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Printer Friendly| Release date: | October 2, 2002 |
| Contact: | Rae Weil (509) 372-6333 |
Two PNNL scientists win prestigious ACS awards
RICHLAND, Wash. — The American Chemical Society, ACS, has honored two scientists from the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with national awards.
David Dixon, a Battelle Fellow, has received ACS’s 2003 Award for Creative Work in Fluorine Chemistry in honor of his work in the field of fluorine chemistry. The award honors Dixon for “advancing the use of computational chemistry to bring unique understanding to the field of fluorine chemistry especially chlorofluorocarbon, CFC, replacements, organofluorine molecules and inorganic fluorides.” The formal presentation of this award will take place during the 16th Fluorine Winter Conference, Jan. 12 to 17, in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Richard D. Smith, chief scientist and a Battelle Fellow, has been awarded the 2003 ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry. Smith will receive his award at a ceremony on March 25, 2003, in conjunction with the 225th ACS National Meeting in New Orleans, La.
 David Dixon |
David Dixon — Until his recent appointment as a Battelle Fellow, Dixon was the associate director for theory, modeling and simulation at the William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE scientific user facility located at PNNL. Dixon led one of the largest groups of computational chemists in the world — approximately 50 permanent staff — and oversaw the Molecular Sciences Computing Facility in EMSL. He is especially known for his work in computational chemistry with specific emphasis on predicting the thermochemistry and rates of chemical reactions with a focus on solving complex environmental problems.
Dixon played a vital role in the calculation of the accurate thermochemical and kinetic properties of CFC alternatives, bringing the use of these alternatives into the public stream of consciousness. These new compounds are key to minimizing the destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer while maintaining a better quality of life.
Dixon introduced the use of reliable computational approaches to study compounds containing fluorine almost 20 years ago. At the time, it was thought that computational approaches could not predict the properties of fluorinated compounds. Dixon also has been a leader in the supercomputing revolution, demonstrating the capabilities of these unique resources to address the most challenging scientific and engineering issues.
Dixon earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., in 1971 and a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University in 1976. He joined PNNL in 1995. Dixon has published more than 375 papers on a wide range of topics with a focus on computational science and is on the Institute for Scientific Information’s list of most cited chemists.
He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society, and an adjunct professor in chemistry at the University of Utah. Dixon’s awards include the 1989 Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award of the American Chemical Society, given for outstanding accomplishment to a chemist under the age of 40.
 Richard D. Smith |
Richard D. Smith — Smith has been with PNNL since 1976. The ACS has honored him for his work in the field of analytical chemistry.
Smith’s accomplishments include developments that involve the integration of work in two analytical disciplines: separation science and mass spectrometry. Smith’s leading role in the applications of these combined techniques to modern bioanalytical problems and biological systems characterization has led to numerous advances in analytical chemistry, and most recently to major new capabilities for large-scale protein studies. Smith’s research has included the development of capillary electrophoresis in combination with mass spectrometry.
His current research emphasis involves the development and application of new methods for quantitatively probing the entire array of proteins expressed by a cell, tissue or organism, otherwise known as its “proteome.” This research has particular significance for the new area of systems biology, in which scientists are seeking to understand at the molecular level how biological organisms operate and function, and to use this information in many ways, such as for the development of new drugs.
Smith earned a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell in 1971 and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Utah in 1975. He is the author or co-author of more than 470 publications, 16 patents and is on the Institute for Scientific Information’s list of most cited chemists. He is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Washington State University and an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Idaho. He has presented more than 250 invited or plenary lectures at national and international scientific meetings.
Smith’s other awards include: Battelle Inventor of the Year Award in 2000; six R&D 100 Awards; the Chet Cooper Mentor of the Year Award, 2000; DOE Energy 100 Award; Battelle-Northwest Director’s Award for Excellence, 1989; American Oil Chemists Society Award, 1984; and the R.A. Glenn-Bituminous Coal Research Award, 1978.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is a DOE research facility and delivers breakthrough science and technology in the areas of environment, energy, health, fundamental sciences and national security. Battelle, based in Columbus, Ohio, has operated the laboratory for DOE since 1965.
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