Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics: George W. Flynn

Abstract

Sponsor: ACS and the ACS Division of Physical Chemistry Citation: For contributions to our fundamental understanding of the structural and chemical behavior of graphene interfaces. Current position: Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry, Columbia University Education: B.S., chemistry, Yale University; Ph.D., chemistry, Harvard University Flynn on his scientific role model and why: “Four mentors have had a significant influence in determining the course of my scientific career: my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Coburn, who made chemistry a remarkably clear discipline and introduced me to independent research; Ali Javan, who taught me to think like a physicist about the interaction of light and matter; and John Baldeschwieler and E. Bright Wilson, who were my Ph.D. mentors and taught me the importance of clear thinking in scientific discussions and about being fearless in attacking new research areas.” What his colleagues say: “In groundbreaking work, he demonstrated that single sheet graphenes are much more reactive than multiple sheet materials. His fundamental work will surely be of great help to investigators who are working on electronic devices based on graphene and doped-graphene materials.”—Harry B. Gray, California Institute of Technology.