What Einstein Told His Cook (39 page)

ROBERT L. WOLKE
is professor emeritus of chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh and a syndicated columnist for
The Washington Post
.

He received his Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Cornell University, following which he did research at the Enrico Fermi Institute of the University of Chicago, the General Atomic Division of General Dynamics, the University of Florida, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

In 1960 he joined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh, where he has served as associate and full professor, director of the Wherrett Laboratory of Nuclear Chemistry, and director of the University’s Office of Faculty Development.

In 1990 he left academe to devote full time to writing. In 1998 he was asked to write a food science column, “Food 101” for
The Washington Post
, which he continues to do today. The column is nationally syndicated by the United Feature Syndicate.

He is the winner of a Golden Quill Award for Distinguished Achievement in Journalism, a James Beard Foundation Journalism Award for newspaper food columns, the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ Bert Greene Award for newspaper food writing, and awards from the Association of Food Journalists and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.