Jim Rocca will be retiring in October 2024 after serving UF as a research facility specialist at the McKnight Brain Institute for 26 years. Jim also supported the NMR instrumentation at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry for more than 20 years. In appreciation of his long and dedicated service to the department, the faculty, staff, postdocs, and students gathered over lunch with Jim and his family to reminisce about the years of patient and passionate teaching of the art of NMR to more than a hundred trainees, research staff, and visiting scholars.
“What an impact! Jim is clearly the most acknowledged person in our students’ dissertations,” said Hendrik Luesch, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department, in addressing the gathering.
Jim, as always, had many stories to share and in encouraging the students said that it was the excitement of being surrounded by an energetic group of brilliant young minds that motivated him to jump out of bed in morning and get to work each day. Jim was one of the few people who wouldn’t hesitate to share his mobile number and would actually encourage to be called on his phone day or night 24/7. He jokingly commented that it was his secret assurance that his trainees were not attempting to fix any problems with his precious instrument on their own.
Dr. Luesch presented Jim with a plaque that captured some challenging structures Jim helped solve with his expertise and included a proper tribute that summed his matchless dedication and passion that will be immensely missed by all who worked closely with him.
“Thank you Jim for your unwavering dedication and commitment to UF, the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and the training of the next generation of scientists in the art of NMR. Your presence and wealth of knowledge will be greatly missed.”