Eight
Nobel Prizes from BES-Supported Research |
Since 1986, eight Nobel Prizes have been awarded to
twelve principal investigators (in bold) for their
BES-supported research.
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The Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for 2005 was awarded jointly to three
chemists, Richard R. Schrock (Massachusetts Institute
of
Technology), Robert H. Grubbs (California Institute of Technology), and
Yves Chauvin (Institut Français du Pétrole Rueil-Malmaison) "for the development of the metathesis method in organic
synthesis," a way to rearrange groups of atoms within molecules that the
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences likens “to a dance in which the couples change partners.” The
metathesis reaction involves the breaking of
carbon double bonds in ways that cause atom groups to change places, which happens with the assistance of special catalyst molecules. The process is used daily in the chemical, biotechnology, and food industries to make stronger plastics, better drugs, and improved food preservatives.
By reducing the number of hazardous byproducts in a chemical reaction, metathesis leads to clean and environmentally friendly production.
BES has been a leading Federal supporter of catalytic
chemistry, and Dr. Schrock’s continuous affiliation with the
BES Division of Chemical Sciences dates back to 1979.
In addition, Dr. Grubb’s work in homogeneous catalysis was supported by
BES from 1979 through 1988.
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The Nobel Prize in
Physics for 2003 was awarded jointly to three
physicist, Alexei A. Abrikosov
(Argonne National Laboratory), Vitaly L. Ginzburg
(P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow), and Anthony J. Leggett
(University of Illinois, Urbana) "for pioneering contributions to the theory of superconductors and
superfluids." Their contributions to the theory of superconductors and superfluids have yielded deep understanding of physical phenomenon that were once both mysterious and perplexing to the scientific community. Through their efforts, tremendous strides are being made in understanding these processes, leading to the development of new superconducting materials and technologies that have great promise to benefit the entire
world. BES has supported Dr. Abrikosov as part of the Materials Science Division of Argonne National Laboratory since 1991, where he has worked extensively on the mechanism of high temperature superconductivity.
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The Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for 1997 was awarded to three biochemists, Paul D. Boyer
(University of California at Los Angeles), John E. Walker
(Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Cambridge, England), and
Jens C. Skou
(Aarhus University in Denmark). Drs. Boyer and Walker were cited for their elucidation of
the enzymatic mechanism underlying the synthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP),
frequently referred to as the "energy currency" of the cell.
Dr. Boyer's
work on ATP was supported by BES' Division of Energy Biosciences and its
predecessor organizations from 1963 until his retirement in 1993.
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The
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1996 was awarded to Richard E. Smalley
(Rice University),
Robert F. Curl
(Rice University), and Sir
Harold Kroto (University of Sussex) for their discovery of buckminsterfullerene. The
award was given for the discovery of a new form (allotrope) of carbon, buckminsterfullerene, which contains 60 carbon atoms in the
shape of a soccer ball. Dr. Smalley was supported by BES' Division of Chemical
Sciences for the work that led to the discovery of buckminsterfullerene in 1985, and Dr.
Curl has long been supported for his work in infrared spectroscopy. Dr. Curl's role
as a spectroscopist was to bring Dr. Kroto, whose interest was in long-chain Cx
molecules related to astrophysics, together with Dr. Smalley to do spectroscopy on these
type of species. The discovery of a new "buckyball" form of carbon resulted,
which started an avalanche of scientific research devoted to fullerenes. For example, it
is possible to produce superconducting salts of C60, new three-dimensional
polymers, new catalysts, and materials with new electrical and optical properties.
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The
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1995 was awarded to Frank Sherwood
Rowland (University of California, Irvine), Mario Molina
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology), and Paul Crutzen
(Max-Planck-Institute for Chemistry) for "work in atmospheric chemistry, particularly
concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone." Dr. Rowland had been
supported by BES' Division of Chemical Sciences for many years in the area of hot-atom
chemistry, such as the chemistry of excited species that commonly were formed as the
result of nuclear reactions. Dr. Molina was a postdoctoral fellow in the Rowland
laboratory during 1973-1975. As the result of attending an international conference,
Dr. Rowland's interest was piqued by measurements of the atmospheric concentrations of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's). The inert characteristics of CFCs were well known, but with
his intimate knowledge of chlorine (Cl) atom sources, Dr. Rowland reasoned that the
molecules could be photolyzed by ultraviolet light to produce atomic chlorine when the
CFCs reach the stratosphere by diffusion. The investigations led to the recognition that
the photolytically produced Cl atoms could also catalyze the destruction of ozone. The
work was published in Nature in 1974. The discovery that CFC's
deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer has had widespread environmental implications.
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The Nobel
Prize in Physics for 1994 was awarded to Clifford G. Shull
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Bertram N. Brockhouse
(McMaster University) for "pioneering contributions to the development of neutron
scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter."
Dr.
Shull was a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) with support from the Atomic
Energy Commission from 1946 through 1955, at which time he went to MIT.
He carried
out many of the very first experiments using neutron beams during his tenure at ORNL using the
graphite reactor. In particular, his
experiments with Ernie Wollan
on elastic scattering of neutrons from solids opened up a new field whereby the structures
of many condensed matter phases could be studied using neutrons. At MIT, Dr. Shull
continued to do research with neutron beams, including some very innovative experiments on
neutron interferometry. He was supported by the BES' Division of Materials Sciences until
his retirement from MIT in
1986. The information gained from the use of neutron scattering often cannot be
obtained in any other way, and the new knowledge frequently results in enormous practical
benefits. For example, chemical companies use neutrons to make better fibers, plastics,
and catalysts; automobile manufacturers use neutrons to understand how to cast and forge
gears and brake discs in order to make cars run better and more safely; and airplane
manufacturers use neutron radiography for testing of defects in airplane wings, engines,
and turbine blades.
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The
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1987 was awarded to Donald J. Cram
(University of California at Los Angeles), Charles J. Pederson
(Du Pont), and Jean-Marie
Lehn (Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg and Collège de France) for
"for the development and use of molecules with structure-specific interactions of
high selectivity." Dr. Cram was supported in his research by BES' Division of
Chemical Sciences for separation studies associated with the solubilization of metal ions
in organic solvents. His work focused on a broad class of cyclic organic complexants to
enable this solubilization process. Among this broad class of compounds are the
"crown ethers".
Potential uses for complexes of guest molecules imprisoned in the interior of rigidly
hollow spherical host molecules include drug and radiation delivery systems, light
switches, or molecular information storage and retrieval display systems.
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The
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 1986 was awarded to Yuan Tseh Lee
(University of California, Berkeley), Dudley R. Herschbach
(Harvard University), and John C. Polanyi
(University of Toronto) for "dynamics of chemical elementary processes."
Dr. Herschbach and Dr. Lee were supported in their research by BES' Division of
Chemical Sciences. By designing a new crossed
molecular beam experiment, their research revealed how two molecules that undergo a
chemical reaction collide, combine and transform themselves, step by step, into very
different resultant products. By understanding chemistry from first principles, we can
improve how fuel is burned, how ozone is depleted and how catalysts operate in specific
reactions.
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The Department of Energy and its
predecessor agencies have supported
the award-winning scientific research of scores
of Nobel Laureates since 1934. These distinguished researchers have won
or shared in dozens of different Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology or Medicine. |
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