Martha Cotter

Martha Cotter is professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University, New Jersey. Cotter arrived at Rutgers in 1972 and has had mainly administrative tasks since 1995, when she became acting Dean of Douglass College, a position she held for 18 months. Currently, she is vice-chair for the graduate program of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and teaches physical chemistry.
Cotter is also a non-voting member of the Rutgers Board of Governors, which is, among others, responsible for the Rutgers budget and the college tuition fee. . Cotter is also a member of the Douglass College Advisory Board
From 2004 to 2007, Cotter was chair of the Senate of Rutgers University.
During this time, the Senate dealt with the reorganization of undergraduate education on the New Brunswick Campus, a new University Copyright Policy , and a proposal to merge Rutgers with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey , among others.
Cotter was also a member of the Task Force on Undergraduate Education , which has worked to combine the four undergraduate liberal arts colleges—Douglass College, Livingston College, Rutgers College, and University College to create the School of Arts and Sciences.
Research
Cotter’s research focused on the stability and properties of liquid crystalline mesophases. She developed a lattice model for molecules with rigid rod-like central cores and two semi-flexible pendent tails, to investigate the roles of molecular packing.
Education
1964: B.A in Chemistry (with High Honors) at Southern Illinois University
1969: PhD. in physical chemistry (with distinction) at Georgetown University
Professional career
1969-70: Postdoctoral Associate, Cornell University, her advisor was Benjamin Widom
1970-72: Postdoctoral Associate, Bell Laboratories (Murray Hill).
1972-78: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Rutgers, The State University
1978-91: Associate Professor of Chemistry, Rutgers, The State University
1991 - the present: Professor of Chemistry, Rutgers, The State University

Awards
1974-1978: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship
1982: Invited lecturer: ROYAL SOCIETY DISCUSSION MEETING on The Physics, Chemistry, and Applications of Thermotropic Liquid Crystals, The Royal Society, London.
1996: Recipient of the Douglass Medal for Outstanding Service to Douglass College
 
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