In Memoriam - BrJAC mourns the death of Prof. Dr. Carol Hollingworth Collins and recognizes her great contribution to the Analytical Chemistry in Brazil

Abstract

Professor Carol Collins graduated in Chemistry from Bates College (1952) and obtained her PhD in Organic Physical Chemistry from Iowa State University of Science and Technology (1958), when she was introduced to the recently developed gas–liquid chromatography. She conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Wisconsin and later worked on radiochemistry and nuclear medicine at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Western New York Nuclear Research Center in Louvain (Belgium) and Southwest Asia. Professor Collins came to the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) with her husband, Kenneth Collins, in July 1974, during the university’s first decade, and played a leading role in consolidation of the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp and in the growth of chemistry and analytical chemistry in Brazil. Her first line of research in Brazil was radioanalytical chemistry, later focusing on chromatographic techniques, initially applied to the products of radiochemical reactions and radiation chemistry. Subsequently, her attention was directed to the preparation of stationary phases for liquid chromatography. She gained remarkable achievement in the area of chromatography that allowed her to publish two books that are very popular in Brazil: "Introduction to Chromatographic Methods" (1987) and "Fundamentals of Chromatography" (2006). Her scientific and technological contributions have been recognized through several awards, including the “Marie Curie Award” from the American Association of University Women and the “Simão Mathias Medal” from the Brazilian Chemical Society (SBQ). She also received honors in recognition of the contributions of Unicamp's 40th anniversary, SBQ's 30th anniversary, a tribute from the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, the National Meeting of Analytical Chemistry, the School of Separations and the Brazilian Symposium on Chromatography and Related Techniques (SIMCRO) Medal. For her outstanding performance and leadership in the creation and consolidation of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Brazilian Chemical Society, her name was recognized in the Carol Collins Medal given to each National Meeting of Analytical Chemistry since the 2018 edition. Professor Collins was also a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Academy of Sciences of São Paulo, and received the title of Professor Emerita of Unicamp on 14 May 2012, in addition to being Emeritus Researcher at the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Apart from her scientific competence, some characteristics shaped her personality and made her very popular among her colleagues and students: her vast gourmet knowledge, keen taste for caipirinha and coffee, infallible memory, great love for her work and for Brazil, dedication to science, analytical chemistry/chromatography, kindness as a person and her incessant search for justice. She was always receptive to clarifying the doubts of students, teachers and interested parties, which she did with great pleasure, characteristic of those who like to teach and transmit knowledge. The contributions of Professor Collins to the training of human resources, the consolidation and development of the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp and the analytical chemistry/chromatography sector in Brazil and abroad are immeasurable. Her brilliant trajectory will leave a huge legacy that is difficult to measure and she will remain forever in the memory of those who were fortunate enough to live with her.