University of Utah chemist receives prestigious award

SALT LAKE CITY — University of Utah chemistry professor Peter Stang has been named as the 2013 receipient of the Priestley Medal, the highest honor given by the American Chemical Society.

In addition to receiving the medal, Stang and U. professor Henry White were inducted as fellows of the American Chemical Society — the world's largest scientific group with 164,000 members.

"I am truly delighted and honored to receive this most prestigious American Chemical Society award," Stang said in a prepared statement. "It's humbling to be listed among the distinguished previous recipients."

Stang has served as a member of the U. faculty for more than 40 years, according to the university. For the past 20 years, he has pioneered the field of supramolecular chemistry.

Last year, Stang was ranked 69th on a list of the world's top 100 chemists by Times Higher Education in Britain. Also in 2011, Stang was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House as a winner of the National Medal of Science, the highest U.S. honor for a scientist or engineer.

Stang was elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences in 2000 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002, according to U. officials.

"I am exceedingly proud of Peter and this is a fitting tribute to his lifelong dedication to chemistry," U. President David Pershing said in a prepared statement. "He is absolutely committed to the highest research standards and the best education for his students."

— Benjamin Wood