The Oklahoma Chemist Award was initiated in 1971 and was primarily started by Dr. George R. Waller who was a faculty member in the Biochemistry Department at Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma is divided into five sections of the American Chemical Society, and each Section agreed to support this award on an annual basis. The concept for the award was to honor truly outstanding contributions made to the science and to the state by a chemist in recent years within the state of Oklahoma. Although originally designed to honor research chemists, an amendment was introduced in the 1980s to allow candidates to be nominated who had made extraordinary contributions to the area of chemical education whether it be to youth or to the public in general. Three such awards have been made to chemical educators over the years since the inception of the award in 1971. One award was to be given each year if a suitable candidate was identified from the research community or from education. The original award consisted of $500 and a handsome plaque formed in the shape of the state of Oklahoma.

One member from each of the five Sections was appointed to compose a reviewing committee to accept nominations which were to be received around February 1 of each new year. The date was to permit sufficient time for the winner to be selected and to receive the cash award and plaque at the next annual Pentasectional Meeting in the spring. The Pentasectional Meeting brings together chemists from academia and from industry within the state one time each year to present research results. It is the largest meeting of chemists in Oklahoma.

The OKLAHOMA CHEMIST AWARD is the most prestigious award given to a chemist within Oklahoma. The award now consists of $1000 as well as the plaque described above. A brief description of the accomplishments by the recipient are engraved on the plaque and are submitted, along with a photo of the winner, to Chemical and Engineering News for official publication in a forthcoming issue. Chemical and Engineering News is a major publication of the American Chemical Society and has world wide distribution.

OK Chemist Award History – List

OK Chemist Award History – Bios