The American Chemical Society has given a prestigious national award to a renowned University of Colorado at Boulder professor.
W. Carl Lineberger was announced as the winner of the 2004 Peter Debye Award in Physical Chemistry for his outstanding and extraordinary contributions to the understanding of chemical energetics, molecular structures and solvent dynamics through the study of charged particles, or ions. Lineberger is an E.U. Condon Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a JILA fellow.
His selection was first announced in Chemical & Engineering News. Lineberger will travel to Anaheim, Calif., for a formal presentation of the award next March in conjunction with the 227th American Chemical Society National Meeting. The award includes a certificate and a $5,000 prize.
Lineberger said his work is driven by the desire to envision chemical reactions at the molecular level. "The thing that has always appealed to me has been the idea that one can actually combine experiments and theory together in a way that, when molecules come together and undergo a chemical reaction, you really can visualize the detailed dance they go through," he said.
The Debye Award, sponsored by E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., was established in 1960 to encourage and reward outstanding theoretical or experimental research in physical chemistry. Some consideration is given to nominees' successes as mentors and colleagues, according to the American Chemical Society.
"In the physical sciences, your students are your hands and your head in so many ways, and I've been very blessed to have outstanding people working with me," Lineberger said. "I feel very honored to be included among the distinguished recipients of this award."
"The department is very pleased," said Professor Veronica Vaida, chair of the CU-Boulder chemistry and biochemistry department. "This award is recognizing highly distinguished scientists in the field of physical chemistry and their contributions to the field. We're very honored Professor Lineberger received this award."