Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards

In 2006, the Division of the History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society announced the first recipients of the then new Citation for Chemical Breakthrough award program. This award, which recognizes breakthrough publications, books and patents worldwide in the fields of science embraced by the ACS, are presented to the institutions at which the work was performed. One book, three patents and six scientific publications were honored in 2006, the earliest being Moses Gomberg's 1900 classic paper on free radicals.

The term "breakthrough" refers to advances that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Plaques, to be placed in the hallways outside the office or laboratory where the breakthroughs were achieved, will be presented to the departments and institutions at which these breakthroughs occurred. Jeffrey I. Seeman, then Chair of HIST and creator of the award, in 2006 said that the award is intended to “celebrate great scientific accomplishments and motivate, through shared pride of achievement. We hope that all who walk by and see the plaques will say, 'Wow! That was done here!' ”

Call for nominations for the 2022 Citation for Chemical Breakthrough awards - deadline April 18, 2022.

• General Award Information
• Nomination Information and Required Nomination Form for 2022 Award Year (Due April 18, 2022)
• Award Committees (2006 to present)
• The plaques
• "HIST's Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards: The First Paper or The 'Breakthrough' Paper" by Jeff Seeman
• Commentary by Dudley Herschbach, Award Committee member since 2006, on assessing scientific contributions and the design of award programs.
• Annual Reports
• 2015 ChemLuminary Award to HIST for the Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award Program
• Additional Tributes
• Acknowledgements
• Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awardees by Year
  (with links to additional information)

					2021	2020
2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006

• Additional Tables for Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
• All Awardees Sorted by YEAR of Award
• All Awardees Sorted by NAME of Award Winners
• All Awardees Sorted by PUBLICATION DATE of Award Publication
• All Awardees Sorted by LOCATION of Award Work

• Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award Locations.
  Interactive searchable map of locations that have received a Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award (2006 to 2020). Clicking on a placemarker reveals an information panel with further information about the author and the publication. Compiled by Carmen Giunta using Google My Maps.
  

The National Historical Chemical Landmarks (NHCL) program, administered by the American Chemical Society, honors "seminal achievements . . . to chemistry and society in the U.S."

In 2017, two Landmarks were awarded:

• Infrared Spectrometer and the Exploration of Mars
• Chlorofluorocarbons and Ozone Depletion

In 2018, one Landmark was awarded:

• Plutonium-238 Production for Space Exploration

In 2019, three Landmarks were awarded:

• St. Elmo Brady, the First African-American Ph.D. in Chemistry
• Innovation in Steroid Medicines at Upjohn
• The Combination of Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry at Dow Chemical

No Landmarks were awarded in 2020.

In 2021, two Landmarks were awarded:

• Saul Hertz and the Medical Uses of Radioiodine
• Birth of the Petrochemical Industry

The first NHCL was awarded in 1993 for Bakelite: The World's First Synthetic Plastic.