William A. Lester Jr. Featured on Close Up Radio

By AI, Created 12:16 PM UTC, June 03, 2026, /AGP/ – Professor Emeritus of Chemistry William A. Lester Jr. was recently featured in a two-part Close Up Radio interview tied to his decades-long career in theoretical and computational chemistry. The segment highlights his path from Chicago’s South Side to UC Berkeley, his leadership in scientific computing, and his legacy as a mentor and pioneer for Black scientists.

Why it matters: - William A. Lester Jr. is a longtime UC Berkeley chemist whose work helped advance theoretical and computational chemistry. - The Close Up Radio feature spotlights both his scientific impact and his role opening doors for students from underrepresented backgrounds. - The interview also highlights a career that spans research leadership, teaching, and mentorship across more than five decades.

What happened: - Close Up Radio featured William A. Lester Jr., PhD, in a two-part interview with Doug Llewleyn on Monday, June 1, at 4 p.m. Eastern and with Jim Masters on Monday, June 8, at 4 p.m. Eastern. - Lester is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. - The profile traces Lester’s path from Chicago’s South Side to his career in chemistry and computational science.

The details: - Lester said a childhood radio commercial about “better things for better living through chemistry” helped spark his interest in science. - Lester earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Chicago and later earned a PhD in chemistry from The Catholic University of America. - As a high school senior, Lester typed research reports for a laboratory led by future Nobel laureate Robert Mulliken. - Lester and Mulliken’s research group traveled to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio to run programs before universities widely owned computers. - Lester was named “Man of the Year” at the University of Chicago, in part for his basketball scoring records. - After four rejections from PhD programs, Lester persisted and completed his graduate training. - Lester’s early education included an all-Black elementary school that he credits with giving him a strong foundation. - Lester’s research focused on using quantum mechanics to describe molecular behavior through equations arising from the Schrödinger equation. - Lester held positions at the National Bureau of Standards and the University of Wisconsin’s Theoretical Chemistry Institute. - Lester later took a management role at IBM’s Research Laboratory in San Jose, California, where he worked on large-scale scientific computing. - In the late 1970s, Lester was chosen after a national search to direct the National Resource for Computation in Chemistry. - The National Resource for Computation in Chemistry was established by the National Academy of Sciences and based at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. - The program supported chemists across the United States as they learned new computational tools. - Lester moved his household from San Jose to Berkeley to support his work. - Lester taught at UC Berkeley and helped students from many backgrounds pursue science. - A festschrift honoring Lester was held in 2007, and the Journal of Physical Chemistry published the proceedings. - Lester retired in 2010 but continued as Professor of the Graduate School for a period after that. - Lester’s family includes children and grandchildren who have worked in auto racing, business, military service, and technology.

Between the lines: - The feature frames Lester’s career as both a scientific achievement and a story about resilience through segregation, housing restrictions, and barriers in major research institutions. - The emphasis on his students and family suggests his legacy extends beyond publications and lab work. - The interview timing and recent publicity point to renewed attention on pioneers whose careers shaped modern computational chemistry.

What’s next: - Listeners can hear the interviews through podcast platforms linked in the release. - More information is available through the company’s announcement and the author page. - Close Up Radio also points readers to its Facebook page for updates.

The bottom line: - William A. Lester Jr.’s recognition underscores a career that combined scientific innovation, institutional leadership, and mentorship across generations.