Samuel R. Scholes, Jr. (1884-1974) was a world authority in the field of glass science and established the department of glass technology at Alfred University in 1932, where he remained a professor (and later Dean of the College of Ceramics) until his retirement in 1952.
In 1961 the Alfred chapter of the Society of SigmaXi established a lectureship honoring Dr. Scholes, acknowledging his outstanding contributions to science, particularly in the field of glass technology. A gift to him on the inaugural lecture was a piece of Steuben glass.
A fitting gift, Steuben glass, an American art glass manufacturer, was known for its exceptional quality.Virtually flawless, it has been given as gifts to many high-ranking individuals around the world and is now a collector’s item (the company operated from 1903 – 2011).