Organometallics Distinguished Author Award Lectureship

The annual Organometallics Distinguished Author Award recognizes the author of exceptional articles that are published in Organometallics. An article that emphasizes advance organometallic chemistry, profoundly impacts on organic and inorganic chemistry, and exhibits creativity and originality will be favorably reviewed.

Sponsorship of the Award:

The award is sponsored by Organometallics, the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry, and the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry.

Nature of the Award:

The awardee will receive an 1) an award plaque, 2) an honorarium of US $2,000, and 3) travel funds to attend and present at the ACS Fall National Meeting.

Eligibility:

• Nominated articles must have been published in Organometallics within the current or previous calendar years.
• Self-nominations and nominations of work authored by Organometallics Editors will not be accepted.
• Co-authors are eligible to submit nominations.
• Preference will be given to faculty and other investigators who are in the early phases of their independent careers.

Nominations and Additional Info:

See the 2026 Award Page (for publications in 2024 or 2025). The nomination deadline is December 31, 2025.

Recent Recipients:

• 2025 – Aleksandr V. Zhukhovitskiy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, for work including “Six-Membered Iridacycles with Five Nitrogen Atoms in the Ring“
• 2024 – Julia Khusnutdinova, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan for work including “Photoinduced Perfluoroalkylation Mediated by Cobalt Complexes Supported by Naphthyridine Ligands”
• 2023 – Jesús Campos Manzano, University of Seville, Spain, for work on
  “Metalla-Frustrated Lewis Pairs (FLPs), elegantly bridging late-transition-metal chemistry with main-group chemistry and catalysis for impactful developments in organic synthesis, Pub1, Pub2.”
• 2022 – Josep Cornella, Max Planck Institute for Kohlenforschung, for work including “Ni(^4-tBustb)₃: A Robust 16-Electron Ni(0) Olefin Complex for Catalysis“
• 2021 – Robert J. Gilliard, Jr., University of Virginia, for publications such as: “N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Mediated Ring Opening of Reduced Diazamagnesacycles”
• 2020 – Viktoria H. Gessner, Ruhr University Bochum, for “Cooperative Bond Activation Reactions with Nickel and Palladium Carbene Complexes with a PCcarbeneS Pincer Ligand”
• 2019 – Ian Tonks, University of Minnesota, for “Generation of TiII Alkyne Trimerization Catalysts in the Absence of Strong Metal Reductants”
• 2018 – Tianning Diao, New York University, for “Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Cycloisomerization of Enynes with CO2”
• 2017 – Alexander J. M. Miller, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, for “Modulating the Elementary Steps of Methanol Carbonylation by Bridging the Primary and Secondary Coordination Spheres”
• 2016 – Valentine P. Ananikov, Russian Academy of Sciences, for “Can We Predict the Future of Organometallic Chemistry?”

Organic Letters Outstanding Publication of the Year Lectureship Award

The annual Organic Letters Outstanding Publication of the Year Award Lectureship recognizes the author of an exceptional, creative, and impactful article that is published in Organic Letters.

Sponsorship of the Award:

The award is sponsored by Organic Letters and the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry.

Nature of the Award:

The awardee will receive an 1) an award plaque, 2) an honorarium of US $2,000, and 3) travel funds to attend and present at the ACS Fall National Meeting.

Eligibility:

• Nominated articles must have been published in Organic Letters within the current or previous calendar years.
• Self-nominations and nominations of work authored by Organic Letters Editors will not be accepted.
• Co-authors are eligible to submit nominations.

Nominations and Additional Info:

See the 2026 Award Page (for publications in 2025). The nomination deadline is December 31, 2025. Visit the ACS Axial article for more information.

