Mark S.

Wrighton
Mark Stephen Wrighton (born June 11, 1949)[1] is an
American academic and chemist who is President Mark S. Wrighton
Emeritus of George Washington University[2] and has
been serving as Chancellor Emeritus of Washington
University in St. Louis since May 2019 after serving as
the 14th Chancellor of Washington University in St.
Louis from 1995 to 2019. He was also appointed by
Washington University in St. Louis as the inaugural
holder of the James and Mary Wertsch Distinguished
University Professorship in August 2020. From
January 2022[3] to June 2023,[4] Wrighton took a
sabbatical leave from WUSTL to serve as the interim
president of The George Washington University while
GWU conducted a presidential search for a
replacement for president Thomas LeBlanc.

Wrighton in 2022
Early life and education Interim President of the George
Washington University
Wrighton was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and his In office
father spent most of his career in the United States January 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
Navy. Wrighton moved with his family from Preceded by Thomas LeBlanc
Jacksonville to Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, and
Succeeded by Ellen Granberg
Newfoundland, and he went to high school in
Pensacola, Florida. 14th Chancellor of Washington University
in St. Louis
Initially, Wrighton intended to study mathematics and In office
government at Florida State University. Instead, July 1, 1995 – May 31, 2019
inspired by his freshman chemistry professor, Edward Preceded by William Henry Danforth
Mellon, he switched his major to chemistry. Jack Succeeded by Andrew D. Martin
Saltiel[5] became his advisor and mentor, and he
Personal details
continued undergraduate research in the area of
organic photochemistry. Wrighton received his Born Mark Stephen Wrighton
bachelor's degree with honors in chemistry at Florida June 11, 1949
State University in 1969, winning the Monsanto Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Chemistry Award for outstanding research. He Spouse Risa Zwerling Wrighton
received his PhD in 1972 at the age of 22 from the Alma mater Florida State University (BS)
California Institute of Technology, working under California Institute of
Harry B. Gray and George S. Hammond. His doctoral Technology (PhD)
Profession University administrator and
chemistry professor
dissertation subject was Photoprocesses in Metal- Scientific career
Containing Molecules.[6] At Caltech, he became the
Fields Inorganic photochemistry
first recipient of the Herbert Newby McCoy Award.[7]
Institutions Massachusetts Institute of
Technology

Career Washington University in St.

Louis
The George Washington
Massachusetts Institute of Technology University

Wrighton joined the faculty of the chemistry Thesis Photoprocesses in Metal-

department at the Massachusetts Institute of Containing Molecules (https://r
Technology in the summer of 1972 as an assistant esolver.caltech.edu/CaltechET
professor. In 1976, he was promoted to associate D:etd-07202004-11365
professor and was made a full professor the following 8) (1972)
year, 1977. Wrighton held the Frederick G. Keyes Doctoral Harry B. Gray
Chair in Chemistry from 1981 to 1989, when he was advisors George S. Hammond
given the newly endowed Ciba-Geigy Chair in Doctoral Andrew B. Bocarsly
Chemistry.[7] In 1983, he received a MacArthur students Nathan Lewis
Foundation "genius grant."[8]
Other notable Post-docs:
Wrighton's research interests are centered on students Richard M. Crooks
photochemistry and transition metal catalysis, and Clifford Kubiak
include surface chemistry, molecular electronics and
Chad Mirkin
photoprocesses at electrodes.[7] His goals include
Lynn Schneemeyer
understanding the basic principles underlying the
conversion of solar energy to chemical fuels and Timothy M. Swager
electricity, creating new catalysts, studying chemical Christoph Weder
activity at interfaces, and developing new electro- Undergrads:
chemical devices.[9]
Peter T. Wolczanski
Wrighton has carried out work in the areas of inorganic
photochemistry, photocatalysis and the use of solar
energy in photovoltaics. In the early 1970s he discovered photoluminescence in a new class of rhenium
(I) tricarbonyl diimine complexes.[10] In the 1980s, he and his co-workers developed molecule-based
transistors having conducting polymers as the device active materials.[11][12] Wrighton was one of the
first researchers to introduce the idea of electrochemical gating as a way of controlling charge transport in
molecular electronics.[13] One of his later areas of research involved attempting to chemically mimic
photosynthesis.[14]

