Joseph M. Hornback was born and raised in southwestern Ohio. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry, magna cum laude, form the University of Notre Dame in 1965. He then attended the Ohio State University on an NSF traineeship and received his Ph.D. in 1968. He then moved to the University of Wisconsin on an NIH postdoctoral fellowship. In 1970, Joe joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Denver, where he is now Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. His research interests are in the areas of synthetic organic chemistry and organic photochemistry. He has served in a number of administrative positions, including Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, Associate Dean for Natural… Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering, and Director of the Honors Program. His first love has always been teaching and he has taught organic chemistry nearly every term, even when he was an administrator. He has received the Natural Science Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Outstanding Academic Advising Award.