The American Chemical Society (ACS) recently announced the recipients of two of its most prestigious national awards, recognizing a pair of professors from the University of Chicago Department of Chemistry. These honors celebrate chemists whose innovative research is propelling the field forward while tackling some of humanity's most intricate scientific and technological problems.
Professor Dmitri Talapin has been named as the recipient of the ACS Award in Colloid Chemistry, an honor that highlights his innovative work in an often-overlooked area of science. Colloid chemistry studies how one substance can be evenly mixed within another. Talapin's research has revolutionized the creation of inorganic nanomaterials by pioneering the use of molten salts—an innovative method that allows scientists to create new semiconductor nanostructures essential for developing next-generation technology in everything from electronics to sustainable energy. His group's recent publication in the journal Science further highlights their remarkable ability to precisely control the properties of these materials.
Professor John S. Anderson will receive this year’s Harry Gray Award for Creative Work in Inorganic Chemistry by a Young Investigator. He is being recognized for his inventive research in synthetic inorganic chemistry, where his team designs molecules with unconventional structures. His work offers crucial insights into how chemical reactions happen, with significant implications for catalysis and energy. Recently his research group developed a synthetic system that mimics natural enzymes, helping us understand how biological systems perform complex reactions and paving the way for new, highly efficient catalysts.
Professor Talapin and Professor Anderson’s work demonstrates that curiosity and creative thinking remain at the core of discoveries that will influence our shared future. Both will receive their awards at the ACS Spring 2026 National Meeting & Exposition.