Years before the famous Priestley Medal (established in 1922) and other prestigious national awards given by the American Chemical Society, there was the William H. Nichols Medal, which holds the title of first award authorized by ACS. Given by the second-oldest local section in the society, the New York Local Section, it was first given at a gala held in 1903. As ACS celebrates its 150th year, the New York Local Section celebrates 135 years, and the Nichols Medal turns 124.
Over the course of 124 years, the award has recognized the work of over 20 Nobel laureates and over 30 National Medal of Science recipients. This year’s recipient, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis, was introduced at the award ceremony by the 2010 Nichols Medal recipient and a 2005 National Medal of Science recipient, Tobin J. Marks.
Kanatzidis, who received the Nichols Medal at an April 10 symposium event, was recognized for his research on halide perovskite solar cells.
The award recognizes significant contributions in chemistry and highly encourages original research—which might account for the number of pioneering recipients. Over its 124-year history, this original research has included that of past ACS presidents Thomas Midgely Jr. on “Use of Anti-Knock Compounds in Motor Fuels” and Glenn T. Seaborg on “Co-discoverer of Pu, Am and Cm, Preeminent in the Fields of Nuclear Fission, Plutonium Production, and the Transuranium Elements”; ACS executive secretary Charles L. Parsons on “Atomic Weight of Berylium”; Arthur C. Cope (whom you might recognize from the ACS National Awards) on “For Unselfish Devotion to the Profession of Chemistry Particularly in the Dissemination of Scientific Information”; and many others whose names you might notice in journal titles (Irving Langmuir) or national historic chemical landmarks (Neil Bartlett).
High standards lead to high recognition
This year’s Nichols Medal Jury chair and past local section chair, Mary Virginia Orna, says the award is viewed by many in the community as a threshold to the Nobel Prize—which, Hope Prockop, a member of the Nichols family, says, speaks to the caliber of work the award recognizes and the caliber of the scientists who make that work happen. “I don’t think Nobel Prizes are for sale; you really have to work for it . . . and I think that particularly for a chemistry prize,” Prockop says. “Chemistry does not come easily to most of humanity. It’s one of the most difficult subjects for high school students to struggle through. It’s not really offered at the elementary school level; then you reach the collegiate level, and it becomes very sophisticated.” At that point, she continues, you likely know that you like science, and that is the point where the meaningful questions come: What do you want to study, how deep do you want to go, and how applicable is it to society?
Members of the Nichols family continue to be involved with the award. Pictured here are members of the Nichols family with 2014 medalist Amos B. Smith, III. From left to right: C. Walter Nichols, III; Amos B. Smith, III; Sandy Nichols Nash; Whitney Nash; Helga Nichols; Gardner Nichols; and C. Walter Nichols IV. Credit:
Courtesy of the American Chemical Society New York Local Section
“We cannot say we knew William H. Nichols, but we are reminded by his legacy to be on the side of right for humanity,” she says. That reminder, of being good for society, is something she says she sees in all the Nichols Medal recipients, and it is a strong commonality with Nobel Prize winners.
The New York Local Section also takes care to remember the legacy through its jury process. Orna explains that the process for the award reflects commitment and ensures continuity. Those elected as chair of the New York Local Section automatically become a member of the jury—the local section chair remains on the jury through the chair succession of 3 years (chair-elect to chair to past chair), and then they continue to serve 2 years on the jury after that, so in the fifth year of the past chairperson’s service, they become the chair of the Nichols Medal Jury. “I would say it’s probably been one of the most pleasurable and effective periods of my own scientific career, to have had the privilege of reviewing the resumes and meeting the people that have been so effective and such bright lights in the field of chemistry over these past 5 years,” Orna says.
Good ethics lead to good company and good companies
When it comes to mixing science and business and being able to stay true to both, there’s one word that comes to mind: ethics. “I think one of my earliest memories was Dad saying that he was most proud that ethics was the guiding force in all and everything that my great-great-grandfather did,” says Sandy Nash, also a member of the Nichols family. That balance between science and business is a hard balance to strike, she continues, especially when a business takes on a different mission that might focus on the bottom line. It’s important to remember the science, and honoring ethics and ethical standards are what help both business and science exist successfully; these ethics raise the bar and lay the foundation for a strong legacy.
Nichols was a successful businessperson credited with helping grow the US’s chemical supply chain and served as ACS president in 1918 and 1919. “William H. Nichols did so many incredible things,” says Nash, who jokes that the family’s connection to ACS is by virtue of the fact that their father put them into a mix of exceptionally talented scientists. But those scientists reflect a legacy that they’re very proud to be associated with. “It’s just wonderful to be in the room where such accomplished chemists and scientists are putting their brilliant heads together,” Nash says of the ceremony each year.
“‘Chemistry Is Everywhere’ is not just about people who are chemists. It’s also about people who are engaged to help continue to reinforce the work and science that is being done. I think it’s everyone that plays a part, even if you’re not a scientist.”
With this year’s ceremony coinciding with ACS’s 150th anniversary, Joseph Wiener, 2026 chair of the New York Local Section, found a strong connection with the ACS “Chemistry Is Everywhere” theme. He believes the award and ceremony highlight the importance of not only science but also the people who support chemists, like the Nash-Nichols family. “ ‘Chemistry Is Everywhere’ is not just about people who are chemists,” Wiener says. “It’s also about people who are engaged to help continue to reinforce the work and science that is being done. I think it’s everyone that plays a part, even if you’re not a scientist.” Wiener recounts that the most memorable part of him getting involved with the medal was the family and the fact that they’re still involved. “It’s probably the most important thing” when it comes to upholding a legacy that you’re proud is still living on.
Investing in the next generation leads to a brighter future
In terms of living on, Nash emphasized that with her dad specifically, he always wanted the spotlight back on the younger generations. “It’s through their passions that sciences are relevant, and they see what they’re chasing after,” she says. “They are our future.” Nash’s own children found that relevance, with one going into venture capital investing in life sciences, and the other into carbon sequestering and the carbon market. “And that didn’t just happen,” she emphasizes. Her kids have been attending the Nichols Medal ceremony since age 3, “so it’s a priority they know they can be proud of.” And Nash thinks that that passion is momentum that can be built on for all students.
One of the major criteria for selecting the awardee is also student engagement, Orna says. “And we look for that interaction at all levels,” which might include demonstrating in elementary schools, taking high school students under one’s wing, or even caring for graduate students who aren’t necessarily going to become chemists “but are going to be members of the public who can say they had a positive experience with chemistry,” Orna continues.
For this year’s ceremony, students got to run the question part of the question-and-answer session: “All of us were super proud of how the questions were being asked, and the caliber of questions was amazing,” Wiener says.
This year’s winner had expertise in perovskite chemistry. “Now that may not ring a bell to too many people,” Orna says. “But it’s cutting-edge science that relates very much to students’ interests because it relates to all the technology that underlies our modern lives and is made possible by this particular form of chemistry.” And the students caught on to that connection.
More about the Nichols Medal, past recipients, and the New York Local Section can be found online.
ACS publishes C&EN but is not involved in editorial decisions.
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