Welcome to the Recognition Subcommittee!

Our Vision:

Publicizing important chemical innovations in intellectual property

Our Mission:

Enabling recognition of landmark contributions of chemistry to the world, addressing one of ACS’s strategic goals (Communicate chemistry’s value)

Our Goals:

Equitably increase recognition for chemical innovators

This committee will identify and recommend distinguished scientists and engineers for recognition via national awards programs, within ACS and outside ACS, for their contributions / achievements as evidenced by the intellectual property they have created.

Our focus areas:

  • Highlight and acknowledge the intellectual property contributions of chemists
  • Make ACS-endorsed nominations for the National Inventor Hall of Fame, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, and other awards as appropriate
  • Make nominations for ACS national awards pertaining to intellectual property
  • Cooperate with other ACS committees, including Professional and Member Relations, ComSci, WCC, CMA, and CWD

DISTINGUISHED AWARDS

THE ACS COMMITTEE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY NOMINATES FOR

1. National Inventors Hallo of Fame

Recognizes a living or deceased inventor who holds US patent of significant contribution to US welfare, including novelty, societal impact, economic impact.

Technological areas:

  • thiazide diuretics
  • polyethylene
  • superglue
  • HeNe laser

2. ACS Award for Creative Invention

Recognizes a single inventor for the successful application of research in chemistry and/or chemical engineering.

  • Ted Johnson – Lorlatinib
  • Scott Culler – ceramic abrasives
  • Anil Kumar – photochromic eyeglass lenses
  • Jonathan Vennerstrom – antimalarial drug Synriam
  • Robert Kania – Axitinib
  • Richard Silverman – Lyrica
  • Antonio Facchetti – organic electronic materials
  • Jotham Coe – Chantix (varenicline)
  • Marvin Caruthers – phosphoramidite DNA synthesis

3. National Medal of Technology and Innovation

Recognizing contributions of living US citizens or teams to technological innovation and workforce, including economic contributions through patents.

  • Adam Heller, electrochemistry
  • Helen Free, diagnostics
  • Edith Flanigan, zeolites
  • Ralph Landau, petrochemicals
  • Frances Arnold, synthetic biology

Past successes

 

Margaret Wu

Synthetic Lubricants

U.S. Patent Nos. 4,827,064; 4,827,073

Inducted in 2022

Born June 28, 1950

Margaret Wu, an industrial chemist from Taiwan, revolutionized the domain of synthetic lubricants. Educated in Taiwan and the University of Rochester, she joined Mobil in 1977 and by the mid-80s developed a new class of polyalphaolefin (PAO) synthetic base oil for lubricants. The distinguishing feature of her lubricants is their refined chemical structure with no unnecessary side branches, offering superior lubrication. Benefits of her innovations include enhanced engine performance, longer oil life, fuel efficiency, and diminished engine wear and waste. Her dedication to lab work was pivotal to her innovation process. Her work is now foundational in synthetic lubricants used globally in various applications. Wu retired from ExxonMobil in 2009 as the first female senior scientific adviser, holding over 100 U.S. patents. She remained a consultant until 2016.

Learn more about Margaret Wu and her achievements here: https://www.invent.org/inductees/margaret-wu