Lipscomb mourns the loss of chemistry professor Ben Hutchinson

Janel Shoun-Smith | 12/31/2014

The Lipscomb community is mourning the loss of Dr. Ben Hutchinson, professor of chemistry and former dean of the College of Natural & Applied Sciences, who passed away Tuesday, Dec. 30. The memorial service will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Otter Creek Church of Christ.

Hutchinson came to Lipscomb in 2004 and served as dean of the College of Natural & Applied Sciences until it was merged into the College of Arts & Sciences in 2009. At that point, he became faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry until the time of his death. His wife, Nancy Hutchinson, is a former adjunct professor in the Department of Communication and Journalism.

Hutchinson’s tenure at Lipscomb was marked by his launching of various innovative programs to enhance both K-12 and undergraduate general science education.

“Since he’s been at Lipscomb, Ben’s major point of emphasis was trying to improve K-12 and non-major science education,” said Kent Clinger, chair of the chemistry and biochemistry department and a former student of Hutchinson’s at Abilene Christian University. “His focus was to encourage others to do research and to promote science for the masses. You can see that in the many grants he procured. He has always have an interested in improving science education for everyone.”

Hutchinson carried out this goal by establishing innovative programs such as:

• Creating a hub at Lipscomb for the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology, or BEST, robotics program that has involved thousands of middle and high school students over the years and eventually spawned other Lipscomb robotics engineering programs for youngsters;
• Creating a highly successful interdisciplinary science course for Lipscomb’s non-science majors that involves service learning and hands-on, real-world learning. The course is taken primarily by elementary education majors;
• Designing a chemistry course specifically for Lipscomb’s early engineering majors;
• Establishing the summer CSI Academy, a camp for middle- and high-schoolers that taught chemistry and science through a forensic investigation of a mock crime; and
• Procuring a Race to the Top grant to create a summer teacher in-service program called Hands-On Chemistry for Middle Tennessee’s public school teachers.

“As the dean, Hutchinson's strong leadership in the College of Natural & Applied Sciences helped continue Lipscomb's tradition of excellence in the sciences,” said Lipscomb Provost Craig Bledsoe. “Under his leadership, the natural sciences not only grew stronger, but the university also began several initiatives that led to much of our recent successes in the health sciences, including pharmacy and nursing, and engineering.  He led the way and set the example in faculty research, receiving several grants over his tenure at Lipscomb.  His leadership and influence with our faculty will be greatly missed.”

Before coming to Lipscomb, Hutchinson served as dean of the College of Science and Engineering at Oklahoma Christian University from 1998-2003 before being appointed international programs sponsor and overseeing OC’s Vienna facility. He was chair of the natural science division at Pepperdine University from 1992-1998, and served both universities as professor of chemistry. He taught at Abilene Christian University from 1969-1990, rising from assistant professor to professor rank.

At the time of his arrival at Lipscomb, Hutchinson said he was attracted to the university because of its tradition of quality in the sciences; the addition of degrees in environmental science and engineering at that time; the university’s commitment to model, teach and apply Christian service through sciences and engineering; and its potential to make “significant contributions” to the church, educational community and society.

Hutchinson earned his B.S. in chemistry from ACU in 1963, his M.A. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 1965, and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1970.

“Ben was an exceptional academic and leader and will be deeply missed,” said L. Randolph Lowry, president of Lipscomb University. “He was additionally a man who walked out his faith in remarkable ways and, as a result, impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of students who have gone on to carry out that impact into their lives and communities.”

Hutchinson is survived by his wife Nancy, his daughter Amy and son-in-law Steven McBride and three grandchildren, Bennett, Elizabeth and John Carter. Memorial donations should be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203.