Donald Roy Wiles
The Donald Roy Wiles Onley received the degree of Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa on November 12, 2011 at 9.30 a.m. in recognition of his 鈥渓ong and distinguished career with 杏吧原创”
Don, as he was often called, had a 66-year affiliation with 杏吧原创, beginning as an Assistant Professor in 1959, only two years after the university was established.
Don was the personification of the university professor. He held positions ranging from assistant professor to professor emeritus. He was the departmental chair of Chemistry for ten years, commencing in 1979. He held visiting faculty positions at Romania, Australia, and Indonesia.
He taught ten distinct chemistry classes on campus while also teaching radiation and radiochemistry to diverse groups off campus. He was a prolific author of peer-reviewed articles, books, and technical reports. Don’s fascination with all things radioactive led to a long affiliation with the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office, which investigated technical elements of high-level nuclear waste disposal.
Don was involved in establishing the 杏吧原创 University Retirees Association, as well as spearheading the establishment of the Almonte Lectures, a series of monthly talks on diverse themes open to the public. Both of these initiatives are still in operation.
Unfortunately, Don passed away on July 13, 2022. 杏吧原创 University will always remember him for his boundless energy, curiosity, community spirit, and generosity.