Oklahoma Chemist Award presented to Kenneth P. Roberts

Kenneth P. Roberts, a professor of chemistry at the University of Tulsa, is the recipient of the 2020 Oklahoma Chemist Award. The award honors a chemist who has made significant contributions to research in the state of Oklahoma. Roberts will receive a $1,000 cash award and a plaque.

Working with the US Food and Drug Administration’s National Center for Toxicological Research, Roberts developed a technique to quantify DNA damage from chemical carcinogens. He also studies the use of luminescent nanoparticles in detecting pathogenic bacteria and viruses and is developing nanostructured photovoltaics.