ACA Award Descriptions

Fankuchen Memorial Award

To recognize and encourage outstanding research in the structure of matter by diffraction methods, including significant contributions to the methodology of structure determination and/or innovative application of diffraction methods and/or elucidation of biological, chemical, geological or physical phenomena using new structural information. The deadline for nominations is June 1. A monetary award of $1,500 and up to $1,500 travel expenses to accept award at Annual Meeting, and a certificate are awarded every three years. Established in 1980.

To recognize mature scientists who have made contributions of exceptional distinction in areas of interest to the ACA. There are no restrictions as to nationality, race, sex, religion, or membership in the ACA. Awarded triennially in memory of Martin J. Buerger, Institute Professor Emeritus of M.I.T. and University Professor Emeritus of the University of Connecticut, a mineralogist who made major contributions to many areas of crystallography. Established in 1983. The first award was made in 1985. A monetary award of $1,500, and up to $1,500 in travel expenses to accept award at Annual Meeting.

• [1985] William P.  Busing
• [1988] George A. Jeffrey
• [1991] Jack D. Dunitz
• [1994] Philip Coppens
• [1997] Carroll K. Johnson
• [2000] Lyle Jensen
• [2003] Jim Ibers
• [2006] Helen M. Berman
• [2009] Michael James
• [2012] John Spence
• [2015] Greg Petsko
• [2018] Frank C. Hawthorne 
• [2021] Wah Chiu

Elizabeth A. Wood Science Writing Award: 

The award is named in honor of Elizabeth A. Wood, President of the ACA in 1957, and author of science books for lay readers. Persons who have written books or articles that bring science to the attention of a wider audience are eligible. Successful nominees need not be crystallographers or scientists and 'writing' could include artistic efforts, museum displays, etc. Nominations should include the titles of books, copies of articles, or other documentation and should be submitted to the ACA office by April 1. Selection of the winner will be made by ACA Council and presented at the Annual Meeting. A gift of glassware, $1,500 cash and up to $1,500 travel expenses to attend the Annual Meeting to accept the award and complimentary banquet ticket. Awarded every three years. Established in 1997.  

• [1997] Roald Hoffmann
• [1998] Robert M. Hazen
• [1999] Robert Weinberg
• [2001] K.C. Cole
• [2002] Ira Flatow
• [2004] Oliver Sacks
• [2007] Lisa Randall
• [2011] Daniel Nocera
• [2014] Dan Rabinovich
• [2017] James O’Brien 
• [2020] Alan Alda & The Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Kenneth N. Trueblood Award

To recognize exceptional achievement in computational or chemical crystallography. The award is established in memory of Professor Kenneth N. Trueblood, UCLA 1949-1998, who was a major force in the early use of computers and the development of crystallographic computer programs. He applied these programs to the examination of chemical and molecular details of many structures at the frontiers of research. His contribution to the famous work on vitamin B12 is one example. Professor Trueblood was a leader in the development of techniques for analysis of anisotropic motion and was also a superb teacher and a lucid author. Established in 2001, the award will be given every three years and consist of an honorarium of $1,500 and up to $1,500 in travel expenses to accept the award.

• [2004] Richard E. Marsh
• [2007] Angelo Gavezzotti
• [2010] Ton Spek
• [2013] Thomas Terwilliger
• [2016] Axel Brunger
• [2019] Brian Toby & Robert VonDreele
• [2021] Airlie McCoy

 

Charles E. Supper Instrumentation Award 

To recognize scientists who have made exceptional contributions to crystallographic instrumentation. Charles Supper emigrated from Germany to the United States in 1925, bringing an ability to fabricate almost anything mechanical. While at M.I.T. during the late 1930s, he collaborated with Martin Buerger in the development of the precession camera. This instrument was to become the most significant single-crystal camera of the second half of the century. By 1941, he recognized the need for a company to manufacture and supply high quality, easy-to-use, reasonably-priced instruments for the X-ray crystallographer and he founded the Charles Supper Company. Mr. Supper’s innovative designs and methods led to the commercial availability of the Buerger precession cameras, the Weissenberg camera, Debye-Scherrer powder cameras, goniometer heads, devices to fabricate crystal and protein models, film measuring instruments and other useful diffraction accessories. In the mid 1960s, the firm also became a major distributor for various crystallographic products created by others. The Supper Award is given periodically and consists of an honorarium to present a lecture at the Annual ACA Meeting. The Charles Supper fund was established by his son, Lee, in appreciation to the community of X-ray diffraction scientists for their continued support throughout the years.  This is a non-annual award and is given at the discretion of the ACA Council.  

