In 1999, he moved to the University of Michigan and served as the Moses Gomberg Collegiate Professor of Chemistry for the final 13 years of his tenure.

[4] He attended Grand Rapids Junior College for a few years before transferring to the University of Michigan where he received a BS degree in 1962.

[5] He moved to the University of Wisconsin and joined the group of Professor Hans Muxfeldt [de] for his Ph.D. studies (Progress toward the total synthesis of terramycin),[6] which he completed in 1966.

[8] The application of heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, boron, silicon and tin were often prominently featured,[4] which has been summarized in his self-penned account of his work.

[9] Vedejs also tackled a wide range of methodologies aimed at stereoselective synthesis including protonation of carbanions, acylation and alkylation of achiral and prochiral nucleophiles, parallel kinetic resolution,[10] and control of configuration by crystallization-induced asymmetric transformation.