University of Missouri professor and Nobel Laureate George Smith received a gift from the university Thursday: a dedicated bike parking space.
University officials unveiled the bike rack to honor Nobel Prize winner George Smith at Tucker Hall. In front of the bike rack reads: “Reserved Dr. George Smith, PhD, 2018 Nobel Laureate in chemistry.” At the end of the rack, a space is covered with black and yellow stripes.
Karlan Seville, MU operations communications manager, said she came up with the parking space idea when visiting a friend at the University of California Berkeley. She noticed that Nobel Laureates at the university had their own parking spaces. Seville said if MU ever had a Nobel laureate, she would like to do the same. When she found out that Smith bikes to work, she turned to a more sustainable angle.
“I had to wait 30 years to use the idea, but it worked,” Seville said.
Smith bikes to work almost every day, and has been dedicated to cycling for years. In 1978, he served three years on the city’s commission on bicycling. He has owned the bike he rides since 1985.
While Smith said he is an advocate of sustainability, there’s another reason he bikes to work.
“Really it’s a matter of convenience,” Smith said. “It’s a lot of trouble to own a car.”
Smith said he bikes in all weather conditions, except for ice and slippery snow. Smith said he isn’t taking the parking reservation too seriously.
“I would just like to say something: If you want to park there, please do. It’s fine. If you get a ticket, see me. I think I can get it fixed,” Smith said.