Robert Daniel Aiken, born January 31, 1954, passed away on June 27, 2003 after a life of compassion, ingenuity and laughter. His heart gave out too early at 49 years old. But he left many people behind who know that he used it generously while he lived.

Daniel graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry in 1979 and went on to make significant contributions in the field of Chromatography. He is recognized the world over as one of the founders of modern chromatography techniques. There is hardly a laboratory, manufacturer, or research facility that does not use the techniques that he helped develop. As a founder of the first Chromatography Studio, he not only viewed his work as a science, but treated it as an art, of which he was a true master, a virtuoso.

Dan's interests included literature, tennis, billiards and hockey. Daniel was a man who was wickedly irreverent to the powerful and selflessly compassionate to all. He sought to live life with zest and mirth, attracting friends from all walks of life with his warmth, intelligence and kindness.

"Life is and can be quite frustrating. The true caliber of a person is most easily determined by observing how they react and/or deal with whatever life tosses their way!!! "