Dr. Bonk has died; an era has ended.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

What an iconic figure on campus! Chem majors are not the only ones who will miss Dr. Bonk.
http://today.duke.edu/2013/03/bonkobit

[rhymeswithdreidel]

http://today.duke.edu/2013/03/bonkobit

[dball]

Dr. Bonk was a great teacher. Remember his class fondly.

[tbyers11]

Great teacher. RIP, Dr Bonk

[BD80]

Fond memories, particularly the auditorium applauding after an extended electron dot structure. Chalk dust would linger in the air.

I viewed him as Bilbo did Gandolph.

[House G]

Without a doubt my favorite prof at Duke. He was also a pretty fair tennis player if I remember.

[Mike Corey]

I'm so very sorry to hear this news.

As bad luck would have it, I missed taking his gen chem class by one year--he retired a few months before I matriculated in the fall of '01.

Professor Bonk is the only professor I remember my father discussing; he was, by far, my father's favorite professor, as he clearly was to so many. May he rest in peace.

[SilkyJ]

I'm so very sorry to hear this news.

As bad luck would have it, I missed taking his gen chem class by one year--he retired a few months before I matriculated in the fall of '01.

Professor Bonk is the only professor I remember my father discussing; he was, by far, my father's favorite professor, as he clearly was to so many. May he rest in peace.

He still taught some classes after you matriculated, like Chem 83 (gen chem for non-chem majors/pre-meds), but I think you are right in that he had stopped teaching most of his classes. He remained an advisor however--he was mine for all 4 years (T'06).

I wrote about Bonkistry in my application to Duke. Like you, my dad had told me stories about him, including using both hands to write chem reactions on the board. The best story I heard, however, might be when one of the basketball players, dressed up in a costume, tried to get him with a cream-pie to the face. A much younger Bonk evaded the pie, then chased the culprit out of the bldg and de-masked him in the creek behind Gross Chem. Now of course, I'm forgetting who it was--I'm sure someone here will remember...

RIP, Dr. Bonk.

[juise]

I got a lecture from Dr. Bonk on my first day of classes in 2000. He had a warm personality and was passionate about teaching. What a legacy he left.

RIP, Dr. Bonk.

[Bostondevil]

Let's hear specific stories.

Freshman year - first week of classes, I sat in Bonkistry for the first time. He addressed the class and proceeded to tell us why we were there. (Note: I don't remember the exact percentages, I'm making them up.)

"60% of you are . . . pre-med" he said as he wrote PRE-MED in capital letters on the chalkboard.
"25% of you are . . . engineers" again, he wrote ENGINEERS in all caps on the chalkboard.
"10% of you are . . . interested in majoring in chemistry or another science"

Then he turned to the class and said, "The other 5%, I have no idea why you're here. I hope it's not to fulfill your lab science requirement. If it is, I admire your bravery."

As a member of the other 5%, I wondered too. It didn't start out that way, but in the end, Bonkistry did indeed fulfill my lab science requirement. I've always appreciated that Professor Bonk admired my bravery.

(I do remember that is was "the other 5%", that percentage stayed with me.)

[Ggallagher]

What an iconic figure on campus! Chem majors are not the only ones who will miss Dr. Bonk.
http://today.duke.edu/2013/03/bonkobit

Really sad to hear this. And you're right. It's been 47 years since I took Dr. Bonk's class - as a non-chemistry major - and it's still one of my strongest memories.

It's sad to hear that he's gone.

[davekay1971]

Sad news. I never took Bonkistry, but he was still, somehow, an important part of my Duke experience.

[DevilYouthCoach]

Sad news. I never took Bonkistry, but he was still, somehow, an important part of my Duke experience.



Dr. Bonk was the freshman tennis coach and the asst. varsity coach, and he had a good game. I remember gratefully how he also took me and a couple of other tennis players under his wing, which was very helpful to a homesick kid like me! He was also my freshman chemistry professor, and he had the ability to explain chemistry equations with extraordinary clarity. He also had a good sense of humor. I remember one time when a few of us complained that there were no tennis scholarships (this was in the mid-60's), he agreed that it didn't seem fair, but he added, "You have to remember that if we did have scholarships, none of you fellows would be on the team!" Ouch! but he was probably right. Although I lost contact with him later, I have enormously happy memories of Dr. Bonk!

