[American Chemical Society](https://www.acs.org)

November 2026 (nomination deadline, projected) | December 2026 (extended deadline, projected)

$20,000 research grant, gold medallion, certificate, and up to $2,500 for travel expenses (one-time award)

Recognizes individuals for distinguished services to chemistry with the ACS's highest honor, including a research grant and national recognition.

--- ## Description The Priestley Medal is the highest honor awarded by the American Chemical Society (ACS), celebrating individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the field of chemistry. The award includes a $20,000 research grant, a gold medallion commemorating Joseph Priestley, a certificate, and up to $2,500 in travel expenses to attend the award ceremony. The medal is presented annually and aims to recognize exceptional service or achievements that have advanced the chemical sciences. --- ## Due Dates - November 2026: Nomination deadline (anticipated/projected; historically open July 1 to November 1 annually) - December 2026: Extended nomination deadline (anticipated/projected; historically December 15 as an extension) *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - $20,000 research grant (one-time award) - Gold medallion, certificate, and presentation box - Up to $2,500 reimbursed for travel expenses to the award ceremony --- ## Eligibility - Open to individuals worldwide; no restrictions on nationality, race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disabilities, or educational background. - Nominees do **not** need to be ACS members. - Members of the ACS Board of Directors are ineligible during their terms of service. - The award may be granted to both ACS members and non-members, including international candidates. - A recipient of a widely recognized scientific award may be eligible only if the nomination represents new or different work. - Prior ACS National Award recipients may be nominated for a different ACS National Award if the nomination is for clearly different work, or if at least five years have elapsed since the previous award. --- ## Application Process - Nominations are typically open from July 1 to November 1 each year, with possible extensions to December 15. - Nominations can be submitted by any individual except current ACS Board members and selection committee members for the relevant award. - Each nomination must have a single nominator; additional support letters are allowed. - Nominations and support letters remain active for three award cycles if not selected. - Required materials include a nomination form, a letter of recommendation from the nominator, and supporting documentation as outlined in the [ACS National Award Nomination Guidelines](https://www.acs.org/funding/awards/national/nominations.html). - Submit nominations via the [ACS Online Nomination System](https://www.nominate.acs.org/). --- ## Additional Information - The Priestley Medal is supported by an endowed fund established by J. Lynn Fordham. - The award ceremony is held during the ACS National Meeting, and recipients are recognized in ACS publications. - For more details on preparing a nomination, see the [Nomination Requirements & Timeline](https://www.acs.org/funding/awards/national/nominations/requirements-and-timeline.html). --- ## External Links - [Priestley Medal Program Page](https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding/awards/priestley-medal.html) - [ACS National Awards Nomination Guidelines](https://www.acs.org/funding/awards/national/nominations.html) - [ACS National Awards Portal](https://www.acs.org/funding/awards/national.html) - [Online Nomination System](https://www.nominate.acs.org/) - [Past Recipients of the Priestley Medal](https://www.acs.org/funding/awards/priestley-medal/past-recipients.html) --- ## Contact Information | Contact | Details | |--------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | ACS National Awards | American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA | | Email | [awards@acs.org](mailto:awards@acs.org) | | General Inquiries | [help@services.acs.org](mailto:help@services.acs.org) | | Phone | +1 800-227-5558 | ---

Priestley Medal

Sign in to see full grant listing