Current and former students, colleagues, friends and the family of the late Stevens Professor Francis T. Jones Hon. M.Eng. ’75 gathered last fall to remember his lasting impact and to celebrate his legacy well into the future.

Jones, a professor of chemistry who died in April 2025, spent 51 years with Stevens, serving as longtime department chair and mentor. With his wife, longtime Stevens professor Nuran Kumbaraci, he was instrumental in the establishment of Stevens’ programs in chemical biology, including a first-of-its-kind B.S. in chemical biology to prepare students for medical, dental and pharmaceutical careers. The couple also launched a B.S./M.D. degree, which allowed hundreds of Stevens students to complete their bachelor’s and medical and/or dental degrees — through Stevens and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School or Rutgers School of Dental Medicine — in seven years.

During the memorial event, attendees spoke of Jones’ many accomplishments and his humanity; he was known to call students who missed class to remind them of their potential and to get them back on track. The department also announced a major gift established by Kumbaraci and their daughters to continue his work, through the Jones-Kumbaraci Endowment. The endowment will provide for assistantships, mentorship and support for students as they pursue research and professional opportunities.

“Not many people get to have the extraordinary impact Jones did, both in programs that still flourish and in people who are making a real difference,” says Woo Lee, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. “The family’s continued and much-appreciated stewardship allows us to honor that legacy and help sustain the impact of their vision.”

Remembering Professor Francis T. Jones Hon. M.Eng. ’75

Francis (Frank) T. Jones, a professor of chemistry and longtime department chair and director at Stevens, where he served for 51 years, died on April 1, 2025.

Jones was known as a dedicated teacher and mentor and helped develop Stevens’ Chemical Biology program alongside his wife, Dr. Nuran Kumbaraci-Jones, whom he met there. The program, designed to prepare students for careers in medicine and dentistry, expanded to include graduate and doctoral programs and influenced similar offerings at other institutions.

Jones also served as the secretary of the faculty at Stevens and was known for protecting academic freedom.

Besides his wife, he is survived by his daughters Anne and Marian, and their families.