The 2022 Robert B. Anderson Catalysis Award from the Chemical Institute of Canada’s Catalysis Division was presented to University of Oklahoma engineering professor Daniel Resasco, Ph.D., for his research that deepens the understanding of chemical reactions in the production of sustainable energy.
The award, named after a prominent Canadian catalysis researcher, is given to an internationally recognized leader in the field of catalysis. Resasco was distinguished for advancing solutions for a lower-carbon future, including catalytic conversion of biomass feedstocks to carbon-neutral fuels and chemicals.
Among the various fundamental aspects of the reactions investigated by Resasco and his group is the molecular interactions occurring at the solid-liquid interfaces that determine the performance of the catalyst and govern the type of products that are obtained.
Earlier this year, the honor was bestowed at the institute’s annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. While there, Resasco presented two lectures – one educational, titled “Quantification of solvent effects on reaction kinetics and adsorption equilibrium using experimental and theoretical tools,” and the other on research titled “Functionalized materials with controlled surface hydrophobicity and acidity to catalyze reactions for biomass upgrading in biphasic liquid systems.”
Resasco, a professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, joined the OU faculty in 1993 and holds the inaugural Gallogly Chair of Engineering. He specializes in the study of catalysts and nanomaterials for commercial and industrial applications. He is the author of more than 300 publications, holds more than 40 industrial patents and has received approximately 30,000 citations in scientific literature. Most recently, he received the Excellence in Catalysis Award by the Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York, a regional organization with an awardee pool in the national scope.
To learn more about the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, visit ou.edu/coe.
