UTD Remembers Accomplished Chemistry Researcher, Mentor, Leader

Dr. John Ferraris, an accomplished scientist and longtime faculty member at The University of Texas at Dallas who was known for his research achievements in organic electronics and his leadership in teaching and mentoring, died May 5 at the age of 78.

Family and colleagues heralded Ferraris for the excellence he extracted from students and fellow researchers, as well as for his sense of humor, his kindness and his commitment to ethical, fair and honest practices.

“He was one of the most ethical people I’ve met in my life,” said his wife, Lin Ferraris. “Some decisions were very difficult to make, but he always maintained an ethical point of view. Even in his personal life, he always went by the rules.”

John Ferraris, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, arrived at UTD in 1975, six years after the University was founded. In addition to helping shape the early years of the chemistry department, he served as chair from 1995 to 2017 and as interim dean of the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) from 2003 to 2006. He held the Cecil H. and Ida Green Chair in Systems Biology Science from 2006 to 2009.

Dr. A. Dean Sherry, chair emeritus of natural sciences and mathematics who began his 50-year career at UTD in 1972, also served as chemistry department head from 1979 to 1990.

“If you’re a department head, you do whatever you can to help the department, but within the boundaries,” said Sherry, one of Ferraris’ closest friends. “I never had to worry about John going outside those boundaries. You just trusted him. And I think the faculty knew that.”

Another longtime friend and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Dr. Kenneth Balkus, was invited by Ferraris to join the UTD faculty and even picked up Balkus at the airport on his first visit. They co-instructed an advanced synthesis course for decades, collaborated on projects and publications, and located their offices next to each other.

Balkus said he felt he was learning from Ferraris right along with the students.

“We bonded right away,” Balkus said. “He was a fantastic mentor, and that was a reflection of his leadership skills. He had a way of managing students and people in which everybody felt like they were being treated fairly.”

The Scientist

As a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University in 1973, Ferraris published a pioneering study that for the first time demonstrated high conductivity in an organic material, a discovery that opened new avenues of research in organic conductors.

“There’s a reason John was brought here when they started this place up: He was a leader in the field,” said Steve Collins MS’97, PhD’01, who was a graduate student when he first met Ferraris. Collins is now interim director and director of operations for the Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute at UTD.

One of Ferraris’ most successful research collaborations went by the moniker “FBI.”

“F” was for Ferraris, an organic chemist; “B” was for Balkus, an inorganic chemist; and “I” was for Dr. Inga H. Musselman, an analytical chemist who joined the UT Dallas faculty in 1992 and has been provost and vice president for academic affairs since 2017.

Together, they worked on grant-funded gas separation membrane projects that still are in the works, 30 years after they began.

“Everyone knew what the FBI was,” Sherry said. “Not only were they known as FBI here on campus, but I think the funding agencies got a kick out of it.”

Musselman, who holds the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Chair of Academic Leadership, met Ferraris shortly before she arrived at the University and greatly valued his expertise and versatility.

“He did everything well — research, teaching, leading, mentoring,” she said.

She credits his mentorship in her decision to join the provost’s office in 2008 and for showing her how to manage people by playing to their strengths.

Ferraris was an author on more than 150 publications, which have been cited nearly 25,000 times. He also was active in the American Chemical Society, and in 2001 its Dallas-Fort Worth section named him the winner of the Wilfred T. Doherty Award for excellence in chemistry.

“It was really, really very important, what Ferraris has done,” said Dr. Mihaela Stefan, professor and department head of chemistry and biochemistry. “Many times, I thought we as a department saw him so much, we forgot how good he was as a scientist, how special he was.”

The Mentor

Balkus witnessed many examples of Ferraris’ great expectations of his students when he taught alongside him, and he also saw how his mentor adroitly navigated choppy instructional seas.

“What you have to figure out as an educator is where you set the bar and then challenge the students to at least get to some point,” Balkus said. “That’s always the problem for a new assistant professor. What are your metrics for the classroom? It takes a while. That’s where John was a good mentor, too. He was very helpful.”

Stefan sought Ferraris’ help when she took over as head of chemistry and biochemistry.

“He would not let a student struggle,” she said. “He would take the student step by step. It was such an act of kindness. He asked tough questions, not because he wanted the student to have a tough time; he wanted the student to learn, to think, and he would be so patient. He would ask many follow-up questions. He would never give up.”

Sherry agreed: “The students loved him because he worked them hard, but he always had that sense of humor that made them feel like they didn’t have to be so tense.”

The Friend

Sherry, who lived only a half-mile from Ferraris, regularly enjoyed playing golf with his friend, going to dinner or the symphony with their wives, heading out on camping and skiing trips, and feasting on one of Ferraris’ pasta specialties.

“I enjoyed John so much,” he said. “He was just a fun person — not only a great colleague scientifically, but a fun person to be around.”

Ferraris’ passion for UTD was as intense as his passion for life. Lin Ferraris said he couldn’t help but comment every time he saw a billboard advertising the University. A few weeks before he died, the pair took a walk among the magnolia trees on campus simply to revel in their majesty one more time.

“John loved that. I loved it, too,” Lin said. “He was really, really proud of being part of the University.”

Dr. David Hyndman, NSM dean and the Francis S. and Maurine G. Johnson Distinguished University Chair, said Ferraris’ achievements will leave a lasting impression.

“Dr. Ferraris was not only a brilliant chemist and deeply respected professor but also a guiding light for countless individuals across the UT Dallas campus,” he said. “His wisdom, leadership and unwavering dedication steered the department and school through transformative years, fostering a culture of excellence, mentorship and collaboration. His legacy — as a visionary leader, devoted mentor and steadfast advocate for academic success — will continue to inspire generations to come.”