articles and authored or edited 9 books. He was working on another 2 books at his death; they will be published in summer and fall 2009. Gehrke's group developed a GC method of analyzing amino acids in biological samples. He was asked by NASA to analyze some of the moon rocks returned by the Project Apollo missions in the 1970s, to identify any traces of extraterrestrial life. Gehrke was chosen because of his extensive experience in the field of amino acids. The instrument that his group used to examine the lunar materials is now housed in the Smithsonian Museum's National Air and Space Museum. Gehrke provided this service to NASA (along with one other researcher) from 1969 to 1974. Gehrke never lost his fascination with extraterrestrial biology; he was active in organizing conferences and working with researchers on space explorations and the future of humankind in space until he was over 80 years old. A book outlining his life, From the Melon Fields to Moon Rocks, was published in March 2017. Awards and honors The Charles W. Gehrke Proteomics Center at the University of Missouri at Columbia was named in honor of Professor Gehrke. received the Harvey W. Wiley Award from the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (1971) elected President of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (1982) received the M.S. Tswett Chromatography Memorial Medal Award from the Soviet Academy of Sciences received the International Dal Nogare Chromatography Award received the Ohio State University Alumni Professional Achievement Award received the University of Missouri Senior Faculty Research Award received the National American Chemical Society Spencer Award member of the American Chemical Society since 1943 received the 2000 Chromatography Award from the American Chemical Society References 20th-century American chemists People from Columbia, Missouri Scientists from Columbia, Missouri University of Missouri faculty 1917 births 2009 deaths