HWS News
15 August 2025 From the Office of the President: Remembering Professor Carl Aten
Dear Members of the HWS Community,
I am saddened to share news of the passing of Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Carl F. Aten, a passionate educator and distinguished researcher whose devotion to Hobart and William Smith inspired generations of students to pursue careers in the sciences.
Carl earned his bachelor’s from the College of Wooster and his Ph.D. from Brown University before beginning his career as a research chemist at Texaco and later as a research associate and instructor at Cornell University. He joined HWS in 1962, pursuing a 30-year tenure marked by his dedication to imparting to students his love of chemistry. An expert in physical chemistry, Carl taught courses at every level including “Molecular Structure” and “Advanced Organic Chemistry” and authored and co-authored numerous journal articles on topics ranging from heavy metal in rainwater to the absorption spectra of molecules.
His scholarly pursuits extended beyond campus through sabbatical leaves and summer research at institutions such as the University of Washington, the University of Reading, Oregon State University, Brown University and Pennsylvania State University. In Geneva, he served as an adjunct professor of food science and technology and conducted research at Cornell AgriTech.
Colleagues and former students recalled his dedication, high standards and quiet encouragement. "Carl Aten was a gifted teacher, terrific mentor and great motivator,” wrote Dr. John Fromson ’75, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “He told me firmly and unequivocally that he had faith in me."
Dr. Steven Seminer '81, P’17, P’20, an anesthesiologist in Schenectady, N.Y., shared that along with other HWS chemistry department faculty, Carl supported and mentored him. “Together they helped me to not only get into medical school, but also to clarify that medicine should be my vocation."
A member of the Northeast Regional section of the Association of Agricultural Chemists and the American Chemical Society, Carl made lasting contributions to the scientific community and to HWS. His legacy continues through the Aten Physical Chemistry Prize, established in 1998 to recognize outstanding student achievement in physical chemistry. Many recipients have gone on to prestigious graduate programs like the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University, among others.
Ann Warner, former academic coordinator for the sciences, recalls Carl’s dry sense of humor but, most of all, his devotion to his students. “I doubt he ever missed a class,” she said. “He was very dedicated and conscientious.”
Carl is survived by his children Lorraine and Steven and was predeceased by his wife Heather and children Ralph and Keith.
Details about memorial service plans will be shared when they are available. Our thoughts are with Carl’s family, friends, colleagues and everyone who had the joy of knowing him.
Sincerely,
Mark D. Gearan
President
This statement, and others from the Office of the President, can be found here.
