Alfred R. Bader Award for Student Innovation
This award celebrates the next generation of leaders in the field of chemistry by showcasing their cutting-edge research.
About the Award
Building on the legacy of the Aldrich Chemical Company co-founder Alfred R. Bader, this award has recognized young chemists with a passion for innovation since 2005. Bader is one of the many scientists who helped us grow into the vibrant global science and technology company we represent today. Through a series of mergers, Aldrich Chemical Company became Sigma-Aldrich, which is now part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
How does it work?
The applications process is currently closed and will open again in 2024.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be at least 3rd year graduate students (have completed 2 years of a doctorate degree or master’s degree program).
- Winners must be able to present their research, for example at the online Chemistry Innovation Symposium sponsored by Merck MGaA, Darmstadt, Germany on September 6, 2023.
Application process
- Application is by completing the online registration form and accepting terms and conditions.
- You will be asked to submit your CV with a project description including background, important results, your individual contribution to the project as well as the impact you expect this to have on the scientific community.
For more information, please refer to the Terms & Conditions available from this webpage.
Downloads and links
| Link to application form | Applications process will open in 2024 |
|---|---|
| Terms & Conditions | download |
This award has recognized young chemists with a passion for innovation since 2005.The recipients of the 2023 award received $2,000 and an invitation to show off their research at the Chemistry Innovation Symposium on September 6, 2023.
Awardees
| Year | Name | University |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Shivaani Gandhi | Princeton University |
| Jonas Goebel | Ruhr Universität Bochum | |
| 2021 | Isabelle Leibler | Princeton University |
| Mauro Mato | ICIQ Institute of Chemical Research at Catalonia | |
| Rachel Knapp | UCLA | |
| Rui Zhang | University of Chicago | |
| 2019 | Michael Crocker | Vanderbilt University |
| Lucas Hernandez | University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign | |
| Joseph Dennis | MIT | |
| Samantha Green | The Scripps Research Institute | |
| 2018 | Jake Ludwig | University of Michigan |
| Gabriel J. Lovinger | Boston College | |
| Tim Gatzenmeier | Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr | |
| Hiroki Sato | University of Texas at Austin | |
| 2017 | Thomas Andrew McTeague (grand prize) | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Robynne K. Neff | University of Texas at San Antonio | |
| Jennifer Keiko Matsui | University of Pennsylvania | |
| Keita Tanaka | Scripps Research Institute | |
| 2016 | Anthony Grillo | University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
| Xiaoshen Ma | Yale University | |
| Matthew Nielson | Princeton University | |
| Julian West | Princeton University | |
| Chi Zhang | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | |
| Raktim Roy | Yale University | |
| 2015 | Nian Liu | University of Chicago |
| Chengliang Zhu | Georgia State University | |
| Hai Dao | Scripps Research Institute | |
| Anton Toutov | California Institute of Technology | |
| Mingshou Zeng | Yale University | |
| David Kamber | University of California - Irvine | |
| 2014 | Jian He | Scripps Research Institute |
| Han Xiao | Scripps Research Institute | |
| Sandra King | Yale University | |
| Alison Wendlandt | Univerisity of Wisconsin - Madison | |
| Rana Kashif Khan | Boston College | |
| Sandra DePorter | Colorado State University | |
| Christopher Rasik | Indiana University | |
| Eric Welin | Princeton University |
FAQ
Honoring innovation in chemistry
Opportunities for graduate students
Are you a trailblazer in the world of science, with a passion for innovation and a vision of a more sustainable future? By bringing together the brightest young minds in chemistry, we hope to spark new ideas and inspire visionaries to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in science.