Crimmins Is 2004 Herty Medalist

Michael T. Crimmins, Mary Ann Smith Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, has received the 2004 Charles Holmes Herty Medal of the ACS Georgia Section. The medal is presented annually to recognize the work and service of an outstanding chemist from the southeastern section of the country.

Crimmins is best known for his work in the area of stereoselective intramolecular photocycloadditions. His ability to synthesize functionally and stereochemically complex photocycloaddition substrates quickly and efficiently has greatly expanded the utility of photochemical processes for complex molecule synthesis. He has developed many novel and useful synthetic methods for total synthesis of complex, biologically important natural products.

In addition to research, Crimmins devotes much of his time and energy mentoring his graduate students and teaching graduate and undergraduate chemistry classes. He has received many awards and honors, including an ACS Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award; an Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars Award; and a Tanner Faculty Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching at UNC, Chapel Hill.