Priestley Medal

Priestley Medal
Priestley Medal obverse
Awarded forDistinguished service in the field of chemistry
Date1923 (1923)
Presented byAmerican Chemical Society (ACS)

The Priestley Medal is the highest honor conferred by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and is awarded for distinguished service in the field of chemistry.[1][2][3] Established in 1922, the award is named after Joseph Priestley, one of the discoverers of oxygen, who immigrated to the United States of America in 1794. The ACS formed in 1876, spearheaded by a group of chemists who had met two years previously in Priestley's home.[4]

The Priestley Medal is among the most distinguished awards in the chemical sciences, behind the Wolf Prize in Chemistry and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.[5] Consequently, it is commonly awarded to scientists who are advanced in their fields, as it is intended to commemorate lifetime achievement.[4] When the ACS started presenting the Priestley Medal in 1923, they intended to award it every three years. This continued until 1944, when it became an annual award.[4]

Recipients

Priestley Medal reverse (awarded to Linus Pauling in 1984)

[6]

1920s
1930s
  • 1932 Charles L. Parsons[10]
  • 1935 William A. Noyes[11]
  • 1938 Marston T. Bogert[12]
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

See also

  • List of chemistry awards

References

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  2. ^ Schofield, Robert E. (2004). The Enlightened Joseph Priestley: A Study of His Life and Work from 1773 to 1804. Pennsylvania State University Press. p. 372. ISBN 978-0-271-02459-2.
  3. ^ Bowden, Mary Ellen; Rosner, Lisa (2005). Joseph Priestley, Radical Thinker. Chemical Heritage Foundation. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-941901-38-3.
  4. ^ a b c Raber, Linda R. (April 7, 2008). "85th Anniversary of the Priestley Medal". Chemical & Engineering News. American Chemical Society. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  5. ^ "IREG List of International Academic Awards" (PDF). IREG Observatory on Academic Ranking and Excellence. 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
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  7. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1923: Ira Remsen (1846–1927)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  8. ^ "General Meeting Minutes". Proceedings of the American Chemical Society. 1926. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  9. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1929: Francis P. Garvan (1875–1937)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  10. ^ "Presentation of the Priestley Medal to Dr. Charles L. Parsons". Science. 76 (1969): 269–273. September 23, 1932. doi:10.1126/science.76.1969.269. JSTOR 1658436.
  11. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1935: William Albert Noyes (1857–1941) and 1954: W. Albert Noyes Jr. (1898–1980)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  12. ^ "ACS President: Marston T. Bogert (1907–1908 ) – American Chemical Society". acs.org. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  13. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1941: Thomas Midgley Jr. (1889–1944)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  14. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1944: James Bryant Conant (1893–1978)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  15. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1945: Ian Morris Heilbron (1886–1959)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
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  40. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1970: Max Tishler (1906–1989)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  41. ^ "Rossini is Priestley Medalist for 1970". Chemical & Engineering News Archive. 48 (30): 64–66, 70, 71. July 20, 1970. doi:10.1021/cen-v048n030.p064. ISSN 0009-2347.
  42. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1972: George B. Kistiakowsky (1900–1982)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
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  49. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal – 1984: Linus C. Pauling (1901–1994)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
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  51. ^ Chemical & Engineering News. "Chemical & Engineering News: The Priestly Medal - 1989: George C. Pimentel (1922-1989)". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
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  55. ^ Dagani, Ron (1992). "University of Utah's Robert W. Parry Wins 1993 Priestley Medal". Chemical & Engineering News. 70 (21): 21–22. doi:10.1021/cen-v070n021.p021. ISSN 0009-2347.
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  59. ^ Long, Janice R. (1996). "Mary Lowe Good To Receive 1997 Priestley Medal". Chemical & Engineering News. 74 (20): 36. doi:10.1021/cen-v074n020.p036. ISSN 0009-2347.
  60. ^ Dagani, Ron; Rawls, Rebecca (1997). "Cotton to Receive Priestley Medal". Chemical & Engineering News. 75 (16): 9. doi:10.1021/cen-v075n016.p009. ISSN 0009-2347.
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  75. ^ Elizabeth K. Wilson. "Peter J. Stang Named Priestley Medalist". Retrieved March 3, 2016.
  76. ^ Halford, Bethany (June 10, 2013). "Stephen Lippard Named Priestley Medalist". Chemical & Engineering News. American Chemical Society. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  77. ^ Wilson, Elizabeth K. (June 10, 2014). "Jacqueline Barton Named Priestley Medalist". Chemical & Engineering News. American Chemical Society. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  78. ^ "GT | Georgia Institute of Technology – News Center – Mostafa El-Sayed Wins 2016 Priestley Medal". www.news.gatech.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
  79. ^ Wilson, Elizabeth K. (June 20, 2016). "Tobin Marks Wins Priestley Medal". Chemical & Engineering News. American Chemical Society. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  80. ^ Kemsley, Jyllian (June 7, 2017). "Geraldine Richmond named 2018 Priestley Medalist". Chemical & Engineering News. American Chemical Society. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  81. ^ "2019 Priestley Medal goes to K. Barry Sharpless | Scripps Research". www.scripps.edu. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
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  84. ^ Celia Henry Arnaud. "JoAnne Stubbe Named 2020 Priestley Medalist". Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  85. ^ Paul Alivisatos Named 2021 Priestley Medalist
  86. ^ Peter Dervan Named 2022 Priestley Medalist
  87. ^ "Cato T. Laurencin named 2023 Priestley Medalist". cen.acs.org.
  88. ^ "Carolyn Bertozzi awarded the 2024 ACS Priestley Medal". American Chemical Society.
  89. ^ "Frances Arnold awarded the 2025 ACS Priestley Medal". American Chemical Society (Press release). July 1, 2024. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  90. ^ Barnhart, Max (August 1, 2025). "Jennifer Doudna is named 2026 Priestley Medalist". Chemical & Engineering News. Retrieved October 2, 2025.

Further reading