Four honoured by Royal Society of Chemistry

The Royal Society of Chemists has honoured four Cambridge scientists this month (May, 2014).

Dr Erwin Reisner, Professor David Spring, Dr Keith Taber, and Professor Ian Paterson were among those recognised nationally by the eminent society.

Congratulating the winners Dr Robert Parker, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “Each year we present prizes and awards to chemical scientists who have made an outstanding contribution, be that in their area of research, in industry or academia.

“Our winners can be very proud to follow in the footsteps of some of the most influential and important chemical scientists in history.”

The work done by Dr Reisner - combining molecular synthesis, chemical biology and materials chemistry to develop artificial photosynthesis – won him the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize.

It is bestowed “for the most meritorious and promising original investigations in chemistry and published results of those investigations.”

Professor David Spring took the Corday-Morgan Prize, awarded “for the most meritorious contributions to chemistry”.

The award comes for his contributions to chemistry-driven drug discovery through his work in diversity-oriented synthesis and chemical biology.

Dr Keith Taber was the Chemistry Education Award winner, recognised for “extensive research that has contributed significantly to the teaching and learning of chemistry concepts”.

Currently Chair of the Science, Technology and Mathematics Education Academic Group, Dr Teiber teaches about educational research methods on a range of courses, and supervises masters and doctoral students at Cambridge.

Professor Ian Paterson was the Natural Product Chemistry Award winner – awarded for his work which looks to develop new ways of making important chemical compounds produced in nature.

Image: Dr Erwin Reisner