He has written more than 300 journal articles and holds 16 patents.[7] He is co-author of Organometallic
Photochemistry (1979, with Gregory L. Geoffroy), and editor of books and conference proceedings.
During his time at MIT, Wrighton supervised the doctoral research of 70 students.[9] In 1987, Wrighton
became the head of MIT's chemistry department. He became MIT's provost in 1990.[7]

Washington University in St. Louis

In 1995, he left MIT to become chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis. The new position
required him to give up an active research career.[14] He was among the highest paid university heads in
the United States, making $738,000 in 2007.[15][16] In early 2007, Wrighton was mentioned as a
candidate for Harvard University's presidency.[17][18]

As chancellor, he led two major capital campaigns that resulted in contributions totaling nearly $5 billion,
including approximately $1 billion for student financial aid, as well as the creation of more than 300
endowed professorships. He was elected chairman of the Association of American Universities (2004-
2005)[8] He is also a past chair of the Business-Higher Education Forum (2004-2006) and the Consortium
on Financing Higher Education (2000-2001).

Major programmatic initiatives during Wrighton's chancellorship include: the McDonnell International
Scholars Academy; the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center; the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community
Engagement; the Institute for Public Health; the International Center for Energy, Environment and
Sustainability; and the Living Earth Collaborative. New departments include: Sociology; Women, Gender
and Sexuality Studies; African and African American Studies; Biomedical Engineering; and Radiation
Oncology.

Wrighton was criticized in May 2008 when the university's board of trustees voted to honor alumna
Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary doctorate, leading to outrage from opponents to her stance on gender
issues and from many other members of the university community opposed to her disbelief in evolution.
Wrighton distanced himself from the board's decision with a letter to the community disavowing
Schlafly's views on science.[19]

On October 6, 2017, Wrighton announced his intent to leave the chancellorship.[20] He concluded his
tenure as chancellor on May 31, 2019, to become Chancellor Emeritus and was appointed the James and
Mary Wertsch Distinguished University Professor in August 2020.[21]

The George Washington University

On September 10, 2021, The George Washington University's
Board of Trustees Chair announced that Wrighton would serve as
the university's Interim President for a maximum of 18 months.
Wrighton started his position at The George Washington
University on January 1, 2022.[22] He was on sabbatical from
Washington University in St. Louis while serving at GWU.[23]
George Washington University became a member of the highly
selective Association of American Universities under his
presedency.[24]

In February 2022, Wrighton caused controversy after removing

President Wrighton and Secretary of
posters from campus that accused the Chinese government of
State Antony Blinken at George
human rights abuses and criticized the country's hosting of the
Washington University in 2022
2022 Winter Olympics.[25] Wrighton claimed he was "personally
offended" by the posters and pledged to find out who was
responsible for them. The decision was criticized by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education,
which called the decision "a wholly inappropriate response to a university purportedly committed to free
expression".[26] Wrighton clarified in a public message that after his initial comments he learned the
posters were designed by a Chinese-Australian artist and were a critique of China’s policies. He wrote:
“Upon full understanding, I do not view these posters as racist; they are political statements. There is no
university investigation underway, and the university will not take any action against the students who
displayed the posters.” [27]

National science policy

Wrighton served as a presidential appointee to the National Science Board (2000-2006), which acts as
science policy advisor to the president and Congress and the National Science Foundation. He served as
vice chair of the National Research Council's Committee on America's Energy Future, which issued its
report in 2009.[28]

While at Washington University in St. Louis, Wrighton was one of the signees of a letter from the
Association of American Universities, urging all representatives of the U.S. Government to vote in favor
of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.[29] With leaders at three other Missouri
universities, Wrighton wrote in support of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) research for medical
treatment, urging Missouri legislators to distinguish it from the use of stem cells for human reproductive
cloning.[30][31]