Recent Recipients:

• 2025 –  Gabriel Schäfer and colleagues from Idorsia Pharmaceuticals and the University of Oxford for “Sandmeyer Chlorosulfonylation of (Hetero)Aromatic Amines Using DABSO as an SO2 Surrogate”. See also the ACS Axial interview with the winners.
• 2024 –  Cheng-yi Chen and Zhichao Lu from Mirati Therapeutics for “Synthesis of Adagrasib (MRTX849), a Covalent KRAS^G12C Inhibitor Drug for the Treatment of Cancer“
• 2023 – Daniele Leonori and colleagues at RWTH Aachen University, for “A Halogen-Atom Transfer (XAT)-Based Approach to Indole Synthesis Using Aryl Diazonium Salts and Alkyl Iodides“
• 2022 – Sophie Rousseaux and John J. Monteith, University of Toronto, for “Ni-Catalyzed C(sp³)–O Arylation of α-Hydroxy Esters“
• 2021 – The Wilkerson-Hill group, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, for “Programmed Sequential Additions to Halogenated Mucononitriles”
• 2020 –  Ruben Martin, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), for “Ni-catalyzed Reductive Deaminative Arylation at sp3 Carbon Centers”
• 2019 – Gregory L. Beutner, Bristol-Myers Squibb, for “TCFH–NMI: Direct Access to N-Acyl Imidazoliums for Challenging Amide Bond Formations”
• 2018 – Tehshik P. Yoon, University of Wisconsin, Madison, for “Radical Cation Cycloadditions Using Cleavable Redox Auxiliaries”
• 2017 – Xile Hu, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), for “Alkoxy Hydrosilanes As Surrogates of Gaseous Silanes for Hydrosilylation of Alkenes”
• 2016 – Bruce H. Lipshutz, University of California, Santa Barbara, for “Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution Reactions in Water Enabled by Micellar Catalysis”

JOC Publication of the Year Lectureship Award

The Journal of Organic Chemistry (JOC) Outstanding Publication of the Year Award Lectureship will be awarded for an outstanding article published in JOC in a calendar year-either in an issue or ASAP-that demonstrates creativity and impact in the field of organic chemistry, broadly based. Special consideration will be given to the originality and impact of the article. The winning corresponding author will present at the Fall ACS National Meeting.

Sponsorship of the JOC Publication Award:

The award is sponsored by The Journal of Organic Chemistry and the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry.

Nature of the Award:

The corresponding author of the recognized article will receive an 1) an award plaque, 2) an honorarium of US $2,000, and 3) travel funds to attend and present at the ACS Fall National Meeting.

Eligibility:

• Nominated articles must have been published in JOC within the corresponding calendar year either in an issue or ASAP.
• Self-nominations and nominations of work authored by JOCEditors will not be accepted.
• Co-authors are eligible to submit nominations.

Nominations and Additional Info:

See the 2026 Award Page (for publications in 2025). The nomination deadline is December 31, 2025. Visit the ACS Axial article for more information.

Recent Recipients:

• 2025 – Jacquelyne A. Read and colleagues for “Computational Library Enables Pattern Recognition of Noncovalent Interactions and Application as a Modern Linear Free Energy Relationship“. See also the ACS Axial interview with the winners.
• 2024 – The research group of Fernanda Duarte and James A. Bull from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London for “Visible Light Photoredox-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Alkylation of 3-Aryl-Oxetanes and Azetidines via Benzylic Tertiary Radicals and Implications of Benzylic Radical Stability“
• 2023 – The research group of Christine M. Le, York University, Canada, for “Synthesis of Carbamoyl Fluorides Using a Difluorophosgene Surrogate Derived from Difluorocarbene and Pyridine N-Oxides“
• 2022 – The research group of Ju Hyun Kim, Gyeongsang National University, for “Transition Metal-Free, Methoxide-Catalyzed Synthesis of Pyridoindolones“
• 2021 – The research groups of Xin Hong (Zhejiang University) and Elizabeth Jarvo (University of California, Irvine) for “Engaging Sulfonamides: Intramolecular Cross-Electrophile Coupling Reaction of Sulfonamides with Alkyl Chlorides”
• 2020 – David Nagib, The Ohio State University, for “Development of an Imine Chaperone for Selective C–H Functionalization of Alcohols via Radical Relay”
• 2019 – Scott Denmark, University of Illinois, for “Catalytic Nucleophilic Allylation Driven by the Water-Gas Shift Reaction”
• 2018 – Masayuki Inoue, University of Tokyo, for “Total Synthesis and Biological Mode of Action of WAP-8294A2: A Menaquinone-Targeting Antibiotic”
• 2017 – Melodie Christensen, Merck, for “Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Methyl-β-cyclopropyldihydrocinnamates”
• 2016 – Jeffrey S. Johnson, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for “Asymmetric Total Synthesis of the Indole Diterpene Alkaloid Paspaline”

