Scientific Society to Present UA Chemist with National Award

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The world’s largest chemical society has selected a University of Alabama chemist for one of its 2011 national research awards.

The American Chemical Society will honor Dr. Robin Rogers, the Robert Ramsay Chair of Chemistry at UA, with its ACS Award in Separations Science and Technology at a March 29 ceremony, in conjunction with its national meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

The award, sponsored by Waters Corp., recognizes “outstanding accomplishments” in fundamental or applied research related to separations science and technology and covers multiple fields including biology, chemistry, engineering, geology and medicine, according to information posted at the American Chemical Society’s website.

Rogers was selected for his research on ionic liquids – a new class of solvents that are typically non-toxic, nonflammable, and do not evaporate, significantly reducing harmful emissions.

He has published more than 150 scientific papers on aspects of ionic liquid research and was referred to by his nominators as a “world leader” in the field.

His first paper on the topic, written in 1998, has been cited 981 times by other scientists, making it the 22^nd most cited article in the 40-year history of Chemical Communications. His research leading to the discovery of a way to dissolve cellulose with an ionic liquid forms the basis of new research efforts to turn trees into valuable chemicals and fuels.

Rogers, who also serves as director of UA’s Center for Green Manufacturing, has taught and conducted research as a UA professor since 1996. He earned both his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from The University of Alabama.

He has been awarded nine patents, has 11 others pending, and he has published more than 660 research articles in peer-reviewed scholarly publications. In 2009, he was inducted into the inaugural class of Fellows of the American Chemical Society for “demonstrated excellence.”

The recognition from ACS comes with a cash award, certificate and travel expenses to the meeting.

With more than 161,000 members, the American Chemical Society, or ACS, is the world’s largest scientific society and one of the world’s leading sources of authoritative scientific information.

The department of chemistry is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All American Team.