Thomas Degnan Named the 2012 F. G. Ciapetta Lecturer
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NACS Newsletter Uuh9rthhrqur ! !AB8vhrhGrp r am pleased to an- lytic processes. His record of scholarship stands along- nounce that Dr. side a remarkable list of more than 100 U.S. patents and IThomas Degnan of his unique blend of creativity, leadership, and clarity ExxonMobil Research of thought has made him not only a leading industrial and Engineering is the inventor, but also an ambassador of industrial catalysis recipient of the F.G. research in our community at large. Ciapetta Lectureship in Tom is specifically recognized with the F. G. Cia- Catalysis, sponsored by petta Lectureship for his contributions to the discovery, the Grace Davison op- development, and commercialization of molecular sieves erating segment of W.R. as catalysts and for his key role in developing their ap- Grace & Co. and the plications as catalysts in important large-scale industrial North American Cataly- processes. Throughout his industrial career, he has made sis Society. The Award seminal contributions to the discovery and commercial- consists of a plaque and an honorarium. The plaque will ization of more than ten catalytic processes for the pro- be presented during the closing banquet ceremonies duction of high-performance lubricants, clean fuels, and at the 2013 NAM in Louisville, KY. The recipient will petrochemicals. He led a research group that discovered present lectures at most of the affiliated Clubs/Societies how active sites at zeolite crystal surfaces show unique during the two-year period covered by this Lectureship. properties in the alkylation of aromatics and coined the The Award is given in recognition of substantial term “surface pocket” catalysis to describe these inor- contributions to one or more areas in the field of cataly- ganic enzyme-like catalytic structures. His fundamental sis with emphasis on industrially significant catalysts studies of paraffin isomerization on bifunctional shape- and catalytic processes and the discovery of new catalytic selective catalysts demonstrated the essential interplay reactions and systems of potential industrial importance. between diffusion and reaction processes and led to the Tom Degnan is an internationally-recognized leader discovery of several new catalysts for the synthesis of in the chemistry and applications of zeolite catalysis. high-quality fuels and lubricants. His research vision and Through his publications and numerous lectures, he has management leadership also led to catalytic processes provided many examples of the value of fundamental with unprecedented selectivity for the production of scientific concepts in the practical deployment of cata- p-xylenes. I am delighted that the North American Catalysis Society has chosen to recognize the contributions of Dr. Thomas Degnan with this lectureship. I speak with the voice of our grateful community in also thanking the management of W.R. Grace& Co. for its continuing support of this lectureship. Enrique Iglesia ! " President, North American Catalysis Society ! # ` % & 2 NACS Newsletter !!" #$%P' . /00 1 -(/ \ 2 1- ' ( ) " ( *+ Q 2 ' ( / 2 7 */ 252 . 27% 9 : - . /00 1 ' 2 3" (/-+ / - 4"/2" (. /00%252 6 ' 7- ` ' ( ) *+ & ,- .&/ - 0 .)-1 1 ) / ,2 3) 4 & / 5 ) + ' & 6 & / 7 8 -& ) -9 & 33/ !! ' . ) 3& - "#$ % & :& ; %) *+ & ./ ' ( < 3 ) 3! &/ !)7 0&) *+ < ) < =<</ !'( > - 9 ) *+ & / ( &8 ? @ ) *+ & / * ' 8) 3 *+ &/ ` A ;=) *+ & ,- .&/ ' & $' > &) B6/ #" ('R % &> = B ) *+ & 1! / ( , , < 8 7 ) > 6 &/ ?; .&C# C8 B @ , * > ) *+ & ; .&/ " ' + #+ ! &) #. 0 3! &/ " ' - % &) 31/ - 8 ) *+ & - R R (- >) *+ & %+/ 7 > ) *+ & % / 0 ! %+) *+ & B / ) 'AA ! 0 ' <& + E ' '. , , www.nacatsoc.org 3 Cvtuyvtus ur!!qI u 6r vphHrrvtEr$ ! he Michigan Catalysis So- ciety hosted this year’s very Tsuccessful NAM 22 meeting in Detroit. We thank all of those who came to Detroit and made it the largest NAM meeting so far. Galen Fisher (Chair) and Johannes Schwank (Co-Chair) of the Univer- sity of Michigan presided over the meeting with Dr. Charlie Kresge of the Dow Chemical Company who served as the Honorary Chair. The meeting set several superlatives in numerical descriptions of the meet- ing, but the main success was that the attendees reported they had a great time in Detroit in the Marriott headquarters hotel on the Detroit exhibitors can still be seen on the The response to the call for River, enjoyed the Opening Recep- meeting web site, www.22nam.org. abstracts resulted in a record number tion at the Henry Ford Museum, In the current economic environ- of submissions leading to our larg- were well-fed during the poster ment, we are especially grateful for est number of accepted presenta- receptions with the exhibitors, and this support which allowed for a tions, 948. Each abstract was peer celebrated the meeting at the Clos- significant net income to support reviewed by at least 3 reviewers. We ing Banquet. The official meeting future meetings. And with the help thank the more than 330 catalyst attendance was 1251 and more than of