Cynthia Larive facts for kids

Cynthia Larive is an American scientist and a leader in education. She is currently the head of the University of California, Santa Cruz. This important role is called the chancellor.

Before becoming chancellor, Cynthia Larive was a professor of chemistry. She also served as a top leader at the University of California, Riverside. Her scientific work focuses on special ways to study chemicals, like nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry.

Cynthia Larive's Education

Cynthia Larive studied science at several universities. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science, from South Dakota State University in 1980. Later, in 1982, she received her Master of Science degree from Purdue University. She continued her studies and earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Riverside in 1992.

Her Career Journey

Cynthia Larive started her career teaching chemistry at the University of Kansas. In 2005, she moved to the University of California, Riverside to join their faculty.

She took on more leadership roles over time. In 2017, she became the interim (temporary) provost and executive vice chancellor at UC Riverside. This role was made permanent later that year.

In May 2019, a big announcement was made: Cynthia Larive would become the new chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz. She officially started this role on July 1, 2019.

Her Scientific Research

Cynthia Larive is a bioanalytical chemist. This means she uses special tools to study chemicals found in living things. She uses methods like nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and mass spectrometry. These tools help scientists understand what tiny samples are made of.

Her research often looks for ways to study very small amounts of material. For example, she has worked on methods to understand the structure of important molecules like heparin.

Her work helps us understand how different chemicals are put together. This knowledge can be used to design new medicines. It also helps check how pure medicines are. Her research even helps make sure foods like wine, olive oil, and pomegranate juice are real and not fake.

Awards and Honors

Cynthia Larive has received many awards for her work. In 1995, she earned the National Science Foundation CAREER Award.

She was honored by the American Chemical Society (ACS) multiple times. In 2007, she received an award for her excellent work in education. She also got an award in 2015 for her volunteer service to the ACS. In 2018, she received another award for her important contributions to analytical chemistry.

Cynthia Larive is also a special member, or "Fellow," of several important scientific groups. These include the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and the American Chemical Society (ACS).