Merle A. Battiste (July 22, 1933 – August 8, 2009) was an American chemist and emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of Florida.
[2] After conducting postdoctoral research (1960) with Saul Winstein at the University of California, Los Angeles, and after a short stint in the army, he joined the faculty at the University of Florida where he remained as a professor of organic chemistry for 42 years, until his retirement in 2004.
He published over 130 peer reviewed papers in organic chemistry and was known as a dedicated, passionate teacher.
As a passionate teacher, he convinced one of his research assistants, future Nobel Laureate Robert H. Grubbs, to study organic chemistry rather than agriculture science.
Battiste loved gardening and he was member of the Gainesville Camellia Society for many years.