faculty member in 1956 for the Chemistry Department. A brilliant pioneer of chemical science, he would go on to collaborate with other bright chemists, creating his own research lab that housed undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students. Author or co-author of over 540 publications, his work has been cited over 30,000 times and is still relevant today. He is also attributed as the founder of the International Izatt-Christensen Award in Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry and other globally prestigious awards, endowments, and symposiums, including the International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry (ISMSC). He was also the recipient of many prestigious titles and awards, including Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Chemical Society’s 1996 Separations Science and Award, the 1990 Medal for Science and Technology from the governor of Utah, the 1983 Calorimetry Conference Huffmin Award, and was listed in the chemistry’s sector’s Ranking of Best Scientists list from Research.com. A committed scholar and researcher, his influence continues to permeate universities, conferences, and individual lives worldwide.

In addition to his glowing academic accomplishments, Izatt worked with colleagues Dr. Jerald S. Bradshaw and Dr. James J. Christensen to create IBC Advanced Technologies in 1988. The company functions as a provider for a variety of chemical technology supplies and focuses on advancing chemistry in sustainable, ecologically-responsible ways.

A devoted chemist, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, compassionate soul, and adoring father and husband, Dr. Reed M. Izatt’s life and legacy stand witness to his upstanding character and gifted mind. The BYU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry expresses condolences to his family and immense gratitude to a life so well-lived and so dearly loved.

To learn more about Dr. Reed M. Izatt’s life, please read his obituary at https://www.bergmortuary.com/obituaries/Reed-Izatt/#!/Obituary.