Macromolecules Editor-in-Chief Marc A. Hillmyer is the recipient of the 2020 Bright Science Award in materials sciences, in recognition of his contributions to the advancement of bio-based and circular materials. The award is presented annually by Dutch company Royal DSM. It celebrates scientists who have made major contributions to fundamental or applied research in the […]
The award is presented annually by Dutch company Royal DSM. It celebrates scientists who have made major contributions to fundamental or applied research in the field of sustainable materials and whose work is instrumental in helping businesses involved in materials industries adopt more sustainable strategic directions. The award alternates between honoring professionals in materials sciences and life sciences on a biennial basis.
Professor Hillmyer is the Presidential McKnight Endowed Chair and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota and has served as the Editor-in-Chief of Macromolecules since 2018. He is also the Director of the Center for Sustainable Polymers, a National Science Foundation Center for Chemical Innovation headquartered at the University of Minnesota. His past honors include the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering, the Carl S. Marvel Creative Polymer Chemistry Award, and the PTN Medema Award. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
His research focuses on the design, synthesis, characterization, and applications of advanced macromolecular materials, including the structure-property relationships of polymers and the development of sustainable polymers from renewable resources and hybrid macromolecular structures. His work includes the hierarchical self-assembly of multifunctional block copolymers, as well as the study of controlled nano-porosity in materials made from sacrificial block copolymers. The award recognizes the importance of this work in the move toward a bio-based, circular economy.
Professor Hillmyer is scheduled to be honored during a DSM Award symposium at the IUPAC-MACRO in Jeju Island, South Korea, from July 5-9. The event will feature his acceptance speech followed by lectures from other leading minds in macromolecular sciences. The award comes with a €25,000 prize, intended to be used to continue to fund the recipient’s research.
