• David A. Evans, Professor of Chemistry, Harvard University
  Ralph F. Hirshmann Lecture: "Studies of Asymmetric Synthesis."
   
  
• Barry M. Trost, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  "Selectivity. A Goal for Synthetic Efficiency."
   
  
• William S. Johnson, Professor of Chemistry, Stanford University
  "Asymmetric Synthesis by Acetal Templates."
   
  
• Donald J. Cram, Professor of Chemistry, University of California at Los Angeles
  "Approaches to Synthetic Enzyme Mimics."
   
  
• Edwin Vedejs, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  "Cytochalasins: Synthesis and Biology."
   
  
• Daniel H. Rich, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  "Studies of Enzyme Mechanism by 13C NMR."
   
  
• Howard E. Zimmerman, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  "Exploratory and Mechanistic Photochemistry."
   
  
• A. Eschenmoser, Professor of Chemistry, ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
  "Towards an Understanding of the Vitamin B12 Strucure."

The Ralph F. Hirschmann Lectureship was established by a grant from Merck Sharp & Dohme to bring to the University of Wisconsin - Madison distinguished professors and researchers in the fields of organic, bio-organic and physical chemistry.

This two-day symposium features invited lectures by past speakers in the Karl Folkers and James Sprague Lecture series as well as by members of the Department of Chemistry and the School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Dr. Hirschmann, Senior Vice President-Chemistry at Merck Sharp & Dohme, received his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1950 (working with Professor W. S. Johnson) and joined Merck the same year. Dr. Hirschmann is recognized internationally for his multidisciplinary approach to basic research. His many contributions have helped advance the fields of Biochemistry, Biology, Organic Chemistry and Medicine. He is particularly well known for his development of the N-carboxy-anhydride method for coupling peptides, the successful synthesis of ribonuclease in 1969, the design of potent angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and the rational design of somatostatin analogues.

David A. Evans, Professor of Chemistry, Harvard University, received his A.B. from Oberlin College and his Ph.D. (1967) from California Institute of Technology. He served on the faculties in Chemistry at U.C.L.A. from 1967 to 1974 and at the California Institute of Technology from 1974 to 1983 before accepting his current position at Harvard University. He has been honored for his contributions to Organic Chemistry on numerous occasions including the ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry (1982) and his election to the National Academy of Sciences (1984). The current research interests of David Evans and his collaborators are focused in the general area of organic synthesis. Current objectives include both the discovery and development of highly stereoselective bond construction processes and the incorporation of this technology into a range of ongoing projects in the area of natural products synthesis.