The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is saddened to announce that our chair, Professor Omar Zahir, passed away suddenly on August 26, 2005.

Omar received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Pakistan before coming to the United States, where he earned his Ph.D. at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. After postdoctoral studies at Iowa State University and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he joined the CSUN faculty in 1990. Here at CSUN his research has focused on analytic and environmental chemistry, including the study of the breakdown of toxic chemicals in the environment. He has also distinguished himself as a teacher, working to improve teaching methods and student learning. In his recent position as department chair he has worked to move our department in new directions, including the recent introduction of the M.S. degree in biochemistry.

Omar has distinguished himself as a scientist, a teacher, a leader of this department and of the campus, and as a friend and colleague. He will be sorely missed by his colleagues, his students, his friends and family.

A campus memorial will be held to remember Omar on Monday, October 3 at 3 to 5 pm at the USU Northridge Center on the CSUN campus.