Dr. Keith Fagnou of the Department of Chemistry has been awarded a 2003 Polanyi Prize, valued at $15,000.
This award was established by the Ontario Government in recognition of the achievement of Dr. John Charles Polanyi of the University of Toronto who received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Up to five prizes in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and economic science are awarded annually to oustanding scholars pursuing postdoctoral studies at an Ontario university.
Dr. Fagnou's research focuses on more efficient ways of preparing complex molecules, which could have broad implications in resource management and the establishment of sustainable development practices. As such, his work is part of the “green chemistry” or “environmentally benign” chemistry movement.
Dr. Fagnou is the 13th University of Ottawa researcher to be awarded a Polanyi Prize. He was also among 13 University of Ottawa researchers who received major grants from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation last June.
