Dr. George Sturgeon was a chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska -Lincoln for 39 years, from 1964 to 2003. During his time at UNL, he spent 15 years as the vice chair. I like to say that multiple chairs served under him. George was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but grew up in Jamestown, North Dakota. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in chemistry because he earned a bachelor's in that subject from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. Then he traveled 870 miles east to Michigan State University in East Lansing where he earned his doctorate. Immediately after graduating, he joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1964 as an assistant professor but was soon promoted to associate professor. His lab studied metal fluoride compounds including xenon difluoride.