Chemical bonds beyond the lab: Douglas S. Clark

Douglas S. Clark, Dean Emeritus, College of Chemistry; Chancellor's Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, has spent time reflecting on his career recently – as one might do when one steps away from being dean for 12 years. And so has his wife, Molly. One morning, she commented to him, "It's amazing that people like you–professors, faculty, researchers–seem to know the path they are on from such an early start...How do you know this is something you'll be good at?"

He admits this is a difficult question to answer – both when she posed it that morning and as he continues to consider it. However, he can pinpoint the moment the "science bug really bit him" – in college, particularly in graduate school.

"I knew then that was what I really wanted to do," he said. Clark speaks with such humility, downplaying his success, quick to praise those around him and acknowledge the work of the people who helped support him along the way. But it's clear that this is more than just what he does – it's his calling.

"As John Prausnitz put it so eloquently, he was amazed that Berkeley was willing to pay him for a job he loved," he said.

Clark received his B.S. at the University of Vermont (1979) and his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology (1983). He was assistant professor at Cornell University before landing at UC Berkeley as professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering – a position he has held for 40 years – 12 of which he was also dean. One look at his faculty page gives you a glimpse into the numerous accomplishments and accolades he has received over the years, including the Berkeley Citation (2025) and the Marvin J. Johnson Award in Microbial and Biochemical Technology, given by the American Chemical Society (2006) as well as election to the National Academy of Engineering (2019).

Atomic advancement: the potential of education

Clark's research is in the field of biochemical engineering, with a particular emphasis on enzyme technology, biomaterials, and bioenergy. And that's what he has continued to do since his departure as dean of the College last July.

But when faced with the question of whether he feels as though he has a specific science problem he is called to solve, he ultimately lands on wanting to be useful.

"[As scientists], we've been focusing on renewable energy and climate change – at least the influence that renewable energy can have on mitigating climate change – and we've been working on that for over a decade now," he said. "That's always been an interest and an important problem – and something I have felt I have an obligation to contribute to," he said.

In addition, his early career also included being involved in start-ups focused on developing new molecules as drug candidates, which helped him flex his entrepreneurial muscles and also participate in the translation of discovery from the lab to commercial practice, which he found very rewarding.
"But on the other hand, one of our primary responsibilities is to educate. The experience graduate students gain from working on these projects is very valuable," he said. "And what's more useful than education?"

He described his teaching career with enthusiasm – recalling moments where he felt stimulated and charged up when bouncing ideas off a group of students, which he referred to as ambitious, energetic, and smart.

But ultimately, when the opportunity was presented to him by then-Dean Clayton Heathcock to become Executive Associate Dean, combined with his desire to serve the college and give back, Clark knew he could rise to the challenge.

"Doug has been Dean of the College of Chemistry for 11 years," said Heathcock at the College's groundbreaking (in May 2024) for its new research and teaching facility, named after him. "That's longer than any other person ever except Gilbert N. Lewis,* and that's pretty remarkable because most of the deans I knew during my time at Berkeley were only able to make it 5 years, and some of them less."

"One of my greatest accomplishments was to pick Doug to be my Executive Associate Dean," he continued during the event's remarks.

Chemical equilibrium in leadership: a balancing act

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Clark's leadership style as he stepped into Heathcock's role seemed to emulate similar qualities – relaxed, confident, and charismatic but with all the scientific chops to back up the role.

He reveals his leadership philosophy has always been to empower and collaborate – assembling a talented team and trusting them to excel in their roles. He allows his leaders' expertise to shine and gives them the autonomy to execute their responsibilities effectively, but is always ready and willing to make the hard decisions. And in the last 12 years, there have been many.

One of the biggest challenges he faced and led his team through took place in 2016, when UC Berkeley was considering disbanding the College of Chemistry to help cope with a financial drought, at a time when it was facing $150 million in debt along with flat income from tuition and rising costs. Closing the College of Chemistry and absorbing its departments into other university colleges was just one of the many plans it considered to save money. Luckily, the college remained intact.

"I am certain that the outpouring of support from the College of Chemistry community was crucial in persuading campus that the unique structure of the college is integral to its worldwide reputation, to the outstanding productivity of its renowned faculty, and to its strength as a fundraising and revenue-generating enterprise," said Clark. He also credited then- undergraduate chemistry student Jonathan Melville, who launched a petition to stop the idea in its tracks. The petition was signed by scientists from inside and outside the university and garnered almost 4,500 signatures.

