Richard Oakley

During his academic career Richard Oakley taught both classroom and laboratory courses, ranging from introductory chemistry to senior inorganic and graduate offerings. His research work spanned the three-way interface between chemistry, physics and materials science, most recently focusing on the synthesis and solid state characterization of molecular radicals, biradicals and radical ions, with the goal of generating functional materials with unusual magnetic, conductive and/or optical properties. Outside of his academic activities he was heavily involved with the development and organization of national and international scientific conferences.

• main group chemistry
• stable radicals
• molecular materials
• molecular magnetism and conductivity
• neutral radical conductors

• 1976 Ph.D., Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada
• 1970 M.Sc., Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada
• 1969 B.Sc., Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Canada
• 1961-1965, GCE O, A and S levels, Whitgift School, England

• 2016 E.W.R. Steacie Award (CSC)
• 2009 Fellow, Royal Society of Canada (FRSC)
• 2006-2008 Killam Research Fellowship (Canada Council)
• 2001 Pure or Applied Inorganic Chemistry Award (CSC)
• 1993 Alcan Lecture Award (CSC)
• 1993 Fellow, Chemical Institute of Canada (FCIC)
• 1991 Akron Lecture Award (ACS)
• 1980-1987 NSERC University Research Fellowship
• 1976-1978 Honorary Canadian Ramsay Memorial Fellowship

• 2016-present, Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo
• 1998-2016 Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo
• 1989-1998 Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph
• 1986-89 Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Guelph
• 1983-86 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Guelph
• 1980-83 Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary
• 1978-80 Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary
• 1971-72 Professor Asistente, Departamento de Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander

• Selected recent articles by Richard Oakley:
• J. Marbey, A. Mailman, R. T. Oakley, S. Hill and S. M. Winter. “Substituent Effects on Exchange Anisotropy in Single- and Multi-Orbital Organic Radical Magnets.” Phys. Rev. Materials 8, 044406 (2024).
• T. Chivers and R. T. Oakley. “Structures and Spectroscopic Properties of Polysulfide Radical Anions: A Theoretical Perspective.” Molecules 28, 5654 (2023).
• C. M. Robertson, S. M. Winter, J. A. K. Howard, M. R. Probert and R. T. Oakley. “Low Temperature Insights into the Crystal and Magnetic Structure of a Neutral Radical Ferromagnet.” Chem. Commun. 57, 10238-10241 (2021).
• A. Mailman, C. M. Robertson, S. M. Winter, P. A. Dube and R. T. Oakley. “The Importance of Electronic Dimensionality in Multiorbital Radical Conductors.” Inorg. Chem. 58, 6495-6506 (2019).
• K. Lekin, A. A. Leitch, A. Assoud, W. Yong, J. Desmarais, J. S. Tse, S. Desgreniers, R. A. Secco and R. T. Oakley. “Benzoquinone-Bridged Heterocyclic Zwitterions as Building Blocks for Molecular Semiconductors and Metals.” Inorg. Chem. 57, 4757-4770 (2018).
• For a complete list of peer-reviewed publications, see Richard Oakley's Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?user=ikLmMMsAAAAJ&hl