Richard K. Vitek, a 1958 chemistry graduate, began his career as a research chemist producing uranium from ore, before moving on to work as a scientist, director and startup CEO. His accomplishments include working with the U.S. Coast Guard to develop UV imaging instruments that analyze oil spills to identify the tankers responsible and develop a method of testing arsenic levels in wine that led the Environmental Protection Agency to impose stricter limits on pesticide use in U.S. vineyards.
Share This Story
Spark a Memory?
Share your story! Fill out the form below to share your fondest memory or anecdote of S&T. If you'd prefer not typing, you can also share by phone at 833-646-3715 (833-Miner150).
Builders of the bomb
The U.S. government’s Manhattan Project, which led to the development of the first nuclear weapons, was a massive but highly…
Inventing the future at ‘the idea factory’
In the 1950s, AT&T Bell Labs was a hotbed of innovation, a place where engineers and theorists came together to…
Wharton makes KC Chiefs’ roster
Former Missouri S&T defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton, who earned All-America honors while a Miner, made the 2020 opening day roster…
Megan (Jekel) and Jonathan Pardeck
Megan (Jekel), a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, and Jonathan Pardeck, a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, met through…
Creating fashion for feet
When Darla Ellis, a 2006 graduate in chemical engineering, began a summer internship with Nike, Inc. during her senior year…
Cheryl B. Schrader on strategic planning
Cheryl B. Schrader, who served as chancellor between 2012 and 2017, describes her approach to strategic...