the National Science Founda- researchers from all over the world 65 others registered but were unable tion, the Department of Energy, the who contributed their valuable time to attend the meeting. More than a NACS, and our local chapter, we to the review process. With so many quarter of the attendees were from were able to offer 106 Kokes Awards excellent contributions, the Techni- outside North America. for graduate students to attend the cal Program Committee consisting We had great support from the meeting and enhance the future of of Robert McCabe (Ford Motor corporate catalysis community. Our catalysis research. The Kokes Awards fund raising team was able to raise were well administered by Fabio Ri- Continue on page 4 over $250,000 that allowed us to beiro (Purdue University) and Suljo have a meeting with sufficient hot Linic (University of Michigan). food at our three poster sessions and other events. Our lead sponsor was The Dow Chemical Company. The names of all 31 sponsors and 45 4 NACS Newsletter Cvtuyvtus ur!!qI u 6r vphHrrvt Company), Eric Stangland (Dow The NAM 22 meeting rooms along the riverside walk. Paul Fan- Chemical), and Levi Thompson for the six parallel oral sessions were son (Toyota), our Local Arrange- (University of Michigan) along with located in close proximity to each ments Chair wrote a description of Galen Fisher and Johannes Schwank other on two floors of the Marriott local restaurants and transporta- set up six parallel sessions of oral Hotel, making it easy to move from tion (including the PeopleMover presentations, in addition to three one session to another. Refreshments downtown loop monorail) that many poster sessions. The final program during breaks and appetizers and found very useful. Approximately had 444 contributed talks and about drinks during afternoon receptions 800 attended the closing banquet at 480 poster presentations. were made available in the exhibit the Marriott on Thursday evening, The program and the abstracts hall, in close proximity to the exhib- at which time all of the 2010-11 are still available at the NAM 22 its and the posters, leading to good NACS award winners were hon- website, www.22nam.org, and will interactions between the exhibitors, ored, recently departed notables in be on line for at least the next two poster presenters, and the attend- catalysis were recognized, and plans years. ees. And free internet was available for both the 15th ICC (Munich, NAM 22 was opened on June in the registration area and in the July 1-6, 2012) and the 23rd NAM 6, by Galen Fisher, Meeting Chair, Marriott’s hotel lobby. Our amazing (Louisville, June 2-7, 2013) were and Enrique Iglesia (UC Berkeley), Treasurer, Steve Schmieg (General presented, respectively, by Johannes NACS President. Three plenary Motors), Paul Fanson, and the team Lercher (Technical University of lectures were delivered on succes- from Meeting Solutions, were able Munich) and Burt Davis (University sive days by the three NACS 2011 to make excellent and cost effective of Kentucky). We are including here Award winners of the Eugene arrangements. Our Web Site Chair, a few pictures from the meeting, but Houdry Award ( James C. Stevens, Dave Barton (Dow Chemical), kept a web site will be set up soon where Dow Chemical), Paul H. Emmett the site up in a timely fashion and many more can be seen. Award (Bert Weckhuysen, Utrecht set up a talk-by-talk personal sched- We thank all of those who made University), and the Michel Boudart uler for the first time. Our Public- this meeting possible and those who Award ( James Dumesic, Univer- ity Chair, John Gohndrone (Dow attended and brought our catalysis sity of Wisconsin-Madison). The Corning), our Fund Raising Chair, community together again, as we topical program areas were anchored Simon Ng (Wayne State), and our look forward to upcoming NAM by twenty four keynote lectures Exhibits Chair, Paul Kester (Mi- meetings in the future. distributed through the week, so that cromeritics), all did exemplary jobs. no keynote lecture overlapped with Many others listed on the web site Galen Fisher any other. In addition, the one-day made this meeting come off well. Chair, NAM 22 Haren Gandhi Memorial Sympo- The local arrangements were sium, organized by Robert McCabe, highlighted by the Opening Recep- Johannes Schwank honored Haren Gandhi’s long career tion for about 900 at the Henry Co-Chair, NAM 22 in automotive catalysis at the Ford Ford Museum in Dearborn on Motor Company. Bill Epling Sunday. This was a reprise of the (University of Houston) and George site for the main reception of the Graham (University of Michigan) 11th NAM hosted by the Michigan did an outstanding job organizing Catalysis Society in 1989. This year three well-attended and very suc- we moved the meeting to downtown cessful poster sessions. Detroit where attendees could stroll www.nacatsoc.org 5 $uDr hvhy 8t r 8hhyv HvpuBr h he 15th ICC is the catalysis event in 2012! More than 2,000 participants from all over the world Twill exchange new ideas and discuss developments in all areas of catalysis.