• [2004] Nguyen-Huu Xuong
• [2012] Ronald Hamlin

 

David G. Rognlie Award 

David (Dave) Rognlie was a dedicated and much loved member of the crystallographic community, interacting over many years with a large number of scientists through his activities as owner of Blake Industries which sold diffractometer equipment including Huber equipment. In 2014 he sadly passed away and funds have been donated to establish a triennial ACA award in his memory.The award is intended to embody Dave’s values and personality: His generosity of spirit, optimism, selflessness and unstinting desire to help others to succeed in their endeavors. Dave played a particular role in the x-ray synchrotron community, but had broad and wide-ranging interests in the science and the people doing it across all spectra. The award will be for any meritorious discovery or advance in structural science by someone at any stage of their career. However, it is not intended to be a “lifetime achievement award” but for a particular discovery or development.The Award will recognize an exceptional discovery or technical development of particularly high impact in any area of structural science, to be awarded at any stage of a scientist’s career without prejudice based on age, gender, ethnicity or race. Awarded every third year. May be given to more than one person but winner(s) will receive an honorarium of $3000 and up to $1500 expenses to attend the ACA meeting to present a lecture covering the discovery or development that led to their selection. 

• [2017] Helen M. Berman
• [2020] James M. Holton

Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award

To recognize outstanding achievement and exceptional potential in crystallographic research demonstrated by a scientist at an early stage of their independent career. The award is established to honor the memory of Professor Margaret C. Etter (1943-1992), who was a major contributor to the field of organic solid-state chemistry. Her work particularly emphasized the use of hydrogen bonds and co-crystals. In addition to a large body of experimental work she was the major force in devising a set of rules known as graph sets to describe hydrogen bonds in a way that revealed similarities between structures without being tied up in the crystallographic details. Her experience teaching at an undergraduate institution and in working in both an industrial and academic setting gave her an unusually broad perspective from which to mentor students and to support and encourage colleagues. She had a love for people, for science, and especially for people who do science, that we honor. Established in 2002 as an annual award, it consists of a monetary award of $1,000 and plaque. The winner will present a lecture at the American Crystallographic Association Annual Meeting.Scientists involved in crystallographic research in the broadest sense will be eligible for the award. At the time of the closing date for nominations, nominees must be no more than 12 years beyond the awarding of their Ph.D. degree, not including career breaks, and must have begun their first independent (not postdoctoral) position within the past 10 years. Nominees employed in tenure-track academic positions must not yet have received tenure. Nominations must include as a minimum a nomination letter clearly indicating the accomplishments of the individual since beginning their independent career and assessing the future potential of the nominee. Three supporting letters and a c.v. for the nominee may be provided but are not requirements. Self-nominations are permitted. Nominees may be employed in regular academic positions, as service crystallographers, in industrial positions or in government laboratory positions.

• [2003] Julia Chan
• [2004] Leonard MacGillivray
• [2005] Jennifer A. Swift
• [2006] Carrie Wilmot
• [2007] Cora Lind
• [2008] Radu Custelcean
• [2009] Svilen Bobev
• [2010] Ray Trievel
• [2011] Yurij Mozharivskyj
• [2012] Emmanual Skordalakes
• [2013] Eric Ortlund
• [2014] Borden Lacy
• [2015] Yan Jessie Zhang
• [2016] Jason Benedict
• [2017] Christine Dunham
• [2018] Jason McLellan
• [2019] Efrain Rodriguez 
• [2020] Nozomi Ando
• [2021] Julia V. Zaikina
• [2022] Brent L. Nannenga

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Public Service Awards