Yuegang Zuo

Remembering Professor Yuegang Zuo

Dr. Yuegang Zuo, Chancellor Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Massachusetts – Darthmouth (UMassD), regrettably passed away on December 7, 2023, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, at the age of 65.

Born in 1958 to a family of teachers in Ezhou, a small city near Wuhan in the province of Hubei, China, Professor Yuegang Zuo spent the majority of his formative years during the Cultural Revolution. Following high school, he briefly taught science at a local middle school before becoming part of the inaugural cohort to take the restored Gaokao (university entrance exam) in 1977. Subsequently, he enrolled at Wuhan University, majoring in Analytical Chemistry, and earned his Bachelor’s of Science in 1982. Continuing his academic journey, he pursued a Master’s of Science at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, completing his studies in 1984. In 1988, he travelled to Switzerland to study at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG) and obtained his PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) in 1992. Since 1992, he has been affiliated with Florida International University (FIU) and University of Massachusetts – Darthmouth. During this time, he held the positions of Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center of Drinking Water at FIU, Chancellor Professor and Director of Graduate Programs at the Department of Chemistry at UMassD, and Professor in Marine Chemistry at the School of Marine Science and Technology. He also served as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health, National Natural Science Foundation of China, as well as for other prestigious international scientific journals.

The focus of Dr. Zuo’s research was on the sources, reactions, distribution, transportation, degradation, biological effects, and the chemical kinetics of organic and inorganic substances in the natural environment. His research on cocaine residue on paper currency had been reported on by news agencies such as the New York Times, CNN, and NBC. He has conducted multiple research projects for the National Science Foundation, United States Geological Survey, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, publishing numerous high-quality studies in journals such as Science, Environmental Science and Technology, and Environmental Science and Engineering. He was awarded the Scholar of the Year Award in 2006 by the UMassD.

Outside of his work in research, Professor Yuegang Zuo passionately participated in the expansion of the PhD program. As the Director of Graduate Programs for the Department of Chemistry, he determinedly recruited students to the university, assisted them in obtaining funding and scholarships, and oversaw their academic progress. He also directly contributed via his course development and teaching of subjects such as Environmental Chemistry, Chemical Separations, and Forensic Chemistry.

Professor Yuegang Zuo is survived by his wife, Yiwei, his son, Ruixiao, and his daughter, Ruiting. He is also survived by his mother, Peng Fang, two brothers, Jianjun and Yueliang, two sisters, Wanqin and Shuqin, and his nieces and nephews. He will be forever missed by his family, friends, students, and colleagues.

A Viewing and Wake will be held on Saturday, December 16^th, 2023 from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm, at Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St., New Bedford, MA 02740; (508)-993-2921.

A Memorial will be held on Sunday, December 17^th, 2023 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, at MacLean Campus Center (“Marketplace”) at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth.

To commemorate the life of Dr. Yuegang Zuo, his family has established a memorial scholarship fund in his name. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the scholarship fund at https://www.alumni2.umassd.edu/ZuoScholarship.  

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美国麻州大学达特茅斯分校 (University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth) 化学与生物化学系校长教授 (Chancellor Professor) 左跃钢，于美国时间2023年12月7日在美国麻州纽比德福市逝世，享年65岁。

左跃钢教授1958年出生于中国湖北。1978年入武汉大学化学系分析化学专业学习，1982年获理学学士学位。1984年获中国科学院生态环境研究中心硕士学位。1988 年赴瑞士联邦水资源和水污染控制研究所 (EAWAG) 学习, 1992年获瑞士联邦理工学院 (ETHZ) 博士学位。 1992年至今先后在美国佛罗里达国际大学 (FIU) 和麻州大学达特茅斯分校任职。在此期间任佛罗里达国际大学饮用水研究中心博士后，麻州大学达特茅斯分校化学系研究生部主任, 海洋科学与技术中心教授，美国国家科学基金、中国国家自然科学基金评审专家。同时担任众多著名学术杂志审稿人。

左跃钢教授长期从事自然环境中有机和无机物质的来源、化学反应，传输路径，降解机理，生物效应和化学动力学机制的研究。其对纸币上毒品残留的相关研究被《纽约时报》 (New York Times)，CNN及NBC等众多媒体报道。他曾主持多项《美国国家科学基金》 (NSF)，《美国地质勘测》 (USGS) 和《美国国家海洋和大气管理局》 (NOAA) 等科研项目，并在国际期刊上发表高水平文章，其中包括《科学》(Science)，《环境科学与技术》(ES&T)，《环境科学与工程》(ES&E) 等。他的许多研究成果被全世界经典的环境化学和生物地球化学的大学教科书及环境科学专著引用。他于2006年被美国麻州大学达特茅斯分校授予年度学者奖 (The Scholar of the Year Award)。

除繁忙的科研工作，左跃钢教授积极参与研究生项目的建设和教学工作。他作为化学研究生部主任多次主导研究生的招生录取工作，并全力协助学生获取资助。他开设了环境化学，化学分离方法以及法医化学等课程，长期致力于研究生的培养。他曾经指导过的众多学生已在化学、环境和医药等领域卓有成就，深受师生们的尊敬和爱戴。

左跃钢教授一生治学严谨，潜心科研，诲人不倦， 教书育人，桃李满天下，是一位永远值得我们尊重和怀念的良师益友。

告别仪式定于2023年12月16日下午2时至5时在纽比德福市的殡仪馆（Perry Funeral Home, 111 Dartmouth St., New Bedford, MA 02740; (508)-993-2921) 举行。

追思会定于2023年12月17日上午10时至12时在麻州大学达特茅斯分校MacLean Campus Center举行。有意者可前往表达哀思。

为纪念左跃钢教授，其家人特设立以他名字命名的纪念奖学金 (Dr. Yuegang Zuo Memorial Scholarship)。与其送花祭拜，他的家人希望您将祭拜费用折为现金向奖学金捐款，有意捐款者可点击下方链接。https://www.alumni2.umassd.edu/ZuoScholarship

谨此讣告，共寄哀思。

2023年12月13日