Carnegie Mellon University’s Professor of Natural Sciences Gets National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has named Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, J.C. Warner University Professor of Natural Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, the recipient of the 2023 NAS Award in Chemical Sciences for his trailblazing and transformative advancements in polymer chemistry.

Matyjaszewski is globally recognized for discovering and developing atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a novel method of polymer synthesis that has shaped the field and can be used to produce a wide range of polymers, copolymers and hybrid materials with a wide range of commercial, biomedical and environmental applications.

ATRP can be used to form polymers via radical mechanisms with unprecedented control of molecular weight and therefore molecular architecture. Matyjaszewski and his group continue to innovate and develop new technologies through research on controlled radical polymerization, bioconjugates, hybrid materials and catalysis.

Throughout his career, Matyjaszewski has also served as a scientific leader and inspiration to others as a mentor, author and inventor. He has been a member of Carnegie Mellon’s Department of Chemistry faculty since 1985.

The NAS Award in Chemical Sciences is presented annually to honor innovative research in the chemical sciences that contributes to a better understanding of the natural sciences and to the benefit of humanity. The NAS Award in Chemical Sciences was established in 1978 and supported by Occidental Petroleum Corporation from 1978 to 1996. The Merck Company Foundation assumed sponsorship in 1999. The award is presented with a medal and a $15,000 prize.