ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry
ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry supports researchers by honoring published work in organic synthesis to encourage creativity, scientific advancement, and societal benefit.
Funder: American Chemical Society
Due Dates: August 5, 2026 (2028 nominations open) | December 5, 2026 (2028 nomination deadline)
Funding Amounts: $5,000 and a certificate, plus up to $1,000 in travel reimbursement
Summary: Recognizes and encourages outstanding, published creative work in synthetic organic chemistry.
Key Information: This is an achievement award, not proposed-project funding; nominees and nominators need not be ACS members.
Description
The American Chemical Society administers this award through its National Awards program, with sponsorship from Organic Syntheses, Inc. It recognizes and encourages creative work in synthetic organic chemistry, honoring published scientific accomplishments rather than funding a proposed research project. Recipient categories include industry researchers, faculty, chemistry professionals, and international nominees.
The selection rubric considers the breadth of organic synthesis and places its greatest weight on innovation and creativity. It also evaluates scientific impact, benefit to society, alignment with the award’s purpose, and service to the scientific community. Examples of relevant evidence include adoption of the chemistry by other scientists, citations, commercialization of reagents, industrial utility, and contributions to green and sustainable chemistry.
