Keith Laidler Award

For research in physical chemistry

 Submit a Nomination: To nominate someone for this award, fill out the nomination form and submit your complete package as one pdf.
Consult the Terms of Reference
View the complete list of current and past winners

The 2012 winner is:

Aicheng Chen, MCIC
Lakehead University
Department of Chemistry

Aicheng Chen received his MSc from Xiamen University under the direction of Shi-Gang Sun and his PhD from the University of Guelph in 1998 under the direction of Jacek Lipkowski. He then spent two years working as a research scientist at Huron Tech Canada Inc. and two years as an electrochemical specialist at FINNCHEM Canada Inc. In 2002, he joined Lakehead University as an assistant professor, where he was promoted to associate professor in 2005 and to full professor in 2010. In 2006, Chen was awarded a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Invitation Fellowship, and worked at the Catalysis Research Centre, Hokkaido University with Bunsho Ohtani as a JSPS Visiting Scientist. During his sabbatical in 2008, he worked with Richard Compton at the Department of Chemistry, Oxford University. Chen holds a Tier 2 CRC and has contributed to over 100 journal articles, 6 book chapters, 70 industrial technical reports and 2 patents. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) in 2011. Chen is also the recipient of the Lakehead University Innovation Award, Lash Miller Award, Fred Beamish Award and Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award.

Terms of Reference top

This award recognizes outstanding early-career contributions to physical, theoretical, or computational chemistry, for research carried out in Canada, by a scientist residing in Canada.

Deadline: July 2 of every year.

Sponsor: CIC Physical, Theoretical and Computation Chemistry Division

Award: A framed scroll

The recipient will be required to present an award lecture in a Physical, Theoretical and Computational (PTC) Symposium at the Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition.

Eligibility: Eligible candidates will have held their first professional appointment as an independent researcher in academia, government, or industry for no more than twelve years at the time (calendar year) that the award is conferred. Nominations shall remain in force for three years, subject to this criterion of eligibility.

Membership in the Institute is not a prerequisite for this award.

All nominations will remain in force for three years. Nominators are encouraged to update these dossiers by submitting a new complete pdf document each year.

Selection Committee:

• CSC Director of Awards as non-voting Chair
• Past Chair of the Physical, Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Division
• Past two winners of the Keith Laidler Award

The award shall be presented annually unless the Committee considers that no suitable candidate has been nominated.

In the event of a conflict of interest, the Division Chair shall designate an alternative member of the Executive to serve on the award jury.