The Florida State University community is mourning the loss of a scientific giant, Professor and Nobel Laureate Sir Harold Kroto.

1. Harry Kroto
Sir
(1939­2016)

2. “Harry had a passion for science and educating others that was inspiring.
His legacy goes far beyond his scientific contributions. He inspired dozens
of students to pursue science and learn all they could about the world.”
­­ Gary Ostrander, FSU vice president for research

3. “Harry was not only a Nobel quality scientist, but was also
articulate, widely read and well­rounded. Our high expectations
were exceeded many times over by his tireless engagement with
faculty, students and the public. We are filled with gratitude for
the time we did have with Harry and are proud to have counted
him as one of our own for over a decade.”
­­ Sam Huckaba, dean of the FSU College of Arts & Sciences

4. “Sir Harry Kroto was a great scientist and a generous, kind, and
beautiful human being. Harry loved science, humanity, and society.
He was an inspiration for our students, staff and faculty members,
and general public. It is devastating to know about this sad news.
Harry will always live in our hearts, minds, and souls.”
­­ Qing­Xiang Amy Sang,
professor of chemistry and biochemistry at FSU

5. “Harry had a presentation style that matched no other. His
hyperlinked cache of PowerPoint presentations left everyone
astonished and certainly impressed, and his signature slides with the
Nitrosoethane molecule demonstrating rotation as a dog by a lamp
post was a clear audience favorite. Beyond the presentations was his
desire to make people really think about the world we live in, and
learn something new about ourselves. He used the quote from the
Don Marquis that I now use in my invited lectures — ‘If you make
people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you; but if you really make
them think they’ll hate you.’”
­­ Steve Acquah, director of GEOSET
and associate research professor at FSU

6. “What always brought out the best in Harry was his wife, Margaret. Margaret
and Harry were always together, until the end of Harry’s life ... What I found so
remarkable is that even after 57 years together, they were so obviously in love.
Harry would include photos and sketches he made of her in his lectures, and he
always acknowledged her as his moral compass.”
­­ Tim Logan, chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry at FSU

7. “When I met him, I could tell
after one minute here was
somebody very special, and we
would be close friends forever.
Harry grew up about 13 miles
from where I grew up. So, I
shook his hand and said,
‘Harry, I’m from Manchester,
are you a Manchester United
fan?’ He told me in no
uncertain terms that he was
not.”
­­ Mark Riley
FSU Robert O. Lawton
Professor of Physics

8. “I noticed one day I had a voicemail from him saying to call him. I didn’t call
back at first because I thought he was going to tell me he had decided to
[choose another school]. So, I called and he said, ‘Well Naresh, guess what?
I’ve decided to come to FSU’. I gulped. I said, ‘Harry, what did you say?’ It took
us three years to get him here. We were just so delighted. Everything else was
just history. He was just so good. People flocked around him day and night to
hear what he had to say about chemistry, teaching, environment and the
teaching of science to society. We enjoyed every day he was here.”
­­ Naresh Dalal, FSU professor of chemistry and biochemistry