Professor Jean Chmielewski recognized with prestigious national award from the American Chemical Society
2024-08-28
Jean Chmielewski, the AW Kramer Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal from the American Chemical Society (ACS). The award was established in 1937 and is supported by an endowed fund established by Francis P. Garvan and the Olin Corporation Charitable Trust.
This award recognizes distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists, and Professor Chmielewski is honored with this award for exceptionally fostering a culture of inclusivity in research excellence for women and underrepresented minorities in chemistry. The list of medal recipients comprises luminaries in the field of chemistry including a Nobel laureate and members of the National Academy of Sciences.
In her research, Professor Chmielewski has forged a uniquely interdisciplinary program that addresses fundamentally important problems at the interface of chemistry, biology and medicine. She tackles some of the most challenging topics in her field, such as blocking protein-protein interactions in HIV, developing agents that kill pathogenic intracellular bacteria, and designing peptide materials for regenerative medicine.
Concurrent to this groundbreaking research in the James Tarpo Jr. and Margaret Tarpo Department of Chemistry, Professor Chmielewski strongly believes that one can work at the highest levels in research, and care deeply about creating an equitable and diverse culture in chemistry. As such, she has amassed a highly impressive track record of fostering inclusivity in chemistry, along with exemplary mentorship of women and underrepresented minorities.
Professor Chmielewski earned a BS in Chemistry from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and a PhD at Columbia University studying under Professor Ronald Breslow.
She will be presented the award at the National ACS Meeting in Spring 2025 in San Diego, California.
About Purdue Chemistry
The Tarpo Department of Chemistry is internationally acclaimed for its excellence in chemical education and innovation, boasting two Nobel laureates in organic chemistry, the #1 ranked analytical chemistry program, and a highly successful drug discovery initiative that has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties.
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