Travel Awards

Travel Awards Offered: Reinstated in Spring 2022

• Graduate Student Awards for travel to ACS National Meetings
• Awards for Undergraduates for travel to ACS National Meetings
• Awards for Faculty at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions for travel to ACS National Meetings

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General Requirements

• Applicants are required to present a paper or poster in the Organic Division.
• Applicants must be members or affiliates of the Organic Division.
• As a special networking opportunity, awardees are encouraged to spend 2-3 hours during the ACS meeting in service to the division, either at the DOC outreach table or on a panel discussion of younger members.
• Complete the Online Submission Form, including the required supporting materials. Please be sure to follow all directions and submit all required documents.
• Application deadlines for National Meetings will typically be December 1st for the Spring meeting and May 15th for the Fall Meeting. Please allow 8 weeks after the deadline for review (awards are typically announced around February 1st or July 10th).
• Only one applicant per Institution per Award.
• If an award is granted, the Organic Division would appreciate an acknowledgement. For this purpose, awardees may use the DOC acknowledgment slide (as a powerpoint slide or PDF file).

Travel application process for Graduate Students:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid graduate students in presenting papers or posters at ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one recipient per award. To Apply for the Graduate Student Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

• A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker.
• A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor.
• A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
• A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV

Travel application process for Undergraduate Students:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid undergraduate students in presenting papers or posters at ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one recipient per award. To apply for the Undergraduate Student Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

• A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker.
• A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor.
• A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
• A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV.

Travel application process for Faculty at Undergraduate Institutions:

The Division of Organic Chemistry makes travel awards of $600 each to aid faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions for travel to National ACS Meetings. Scientific merit of the paper to be presented will be considered. Each university department can have only one award recipient per meeting. Faculty applicants are eligible to receive a travel award once every three years. To apply for the Faculty Travel Award, submit these supporting documents as a single PDF file via the online Submission Form (See link below under Submittal Process):

• A copy of the MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker.
• A memo from the department chair stating that you are the applicant representing that institution.
• A copy of the applicant’s resume/CV.

Submittal Process:

You will need to submit your application as a single PDF file. Please name the file using the following format:

Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_TravelAward.pdf
For example: Smith_John_TravelAward.pdf

Your PDF file should have the following parts in the following order:

1. The MAPS abstract including the submission page identifying the ORGN Division and Speaker.
2. A letter of support from the applicant’s research advisor (if required).
3. The memo from the department chair.
4. Your resume/CV.

No other documentation is required or allowed.
Applicants must submit their own online application: no third party submissions (they will be rejected without review). Incomplete and incorrect applications will be rejected without review.
The applicant must be a Member of the Division of Organic Chemistry to access the online form

Submit your application using the Online Submission Form

You will be notified by email that your application was received. Please allow 10 weeks after the deadline for review (they will typically be announced around February 1st or July 10th). All applicants will be notified of the final committee decision regarding their application.

Please contact Dr. Michael Pirrung (michael.pirrung@ucr.edu) with application questions.

For questions or problems during the online submission, please use the Contact Us Form.

Awards Earned by the Division

While the division supports a wide range award programs (see the Awards Menu above) and we have listed a variety of awards for organic chemists (given by ACS) that are given to recognize achievements in the field, the division has won the awards listed below.

ChemLuminary Awards for Activities in 2024.

Awarded Fall 2025.

The Division of Organic Chemistry received the ChemLuminary Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs (CEPA) Outstanding Divisional Career Program Award for the Graduate Research Symposium that allowed graduate students to interact with leaders from academia, industry, funding agencies, and publishers at a single venue. Workshops provide these students with valuable advice and insights as they are about to embark on their post-PhD independent careers. The Symposium is held each year in late July at a location in the United States.

The Division of Organic Chemistry received the Committee on Public Relations and Communications (CPRC) Outstanding Continuing Communications Program Award with the citation “The Organic Division strives to effectively communicate information relevant to the organic chemistry community by maintaining an up-to-date website and several social media channels. Their efforts have reached thousands of people across the globe.”

