The Chemistry Research Building was renamed in honor of Harry H. Sisler.

The Chemistry Research Building was renamed in honor of Harry H. Sisler in recognition of his outstanding work and commitments to the Department of Chemistry and the University of Florida.

The naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 22, 2008.

In addition to our chemistry faculty, staff, and students, several of Harry's family members were in attendance:  his wife, Hannelore Wass, her son Brian Wass, and Harry's daughter and her husband, Betty Ann and Fred Rainbow.  The speeches in acceptance of Sisler Hall were given by Dr. Daniel R. Talham, Chair, Department of Chemistry, Dr. Steven M. Scott, Board of Trustees member, Dr. Joseph Glover, Provost, and Dr. Paul D'Anieri, Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.  Following the naming ceremony, a reception was held in the Keene Faculty Center. 

Harry H. Sisler came to the University of Florida in 1956 as Head Professor of the Department of Chemistry and went on to hold several influential positions at UF, including Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dean of the Graduate School, Director of Sponsored Research, and Executive Vice President.  Harry returned to the Department of Chemistry in the 1980s as Distinguished Service Professor and retired in 1990.  Harry passed away in December 2006.

Harry was an inorganic chemist, publishing over 200 papers in the area of nitrogen chemistry including high energy rocket fuels. He gained significant recognition for his work on hydrazine and N2O4 during a time when these compounds were used by NASA's Apollo program.  He authored several chemistry textbooks including two general chemistry texts written with Dick Dresdner.

An excerpt from Dr. Talham's speech gives a backdrop of what life was like in chemistry when Harry arrived and how his life impacted this department. 

"The department in 1956 had 16 faculty, 40 graduate students, and it was housed in 2 ½ floors of Leigh Hall.  It had recognized research programs in polymer chemistry, fluorine chemistry, and water chemistry.  But it is instructive to realize also what it didn’t have.  No Analytical chemistry,
no Inorganic chemistry, no Quantum Theory, no NMR, no postdocs.  These things were all established during the time Harry led the department.  He hired Jim Winefordner and a tradition in analytical chemistry was established, one that is regularly recognized as among the best in the
country.  Harry hired Per-Olov Lowdin and the Quantum Theory Project was established, soon to become internationally renowned.  Sisler recognized the importance of magnetic resonance and used departmental resources to acquire the department’s first NMR, establishing UF as an early leader in this important area.  Harry himself along with George Ryschkewitch established
Inorganic Chemistry.  Add these areas to the already established presence in Organic and Physical Chemistry, and the modern Chemistry Department takes form.  Thirty faculty members were hired while Harry was Chair, nearly all of whom established productive careers.  The department more than doubled in size, from a faculty of 16 to 33, from 40 to 170 graduate students, from zero to 40 postdocs."