Congratulations to 2021 Pittsburgh Award Winner – W. Richard Howe
Richard Howe left the faculty at his alma mater, St. Vincent College, in 1970 to join the Chemistry Department at the University of Pittsburgh. He rose through administrative ranks to the position of Assistant Chair in the Department before being selected to serve as an Associate Dean in Pitt’s School of Arts and Sciences. He held that position for 30 years before his retirement in 2016.
Over his term as Associate Dean, he coordinated an aggressive capital projects program in excess of $300,000,000 that modernized most of the instructional and research laboratories within the Arts and Sciences. This effort increased the amount of research space available for the school’s expanding research programs and improved work/study facilities for the school’s faculty, staff and students. Before retiring, he served as principal author and project coordinator for a $15 million construction award from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This award enabled the University to expand its excellence in nanoscience and experimental physics.
Associate Dean Howe demonstrated dedication to his profession through his service as the Chairman of the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (1986-87), Local Chair for the 1989 International Science and Engineering Fair (held in Pittsburgh), and the Local Chair for the 1992 International Chemistry Olympics which was also held in Pittsburgh. He has belonged to the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Pittsburgh High School Chemistry Sub-Group of the local ACS, and the organizing committee for the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (PITTCON). In 1994 he served as the president of PITTCON and hosted over 32,000 attendees at their annual meeting in Chicago.
He served as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of College Chemistry Teachers (1981-1984). He also organized the 1978 annual meeting for the Middle Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists and the 1977 Northeast Regional meeting of the Society for Research Administrators. He was a key organizer of the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s (now Science History Institute) permanent museum of historical chemical instruments, served as the inaugural Chair of the CHF Committee on Instrumentation and Artifacts and served as an inaugural member of their Heritage Council.
In recognition of his contributions to science education and science outreach, Howe was awarded the 2008 Distinguished Service Award by the Pittsburgh Section of the American Chemical Society.
In his spare time Howe has been active in a variety of arts and science outreach programs in the Pittsburgh area. He served as Vice President of the North Allegheny Fine Arts Coalition and along with his wife served as President of the North Allegheny District Band Patrons. During their two years as Co-Presidents of the Band Patrons, they coordinated a successful fund-raising effort to support the band’s participation in the 1997 Tournament of Roses Parade and the 1998 Orange Bowl Parade. Among other activities, Howe served on the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project (2000-2006), the Pittsburgh Public School’s Science Institute’s Advisory Board (1986-1993) and Mayor Murphy’s Pittsburgh Regional Alliance (1999-2002).
Since his retirement, Mr. Howe has become a member of the Foundation Board for the Beaver County Community College. Since July 2020, he has served as their Board Chair.
Mr. Howe and his wife of 43 years, Betsy, now live in Beaver County’s Economy Borough which places them within driving distance of their three daughters and seven grandchildren.