2025 ACS National Award winners: Part I

The following vignettes highlight recipients of the 2025 American Chemical Society National Awards. The quotes were provided as written statements and have been edited for length and clarity.

The award recipients will be honored at a ceremony at ACS Spring 2025 in San Diego on Tuesday, March 25.

The 2025 Arthur C. Cope Award and Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award recipients will be profiled in the Jan. 27 issue of C&EN. Frances Arnold, winner of the 2025 Priestley Medal, will be celebrated in the March 10 issue.

ACS Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry: Christopher F. Bauer

Sponsor: Endowed fund established by the ACS Exams Institute

Citation: For significant contributions to the field of chemistry education research, including developing instrumentation, improving student attitudes toward learning in introductory chemistry courses, and preparing future faculty

Current position: Professor of chemistry, University of New Hampshire

Education: BS, chemistry, University of Notre Dame; MS, chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; PhD, chemistry, Colorado State University

Bauer on a memorable project: “Windows on the Inquiry Classroom saw us record every moment of an inquiry-based course about heat and temperature that looks at the particulate nature of matter and structure-property relationships. The videos look through the perspectives of students and instructors. This has been a platform for my own research and a resource for others studying group dynamics and student learning.”

What Bauer’s colleagues say: “Chris has an outstanding record of external funding, publications, and presentations that have had a profound impact on chemistry education. His scholarly work has contributed to many aspects of chemistry education research.”—Renée S. Cole, University of Iowa

ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry: Jeffrey C. Moore

Sponsor: Endowed fund established by Rohm and Haas

Citation: For outstanding accomplishments in the production of lifesaving medicines through the use of green and sustainable ex vivo enzyme cascades and the protein engineering technology ProMADS

Current position: Senior principal scientist, Merck & Co.

Education: BS, chemical engineering, North Carolina State University; PhD, chemistry and chemical engineering, California Institute of Technology

Moore shares a career-defining moment: “As I was heading for graduate school, a respected professor gave me a piece of advice: ‘To do great work, study great problems.’ I have followed that advice my entire career, from a transformational PhD project in directed evolution to championing the discipline of biocatalysis, which I fundamentally believe in, and tackling profound human health problems at Merck & Co. My most memorable projects have all been wonderful opportunities that started as ‘great problems.’ ”

What Moore’s colleagues say: “Jeff’s efforts in protein engineering and biocatalysis have had an enormous impact on the practice of green chemistry at Merck and beyond.”—Matthew Truppo, Sanofi

ACS Award for Computers in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research: Eric Martin

Sponsor: ACS Division of Computers in Chemistry

Citation: For outstanding accomplishments in the development and dissemination of innovative computational methods and for their successful application to drug discovery

Current position: Director of computational chemistry, Novartis

Education: BA, chemistry, Kalamazoo College; PhD, physical chemistry, Yale University

Martin on the most rewarding part of his job: “It is when my work supporting drug discovery projects comes together with the development of computational methodologies for unmet problems. This gives me the satisfaction of contributing to efforts to help patients and the opportunity to gain firsthand experience to identify where my methods work well, unanticipated problems, and new avenues for development. Every tool I have developed has been improved by my personal hands-on usage.”

What Martin’s colleagues say: “Eric has changed the scientific discipline of computational chemistry through the development, continuous improvement, and dissemination of innovative methods. He is an exceptional scientific innovator with proven impact on drug discovery and a role model for so many scientists.”—Karin Briner, Genentech

ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology: Heather M. Stapleton

Sponsor: Aerodyne Research and the ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry

Citation: For developing outstanding and unique research approaches to characterize the sources, transformations, and exposures to flame-retardant chemicals and other emerging contaminants of concern

Current position: Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor of Environmental Health, Duke University

Education: BS, chemistry and biology, Southampton College; MS, environmental chemistry, and PhD, environmental chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Stapleton on a memorable project: “About 15 years ago, my laboratory helped collect and analyze over 100 baby products to determine if they contained flame retardants. Eighty percent of the products we tested contained a flame retardant at percent levels. The paper was highlighted by the mainstream media. The flammability standard concerning the use of flame-retardant chemicals in baby products was later amended. It was a welcome surprise to realize that our research helped to create change.”

What Stapleton’s colleagues say: “Heather has an outstandingly creative ability to think outside the box, to go one or two steps further in her research thinking than others do, connecting new ideas together and thus opening up new areas of research in environmental science.”—Cynthia de Wit, Stockholm University

ACS Award for Creative Invention: Valery V. Fokin

Sponsor: ACS Corporation Associates

Citation: For the invention of catalyzed dipolar cycloadditions, a class of bioorthogonal click reactions that are widely used in chemistry, biology, medicine, and materials science

Current position: Professor of chemistry, University of Southern California

Education: BSc, chemistry, Calvin College; Diploma, chemistry, Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod; PhD, chemistry, University of Southern California

Fokin on a memorable project: “Using copper isotopes to probe the mechanism of the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition was like a detective story. It was a fast-paced investigation, full of twists and surprising insights—such as the need for an exogenous catalyst and the involvement of two distinct copper atoms in the key intermediate. Isotope crossover experiments uncovered unprecedented multicenter bonding, reshaping our understanding of metal acetylide reactivity driven by exceptionally weak yet essential interactions.”

