History

The Department of Fundamental Chemistry was formalized in 1970 with the creation of the Chemistry Institute of the University of São Paulo by integration of faculties from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Spectroscopy Laboratory of the Department of Physics at the former School of Science and Letters Philosophy, the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo. Several teachers who worked at the Institute over the decades have retired or passed away, and for some of them you will find memories or biographies, at the bottom of this page. The historical origins of the Department of Fundamental Chemistry date back to the Foundation of the University of São Paulo in 1934, coinciding with the opening of Chemistry Course at the College of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, as enthusiatically reported by one of the former students of the inaugural class Professor Emeritus Paschoal Senise. 
 
As courtesy of the authors a complete electronic copy of the work is available [Download].
 
 
PASCHOAL ERNESTO AMÉRICO SENISE
"That's how I decided to tell, simply, facts that I witnessed or that, under the circumstances, had participation, with no pretense of performing real historical nature work. The narrative naturally led me to make some comments that seemed relevant and, as a result, externalise my opinion. Nothing deep, however, as only tried to present a panoramic view which I am sure, will contain errors and involuntary omissions, but I hope to have some informational value".
 
 
Degree in Chemistry in 1937, Doctor of Science in 1942, Associate Professor in 1956 and Professor in 1965. He was Director of IQUSP 1970-1974 and 1978 to 1982. He was Vice-President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (1965-1981), member of the Federal Council of Chemistry (1957-1971), Vice-Chairman of the Board (1960- 1963) and participated in several national and international scientific societies. He was a member of the University Council of USP (1968-987), where he served for 17 years the Coordination of Graduate Hall (equivalent to the current Dean) and was largely responsible for the implementation of Graduate Studies at USP. Also was part of the Deliberative Council of the CNPq (1968-1980) and the Higher Council of FAPESP (1969-1971). He received the award of the Order of Rio Branco, granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1976 and the Grand Cross of the National Order of Scientific Merit in 1994. He won the Silver Jubilee SBPC (1973) and Simon Mathias of SBQ (1997) medals, in addition to awards Rheinboldt Heinrich (1969), Santista Mill (1981) and Anisio Teixeira (1991). He is Honorary Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies at USP since 1997, Professor Emeritus of USP (1987) and Emeritus CNPq Researcher (2006).
 
 
 
 
Some of the former Faculties of the Department of Fundamental Chemistry
 
ERNESTO GIESBRECHT (Full Professor) 
EDUARDO FAUSTO DE ALMEIDA NEVES (Full Professor) 
GERALDO VICENTINI (Full Professor) 
HEINRICH RHEINBOLDT (Catedratic Professor) [1891-1955] 
IVO GIOLITO (Full Professor) 
JOSÉ ATÍLIO VANIN (Associate Professor) 
LUIZ ROBERTO DE MORAES PITOMBO (Full Professor) 
OTTO RICHARD GOTTLIEB (Full Professor) 
SIMÃO MATHIAS (Full Professor)
 
Further information can be found at: "USP Memory Project ", with a timeline identifying important histo