Role of the UC Davis department of Environmental Toxicology in the founding of the division of Agrochemicals

The ACS Division of Pesticide Chemistry, now the Division of Agrochemicals, was founded in 1970. Coinciding with the development of the Department of Environmental Toxicology at UC Davis, Professor Emeritus Donald G. Crosby was a founding member and first chair of both the division and department. In the United States during that same year Earth Day was first celebrated and the Environmental Protection Agency was established. It was the dawning of an exciting era devoted to developing a better understanding of the fate and impacts of chemicals, including agrochemicals, in the environment. Having arrived in Davis a decade earlier with a doctorate from Cal Tech and research experience at Union Carbide, Professor Crosby established one of the first research programs focused on the environmental fate of pesticides. The division and department, firsts for both, were the natural results of his pioneering activities. The Division of Agrochemicals is now celebrating its 50th anniversary of serving as an international platform for the dissemination of cutting-edge information and a forum for the sharing of new ideas. Much has been learned over the years, from synthetic and fate processes to modes and mechanisms of toxic action in both target and non-target species. This has significantly advanced the management of agrochemicals to greatly enhance their benefits while minimizing their risks. A truly pivotal year, 1970 represents a turning point in both the focus on environmental quality and the role that deriving a better understanding of agrochemicals can play. Both the Division of Agrochemicals and the UC Davis Department of Environmental Toxicology have led the way ever since. Over the five decades that have passed, Professor Crosby had witnessed many changes and will share his reflections on both the past and future.