AWA R DS
STANISLAUS S. WONG, an associate pro-
fessor of chemistry at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, is the recipient of the 2009 BuckWhitney Award from the ACS Eastern New York Section. The award is named after late section members Johannes S. Buck and Willis R. Whitney and recognizes original work in either experimental or theoretical aspects of pure or applied chemistry. Wong’s interests include the rational chemical functionalization of carbon nanotubes, the synthesis and characterization of noncarbonaceous nanostructures, the development of synchrotron-based techniques for nanoscale characterization, and the use of probe microscopy to initiate localized chemistry.
JONGYOON HAN WINS YOUNG INNOVATOR AWARD JONGYOON HAN, an associate professor
in the department of biological engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the recipient of the 2009 Analytical Chemistry Young Innovator Award, sponsored by Analytical Chemistry and the Chemical & Biological Microsystems Society. The $2,500 award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional technical advancement and innovation in the field of micro- or nanofluidics in their early careers. Han’s research focuses on applying micro/nanofabrication techniques to biological problems, more specifically proteomic sample preparation and detection. His other interests include nanofluidic transport behaviors, molecular sieving, and electrokinetics.
CONOCOPHILLIPS TEAM HONORED FOR INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION THE 2009 Southwest Regional ACS Industrial Innovation Award goes to Tushar V. Choudhary, Stephen Parrott, and Byron Johnson of ConocoPhillips for de-
veloping and implementing an advanced hydrotreater model for optimized production of clean fuels. The project involved the development of a robust kinetic model of the complex reaction chemistry occurring in heavy gas oil hydrotreating units with a goal of optimizing performance of these units. The optimization model has been used successfully at multiple refinery units.
DIAS AND WALLACE HONORED FOR RESEARCH, TEACHING H. V. RASIKA DIAS, a professor of inor-
ganic and organometallic chemistry at the University of Texas, Arlington, is the recipient of the 2009 ACS Dallas-Fort Worth Section’s Wilfred T. Doherty Award, which is given annually to a chemist or chemical
engineer from the Dallas-Fort Worth area who has made significant achievements in research, teaching, and service. Dias studies catalysis, novel antimicrobial agents, and stabilization of reactive, hitherto unstable molecules. His group made the first structurally characterized gold-ethylene complex. The award consists of a $1,500 honorarium and an engraved plaque. Claudia Wallace, chemistry teacher and science department chair at Creekview High School, in Carrollton, is the recipient of the section’s $1,000 Werner Schulz Award honoring outstanding local high school chemistry teachers. LINDA WANG compiles this section.
Announcements of awards may be sent to
[email protected].
P EO P L E
Lipscomb Feted In Honor Of His 90th Birthday Former students and colleagues of William N. Lipscomb Jr. gathered on Nov. 15 in Cambridge, Mass., to celebrate the chemistry Nobelist’s 90th birthday. Lipscomb, a professor emeritus at Harvard University, won the 1976 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on the chemical structure and bonding of the boranes. By the time he was awarded that prize, he had already begun to explore the threedimensional structures and functions of enzymes. The partygoers included two of this year’s chemistry Nobel Prize winners, both of whom spent time in Lipscomb’s lab years before their work on the ribosome’s structure and function got the Nobel nod. Thomas A. Steitz of Yale University received his Ph.D. under Lipscomb, whereas Ada E. Yonath of
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
35
S E E L I PSCO M B the Weizmann also among TIE A STRING TIE Institute of Lipscomb’s AT CENBLOG.ORG Science spent Nobel-winning some time in progeny is CorLipscomb’s lab nell University theoduring her postdoc retician Roald Hoffmann.) at Massachusetts InstiAccolades aside, the tute of Technology. At night bore Lipscomb’s the party, both credited characteristic sense of Lipscomb for inspiring humor. The party favor them to pursue what was was a flip book deman incredibly important onstrating how to tie but daunting structure. Lipscomb’s signature (Not in attendance, but string tie, created by Lipscomb’s wife, Jean, and Marc Abrahams, the brains behind the Ig Nobel Prizes. Lipscomb has long been a much-loved fixture at the annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremonies, thanks to his comedic timing, Abrahams noted. And Lipscomb’s son James recounted some of the better one-liners his dad sneaked into his scientific publications (wlipscomb.tripod.com). Lipscomb will turn 90 on Dec. 9.—AMANDA Lipscomb
NOVEMBER 30, 2009
AMANDA YARNELL/C&EN
STANISLAUS WONG WINS BUCK-WHITNEY AWARD
YARNELL
