ACS Award In The Chemistry Of Materials: Jean-Luc E. Bredas

Sponsor: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.

Citation: For seminal theoretical contributions to the understanding and design of new π-conjugated molecular and polymer materials in the fields of ­organic electronics and ­photonics.

Current position: Distinguished Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST); director of the KAUST Solar & Photovoltaics Engineering Research Center and Rawabi Holding Research Chair in Solar Energy Science & Engineering

Education: B.S., Ph.D., chemistry, University of Namur

Bredas on his scientific role models: “The key encounter in my scientific career was working with my postdoc advisers, the late Robert Silbey at MIT, and Ronald Chance, who was then at Allied Chemical. I had just finished my Ph.D. in Belgium, which was really deep into methodology. Bob Silbey and Ron Chance changed my whole approach. They taught me to make connections between calculations and applications. All of a sudden, I was working with synthetic chemists, spectroscopists, and device engineers. They didn’t care about what basis set I was using in my calculations. They cared about, ‘Can you tell me if this polymer will be useful?’ ”

What his colleagues say: “Bredas is driven by a deeper understanding of the ­phenomena, not by a desire to improve the computational method. His publications ­address real problems that are at the forefront of the field. Jean-Luc has demonstrated over and over again an uncanny ability to get to the heart of a problem.”—Alan J. Heeger, University of California, Santa Barbara