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2023.

Awarded Fall 2024.

The Division of Organic Chemistry received the ChemLuminary Membership Affairs Committee (MAC) Industry Engagement & Outreach Award for the enhanced programming introduced at the National Organic Symposium (NOS) in 2022 and 2023. The NOS was significantly enriched by expanding the number of plenary speakers and increasing travel awards for participants. These enhancements reflect our commitment to broadening access and engagement within the chemistry community. One of the most impactful additions to the recent NOS meetings was the introduction of “Industry Sessions.” These lightning seminar talks, presented by experts from various industries, provided a comprehensive overview of career opportunities, company missions, and research goals in just 15 minutes. This innovative approach not only facilitated valuable insights into industry careers but also fostered stronger connections between academia and industry, sparking meaningful discussions in a more informal setting.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2021.

Awarded Fall 2022.

The Division of Organic Chemistry was recognized for Innovation and Outstanding Service to Members of a Division by developing the Organic Chemistry Data website which was developed with use with mobile devices. The site features approximately 1,500 HTML pages and 650 PDF documents fundamental to understanding organic chemistry. More than 225,000 visitors (approximately 1,000 users per day) accessed the site in 2021.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2014.

Awarded Fall 2015.

The Division of Organic Chemistry is recognized with an Outstanding Technical Division Career Program Award for the Young Investigator’s Symposium (YIS) held at Fall ACS meetings. The YIS provides great exposure and recognition for young, highly innovative industrial chemists to show their accomplishments in a national forum. Over 100 young scientists from large and small companies, government, and non-profit agencies have received the award since 2007.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2013.

Awarded Fall 2014.

The Division of Organic Chemistry is recognized for the 2013 (4th) Annual Graduate Research Symposium (GRS) that was held at the University of Delaware, where 49 graduate students were selected from 38 institutions to present their research to peers and professional participants from academia and industry. The networking among the students was the greatest single benefit of this program.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2012.

Awarded Fall 2013.

The Technical Achievements in the Organic Chemistry Award Symposium (TAOC) recognized outstanding contributions in the field of organic chemistry from accomplished chemists at the bachelor’s and master’s levels who are pursuing careers in chemical industry and research institutes. Symposium awardees presented their research at the 2012 ACS Fall National Meeting. The TAOC program was initiated in 1992, and as of 2013, there have been a total of 272 awards.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2011.

Awarded Fall 2012.

The Division of Organic Chemistry annually awards summer undergraduate research fellowships (SURF) to outstanding organic chemistry students. The fellowships provide support for undergraduates to carry out independent research at their respective colleges/universities. Students then have the opportunity to visit the Pfizer Global R&D Center and present their research.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2009.

Awarded Fall 2010.

The Organic Division is being recognized for establishing an annual symposium to provide opportunities for Assistant Professors (details of the program) to present their work in a high profile setting at a national meeting preceding their tenure decisions. See C&EN 2010, 88 (41), 44.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2005.

Awarded Fall 2006.

Outstanding Programming for Younger Chemists by a Division. The Division of Organic Chemistry – The Division of Organic Chemistry awards Young Researcher Travel Awards to aid young chemists in presenting papers or posters at the ACS National Meetings as well as sponsors fellowships to outstanding third and fourth year graduate students in organic chemistry.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 2002.

Awarded Fall 2003.

ORGN has one of the most impressive websites maintained by a Division. ORGN has established the Troyansky Endowed Graduate Fellowship. With industrial support, ORGN has increased the quantity and quality of support to graduate students. See C&EN 2003, 81 (41), 114.

ChemLuminary Award for Activities in 1999.

Awarded Fall 2000.

The Division of Organic Chemistry raised funds for 18 graduate student fellowships in the amount of $18,500 each. The division also maintains a website for employment opportunities in organic chemistry where prospective postdoctoral members and potential employers can register. See C&EN 2000, 78 (38), 74.

ACS Award for Outstanding Performance by Large Divisions

Awarded 1990

This award was in recognition of outstanding services of the Division to its members and for meritorious contributions to the chemical profession and public understanding of the fundamental importance of chemistry to mankind.