Peter Rock, a professor of chemistry and the founding dean of the Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at UC Davis, died June 14 after an extended illness. He was 66.

"This campus has lost one of its most dedicated and effective citizens," Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef said. "He thought long and hard about major university issues, came to principled decisions, then tenaciously pursued and defended his beliefs. He was, as a result, very influential in the evolution of the campus. We will miss him so very much."

Rock served as dean for eight years, until 2003. His successor, Winston Ko, said Rock "defined what we are today. As we mourn his loss, at the same time we remember his great contributions to the campus."

Rock, a native of New Haven, Conn., attended high school in Lowell, Mass., and received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Boston University in 1961. He then went to UC Berkeley, where he received a doctorate in physical chemistry and chemical thermodynamics in 1964.

That same year, he joined the UC Davis faculty as an assistant professor, and he remained at Davis for the rest of his career.

Rock served as chair of the Department of Chemistry from 1980 to 1985 and as vice chair from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, he was appointed acting dean of the newly formed Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, which includes the departments of chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics and geology, within the College of Letters and Science. A year later, his appointment was made permanent.

As dean, Rock strengthened and enlarged research and teaching programs in the division and initiated several facility improvement projects, including renovations of the Chemistry Annex building and the Physics/Geology Building, as well as the new $22 million Mathematical Sciences Building, which opened in March 2006. Rock spoke at the dedication.

One of his lasting achievements was the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty at all levels to the division and to UC Davis, including members of the National Academy of Sciences and winners of prestigious fellowships and awards. An advocate of research that cuts across disciplines, he developed protocols to make it easier to recruit professors with appointments in two, three or even four departments.

At the campus level, Rock was involved in many initiatives over the years to boost UC Davis programs. He led planning efforts for a new Graduate School of the Environment, to improve graduate studies and attract more top-quality graduate students across the board.

"He was incredibly effective and extraordinarily honest," said William Casey, a UC Davis professor of chemistry who collaborated on research with Rock. "He had great intellectual courage, could see right through to the errors in an idea and would not be swayed by popular opinion. But he was never unpleasant. He was a wonderful guy to work with.

"Peter would always do what was best for the institution," Casey added.

Online chemistry lab

Rock was very interested in using new technology to support student teaching. One of his favorite recent projects was an online chemistry lab.

Frustrated by overcrowding in chemistry lab classes, Rock approached Harry Matthews of Information and Educational Technology about a computer-based solution. The chemistry department and IET developed a program that allows students to go through the introductory material and safety information online, before they arrive in the lab class, saving at least 30 minutes per class and allowing lab space to be used more efficiently.

In his research, Rock measured the energy flows that accompany chemical reactions and used this training to advance theory within physical chemistry, study the chemistry of the Earth and design treatments for medical disorders. His thermodynamic measurements were so precise that virtually all of them were incorporated into the National Institute for Standards and Technology source book that identifies data of the highest quality.

Rock wrote textbooks for all levels of chemistry and geochemistry, averaging a book every five years. His first book, Chemical Thermodynamics: Principles and Applications, written in 1969, remains in high demand and is still used as a text in engineering and geosciences.

Casey said Rock tempered his scientific research with a broad knowledge of scientific biographies and inspired younger scientists with the details of how major scientific breakthroughs were achieved — both from rigorous application of reason and from serendipity.

"He felt that science was among the noblest of human endeavors," Casey said.

Outside the university, Rock was an avid baseball fan and Formula 1 and Champ Car auto racing fan. He owned and managed a semiprofessional baseball team, the Davis Red Sox, from 1979 to 1989.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Elaine; three children, Mike Rock, Lisa Rock and Deborah Williams; and five grandchildren, Sam, Henry, Sydney, Sophie and Kyle.

A private family service was held June 19. In lieu of flowers, the family requested that contributions be made to the Peter A. Rock Memorial Fund for Chemistry Students. Checks should be made payable to UC Davis Foundation-Peter A. Rock Memorial Fund, and sent to the College of Letters and Science Deans Office, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis 95616.