Ron Sass began a career at Rice University in 1958, spanning 66 years. He served as a faculty member and researcher under five of Rice’s six presidents, helped build the early foundations of the university, and whole-heartedly dedicated his passion and commitment for teaching and learning to Rice’s students.
One of Ron’s most meaningful roles at Rice was as faculty magister at Hanszen College in 1964, and again from 1966 to 1968. He lived beside the student residential college and dedicated his energies to developing students’ cultural and intellectual interests and championing two student-led efforts that created the first versions of two enduring student-run campus features: the Rice radio station KTRU and Rice coffeehouse.
Ron was a Rice faculty member of the Chemistry, Biology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) departments, serving as Chair of both Biology and EEB. He was appointed to the Harry C. and Olga Keith Wiess Chair of Natural Sciences in 1989 and awarded emeritus status upon his retirement in 2007. Ron served as faculty for the Master of Liberal Studies Program in the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies from 2005-2014 and capstone advisor until 2019, and was appointed Fellow in Global Climate Change at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy 2009-2024. His early research interests included x-ray crystallography and microstructure of invertebrate muscles. In 1990, he took up studies in biogeochemistry focused his research on methane production and emissions from rice cultivation. Later in his career, Ron’s continued to help further build the university by co-founding the Rice Center for Education, co-founding the Rice University Retired Faculty Association, and serving as the Association’s Founding Director.
Ron consulted for the Environmental Protection Agency and advised the United Nations Development Programme Interregional Research Program on methane emission from rice fields in Asia. His international peers chose him to take part in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore. The Nobel Committee jointly recognized the IPCC and Vice President Gore “for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”
Ron was passionate about his teaching and his students. At Rice and beyond, Ron’s expansive curiosity and creative approach touched the lives of students in lasting ways: “Dr. Sass opened my mind to new ways of seeing and thinking”, “He was my hero”, “He inspired me to love science”, “He was magnificent”, “I called him Zen chemist”. Ron will be remembered and celebrated for his enduring dedication, advocacy, support, and compassion for his students, colleagues, family, friends, and fellow members of earth’s connected community and systems.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that you consider a memorial gift to the Ronald L. Sass Memorial Fund supporting the Harris Gully Natural Area, Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University. The Sass family have directed gifts in memory of Dr. Sass to support the Harris Gully Natural Area, a recently restored natural microhabitat on the Rice University campus where conservation biology students can work and study. Your gift will support research and education in this field and honor Dr. Sass's work and legacy in the Wiess School of Natural Sciences. If you prefer to make a gift by mail, please make your check out to Rice University, Sass Memorial Fund and send to Rice Development Office, MS-81, PO Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892.
Your official tax receipt will automatically be sent to the email address you provide. Notice of your gift will also be shared with the Sass family and loved ones. For any questions, please contact Jackie Macha at jackie.macha@rice.edu or 713-348-4268.