2022 Herty Medalist Award Dinner

We are excited to have you join us for our 2022 Herty Medalist Award Dinner!

Please see below for the title and abstract of Dr. Cheng's talk.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Herty celebration. I shall use this opportunity to share briefly with you my journey through chemistry over the years. I started as a physical chemist and moved into analytical chemistry, polymer chemistry, paper chemistry, and agricultural and food chemistry, among other topics. It is gratifying to see how different fields can work together in the formulation and solution of difficult problems. Two particular areas that I would like to highlight are sustainability and polymer science.

Indeed, sustainability and green chemistry have become hot topics these days because of increasing public awareness of climate change, environmental pollution, and earth’s declining resources. As polymers are being used all around us, there are great opportunities to combine polymer science and sustainable green chemistry to explore new chemical pathways and develop new or improved processes. As illustration, several examples from my work will be shown: 1) to use agricultural raw materials and byproducts as source materials for new chemistry and products; these materials can biodegrade and reduce the problem of microplastics; 2) to exploit biocatalysts (e.g., enzymes and micro-organisms) for chemical and polymer conversions; 3) to apply green chemistry concepts to polymer reactions; and 4) to develop green methodologies for process development and improvement (such as the use of microwave and ecofriendly solvents). In view of the relevance of sustainability and polymer chemistry to our society, we can expect to see continued R&D and commercial activities relating to this nexus of opportunities in the future.

H. N. Cheng (B.S., UCLA; PhD, Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) is the recipient of the 2022 Herty Medal as awarded by the Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society, recognizing outstanding work and service by a chemist in the Southeast. He retired in May 2022 after a productive tenure working at USDA Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans. He has been active in developing green polymer chemistry as a platform to producing eco-friendly and sustainable products. Dr. Cheng was also ACS President in 2021. Prior to his election as President, he served in several ACS leadership positions at the national level, in local sections, and in technical divisions. During his presidential year, he championed the cause of chemistry, emphasizing the importance of innovation, disciplinary growth, sustainability, and digitization. Moreover, he was active in organizing symposia and webinars to benefit ACS members and the chemistry enterprise.

• Cost includes 3 hours of parking
• A cash bar will be available
• Dinner choices available upon ticket purchase (Seared Free-Range Chicken, Herb Crusted Salmon, or Cavatappi Pasta)

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, 800 Spring Street Northwest, Atlanta, United States