[MarkD83]

I too have fond memories of Bonkistry. I appreciated that Dr. Bonk was red/green color blind (as I am) so when we did acid/base titrations the indicators always changed between yellow/blue rather than red/green.

[Kimist]

I'm in the same era as Ggallagher.

What always amazed me about Dr. Bonk was he could essentially write faster than he could talk. I'm certain his teaching skills did not miss a lick with the arrival of the newer technology (and wasn't there even a huge electric periodic table board above the lecture bench?), but those of the let-the-computer-do-it era have no idea what they missed.

Yeah, he ruined a few Thursday evenings for me, too.

My craziest memory of his large lectures in the old, old Chem Building was when a guy, at the stroke of noon, stood up and gave a loud Tarzon yell with appropriate chest bumping, then quickly exited the hall. Dr. Bonk barely let it bother him.

Yes, Dr. Bonk will definitely fall into the category of a teacher one cannot ever forget.

k

[brevity]

Let's hear specific stories.

As luck would have it, I got to attend a Bonkistry class when I was a high schooler visiting campuses. Never been among so many students in a single classroom before, and certainly not so many silent, attentive students. It was a little bit what people expect college to be like, based on how it's depicted in TV shows and movies. Only the professor didn't seem full of it, and the realism made it much more appealing. Looking back, I suppose that visit was a small contributing factor in my decision.

I exempted out of Freshman Chemistry, and then a little more realism, grade-wise, steered me away from the sciences.

Mildly related: When the ACC added Miami and Boston College, they effectively killed their status as a regional conference. And I felt that the Bonkistry urban legend (http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A196085) needed an update, changing the punchline to

(95 points) Which airline?

[Bluealum]

I'm in the same era as Ggallagher.

What always amazed me about Dr. Bonk was he could essentially write faster than he could talk.

k

Totally agree with this, it was the same in 1990. Bonkistry was an intitution. Biggest class I had at Duke and a shared experience for so many Dukies.

[GoDuke2004]

Like other alums posting here, Bonkistry was one of those experiences that I'll always remember from my freshman year. The year I had Bonk was the last year Chem 11 and 12 existed and I remember his "jersey" being retired. He was a legend at Duke and 30,000 alums have that to share. RIP Bonk.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Like other alums posting here, Bonkistry was one of those experiences that I'll always remember from my freshman year. The year I had Bonk was the last year Chem 11 and 12 existed and I remember his "jersey" being retired. He was a legend at Duke and 30,000 alums have that to share. RIP Bonk.

Also my first class at Duke in September 1972. Dr, Bonk was an amazing man, teacher, lecturer! RIP Dr. Bonk. He and the late Dr. Ernie Elsevier (Engineering) were my two favorite profs at Duke. http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gif

[drcharl]

The best professor I ever had going through Duke as an undergrad and then getting two advanced degrees at other institutions. He had a way of laying out complex concepts in such a straight forward manner that everyone understood them the first time through. He was a master communicator and came across as a warm and friendly person who cared about teaching and his students first and foremost. I remember some of his attention getters like freezing a tennis ball in liquid nitrogen and then slinging it against the wall to shatter - woke everyone up instantly and got them tuned in to the lecture with 100% attention. RIP

[75Crazie]

I'm trying to stroll through memory lane with the rest of you ... but Bonk is one of only two professors that I have any real distinct memories of. I wish I could remember the name of the other; he was a EE professor and I had him for an introductory class freshman year. He was talking about determining the EMF (electro-motive force) of a field, and he said "It's a good thing we don't have to determine the IMF, because that is impossible!" I think I was the only one in class that understood the reference to the Impossible Mission Force.

[gotoguy]

He still taught some classes after you matriculated, like Chem 83 (gen chem for non-chem majors/pre-meds), but I think you are right in that he had stopped teaching most of his classes. He remained an advisor however--he was mine for all 4 years (T'06).

I wrote about Bonkistry in my application to Duke. Like you, my dad had told me stories about him, including using both hands to write chem reactions on the board. The best story I heard, however, might be when one of the basketball players, dressed up in a costume, tried to get him with a cream-pie to the face. A much younger Bonk evaded the pie, then chased the culprit out of the bldg and de-masked him in the creek behind Gross Chem. Now of course, I'm forgetting who it was--I'm sure someone here will remember...

RIP, Dr. Bonk.

