FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 15, 2013

Creating matter that never existed before: American Chemical Society Prized Science video

WASHINGTON, Oct.15, 2013 — Imagine creating something completely new — something improbable and provocative that has never existed on Earth before. This kind of unconventional science that defies long-standing assumptions in chemistry is the topic of the latest episode of a popular video series from the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. The videos are available at www.acs.org/PrizedScience and on DVD.

Titled Prized Science: Chemical Detectives: Preparing New Matter in the Universe, the third episode of the 2013 series features the research of Gregory H. Robinson, Ph.D., winner of the 2013 F. Albert Cotton Award in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry. He is a professor at the University of Georgia and has served on the editorial boards of Organometallics and Chemical & Engineering News, and currently serves on the editorial board of Inorganic Chemistry. The Cotton Award, supported by the F. Albert Cotton Endowment Fund, recognizes Robinson’s success harnessing finicky, unstable elements. In the video, Robinson explains that certain elements are normally only detectable at high temperatures. His team figured out how to work with these key substances at room temperature, and they have been finding ways to make elements bond in ways previously thought impossible.

Next in the 2013 series is an episode of Prized Science featuring Shirley Corriher, winner of the ACS 2013 James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.

Other upcoming episodes feature:

  • Isiah Warner, Ph.D.: ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry
  • Esther Takeuchi, Ph.D.: E. V. Murphee Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

Other episodes feature Tim Swager, Ph.D., winner of the 2013 ACS Award for Creative Invention; and Peter J. Stang, Ph.D., winner of the 2013 ACS Priestley Medal.

ACS encourages educators, schools, museums, science centers, news organizations and others to embed links to Prized Science on their websites. The videos discuss scientific research in non-technical language for general audiences. New episodes in the series, which focuses on ACS’ 2013 national award recipients, will be issued periodically.

The 2013 edition of Prized Science features renowned scientists telling the story of their own research and its impact and potential impact on everyday life. Colorful graphics and images visually explain the award recipient’s research.

The ACS administers more than 60 national awards to honor accomplishments in chemistry and service to chemistry. The nomination process involves submission of forms, with winners selected by a committee consisting of ACS members who typically are technical experts in the nominee’s specific field of research.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

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The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Media Contact

Michael Bernstein
202-872-6042
m_bernstein@acs.org

Katie Cottingham, Ph.D.
301-775-8455
k_cottingham@acs.org

Greg Robinson, Ph.D., (right) with his colleague Yuzhong Wang, Ph.D.
Photo courtesy of Peter Frey, University of Georgia