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Dr. Knachel was a member of the Chemistry Department starting in 1971. He taught general chemistry and inorganic chemistry and lab and analytical and physical chemistry. He also taught the chemistry portion of the Integrated Natural Science Sequence and, for many years, was the coordinator of the general chemistry program and an annual high school chemistry teachers' workshop. He was the resident expert on much of the teaching technology within the department and his generosity to and concern for the chemistry department was unmatched by any other. Dr. Knachel graduated with a B.S. Chemistry degree from UD and taught high school chemistry for four years. Then, he went back to college and received his M.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry at The Ohio State University and continued research there through sabbatical leave. While there, much of his research revolved around "Bucky balls," or buckminsterfullerene, a spherical molecule similar to the shape of a soccer ball and named after Buckminster Fuller, the architect of the geodesic dome. He brought the research methods back to UD and attracted a variety of students to his research lab which contained a maze of tubing and other apparatus.

In the classroom, Dr. Knachel was famous for his enthusiasm and animated demonstrations. A typical response to Dr. Knachel's teaching method was, "If anyone can get and keep my attention at 8 in the morning, it's Dr. Knachel!" Like many on campus, he and his wife are loyal Flyer basketball fans. If his cheering at the arena is at all similar to the encouragement he gives to his students, well, it's no wonder that the Flyers win so many home games.

Research interests

• Inorganic chemistry
• Synthesis and properties of fullerenes
• Structure and reactivity of phosphorus halides
• Sulfur-nitrogen chemistry