Lloyd Noel Ferguson facts for kids

Lloyd Noel Ferguson (born February 9, 1918 – died November 30, 2011) was an important American chemist. He made many discoveries and helped other scientists.

Early Life and Education

Lloyd Ferguson grew up in Oakland, California. When he was a kid, he had his own science lab in his backyard! There, he invented things like a moth repellent and a special powder for lemonade.

He finished Oakland Technical High School when he was only 16. To pay for college, he worked in construction and as a railway porter. He then studied at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1943, he earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the same university. He was the first African American to get a chemistry Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. While studying there, he worked with another famous scientist, Melvin Calvin. They studied how certain chemicals can act like proteins that carry oxygen in our bodies.

A Career in Chemistry

After getting his Ph.D., Dr. Ferguson became a professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College. A couple of years later, he moved to Howard University. There, he became the head of the chemistry department. He also started a new program for students to earn their Ph.D. in chemistry. This was the first program of its kind at any historically Black college.

While at Howard University, he received special grants. These grants allowed him to travel and do research in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Zurich, Switzerland. In 1965, he moved to California State University, Los Angeles. He again became the head of the chemistry department. He also advised the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA makes sure our food and medicines are safe. Dr. Ferguson retired in 1986.

Discoveries and Research

Dr. Ferguson wrote seven chemistry textbooks and over 50 research papers. His research covered many areas, but he focused on organic chemistry. This is the study of chemicals that contain carbon. He also studied chemoreceptors, which are how our bodies sense chemicals, like taste and smell.

Starting in 1958, Dr. Ferguson did a lot of research on how the structure of chemicals affects their taste. He found that for something to taste sweet, it needs to have two specific parts. One part helps it connect with our taste buds, and the other part is a larger, water-repelling section.

He also published papers about chemicals that can cause cancer (called carcinogens) and medicines that fight cancer (called anticancer agents). His work helped explain how these chemicals affect our bodies.

Helping Other Scientists

In 1972, Dr. Ferguson helped start the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. This group helps Black chemists and chemical engineers succeed. In his honor, they give out the Lloyd N. Ferguson Young Scientist Award. This award goes to young scientists who have done excellent work in their field.

Dr. Ferguson also helped create the Project SEED program in 1968. He was the chair of the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Education at the time. Project SEED helps high school students from less wealthy families. It gives them chances to do chemistry research and internships at universities, government labs, and companies.

In 1979–1980, Dr. Ferguson received an Outstanding Professor Award from the California State University system. In 1995, the chemistry department at Cal. State L.A. started an annual lecture series in his honor. It's called the Lloyd Ferguson Distinguished Lecture series.