I believe it was Bob Fleischer that he chased down no doubt because the Fly-man was laughing too hard to run faster.

For those of you who never saw it, one of Dr Bonk's more amazing physical gifts was how quickly he could write chemical structures on the blackboard using both hands. Wow! you had to see it to believe. He was obviously amphibious.

Rest in peace Professor and thanks

[gus]

Dr Bonk was certainly magnanimous. A buddy and I went partying up at UVA the weekend before exams. We drank so much we didn't make it back to campus until Monday and missed his final...

Just kidding of course. One of my regrets is not having used the opportunity to take his class. I don't know anyone who didn't have a wonderful experience with Dr. Bonk.

[ArnieMc]

Also my first class at Duke in September 1972. Dr, Bonk was an amazing man, teacher, lecturer! RIP Dr. Bonk. He and the late Dr. Ernie Elsevier (Engineering) were my two favorite profs at Duke. http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifhttp://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/duke_bluedevil.gifEarly 60's - Dr. Bonk: That's 2 moles plus 2 moles or 4 moles. For engineers following on their slide rules, that's 3.97 moles.

Ernie Elsevier's definition of an infinite reservoir: "You can p_ss in the ocean the whole g__d___ day and not change the temperature one f___ing degree." I still use that.

My favorites were George Pearsall (Materials) and Harold Lewis (Physics). Both great teachers.

[DukieInKansas]

I was a business major (back when that still existed for undergrads) and I wish I had taken Bonkistry. He is a legend. Rest in Peace, Dr. Bonk.

[drcharl]

I remember the whole lecture hall spontaneously standing at the last class of the semester and giving him an ovation that lasted at least 5 minutes. Never had that experience in another class both undergrad and grad. RIP

[fc3]

Sorry to hear this. He taught my dad in the 60s and me in the 80s.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I'm another econ major who took a full year of Bonkistry for reasons I'm not certain of, but I'm really glad I did. He was an incredible professor. His lectures were very well prepared and organized, starting on the left board and working his way across. I had the pleasure of speaking with him outside the lecture hall a few times and he was a very warm, kind man. And his love of Duke tennis was huge as well. RIP Dr. Bonk.

[Ggallagher]

I remember the whole lecture hall spontaneously standing at the last class of the semester and giving him an ovation that lasted at least 5 minutes. Never had that experience in another class both undergrad and grad. RIP

That was a rare honor in my experience also. I had one other class that ended in a similar standing ovation. It was in Dr. Altrocchi's Abnormal Psych class. Sort of an odd subject to have generated that kind of response, but Dr. Altrocchi took that opportunity to take three or four minutes at the end of the last class to offer us guidance for the rest of our lives. He finished his speech and we all broke out into applause.

It certainly is nice to have had the opportunity to learn from educators like that.

RIP Dr. Bonk.

[throatybeard]

I never had took Bonk, but I did have one course during three degrees that ended in a standing ovation, which was Diskin Clay's. He has recently retired. I'm a little vague now on whether it was the Dante class or on of the Greek/Latin ones.

[Dukeface88]

Erwin Chemerinsky got a standing ovation at the end of his ConLaw class when I was there - it the last one before he left for Irvine. Not sure if Bonk got one after the Chem for Non Majors class I took, but I gather that one was quite the same as the old Intro to Chem.

[Grey Devil]

My roommate and I took Chem 1 & 2 (or whatever first year chemistry was then) our freshman year in '67 - '68. We agreed to take notes for every other panel on the blackboard (e.g., he would take notes for the left-most panel, then when Bonk moved to the next panel I would do the notes for it, on the third panel he would do it, then I, etc., etc. Despite the fact that he wrote everything on the beard in foot-high letters (so that everyone in the big lecture hall could read it), we were unable to keep up with him! He was amazing! Also, because of all the chalkboard writing, and the fact that he was an avid tennis player (I believe he coached men's tennis then, too -- but I may be wrong about that) he had huge Popeye-like forearms.

What an awesome person! May he rest in peace.

Grey Devil

[throatybeard]

Erwin Chemerinsky got a standing ovation at the end of his ConLaw class when I was there - it the last one before he left for Irvine. Not sure if Bonk got one after the Chem for Non Majors class I took, but I gather that one was quite the same as the old Intro to Chem.

