Remembering Roger Soderberg, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry

Roger Soderberg, professor emeritus of chemistry, died on Aug. 25. He was 88 years old and resided at Kendal at Hanover. 

"Over the course of more than four decades at Dartmouth, Roger was widely respected as an inorganic chemist, an engaging teacher, and as a phenomenally dedicated university citizen," Dean Elizabeth F. Smith said in a message to the Arts and Sciences community. "With his collaborative and convivial manner, and passion for the natural beauty of the Upper Valley, he made lasting contributions to our campus and enhanced the lives of countless colleagues, students, and friends." 

Soderberg was born in 1936 in Berwyn, Illinois. He attended Elgin High School and went on to earn a degree in chemistry in 1958 from Grinnell College, where he met Mary Kincaid, to whom he was married until her death in 2003. Soderberg earned his PhD in inorganic chemistry from MIT as a National Science Foundation predoctoral fellow under the guidance of the renowned chemist Albert Cotton. His graduate work involved fundamental research on the inorganic complexes of cobalt and nickel, with studies published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. 

Soderberg joined the Dartmouth faculty in 1962 as an instructor of chemistry—and the first inorganic chemist to join the department. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1964, associate professor in 1969, and full professor in 1976. At Dartmouth, Soderberg continued his work in inorganic chemistry with publications on both nickel and palladium chemistry. Seminal research he pioneered in 1972 described the first chelate complexes of an iodonium cation, an exciting new area. 

"Thanks to Roger's discovery," chemistry professor emerita Gordon Gribble says, "these novel species are finding use in organic synthesis." 

In subsequent years, and in collaboration with the late dean and chemistry professor James Hornig, Soderberg turned his attention to air pollution in the Upper Valley as emanating from wood smoke. He focused on the presence of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are ubiquitous in wood smoke and a clear factor in human lung cancer. 

As a teacher, Soderberg was known for his engaging lectures and high standards. He was especially dedicated to mentoring undergraduates who arrived at Dartmouth without prior advanced coursework in science. He taught general chemistry and inorganic chemistry, and in the 1980s, with revived student interest in sustainability, he also took the lead in teaching environmental chemistry and developing affiliated lab exercises. 

Admired by colleagues as an outstanding administrator, Soderberg was instrumental to the design and construction of Burke Laboratory, the chemistry department's state-of-the-art home, which was completed in 1992. In recognition of his efforts, the department presented Soderbergwith a special plaque. 

"Roger jumped to take the lead on the design of the building and worked closely with the architects and fellow administrators to make it happen," professor of chemistry Dean Wilcox recalls. "The department is eternally grateful to him for that enormous effort, which was the crowning achievement of his career."

Soderberg's wide-ranging interests also made a lasting impression on his peers. "One of the things that especially impressed me about Soderberg was his broad range of knowledge about a range of things—not only chemistry but also engineering and history," Albert W. Smith Professor of Chemistry Emeritus David Lemal recalls. 

An avid hiker, Soderberg led several expeditions with colleagues to the White Mountains and woods around the Upper Valley. He was also a well-recognized figure riding his bicycle around Hanover.

Colleagues treasured Soderberg's upbeat, friendly presence, and recall how he frequently joined David Lemal and fellow Dartmouth chemists Chuck Braun and Water Stockmayer for lunch—such that they were known as the "Norwich for lunch bunch." 

After he retired from Dartmouth in 2004, Soderberg continued to meet colleagues for faculty lunches on campus, even when he was bound to his wheelchair—reportedly always in good cheer.

He often told people that he had "the best job in the world."

Soderberg is preceded in death by his wife, Mary; his son Dan (Silvia); his parents, Victor and Grace (Hamilton) Soderberg; his brother Dick (Mim) and sister Jean. He is survived by his younger sister Nancy Harrold (Jack), son Tim (Naoko), and grandchildren Eduardo, Marisol, Jorge, Midori, and Kentaro, along with an extended family. A memorial service will be held at Kendal at Hanover at a later date.

In Soderberg's honor, the Dartmouth flag will be lowered on Sept. 10 and 11.