Elias J. Corey Award for Outstanding Original Contribution in Organic Synthesis by a Young Investigator: Neil K. Garg

Sponsor: Pfizer Endowment Fund

Citation: For breakthroughs in synthetic methodology and exceptional achievements in natural product synthesis.

Current position: professor of chemistry, University of California, Los Angeles

Education: B.S., chemistry, New York University; Ph.D., organic chemistry, California Institute of Technology

Garg on what gets his creative juices flowing: “I am a total synthesis chemist by training, and I love natural products. The process of dissecting a complex small molecule provides endless intellectual stimulation. I also enjoy thinking about problems in synthetic methodology and how to exploit functional groups that have long been neglected. Additionally, I get excited about topics in science education and, in particular, how to better engage students in chemistry.”

What his colleagues say: “Garg is the real deal: a leading scholar, educator, innovator, and statesperson. What I find differentiating in his age cohort is his impressive ability to produce major innovative contributions to synthetic methodology, total synthesis, and mechanistic chemistry with an eye toward targets of synthetic and potential societal value.”—Paul Wender, Stanford University