Fond Farewell: Chemistry Professor Karl Voigtritter

Professor Karl Voigtritter, an alumnus who taught in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for the last six years, passed away July 25. He was 35.

Born December 26, 1985, in San Diego, Voigtritter graduated from Monte Vista High School and earned his Eagle Scout rank before leaving for college, demonstrating his perseverance and dedication to hard work. As a chemistry major at Chico State, he worked as a student employee in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department for three years and earned numerous scholarships and awards from the department, including being named outstanding graduating senior in 2009. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he continued his studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and earned a PhD in organic chemistry in 2013.

Voigtritter earned a Green Chemistry Challenge award from the Environmental Protection Agency and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in medicinal chemistry from Vanderbilt University before he was hired as a part-time lecturer at Chico State in 2015. He had enthusiastically shared his passion for chemistry with colleagues and students ever since.

Professor Carolynn Chin Arpin describes him as one of the most curious, creative, and ambitious people she ever met.

“He carried a notebook around all the time and would write down all sorts of chemistry or educational pursuits that he liked showing anyone willing to listen,” she said. “He was constantly showing me and telling me about his next idea and how he couldn’t wait to publish it—even before he’d tested it out!”

His undeniable passion for chemistry and palpable love for teaching made his return to Chico State a true joy for those who had known him in his undergrad years. When he was a student, Voigtritter served on Professor Lisa Ott’s hiring interviews and asked her questions with laser-focused intensity, which she soon discovered was typical of his approach to the discipline and education.

“Karl would stare intently, seemingly unblinking, while I introduced a new topic or concept. Once the topic or concept had been explained to his satisfaction, he would nod and only then begin to take notes,” she said. “He set the bar very high early on, and I grew as a teacher by having him as a student.”

While teaching, it was not uncommon for Voigtritter to focus on a few select topics more advanced than the traditional content, said department chair Chris Nichols. Unfiltered and enthusiastic, he always went beyond the basics, sharing knowledge in a way that made the subjects exciting and resonated exceptionally with high-achieving students.

Voigtritter’s research interests led to numerous publications, including authored work in the Journal of Chemical Education during his undergraduate studies, eight peer-reviewed publications during his doctoral studies, and two more at Vanderbilt, where his work was funded by a National Institutes of Health Neuroscience Drug Discovery Training Grant.

He loved being in the lab, teaching a wide variety of courses and also taking students under his wing for independent research projects, often focusing on using computers and simulations to determine how chemical reactions work step by step. In the last year of virtual learning, he embraced the novelty of at-home chemistry kits for lab work, guiding students through virtual experiments and helping them reach their goals away from campus. Students often remarked to faculty on how helpful he was and how much they appreciated his sincere passion.

In his free time, Voigtritter was a prolific artist, using acrylic, charcoal, and many other media to create striking works, some of which adorn the department office today. He was also a devoted father and enjoyed golfing, camping, and being outdoors.

He is survived by his children, Max and Irene; parents Max and Brenda; brothers Kris and Kurt; and sister Meghann, brother-in-law Joseph, and nephews Jackson and Matthew.

In his memory, his family has established the Dr. Karl Robert Voigtritter Chemistry Summer Research Award for future Chico State students. To give, select “other” as the designation and list the award name.

A celebration of life will be held on October 14, from 4-7 p.m. at the Science Building. It will also be streamed on Zoom, starting at 5 p.m. and is expected to last 30-45 minutes (Meeting ID: 962 7881 1410; Passcode 130322). His family is asking those who knew him to submit a memory to share at the celebration. Tributes via video, letters, art, photos, or any other medium that feels right can be uploaded to DropBox or sent to meghannv@gmail.com.

The University flag will be lowered Thursday, August 5, in his memory.