Chemistry International
Vol. 23, No. 4
July 2001
Awards
and Prizes
Elsa Reichmanis Wins Perkin Medal
Dr. Elsa Reichmanis
(Director, Polymer and Organic Materials Research Department, Bell Labs,
Lucent Technologies), Titular Member of the IUPAC Macromolecular Division
(IV) Committee, has won the prestigious 2001 Perkin Medal, one of the
highest honors the U.S. chemical industry can bestow. The American Section
of the London-based Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) awards the Perkin
Medal annually to a scientist or engineer for outstanding contributions
to applied chemistry. The awardee is chosen by a representative panel
from the American Chemical Society, the American Institute of Chemists,
the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Electrochemical Society,
and the American Section of Société de Chimie Industrielle.
The Perkin Medal commemorates Sir William H. Perkins (1838-1907)
discovery in 1856 of the first synthetic dye (mauve). Perkin was also
the founder of SCI.
Dr. Reichmanis received the award for her development of new photoresists
for microlithography, the process of producing very small patterns on
silicon substrates for use in integrated circuits. At the 221st ACS
National Meeting in San Diego last April, Dr. Reichmanis was selected
as one of two candidates to stand for election as 2002 ACS President-Elect
this fall.