And while that was certainly a monumental threat – it was one he describes as "acute" – the chronic danger has been the mounting pressure behind the budget woes. It is no secret that in California, higher education began facing significant budget challenges in the latter part of the 20th century, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. Today, UC Berkeley continues to face a significant budget deficit – again, primarily due to rising costs and salary increases that are required by UC, but which exceed tuition and state support.

For the College of Chemistry, the added struggle of aging facilities while needing to support modern, cutting-edge research weighs heavily on the shoulders of the dean.

"In the chemical sciences, the start-up packages and start-up needs are escalating," he said. "You're faced with the high cost of doing business in aging and deteriorating facilities, and the continuous competition from wealthy peers against a university budget that is being increasingly stressed. It's a challenging combination of circumstances."

However, even with the stakes this high, Clark was able to maintain what any good leader should do: provide reassurance and support, while also taking decisive action to address the challenges at hand. And he takes great pride in the many solutions he and his team have assembled in the face of adversity.

One such solution was the creation of the Berkeley Catalyst Fund – a pioneering and innovative fundraising effort, in collaboration with former students of Nobel Laureate chemistry professor Yuan T. Lee. Laura Smoliar and Ted Hou both completed their dissertations in Lee's research group in 1995. Together, they established a unique hybrid venture-fund model, consisting of a for-profit venture fund they called the Berkeley Catalyst Fund (BCF) and a philanthropic fund managed by the UC Berkeley Foundation. The BCF, with an initial capital of $25 million, aimed to invest in about 20 early-stage companies over a period of 4-5 years, drawing mainly from research within the college and related departments. The fund follows a "carry-return" model, whereby a portion of the fund's earnings are returned directly to the college. They also created a parallel philanthropic fund — the Berkeley Catalyst Philanthropic Fund (BCPF), garnering support from alumni to aid in commercializing technology emerging from the college's labs. This dual-fund approach empowered college researchers to advance their discoveries and launch new ventures, while promising to provide revenue to the college as well.

Clark also oversaw the launch of California Research Alliance by BASF, a multidisciplinary research institute pairing BASF experts with researchers throughout the UC system.

The molecular narrative continues

"There are certainly many accomplishments that I look back on with pride, like establishing this fund," says Clark. "It was the first of its kind and a model that has been emulated by many other funds across campus. But there's so much more," he continues. "The opportunity to establish relationships with Taiwan and alumni around the world, all of the people we've hired, working with different chairs and the campus administration, hiring brilliant faculty and seeing the work they are doing – those are the things I will look back on and feel proud of."

As Clark closes out his legacy, he leaves on several high notes. The college celebrated the groundbreaking of its new research and teaching facility, Heathcock Hall, in the summer of 2024 surrounded by staff, faculty, advisory board members, and international benefactors, marking a key milestone toward creating a vibrant hub for new highly interdisciplinary research and education. This standout achievement in fundraising, gaining approval and securing funds, is embodied by the structure now being built on the chemistry complex. The roughly 80,000 square foot building will attract rising leaders from around the world to the chemical sciences. It will contain six stories of modern laboratory space to accommodate research in synthetic chemistry, physical chemistry, and chemical and biomolecular engineering. It is the College's first new building project since the completion of Tan Hall in 1997.

Following the historic groundbreaking event, Clark hosted his annual Dean's Dinner, where he presented two very special Dean's Medals – a new tradition he will leave behind. The first medal was presented to John Prausnitz, emeritus professor of chemical engineering, and the second to Chancellor Emeritus Christ.

"The College of Chemistry is more than an institution—it is, as one recent external reviewer put it, a national treasure. It reflects an enduring standard of excellence and a deep commitment to advancing society. To have served as its dean has been a privilege, and the pinnacle of my professional career," Clark said.

Looking ahead, Clark plans to become a Professor of the Graduate School, where he intends to finalize a long-anticipated new edition of a textbook on biochemical engineering, and continue his research, furthering a career-long dedication to the College and its mission.

*Lewis was professor of physical chemistry and dean of the College of Chemistry at the University of California from 1912 to 1934. He is best known for his discovery of the covalent bond and his concept of electron pairs.