Virginia Tech Alumni Association News - Spring 2002

Professor Emeritus James Wightman
A Legend in His Own Time

James P. Wightman, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Virginia Tech, impresses students, colleagues, and industry representatives with his dedication, his genius, his showmanship, his concern for others, and his friendliness. For all those things, Wightman received a 2001 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Wightman regards his position as professor at Virginia Tech ''as the best career possible in today's world." Nearly his entire career has been at Virginia Tech; he was appropriately appointed an Alumni Distinguished Professor in 1987. This past fall he retired from teaching after 40 years at Virginia Tech.

Wightman joined the faculty in 1962. "His gift for teaching is widely recognized and admired, both by students and his colleagues," the announcement of the award read. Wightman has received Virginia Tech's Wine Award and Sporn Award for excellence in teaching and received the 1994 Virginia Outstanding Scientist Award. In 1996, he received the NASA Public Service Award.

Wightman's research in surface chemistry and adhesive and sealant science has promoted a number of successful industry-university cooperative partnerships. His studies have been directed towards a number of technologically important areas, including adhesion science, structure of coal, polymer membranes, adsorption of gases and liquids on oxides, and heavy-metal uptake on solids.

As a result of this research, 21 Ph.D. graduates are now employed by such major companies as Westinghouse, Owens Corning, Phillip-Morris, Eastman Kodak, and Alcoa. " ...It will always be my joy and a source of much pride to have seen these young persons start from near ground zero and within a few years to mature scientifically and present their research results at state, regional, national and international meetings and then take their place in the scientific community," Wightman said.

He served as director of the Center for Adhesive and Sealant Science for five years and received the 1993 Adhesive and Sealant Council's ASC Award for his leadership in fostering the growth of the center and for his contributions as a researcher, lecturer, and author in surface and adhesion phenomenon.

"He is a superb research scientist, marvelous teacher and mentor, and a totally unselfish colleague," according to Larry Taylor, head of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech. "His warm, caring personality, good humor, positive attitude, contagious enthusiasm, and infinite capacity for work have made him one of the best faculty ambassadors Virginia Tech has ever had."

Wightman is quite the entertainer in class. To illustrate principles of one course, he has been known to put out fires with ear wax and dress up as Ben Franklin to re-enact Franklin's 1760 demonstration of surface chemistry in which he poured oil on a pond to produce a perfect reflection on a windy day.

In his teaching, Wightman couples lectures with real-life examples familiar to the students and demonstrations to illustrate the principles presented. He includes assigned problems to reinforce principles and offers extensive office hours to help students. Even in large general courses, he is "concerned with knowing students personally and with making sure they achieve their highest potential." To ensure that students feel free to answer questions in class, he offered $100 to anyone who felt he had embarrassed them in class, and was never asked to pay.

Wightman's principles of teaching include putting the student first and treating them with respect, being available for help sessions, keeping a sense of humor, and providing abundant praise when due. "It will be no surprise that consistency in using these principles have earned Jim the very highest student evaluation grades, year after year, for his classroom performance," Taylor said.

Former students praised Wightman for giving them opportunities to present research and enhance presentation skills to make contacts with others in science. He has "few equals in his ability to educate and inform in a most effective manner," one said. " ...Professor Wightman brought the theory, applications, and fun into his classes," another said.

Colleagues, too, praised him. "Professor Wightman brings to the classroom a blend of genius and some showmanship to instruct, inspire, and engage students in the learning experience," said one faculty member. He remembered Wightman's securing bear hairs for study when some students became interested in the fact that the hairs were tubular and thus good insulation against winter cold. Another colleague called Wightman "the perfect role model for faculty excellence."

One of Wightman's colleagues perhaps summed up his teaching best: "Dr. Wightman is, without question, the most remarkable teacher I have ever encountered in my industrial and academic career."

By Sally Harris