Harvard chemist David Liu, 31, is a skilled blackjack player - too skilled, in the eyes of the MGM Grand family of casinos. Two years ago, he was barred from all MGM Grand facilities after winning too much money playing thousands of hands at the blackjack table. He is also interested in model airplanes from childhood.
Liu's interest in science began during his teen years, culminating in a second-place finish in the 1990 Westinghouse National Science Talent Search.
Liu graduated ranking first in Harvard College's 1,641-member Class of 1994, completed his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, and was appointed assistant professor at Harvard. He is now tenured professor of chemistry and chemical biology. (Source: Steve Bradt, Harvard University Gazette, Jun 2, 2005)