Dr. Isiah Warner receives national award for mentorship

Bunkie native Isiah Warner was recently presented a“lifetime achievement award” by the scientific journal Nature, in recognition for his efforts in mentoring students in chemistry.

The Nature Award for Mentoring in Science was established in 2005 to recognize those involved in the important, and often overlooked, area of mentorship.

Warner is Boyd Professor at LSU -- the highest professorial position at the university -- and has received numerous honors, including SEC Professor of the Year for 2016.

LSU credits Warner’s leadership and mentorship in the Department of Chemistry for the university being a leading producer of doctoral degrees in chemistry for African American students in the country.

Under his direction, the LSU Office of Strategic Initiatives has mentored a large number of students in eight programs, from high school to doctoral levels.

To date, Warner has seen 64 of his students graduate with a Ph.D. Half of those are women and more than a third are African-American.

That stands in stark contrast to the way things were before Warner joined the faculty in 1992. At that time, LSU had only graduated six African- American Ph.D.’s in its entire history.

Warner is a world-renowned expert in analytical applications of fluorescence spectroscopy. His research aims to develop and apply chemical, instrumental and mathematical measurements to solve fundamental questions in chemistry.

“Dr. Warner’s dedication to teaching, service and research embodies the LSU mission,” LSU President F. King Alexander said. “We congratulate him on this international recognition.”

Each year, Nature gives the awards in a different geographical region, and this year’s awards honor excellent mentors in the South of the United States.

Awardees are nominated by a group of their former trainees, from different stages of the mentor’s professional life; and the winners of the awards have demonstrated outstanding mentorship throughout their careers.

The awards presentation and reception were held Jan. 14 at the French House at LSU’s Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College.