Jim D. Atwood began his position as Faculty Athletics Representative in January 2010.

Professor Atwood was born and raised in Willard, Missouri, son of Harvey and Louise Atwood.  He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry in three years, Magna Cum Laude, from Missouri State University in 1971.  In 1996 Atwood received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Missouri State University.  Atwood received his Ph.D. in 1975 from the University of Illinois, receiving the Theron Standish Piper Award for Graduate Research.  Postgraduate study in the Joint U.S.-U.S.S.R. Program on Homogeneous Catalysis sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Soviet Academy of Sciences, involved nine months with Professor Earl Muetterties at Cornell University and six months with Professor A. E. Shilov at the Institute of Chemical Physics in Moscow.  Atwood began at the University at Buffalo in January, 1977, just prior to the infamous blizzard.  Promotion to Associate Professor (1981) and Professor (1988) were accompanied by recognition as an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (1983-1985) and a Humboldt Research Fellow (1984).  Thirty-four students have received Ph.D. degrees and nine have received M.A. degrees under Atwood’s guidance.  Atwood’s research group has published 135 manuscripts in the general areas of organometallic chemistry and homogeneous catalysis.  Atwood also authored two editions of a textbook, Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions (1985 and 1996).

Professor Atwood is Editor of the international Journal of Coordination Chemistry which publishes over 4000 pages annually with manuscripts from over 40 countries.  Atwood was also Volume Editor of Comprehensive Organometallic Chemistry, II, Editor of Volumes 14 and 17 of Inorganic Reactions and Methods and Associate Editor of Inorganic Chemistry.

Professor Atwood has excelled in teaching at every level, large general chemistry classes, classes for chemistry majors and graduate classes.  His excellence in teaching has been recognized by the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching(2003) and the University at Buffalo, College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award(2002). 

Professor Atwood has served in a variety of roles within the University at Buffalo, Chair of the Department of Chemistry for eight years, various committees in the Graduate School (Fellowship, Excellence in Student Teaching, Executive Committee, etc.) Provost's Advisory Panel on Responsible Conduct in Intellectual and Creative Activity, Budget Priorities Committee of the Faculty Senate, President's Review Board and Faculty Athletics Representative, for example. 

Jim Atwood married the former Mary Lyn Nicholson in 1971 and they have three daughters, Angela, Amanda and Alanna, and seven grandchildren.  Atwood has had a lifelong interest in sports and continues to play basketball and golf.