A group of scientists from ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company have been chosen by the American Chemical Society as “Heroes of Chemistry” as part of the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society this past week.
ACS, the world’s largest scientific society, chose researchers Michael Kerby, Ph.D., Ernie Lewis, Ph.D., Stephen McCarthy, Sabato Miseo, Kenneth Lloyd Riley, Ph.D., and Stuart Soled, Ph.D. to receive the award for work they did in producing clean-air technologies.
The ExxonMobil researchers, in collaboration with Albemarle Corporation, developed and commercialized a new type of catalyst – Nebula – that allows refineries to produce cleaner diesel fuel. The research was done in response to more stringent air pollution regulations for diesel fuel sulfur content.
"Heroes of Chemistry strives for greater recognition of scientists like these who, like chemistry itself, often wear a cloak of invisibility so far as public awareness is concerned," said Bruce Bursten, Ph.D., president of the American Chemical Society and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "Their dedication and scientific contributions save lives and make life healthier and happier for billions of people around the world."
The awards ceremony and dinner, held Aug. 17 at the Four Seasons hotel in Philadelphia, included a keynote speech by former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, a physician and chemical engineer. Jemison was the first black woman to travel in space when she flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.