Richard Durst, professor emeritus of chemistry in food science and technology and adjunct professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, has been selected for inclusion in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gallery of Distinguished Scientists, Engineers and Administrators, which honors distinguished National Bureau of Standards (NBS)/NIST alumni for "outstanding career contributions to the work of NBS/NIST." The portrait gallery is located on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Md.

Durst's portrait and biography will be permanently displayed in the gallery and included in the NIST booklet on distinguished scientists, engineers and administrators. He was cited "for his very significant research contributions and standardization efforts in analytical electrochemistry ... [and has served as] an excellent spokesperson for the United States in international technical discussions on standardization of the pH scale." He was also recognized "for his outstanding leadership and personal contributions in the establishment of a new, internationally renowned research program in electrochemistry at NBS" and for leading a highly productive research group.

Durst joined the Cornell faculty in 1990 as professor of chemistry and became emeritus in 2006. Prior to Cornell, he taught at several colleges and served in various capacities, including deputy director, at the institute that is now NIST. The honor, said Durst, is "especially noteworthy because it's usually reserved for individuals who had spent their careers at NBS/NIST, not only 25 years as I had."