International academic leadership

Wrighton inaugurated the McDonnell International Scholars
Academy as chancellor at Washington University.[32] He brought
Washington University into the University Alliance of the Silk
Road, the academic arm of China's One Belt, One Road initiative,
as the first North American partner.[32] He formerly served as the
only American member of the executive committee of the
Universities Alliance of the Silk Road and resigned in 2019, which
is when Washington University also left the Alliance.[32] Xi'an Jiaotong University President
Shuguo Wang exchanges a pai bian
signboard with Washington
Awards and honors University in St. Louis Chancellor
Mark S. Wrighton after signing an
agreement in 2016
1969 Monsanto Chemistry Award (Florida State)
1972 Herbert Newby McCoy Award (Caltech)
1974 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship
1981
ACS Award in Pure Chemistry of the American Chemical Society
MIT Chemistry Department Graduate Teaching Award
1983
Honorary Doctor of Science at the University of West Florida
MacArthur Fellowship
George and Freda Halpern Award in Photochemistry from the New York Academy of
Sciences
Ernest O. Lawrence Award from the U.S. Department of Energy
1984 Fresenius Award of Phi Lambda Upsilon
 1987 MIT School of Science Teaching Prize
1988 Award in Inorganic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society
1992 Distinguished Alumni Award (Caltech)[33]
1995 Honorary Alumnus (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
2002 Honorary Professorship at Shandong University (Jinan, China)
2007 Citizen of the Year Award from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
2007 Honorary Doctorate Degree- Doctor of Humane Letters Florida State University
(Tallahassee, Florida)
2009 Honorary Doctorate Degree, Harris-Stowe State University (St. Louis, Missouri)
2010 Honorary Doctorate Degree, Fudan University (Shanghai, China)
2010 Right Arm of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Regional Chamber
2019 Honorary Professor, Xidian University, Xi'an China
2019 Honorary Doctorate Degree, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (now Reichman
University)[34]

Fellowships and appointments

Member of the Chemistry Research Evaluation Panel of the Air Force Office of Scientific
Research (1976–1980)
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 1986)
Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (since 1988)[35]
Member of the board of directors of Helix Technology (1990-2006 when it merged with
Brooks Automation)
Member of the board of overseers of the Boston Museum of Science (1991–1997)
Member of the corporation of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (1991–1995)
Member of the corporation of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (1994–1996)
Member of the board of directors of the Chemical Heritage Foundation (1998–2002)
Trustee of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges
and Schools (1998–2002)
Trustee of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (1998-2019)
Presidential Appointee to the National Science Board (2000–2006)
Member of the American Philosophical Society (since 2001)[36]
Member of the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities (2002–2005)
Member of the board of directors of Brooks Automation (2006-2022)[37]
Member of the board of directors of Cabot Corporation (1997-March 2021)
Member of the board of directors of Corning Incorporated[38] (since 2009)
Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, 2013[7]
Member of the executive committee of China's University Alliance of the Silk Road, the
academic arm of China's One Belt, One Road initiative (2016-2019) [32]
Member of the Forest Park Forever Board
Member of the Saint Louis Science Center Board of Commissioners
Member of the board of the United Way of Greater St. Louis
Member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Corporation (July 2020-June 2021)[39]
 Azenta Life Sciences Board (2022–23)[40]

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ws/Pages/6005.aspx). Washington University in St. Louis. July 20, 2006.
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19. Stein, Perry; Johnson, Ann (May 5, 2008). "Students, Faculty quietly protest Schlafly at
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20. "Wrighton to conclude term as Washington University chancellor" (https://source.wustl.edu/2
017/10/wrighton-conclude-term-washington-university-chancellor/). Washington University in
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21. "Wrighton named inaugural holder of Wertsch professorship" (https://source.wustl.edu/2020/
08/wrighton-named-inaugural-holder-of-wertsch-professorship/). Washington University in
St. Louis. August 14, 2020.
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ssage-gw-board-trustees-chair). GW Today. The George Washington University. Retrieved
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criticising China's rights abuse like Uyghur genocide & oppression in Tibet & HongKong. I
demand him an explanation why exposing CCP's abuse offends him" (https://x.com/badiuca
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flyers depicting @badiucao's artwork at George Washington University" (https://x.com/TheFI
REorg/status/1490523202765955074) (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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External links
Mark S. Wrighton - 14th Chancellor, Washington University in St. Louis (http://www.wustl.ed
u/wrighton)
Mark S. Wrighton, Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis (https://che
mistry.wustl.edu/people/mark-stephen-wrighton)

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