The Catalysis Club of Philadelphia is pleased to announce that Professor John Vohs of University of Pennsylvania is the recipient of the 2007 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award. The award is given for outstanding contribution to the advancement of catalysis. Such advancement can be scientific, technological or in organization leadership.
Professor Vohs is a University of Delaware graduate. After a NATO Postdoctoral fellowship at Facultes Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix in Namur, Belgium he started his academic carrier at University of Pennsylvania where he is currently the Carl V. S. Professor of Chemical Engineering. His award nominators emphasize among others his pioneering work in the application of surface science techniques to understand reaction mechanisms and site requirements on metal oxide single crystals. He demonstrated the use of High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (HREELS) to obtain vibrational spectra of reactive intermediates on the surfaces of semiconducting and insulating metal oxides. This work, which continues to be highly cited today, was vital to making the connection between model single crystal surfaces and high surface area powder catalysts, especially in demonstrating mechanisms and site requirements from model systems that could be applied to complex materials. His HREELS and XPS work on vanadia, titania, and ceria-based materials helped to understand the surface properties of these materials and lead to applied research on oxygen storage processes which is of vital importance to solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). As one of the leaders of this field, professor Vohs contributed to the fundamental understanding of related reaction and transport processes, as well as strategies for preventing deactivation and coking in these devices. Moreover, he is one of a small but growing number of researchers who are demonstrating a new paradigm for design of new catalytic materials from atomistic understanding.
In addition to his research contributions, Professor Vohs has advised nearly 20 graduate students and about the same number of postdoctoral fellows during his 18 years as faculty at the University of Pennsylvania where he also served as Associate Dean and Department Chair. He and his students have been long supporters of our Catalysis Club and we are proud to add this award to the series of his prior acknowledgements.
Professor Vohs will be honored with a plaque and a cash award which will be presented to him at a dinner meeting in our fall season when he will also present his award lecture.
Recipients of the Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award
- 1968 Adalbert Farkas
- 1969 Charles J. Plank
- 1970 Paul H. Emmett
- 1971 G. Alex Mills
- 1972 Alfred E. Hirschlerli
- 1973 Paul B. Weisz
- 1974 Roland C. Hansford
- 1975 Paul Venuto
- 1976 Heinz Heinemann
- 1977 G.C.A. Schuit
- 1978 George W. Parshall
- 1979 Alvin B. Stiles
- 1980 Abraham Schneider
- 1981 James F. Roth
- 1982 Robert Eischens
- 1983 Edward Rosinski
- 1984 James R. Katzer
- 1985 N.Y. Chen
- 1986 Bruce C. Gates
- 1987 James E. Lyons
- 1988 George Kokotailo
- 1989 Maurice Mitchell, Jr.
- 1990 Werner O. Haag
- 1991 John A. Sofranko
- 1992 Fran Waller
- 1993 George Kerr
- 1994 Theodore A. Koch
- 1995 John N. Armor
- 1996 Mae Rubin
- 1997 Leo E. Manzer
- 1998 Ray Gorte
- 1999 Anne M. Gaffney
- 2000 Henry C. Foley
- 2001 Mark Barteau
- 2002 Steven D. Ittel
- 2003 Frank E. Herkes
- 2004 Jingguang Chen
- 2005 Israel Wachs
- 2006 James A. Dumesic
- 2007 John Vohs