Geraldine Richmond, University of Oregon, Eugene, USA, has received the 2018 Priestley Medal, the highest honor of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The prize is awarded annually to recognize distinguished services to chemistry.

Richmond is honored for “her pioneering contributions to our understanding of the molecular properties of liquid surfaces and her extraordinary service to chemistry on a global level”. The award was presented at the 255th ACS National Meeting & Exposition in New Orleans, LA, USA, on March 20, 2017.

Geraldine Richmond studied chemistry at Kansas State University, Manhattan, USA, and at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, where she received her Ph.D. in 1980 under the supervision of George C. Pimentel. She was an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College, PA, USA, from 1980 to 1985, and then joined the University of Oregon as Associate Professor. She was promoted to Full Professor in 1991 and since 2013, she is Presidential Chair of Science and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oregon.

Richmond’s research interests include the molecular structure and dynamics of interfacial processes, biomolecular assembly, atmospheric chemistry, and alternative energy sources. She also promotes science literacy for nonscientists and supports career development courses for scientists and engineers in the United States and developing countries.

Among other honors, Richmond received the Speirs Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in 2004, the ACS Award for Encouraging Women in the Chemical Sciences in 2005, the ACS Charles L. Parsons Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2013, and the U.S. National Medal of Science in 2013.

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Selected Publications

• Interfacial Insights into a Carbon Capture System: CO₂ Uptake to an Aqueous Monoethanolamine Surface,
  Laura E. McWilliams, Nicholas A. Valley, Nina M. Vincent, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  J. Phys. Chem. A 2017, 121, 7956–7967.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.7b07742
• Interaction of SO₂ with the Surface of a Water Nanodroplet,
  Jie Zhong, Chongqin Zhu, Lei Li, Geraldine L. Richmond, Joseph S. Francisco, Xiao Cheng Zeng,
  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139, 17168–17174.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b09900
• Molecular characterization of water and surfactant AOT at nanoemulsion surfaces,
  Jennifer K. Hensel, Andrew P. Carpenter, Regina K. Ciszewski, Brandon K. Schabes, Clive T. Kittredge, Fred G. Moore, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2017, 114, 13351–13356.
  https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1700099114
• Monomer Exchange Dynamics of Self-Assembled Surfactant Monolayers at the Solid–Liquid Interface,
  Simon Schrödle, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  ChemPhysChem 2007, 8, 2315–2317.
  https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.200700485
• At the Water’s Edge: Nitric Acid as a Weak Acid,
  Eric S. Shamay, Victoria Buch, Michele Parrinello, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12910–12911.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/ja074811f
• Spectroscopic Studies of Solvated Hydrogen and Hydroxide Ions at Aqueous Surfaces,
  Teresa L. Tarbuck, Stephanie T. Ota, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 14519–14527.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/ja063184b
• Understanding the Population, Coordination, and Orientation of Water Species Contributing to the Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy of the Vapor−Water Interface through Molecular Dynamics Simulations,
  Dave S. Walker, Dennis K. Hore, Geraldine L. Richmond,
  J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 20451–20459.
  https://doi.org/10.1021/jp063063y

 

Also of Interest

• Priestley Medal 2017 for Tobin J. Marks,
  ChemViews Mag. 2017.
  Highest honor of the American Chemical Society (ACS) presented to materials and organometallic chemist
• Priestley Medal 2016 for Mostafa El-Sayed,
  ChemViews Mag. 2016.
  Highest honor of the American Chemical Society (ACS) presented to physical and nanomaterials chemist
• Jacqueline K. Barton Awarded the Priestley Medal,
  ChemViews Mag. 2015.
  The highest honor of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has been awarded to Professor Jacqueline K. Barton, USA
• Stephen Lippard Awarded the Priestley Medal,
  ChemViews/Jonathan Faiz
  ChemViews Mag. 2014.
  Professor Stephen J. Lippard, USA, has been awarded the Priestley Medal, the highest honor of the ACS
• Priestley Medal for Peter Stang,
  Jonathan Faiz/ChemViews,
  ChemViews Mag. 2013.
  Peter Stang, University of Utah, USA, receives the highest honor of the American Chemical Society

 

More from the 255rd ACS National Meeting:

• Event: 255th ACS National Meeting & Exposition,
  18 to 22 March 2018, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
• Kathryn C. Hach Award for Entrepreneurial Success 2018,
  Javier García-Martínez, Rive Technology Inc., Boston, MA, USA, recognized as outstanding entrepreneur,
• 2017 Murray Goodman Memorial Prize,
  William. F. DeGrado honored for contributions to the design of peptides, proteins, and pharmaceutically active small molecules,