I am not a Law Talking Guy, but I have heard from Law Talking Guys that the practice is much much much more common in Law than it is in any other field. Again, I don't know if that's the case. The Paper Chase is another document...

[drcharl]

To a person who didn't otherwise have a family, I the Duke students were his family.

In spite of his popularity he remained most humble.

RIP

[Kimist]

That was a rare honor in my experience also. I had one other class that ended in a similar standing ovation. It was in Dr. Altrocchi's Abnormal Psych class. Sort of an odd subject to have generated that kind of response, but Dr. Altrocchi took that opportunity to take three or four minutes at the end of the last class to offer us guidance for the rest of our lives. He finished his speech and we all broke out into applause.

It certainly is nice to have had the opportunity to learn from educators like that.

RIP Dr. Bonk.

Time to whistle "It's a small world after all..."

Likewise I remember Dr. Altrocchi's abnormal psych class. One of the most interesting classes (and it was an elective!) I ever took while at Duke. For every disorder, he would give a "real world" example. IIRC, he even showed some clinic tapes of the original "Three Faces of Eve" person (she was from eastern NC?) whose identity at that time was still hidden in secrecy. Dr. A was also associated with the Rhine Institute, and he could tell some interesting stories about his experiences with ESP, telekinesis, parapsychology, and the like. I often wonder whatever happened to him.

k

[Ggallagher]

Time to whistle "It's a small world after all..."

Likewise I remember Dr. Altrocchi's abnormal psych class. One of the most interesting classes (and it was an elective!) I ever took while at Duke. For every disorder, he would give a "real world" example. IIRC, he even showed some clinic tapes of the original "Three Faces of Eve" person (she was from eastern NC?) whose identity at that time was still hidden in secrecy. Dr. A was also associated with the Rhine Institute, and he could tell some interesting stories about his experiences with ESP, telekinesis, parapsychology, and the like. I often wonder whatever happened to him.

k

After being reminded of him by the standing ovation comment, I looked him up on the Internet. Looks like he lives out in Las Vegas and may actually still be practicing.

[homebre]

We must have been in the same class as I took Bonkistry in 67-68. It was a great class and I found it easy as I had a great high school class. He told me to place out and take a higher level course, but I wanted to take Bonkistry!


My roommate and I took Chem 1 & 2 (or whatever first year chemistry was then) our freshman year in '67 - '68. We agreed to take notes for every other panel on the blackboard (e.g., he would take notes for the left-most panel, then when Bonk moved to the next panel I would do the notes for it, on the third panel he would do it, then I, etc., etc. Despite the fact that he wrote everything on the beard in foot-high letters (so that everyone in the big lecture hall could read it), we were unable to keep up with him! He was amazing! Also, because of all the chalkboard writing, and the fact that he was an avid tennis player (I believe he coached men's tennis then, too -- but I may be wrong about that) he had huge Popeye-like forearms.

What an awesome person! May he rest in peace.

Grey Devil

[howardlander]

This probably says as much about Dr. Bonk as anything: I took Bonkistry when I was a freshman in 1977. There must have been 300 kids in the class, but it was still a great exercise in formal logic. Fast forward to the fall of 2006 (I think). I was back on campus for my 25th reunion and took my daughter to an event at Gross Chem. We ran into Dr Bonk. He looked at me for a second and said " Well, I don't remember your name, but I know I taught you Chemistry. How are you doing?" and we had a nice short chat. Unbelievable. Not sure how he ever knew my name, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. What a great career.

Interesting that he never really did much research. Almost impossible in today's University environment.

Howard

[Reilly]

... Yeah, he ruined a few Thursday evenings for me, too. ...

My hallmate could not make day 1 (Friday) of the ACC Tournament our freshman year due to a Bonkistry quiz.

My hallmate's younger brother (a h.s. senior who was younger by less than a year; and very similar looking) showed up at the arena box office w/ my hallmate's Duke ID in order to pick up the tickets to use for the day 1 afternoon session.

The younger brother -- who was trying to pass as a Duke student so interested in Duke basketball that he would travel to the ACC tourney -- shows up at the box office wearing a Georgetown t-shirt. After flubbing some questions (like, what's your SSN), the younger brother eventually got the "what's your home address" question correct, and was given the tickets.

[Li_Duke]

I always regretted placing out of general chemistry my freshman year; I think I would have loved taking his class.

RIP Dr. Bonk.