Wooster mourns passing of Richard Bromund, emeritus professor of chemistry

Richard ”Dick” Bromund, emeritus professor of chemistry at The College of Wooster, passed away on Friday, March 15, in Wooster, Ohio, at the age of 83. Bromund was an assistant professor of chemistry from 1967-1974 at the College, an associate professor of chemistry from 1974-1982, and a full professor of chemistry from 1982-2006, retiring as professor emeritus in 2006.  

In his time as a professor, Bromund regularly taught Analytical Chemistry, Instrumental Analysis, Environmental Chemistry, Introduction to Independent Study, Introductory College Chemistry, and First Year Seminar. During his professorship, Bromund took six research leaves which took him to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Eli Lily, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Bromund also acted as the “building shepherd” during the 1998-99 renovation and addition to Severance Hall. Working as the liaison between faculty, administration, and builders for the project, Bromund helped to make the facility a smoothly functioning instrument for chemistry education. 

Bromund was known for his dedication to his students, describing himself as “much more a teacher than a researcher,” in a Daily Record article marking his retirement. His love of teaching was highlighted by his fellow professors, “Dick was very conscientious about taking time to get to know his students,” said Mark Snider, Robert E. Wilson professor of chemistry and biochemistry and molecular biology. “He would be the first to know the names of new students, their hobbies, and their ambitions. He also was very open to helping students in need. He was always willing to take the time to meet with a student.” In his time at Wooster, Bromund advised 119 student Independent Study projects and did research alongside students in gas chromatography and environmental topics. 

In 2018, Nathan W. Bower, a member of the class of 1973 and former student of Bromund’s, established the Thomas A. Sanborn and Richard H. Bromund Endowed Fund in Chemistry. The fund supports stipends and or other research-related expenses for students working on projects with a faculty mentor within the department of chemistry at The College of Wooster. The fund also honors the late Thomas A. Sandborn, a classmate of Bower and a student of Bromund. 

Bromund graduated from Oberlin College in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and received a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1968. Read more about Bromund’s life and family in his full obituary available here. 

Posted in News on April 5, 2024.