Gary J. Balaich was born in Ogden, Utah and attended local schools. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Weber State College in 1986, graduating magna cum laude. In the fall of 1986, he accepted a position as an instructor with the chemistry and radiological controls instruction group at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Unit, Naval Reactors Facility, located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (presently the Idaho National Laboratory). Gary and his wife, Cheryl, lived in Idaho Falls from 1986 to 1990, then moved to West Lafayette Indiana to attend graduate school at Purdue University. At Purdue, Gary conducted research in organometallic chemistry with the late Professor Ian P. Rothwell, specializing in the synthesis and reactivity of titanium aryloxide catalysts for C-C bond forming reactions. Gary received his PhD in 1994, and accepted a faculty position in the Department of Chemistry at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He and Cheryl have lived in the CO Springs areas for close to 25 years, and are the proud parents of four boys and at present have four grandchildren.

PhD, Chemistry, Purdue University (1994)

Bachelor of Science degree, Chemistry (Magna Cum Laude), Weber State College (1986)

Faculty Position, Chemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy (1994-Present)

Graduate Student/Research research in organometallic chemistry with the late Professor Ian P. Rothwell, Purdue University (1990-1994)

Chemistry Instructor, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Unit, Naval Reactors Facility (1986-1990)