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2015 ACS Fellows from the Physical Chemistry Division*




T. Daniel Crawford, Virginia Tech

Contribution to the science/profession: Recognized for the development of high-accuracy reduced-scaling quantum mechanical models of the optical properties of chiral compounds, including first-principles simulations of optical rotation and circular dichroism spectra.

Contribution to the ACS community: Recognized for service as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Division of Physical Chemistry, for organization of national symposia, and for service to the theoretical chemistry community through the organization of Software Summer Schools.



Dionysios (Dion) Dionysiou, University of Cincinnati

Contribution to the science/profession: Recognized for pioneering work in the field of advanced oxidation technologies and nanotechnologies using novel materials as catalysts for the degradation of cyanotoxins and other contaminants of concern in water.

Contribution to the ACS community: Played an instrumental role in sustaining very active programming for the Division of Environmental Chemistry and demonstrated leadership in encouraging participation of young researchers in ACS symposia and award competitions.



Ellen R. Fisher, Colorado State University

Contribution to the science/profession: Recognized for advancing understanding of the molecular-level chemistry occurring in plasma processing, elucidating fundamental gas-phase reactions and gas–surface interactions, and creating novel thin films and three-dimensional composite materials.

Contribution to the ACS community: Served on the Younger Chemists Committee and organized Colorado Local Section meetings and Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry symposia. Currently serves as an Executive Editor of ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.



Martin Gruebele, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Contribution to the science/profession: Elucidated molecular vibrational energy flow, studied protein and RNA dynamics in the test tube and in living cells, and observed directly the atomic scale dynamics of glasses at their surface.

Contribution to the ACS community: Served as Chair of the Division of Physical Chemistry, on ACS award committees, and organized many symposia and sessions at ACS meetings.



Joseph T. Hupp, Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory

Contribution to the science/profession: Recognized for the design, synthesis, and fundamental investigation of molecules and materials relevant to energy conversion or protection against chemical threats.

Contribution to the ACS community: Recognized for service as an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.



Anna Krylov, University of Southern California

Contribution to the science/profession: Developed new robust tools for electronically excited and open-shell species, such as the spin-flip approach for polyradicals and complex-variable coupled-cluster methods for metastable electronic states.

Contribution to the ACS community: Created a web-based list of women in theoretical and computational molecular sciences; the list promotes female excellence in theoretical chemistry and encourages young women to pursue careers in this field.



Willem R. Leenstra, University of Vermont

Contribution to the science/profession: Pioneered research to understand the structural details and photophysics of mixed-pendant, layered materials; specifically, arene-derivatized zirconium phosphonates have shown promise as nanoparticulate pressure sensors.

Contribution to the ACS community: Completed 25 years as a Councilor after being Green Mountain Local Section Chair and Secretary. Served as General Chair of the Northeast Regional Meeting twice. Committee appointments have included Local Section Activities, Meeting and Expositions (Chair), and currently, Budget and Finance.



Carol A. Parish, University of Richmond

Contribution to the science/profession: Furthered the understanding of diradical excited states and the dynamics of proteins and halogen bonding in DNA. Mentored numerous outstanding undergraduates, many of whom pursued a Ph.D. in the chemical sciences.

Contribution to the ACS community: Served on the Women Chemists Committee and on the Division of Physical Chemistry Executive Committee, where she organized the annual undergraduate workshop. Also served as a mentor to numerous ACS Scholars.

The nomination window for 2016 ACS Fellows will be open next spring. Additional information may be found here.

*Summaries of 2015 Fellows' contributions courtesy of the ACS.