What Fokin’s colleagues say: “Valery’s contributions to organic chemistry and chemical biology are both profound and imaginative. His main role in the discovery and development of the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition unequivocally showcases his inventive genius. This contribution has not only furthered academic pursuits but has also substantially impacted human health and biomedical research.”—G. K. Surya Prakash, University of Southern California

ACS Award for Creative Work in Fluorine Chemistry: David A. Vicic

Sponsor: ACS Division of Fluorine Chemistry

Citation: For outstanding contributions to the development and understanding of metal-mediated and metal-catalyzed methods for introducing fluorinated groups into organic substrates

Current position: Howard S. Bunn Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Lehigh University

Education: BA, chemistry, Johns Hopkins University; PhD, chemistry, University of Rochester

Vicic on hopes for the future: “Certain fluorinated molecules and materials are irreplaceable in modern living. We have become very good at synthesizing organofluorines, but there is a lot to learn about removing fluorine from end-of-life products. We hope to develop methods to mineralize fluorinated groups so that sustainable circular fluorocarbon economies can be realized. As part of these efforts, we are aiming to better repurpose the legacy fluorinated refrigerants that have some of the highest global warming potentials of all molecules.”

What Vicic’s colleagues say: “David’s outstanding contributions to the organometallic aspects of fluoroalkylation chemistry has propelled development of synthetic methods using first-row metals and has led to a much better understanding of the fundamental properties of metal-fluoroalkyl complexes.”—Kyle M. Lancaster, Cornell University

ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry: Seth B. Herzon

Sponsor: MilliporeSigma

Citation: For remarkable creativity in the chemical synthesis of complex natural products and their application to advancing understanding of biology with considerable biomedical impacts

Current position: Milton Harris ’29 PhD Professor of Chemistry, Yale University

Education: BS, chemistry, Temple University; PhD, organic chemistry, Harvard University

Herzon on a memorable project: “Our recent work to design novel therapeutics for the treatment of drug-resistant brain cancers is among my favorite projects. We have the opportunity to improve the longevity and quality of life of individuals living with what is presently an incurable and terminal disease.”

What Herzon’s colleagues say: “Seth is an extraordinarily creative synthetic organic chemist whose work defines the bounds of what can be achieved in complex chemical synthesis. He has developed chemical syntheses of some of the most complex natural products known, each characterized by remarkable creative invention and novel problem-solving strategies.”—Andrew G. Myers, Harvard University

ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry: Nora S. Radu

Sponsor: Strem Chemicals

Citation: For groundbreaking accomplishments in industrial chemistry and for leadership of the chemistry community through the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry

Current position: Senior technical laureate, DuPont

Education: BS, chemistry, Ithaca College; PhD, inorganic chemistry, University of California San Diego

Radu on the most rewarding part of her job: “The most rewarding and exciting part of my career has been the development of fundamental science that leads to solving customers’ problems and successful commercialization. Over the years, I have been fortunate to work with many extremely creative and highly collaborative colleagues.”

What Radu’s colleagues say: “Nora is an exceptional inorganic chemist who has made outstanding contributions in diverse areas of science that include the improved production of nylon intermediates, organic light-emitting diodes, and other areas of the electronics industry.”—A. S. Borovik, University of California, Irvine

ACS Award for Encouraging Underrepresented and Economically Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Karen Lozano

Sponsor: Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation

Citation: For boundless efforts in mentoring Hispanic students toward careers in materials chemistry and for being an entrepreneurial role model for an entire generation of Hispanic engineers

Current position: Trustee Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering Chair, Rice University

Education: BS, mechanical engineering, University of Monterrey; MS, materials science, and PhD, materials science, Rice University

Lozano’s message to her younger self: “Stay strong and keep pushing forward. The path will be tough, but your resilience, hard work, and creative thinking will open doors for yourself and others. Be a trailblazer in a field that needs your perspective, pave the way for those who come after you.”

What Lozano’s colleagues say: “Karen has heavily contributed to improvements in University of Texas Rio Grande Valley student engagement and achievement, student retention and graduation, and to the lives of students during and after college.”—Naomi J. Halas, Rice University

ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Rachel Mamlok-Naaman

Sponsor: Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation

Citation: For 30 years of dedication, energy, and scholarship in encouraging women in Israel to develop their careers as chemistry researchers and high school chemistry teachers

Current position: Senior scientist, Weizmann Institute of Science

Education: BSc, chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; PhD, chemistry education, Bar-Ilan University

Mamlok-Naaman on the most rewarding part of her job: “The chemistry students I supervise, whether they are high school students or graduate students, and the teachers I have mentored, either individually or through professional development courses, become like family to me. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing them achieve their goals, find fulfilling careers, and become responsible citizens. It’s rewarding to know that I have encouraged them to pursue chemistry and to value education through it.”

What Mamlok-Naaman’s colleagues say: “Rachel has been a trailblazer for women in Israel, with her work impacting teachers and students of the Jewish and Arab sectors, including those on the West Bank. Her work gives light and warmth to students, setting them on career paths in chemistry that in turn impact countless others.”—Catherine Middlecamp, University of Wisconsin–Madison