Carl Remigius Fresenius was one of the great early chemists.  He was Professor of Chemistry, Physics and Technology at the Agricultural Institute at Wiesbaden, Germany from 1845 until his death in 1897. At the age of 23, a year before he received the doctor’s degree at the University of Giessen, he published the first edition of his famous “Introduction to Qualitative Analysis,” which proved to be so meritorious that it was translated into several foreign languages.

Fresenius was a critical analyst, widely known for the meticulous care and precision with which he carried out his analytical procedures. Many of his methods, such as the quantitative determination of lithium, manganese, and nickel, of phosphoric, nitric, boric, and titanic acids were the analytical methods of choice for decades. In developing these methods he was obligated to synthesize many of his own reagents. To improve the accuracy of precipitation methods, he made numerous solubility studies on the salts involved. He developed detailed methods for the analysis of waters and of plant materials.

In 1869 he established an agricultural chemistry research laboratory, in 1877 a food research laboratory, and in 1884 a bacteriological research laboratory.

Fresenius was also interested in the industrial application of chemistry. He was the discoverer of the lime-soda process of water-softening. The destructive distillation of wood and the processes for the recovery and utilization of the products also were originated and developed by Fresenius.

In 1862 he founded the Zeitschrift für Analytische Chemie, which remains one of the world’s leading journals in the field of analytical chemistry.

To fulfill this objective, Phi Lambda Upsilon elects to Membership those students who show exceptional promise in pure and applied chemistry. It also elects to Honorary Membership chemists who have made outstanding contributions to the science.

Phi Lambda Upsilon, in keeping with its stated objectives, also established an award for outstanding chemists early in their professional careers, since regular membership ordinarily goes to those at the beginning of their careers and Honorary Membership to those at the height of or near the close of their careers. This national award was established by the Society in 1965 and named the "National Fresenius Award" in recognition of Carl Remingus Fresenius, one of the great early chemists after whom Phi Lambda Upsilon was named. This award is presented annually to an outstanding young scientist who has attained national recognition in the areas of research, teaching and/or administration. The first award was presented at the National ACS Meeting in April, 1965. This award continues and extends the traditions of the Society in recognizing and honoring excellence in chemistry. It has, as the attached list of names of past recipients testifies, taken its place along with Honorary Membership in the Society as an award of high merit in Chemistry in the United States.

 

 

    1.    The award consists of a plaque of suitable design and a monetary award of $5,000, which goes to the recipient as an honorarium.

    2.    The award recipient must be under 35 years of age at the date of the nomination.

    3.    The award recipient must have made substantial scientific contributions, which are recognized nationally.

    4.    Selection of the recipient is the responsibility of a five-member Award Committee composed of nationally-recognized scientists.

    5.    The recipient will be selected from persons nominated by the chairs of the departments of biochemistry, chemical engineering and chemistry in United States Universities as listed in the American Chemistry Society Directory of Graduate Research.

    6.    Not more than one award will be made annually.

 

The National Fresenius Award

Nomination Proceedure

Nominations for The National Fresenius Award must be submitted to the National President by Jan. 25, 2005:

 

The nominations for the Fresenius Award may be submitted as follows.

    1.    The award recipient must be under 35 years of age at the date of the nomination.

    2.    The award recipient must have made substantial scientific contributions, which are recognized nationally.

    3.    The recipient must be nominated by the chair of a department of chemistry, biochemistry or chemical engineering in United States Universities as listed in the American Chemistry Society Directory of Graduate Research, or by any active chapter of Phi Lambda Upsilon, or by any member of its Executive Committee.

 

Required Qualifications for Award Recipient:

    1.    The award recipient must be under 35 years of age at the date of the nomination.

    2.    The award recipient must have made substantial scientific contributions, which are recognized nationally.

    3.    The recipient must be nominated by the chair of a department of chemistry, biochemistry or chemical engineering in United States Universities as listed in the American Chemistry Society Directory of Graduate Research.

 

Nominations must be received by January 25, 2005. The nominating letter is to be signed by the Department Chairperson and should include a discussion of why the person placed in nomination is regarded as particularly worthy of consideration for the Fresenius Award. It is also requested that a biography of the candidate containing the following information be submitted:

    1.    Full name

    2.    Place and date of birth.

    3.    Educational career (undergraduate and graduate).

    4.    Professional activities (since receipt of last degree).

    5.    List of publications (reprints not necessary).

    6.    List of honors, distinctions or noteworthy achievements.

In addition three (3) letters of recommendation from former teachers or professional associates should be submitted with the biography or sent directly to the National President above.

Selection of the recipient is the responsibility of a five-member Award Committee composed of nationally recognized scientists. The award consists of a plaque of suitable design and a monetary award of $5,000, which goes to the recipient as an honorarium. It is presented at the Spring National Meeting of the ACS.

 

1965

Martin Karplus

Columbia University

 

1966

Ronald Breslow

Columbia University

 

1967

Mostafa El Sayed

Univ. of California - Los Angeles

 

1968

John Baldeschwieler

Stanford University

 

1969

Roald Hoffman

Cornell University

 

1970

Harry Gray

California Inst. of Technology

 

1971

Willis Flygare*

University of Illinois

 

1972

Charles Cantor

Columbia University

 

1973

Nicholas Turro

Columbia University

 

1974

Richard Zare

Columbia University

 

1975

Robert Vaughn*

California Inst. of Technology

 

1976

Joseph B. Lambert

Northwestern University

 

1977

William P. Reinhardt

University of Colorado

 

1978

Patrick S. Mariano

Texas A & M University

 

1979

Tobin J. Marks

Northwestern University

 

1980

John R. Shapley

University of Illinois

 

1981

Richard P. Van Duyne

Northwestern University

 

1982

Michael J. Berry

Rice University

 

1983

George C. Schatz

Northwestern University

 

1984

Mark S. Wrighton

Massachusetts Inst. of Technology

 

1985

Ben Freiser*
Purdue University

1986

Jacqueline Barton
Columbia University

1987

Ian Rothwell
Purdue University

1988

Peter G. Wolynes
University of Illinois

1989

James L. Skinner
Columbia University

1990

Nathan S. Lewis
California Inst. of Technology

1991

Peter G. Schultz
Univ. of California - Berkeley

1992

John D. Simon
Univ. of California - San Diego

1993

Joseph T. Hupp
Northwestern University

1994

Scott D. Rychnovsky
University of Minnesota

1995

Robert M. Waymouth
Stanford University

1996

Erick M. Carreira
California Inst. of Technology

1997

Christopher C. Cummins
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology

1998

Chad A. Mirkin
Northwestern University

1999

Joseph DeSimone
Univ. of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

2000

David E. Clemmer
Indiana University

2001

Jillian M Buriak
Purdue University

2002

Andrei Tokmakoff
MIT

2003

Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede
Tulane University

2004

Jeffrey R. Long
Univ. of California - Berkeley

2005
Andrew Lyon
Georgia Institute of Technology

_________

*Deceased

 

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