Awards and Honors

College of Chemistry awards and honors featured in the news.

Markita Landry receives the 2020 Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award

October 19, 2020
UC Berkeley, College of Chemistry Press Release
By combining single-molecule biophysics and nanomaterial-polymer science, Markita Landry Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley has developed new tools for understanding biological systems.

Omar Yaghi: 2019 Innovator of the Year

April 19, 2020
By Patricia Miller | Innovation and Tech Today
Omar Yaghi, the James and Neeltje Tretter Chair
 Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley, has been announced as the 2019 Innovator of the Year by Innovation & Tech Today.

William Lester: Lifetime achievement award

February 5, 2020
Top Industry Professionals | Issue 43 2020
Dr. William Alexander Lester, Jr was recently selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019 and as Top Chemist Educator of the Year for 2018 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for his outstanding leadership and commitment to the field.

Mars work by UC Berkeley’s George Pimentel recognized with national historic landmark

May 24, 2017
Tracey Taylor | Berkeleyside
(Berkeleyside) A bronze plaque designating the Mars Infrared Spectrometer as an ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark was unveiled at the May 15 ceremony, and a version of the Mars IRS is on view inside Pimentel Hall. It is accompanied by a display of historical materials and photographs tracing the efforts of the Pimentel team to create and launch the spectrometer.
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2017/05/24/mars-work-uc-berkeleys-george-pimentel-re…

CBE student Zirun Liang among recipients of 'Future Leaders in Chemical Engineering' award

October 21, 2025
Press Release | College of Chemistry
Zirun was honored for his research with Professor Markita Landry, entitled 'Single-Molecule Modification of Carbon Nanotubes Through Stochastic Deposition of ssDNA'.

Omar Yaghi shares the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

October 8, 2025
Press Release | College of Chemistry
(College of Chemistry, UC Berkeley) The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm Sweden have named Yaghi one of the 2025 Nobel laureates in Chemistry.
https://news.berkeley.edu/2025/10/08/uc-berkeleys-omar-yaghi-shares-2025-nobel-p…

Trio win Nobel chemistry prize for work on 'Hermione's handbag' materials

October 8, 2025
By Johan Ahlander, Niklas Pollard and Marie Mannes | Reuters
(Reuters) - Scientists Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi won the 2025 Nobel chemistry prize for developing a new form of molecular architecture, yielding materials that can help tackle challenges such as climate change and lack of fresh water.
https://www.reuters.com/science/kitagawa-robson-yaghi-win-2025-nobel-prize-chemi…

Research on metal-organic frameworks gets the chemistry Nobel Prize

October 8, 2025
by The Associated Press
(The Associated Press/NPR) - Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for their development of metal–organic frameworks that could eventually help reduce pollution and combat climate change. (Photo credit: Nobel Prize, Clement Morin)
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/08/g-s1-92461/nobel-prize-chemistry-metal-organic-fr…

Christiane Stachl wins Outstanding Student Leadership Award

April 22, 2019
College of Chemistry graduate student Christiane (Chrissy) Stachl who received the Deans Outstanding Student award for demonstrating remarkable vision, commitment, and success as the President of the Chemistry Graduate Life Committee, and for her contributions to creating opportunities to promote equity and inclusion within the Chemistry Department.

David Schaffer named to NAE

February 12, 2025
By Veronica Bartell | College of Chemistry
David Schaffer inducted by prestigious organization for world-changing research.