University of Michigan professor honored for foundational discoveries in interface-based engineering of self-organizing materials
WARRENDALE, PA – [October 26, 2021] – The Materials Research Society’s (MRS) David Turnbull Lectureship recognizes the career contributions of a scientist to fundamental understanding of the science of materials through experimental and/or theoretical research. In the spirit of the life work of David Turnbull, writing and lecturing also can be factors in the selection process. This year's award honors Nicholas A. Kotov, Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan, for his "foundational discoveries in interface-based engineering of self-organizing materials."
Kotov will accept the honor during the 2021 MRS Fall Meeting, where, at 9:00 am (EST), Thursday, December 2, he will present his lecture, Nanoscale Biomimetics: From Self-Assembled Nanocomposites to Chiral Nanostructures.
Kotov received his degrees from the Moscow State University with his diploma and PhD studies centered on bioinspired harvesting of solar energy. His postdoctoral studies at Syracuse University encompassed the self-assembly of biomimetic nanocomposites. After taking an assistant professor position at Oklahoma State University, he expanded the field of biomimetic processes and self-organized materials by establishing a research program on self-assembly of nanostructures.
Kotov is currently Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan. He heads the laboratory and international team of scientists working on practical implementations and theoretical foundations of biomimetic nanostructures. Self-assembly and optical properties of chiral nanoparticles and their superstructures represent a focal point for the continuum of bioinspired nanoscale materials with multidisciplinary significance to physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Nicholas is a co-founder of five startup companies and a passionate advocate for scientists with disabilities.
Photo of Kotov available upon request at mrs.org/contact.
About the Materials Research Society
MRS is an organization of over 13,000 materials researchers from academia, industry and government worldwide, and a recognized leader in promoting the advancement of interdisciplinary materials research and technology to improve the quality of life. MRS members are students and professionals hailing from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering—the full spectrum of materials research. Headquartered in Warrendale, Pennsylvania (USA), MRS membership now spans 90 countries, with approximately 45 percent of members residing outside the United States.
MRS serves and engages members across generations to advance their careers and promote materials research and innovation. The Society produces high-quality meetings and publications, assuring that members of all career stages can present and publish their most important and timely work to an international and interdisciplinary audience. MRS continues to expand its professional development portfolio, as well as promote diversity and inclusion in the scientific workforce, with career services for researchers worldwide. The Society advocates for the importance of scientific research and innovation to policymakers and the community. And the MRS Awards program honors those whose work has already had a major impact in the field, as well as those whose work shows great promise for future leadership.
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