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.

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David and Karen (Miller) Sorrell

David and Karen (Miller) Sorrell

In the spring semester of 1979, David Sorrell was looking for an “easy A” during his senior year at Missouri…

Four months away from Earth

Four months away from Earth

Sandra “Sandy” Magnus has been part of three space flights and spent more than four months in space during her…

All a-Twitter

All a-Twitter

The creator and co-founder of Twitter — Jack Dorsey — spent a couple of years studying computer science at Missouri…

An out-of-this-world championship

An out-of-this-world championship

How does a team go from worst to first in a matter of just a few years? Missouri S&T’s Mars…

Alumni leading the telecommunications industry

Alumni leading the telecommunications industry

Roy Wilkens, EE’66, and Mario A. Padilla, MetE’60, worked for years to challenge and change the status of the telecommunications…

Building a legacy of mechanical engineering

Building a legacy of mechanical engineering

A registered professional engineer, John Toomey, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering in 1949 and 1951, founded…