State Microscopical Society of Illinois Awards Dinner Event ended
Wednesday, June 12, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Buddy Guy's Legends, 700 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago
Honoring John Gustav Delly, 2024 Émile M. Chamot Award Recipient
Join Inter/Micro and the State Microscopical Society of Illinois (SMSI) as they honor John Gustav Delly with the 2024 Émile M. Chamot Award. Mr. Delly was presented with the award and accepted the Chamot medal earlier this year. SMSI will highlight and illustrate his long and distinguished microscopy career.
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Social hour6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Dinner and drinks 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. Award announcement and presentations
John Gustav Delly (1934–2024) practiced his passion for science, microscopy, and the written word throughout a long, illustrious career as micro-analytical researcher, author, and educator. Delly directed the laboratory for contamination identification at Walter C. McCrone Associates for 20 years and supervised research concerned with troubleshooting microscopic particle problems for government and industry. He then joined McCrone Research Institute as a full-time senior research microscopist and instructor, teaching a variety of courses, including applied polarized light and forensic microscopy, photomicrography, and the identification of soil, minerals, and asbestos. Later in his career he worked at the McCrone Group as scientific advisor and professor emeritus at the Hooke College of Applied Sciences. Delly has designed microscopical accessories and authored more than 500 books, research papers, and other publications, including Kodak’s Photography Through the Microscope, Polarized Light Microscopy (co-authored with Walter C. McCrone and Lucy B. McCrone), Essentials of Polarized Light Microscopy and Ancillary Techniques, The Particle Atlas Vols. I-V (co-authored with Walter C. McCrone), Teaching Microscopy (Ed.) in The Microscope Series, and the Diffraction Lines column for The Microscope journal. Formerly a chemistry and biology teacher for the Chicago Public School system, Delly earned a B.S. degree in zoology and chemistry from the University of Illinois and M.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Roosevelt University. He was a fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society, member of the Quekett Microscopical Club, New York Microscopical Society, Microscopical Society of Southern California, American Chemical Society, and State Microscopical Society of Illinois (SMSI). His accolades with SMSI include receiving a pewter mug for winning in all three categories of their very first photomicrography contest and being the recipient of the 1995 SMSI Honorary Award together with honorary lifetime society membership. A photomicrography enthusiast and expert, Delly photographed “yuletide” specimens that have appeared on many McCrone holiday cards over the years, and he has served as a judge for Nikon’s Small World and the Polaroid Instant Photomicrography competitions.
Appetizers, 6:00–7:00 pm
• Legendary fried okra served with Creole honey mustard sauce• Santa Fe chicken egg rolls• Jambalaya skewers: grilled andouille sausage, shrimp, and red pepper triangles
Dinner Buffet, 6:30–7:30 pm
• Buttermilk cornbread• Mixed greens salad• Collard greens• Garlic smashed potatoes• Southern fried chicken• BBQ pulled pork sandwiches• Chicago's own Eli’s assorted cheesecake bites
Buddy Guy’s Legends is owned by seven-time Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame bluesman Buddy Guy, is renowned as Chicago's premier blues club, serving tantalizing Cajun and soul cuisine. Since opening in 1989, the Legends stage has been graced by some of the world’s most talented musicians such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bo Diddley, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Junior Wells, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, to name a few.