Richard N. Zare, Ph.D.
California Scientist of the Year 1996

> BACK TO PAST WINNERS

Institution: Stanford University
Department: Chemistry
Principal research interest: Laser Chemistry

Dr. Zare is one of the world's premier researchers in laser chemistry. His work has helped scientists understand chemical reactions on the molecular level. In addition to his work in more traditional chemistry, Dr. Zare has also made many advances in biochemistry, including work in genetic screening techniques, biosensors and more. In the popular press, Dr. Zare is most famous for his analysis of the Martian meteorite ALH 84001, which revealed evidence of complex organic molecules, suggesting the possibility of life on ancient Mars. His theories touched off a flurry of scientific excitement and skepticism, both of which were at their peak when Dr. Zare was named California Scientist of the Year.

Dr. Zare's Lab Site: http://zarelab.stanford.edu
In addition to providing a lot of information, including diagrams, to explain his lab's research, Dr. Zare's site features a great photo gallery from his visit to Antarctica. Dr. Zare and his team went to Antarctica to hunt for Martian meteorites in December of 1996.