WOKINGHAM-BASED Professor Nick Long has been named the winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Frankland Award.
Teaching at Imperial College London, Professor Long won the award for outstanding synthetic inorganic and organometallic chemistry and subsequent applications in catalysis, functional materials and biomedical imaging.
On receiving the award, Professor Long said: “I am absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award from the Royal Society of Chemistry. I would like to say a big thank you to all the current and past members of my research group, alongside my many collaborators who have all helped in my research endeavours over the past 25 years.
“I am particularly pleased to win the Frankland Award, as I hold the Sir Edward Frankland Chair at Imperial College, and in recent years have begun to appreciate the remarkable career of Frankland and his range of achievements in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. I am very honoured to win this award named after him, and to join the impressive list of previous winners of the award.”
Professor Long, who was born in Bristol, also received a £2,000 cash prize and a medal.
His work involves making molecules and the design and synthesis of new chemical bonds or combinations of elements and looking for applications, including as an industrial catalyst, a conducting or switchable material or as a biomedical imaging probe. In the latter area, Professor Long as his team are developing less toxic MRI contrast agents, radiochemical probes that can provide better and earlier disease diagnosis and metal-containing nanomaterials that can target cancerous tumours.
Dr Helen Pain, acting chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “We live in an era of tremendous global challenges, with the need for science recognised now more so than ever – so it is important to recognise those behind the scenes who are making significant contributions towards improving the world we live in. It is our honour and privilege to do that with these awards, which recognise exceptional scientific achievement.
“The global chemical sciences community is one that covers many different specialisms, from health and climate change to product development, sustainable transport, and everything in between. In recognising the work of Professor Long, we are also recognising the important contribution this incredible network of scientists makes to improving our lives every day.”
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Prizes and Awards are awarded in recognition of originality and impact of research, or for each winner’s contribution to the chemical sciences industry or education. They also acknowledge the importance of teamwork across the chemical sciences, as well as the abilities of individuals to develop successful collaborations.
Of those to have won a Royal Society of Chemistry Award, 50 have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.
And last year, the Royal Society of Chemistry announced it is reviewing its recognition mechanisms. Details of how the awards structure will be changed – to ensure that the way excellence is recognised is fit for today’s needs – will be announced later this year.
