Jr. (Heber Wilkinson) Heber W. Youngken

Heber W. Youngken Jr. was an American pharmacognosist, teacher, and academic leader best known as the founding dean of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy. Born in Philadelphia, he studied at Bucknell University, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and the University of Minnesota, then went on to lead major pharmacy programs at the University of Washington and URI.

At Rhode Island, he served as dean from 1957 to 1981 and also held senior university roles in health sciences. Sources describe him as a pioneer in bringing biosynthetic and pharmacological thinking into pharmacognosy, and as an early champion of marine natural products research. He helped launch the first Drugs from the Sea conferences at URI and built a lasting culture of medicinal-plant study there, including the medicinal plant garden that now bears his name.

Youngken also wrote widely, with more than 180 articles and textbooks including Organic Chemistry in Pharmacy and Pharmacognosy. Remembered for both scholarship and institution-building, he left a long influence on pharmacy education, natural-products research, and the training of students who followed him.