Professor Chmielewski awarded Wetherill Medal
2023-05-16
The Department of Chemistry has awarded its Wetherill Medal to Interim Dean of the College of Science and Chemistry Professor Jean Chmielewski in recognition of her exceptional and unusually meritorious service in successfully improving the diversity of Chemistry’s graduate student population.
The Wetherill Medal was established by the Department in 1990 to recognize outstanding service, teaching, or scholarship by one of its members.
In 2015, Jean completely reimagined the diversity efforts in the department and has worked tirelessly to implement her vision. She pioneered and implemented a multi-prong approach for the recruitment and retention of under-represented minority (URM) graduate students in our department, working closely and in partnership with our current and former URM graduate students to construct the Chemistry Diversity Initiative (CDI): A Graduate Student Program for Success. More recently, Jean worked with the CDI to implement many additional important improvements to our department to improve the climate for diversity.
Jean’s work and vision have been extremely successful and will have an enduring effect on our department. As a testament to her success, Jean’s efforts have been recognized by the College and University, and her multi-prong strategy is being used as a model for other departments at Purdue.
“Jean’s tireless and long-standing efforts in this area inarguably embody the spirit of this award and we will officially present her with this honor at the Departmental Awards ceremony later this month,” said Department Head and 150th Anniversary Professor Christine Hrycyna.
Chemistry's Wetherill Medal recipients:
- 2023 Jean Chmielewski
- 2021 George Bodner
- 2019 Pete Kissinger
- 2013 Robert Wild
- 2010 William Robinson
- 2002 Richard Walton
- 2000 Jonathan Amy
- 1998 Henry Feuer
- 1995 Jurgen Honig
- 1992 Dale Margerum
- 1990 Harry Morrison