Juan de Dios Guevara

Biography

In 1931, Guevara joined the Faculty of Sciences of the National University of San Marcos, but in 1932 studied at the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy of Peru.

He entered teaching in 1936 as Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry and was appointed as a senior lecturer at the National University of San Marcos. Then he was elected dean of its faculty for two consecutive terms.

Juan de Dios Guevara never dissociated himself from San Marcos and became rector in November 1966, a position he held until October 1977. Another important position he took was the president of the National Council of Universities of Peru (CONUP) (1971–1977).

Since his inception as a professional he worked in the analytical laboratories of the Peruvian Corporation in 1937-1942, that he took over leadership of production in Maldonado Laboratories, retiring after more than twenty years. San Marcos university recognized this effort by giving the title of Professor Emeritus. The scientific contributions of Dr. Guevara have been published in the magazines "Farmacia Peruana", "Boletín de la Sociedad Química del Perú" and "Boletín de Informaciones de Química Aplicada".

Among his outstanding articles are La química inorgánica y la nomenclatura moderna, El contenido de flúor en las aguas de consumo de la República del Perú, Historia de la Sociedad Química del Perú and Restos de cocina dejado por precolombinos que habitaron la costa peruana. He also contributed to books on organic chemistry, some of which are used on university courses in Chile.

Guevara was President of the Chemical Society of Peru, between the years 1962-1963 and 1980–1983, having organized in the first year the Latin American Chemistry Congress, held in Lima.

Juan de Dios Guevara has received numerous awards, including the Cross of the Order of King Alfonso X from the Spanish government.