▁academic ▁and ▁chem ist ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Chan cell or ▁of ▁Washington ▁University ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Wright on ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Jackson ville , ▁Florida , ▁and ▁his ▁father ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy . ▁Wright on ▁moved ▁with ▁his ▁family ▁from ▁Jackson ville ▁to ▁Virginia , ▁Tennessee , ▁Maryland , ▁and ▁New found land , ▁and ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁P ens ac ola , ▁Florida . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁Wright on ▁intended ▁to ▁study ▁mathematics ▁and ▁government ▁at ▁Florida ▁State ▁University . ▁Instead , ▁inspired ▁by ▁his ▁fresh man ▁chem istry ▁professor , ▁Edward ▁M ell on , ▁he ▁switched ▁his ▁major ▁to ▁chem istry . ▁Jack ▁Salt iel ▁became ▁his ▁ad visor ▁and ▁ment or , ▁and ▁he ▁continued ▁under grad uate ▁research ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁organ ic ▁phot och em istry . ▁Wright on ▁received ▁his ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁with ▁hon ors ▁in ▁chem istry ▁at ▁Florida ▁State ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁winning ▁the ▁M ons anto ▁Chem istry ▁Award ▁for ▁out standing ▁research . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁Ph D ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁from ▁the ▁California ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology , ▁working ▁under ▁Harry ▁B . ▁Gray ▁and ▁George ▁S . ▁Hamm ond . ▁His ▁doctor al ▁dis sert ation