Peter Anthony Leermakers

Peter A. Leermakers was born on March 28, 1937, in Rochester, New York. After graduating from Allendale High School, he enrolled at Wesleyan University, where he earned his B.A. in 1958. He went on to pursue doctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology, receiving his Ph.D. in 1961 for research conducted under the guidance of Professor George S. Hammond—one of the leading figures in physical organic chemistry. A year of postdoctoral work at Yale University with Professor William von E. Doering followed, after which Leermakers returned to Wesleyan in 1962 as an Assistant Professor.

A rising star in the field, Leermakers was named a Sloan Research Fellow in 1967 and promoted to Professor just two years later. Tragically, his career was cut short by an automobile accident in Mariposa, California, on August 16, 1971.

Despite the brevity of his career, Leermakers published approximately sixty research papers and earned a reputation as an exceptionally creative chemist. He was widely respected by colleagues and deeply admired by his students, many of whom were inspired to pursue chemistry through his mentorship and enthusiasm. Best known for his work in photochemistry and photosensitization, his intellectual curiosity led him to explore a wide range of topics—from small ring compounds to the chemistry underlying the mechanism of vision.