CORVALLIS, Ore. - One of the state's most honored natives, a man recognized as one of the top scientists of the 20th century, will be honored this Tuesday, Feb. 28, which the State of Oregon has proclaimed as Linus Carl Pauling Day.
Linus Pauling, a 1922 graduate of Oregon State University, is the only individual in history to win two unshared Nobel Prizes. He was born on in Portland on Feb. 28, 1901, and died in 1994 at the age of 93.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski officially signed the proclamation declaring this Feb. 28 as Linus Carl Pauling Day. The proclamation praises Pauling as a scientist and humanitarian.
"Dr. Pauling's efforts to bring about world peace and the banning of nuclear weapons testing, carried out in spite of the disapproval of his own government, established a new base for world peace negotiations…," the statement reads. "Dr. Pauling's genius in chemistry provided the basis for modern chemistry and set the stage for major discoveries that benefited humankind."
Pauling's work in chemistry, which charted the underpinnings of life itself, earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954. His leadership to ban nuclear testing in the 1950s and '60s led to the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize.
Much of his fame in his later years came from his research into the benefits of vitamin C.
OSU will recognize Pauling with a reception from noon to 1 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the lobby of Gleeson Hall. Stephen Lawson, the administrative officer of the Linus Pauling Institute at OSU, will give a brief talk about Pauling. The event is free and open to the public.
Pauling donated the papers and materials from his career and that of his wife, the late humanitarian Ava Helen Pauling, to OSU. The Pauling Collection is housed in the Valley Library on campus. The Linus Pauling Institute, an international leader in the study of micronutrients and their effects on human health, also resides on campus.