Christopher Jones, Ph.D., to head new American Chemical Society journal ACS Catalysis

BOSTON, Aug. 23, 2010 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Christopher W. Jones, Ph.D., as Editor-in-Chief of ACS Catalysis, the newest journal in ACS’s suite of highly cited, peer-reviewed journals.

ACS Catalysis will officially launch in January 2011 dedicated to publishing original research on and at the interfaces of heterogeneous catalysis, homogeneous catalysis and biocatalysis. Application coverage of ACS Catalysis will include life sciences, drug discovery & development, household products, polymer discovery & production, environmental protection and energy & fuels.

"In light of the ongoing and increasing importance of catalysis on basic and applied research in areas of energy, materials, and life sciences, we feel the time is right for ACS Publications to establish a high-visibility forum focusing on catalysis research,” said Susan King, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of the ACS Journals Publishing Group. “With the introduction of ACS Catalysis and the recent formation of the ACS Division of Catalysis Science & Technology, the American Chemical Society is uniquely positioned to have a visible impact on the advancement of this crucial area of chemistry."

King and Darla Henderson, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Editorial Development in the ACS Journals Publishing Group, expressed pleasure with having Jones on board as Editor-in Chief of ACS Catalysis.

“Dr. Jones’ vision for ACS Catalysis encompasses outreach to the catalysis community in a significant sense,” Henderson said. “Dr. Jones’ research experience across several major research areas in the catalysis field overall, and collaborative work within the various aspects of catalysis, provide a significant advantage to his service as the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of ACS Catalysis.”

“As both a catalysis scientist and as the Editor-in-Chief of ACS Catalysis, I am very excited about the potential of this new journal,” Jones noted. “ACS Catalysis will offer a new forum for rapid and efficient dissemination of novel experimental or theoretical results in all areas of catalysis. The combination of breadth of topical coverage in catalysis, a fast and rigorous review of manuscripts, and the convenience and efficiency of the ACS Publications Web platform uniquely position ACS Catalysis for success.”

Jones is the Professor and J. Carl and Sheila Pirkle Faculty Fellow at the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga. His research interests are works in the broad areas of materials design and synthesis, catalysis, and adsorption. Specific emphases are placed on catalytic materials for energy applications, fine chemical and pharmaceutical applications, and on adsorbents for CO₂ capture. His research group's work on the rational design of molecularly engineered materials draws from a number of different disciplines to enable the development of functional materials with applications in areas such as catalysis and separations. His group utilizes inorganic, organic and organometallic synthetic techniques to endow solid materials with well-characterized surfaces where the physical and chemical properties of the solid are manipulated by understanding and controlling the structure of the material on all length scales. This research sits squarely at the crossroads of a number of disciplines, and his group is composed of chemical engineers, chemists, material scientists, and environmental engineers.

Jones received his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan, his M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with a Minor in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology. He is a member of the International Zeolite Association, the North American Catalysis Society, the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society, the American Society for Engineering Education, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the American Chemical Society. He recently was awarded the 2010 Ipatieff Prize from ACS, recognizing outstanding chemical experimental work in the field of catalysis or high pressure, carried out by an individual of any nationality who is not over 40 years of age.

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