UBC Supramolecular Chemist Honoured With National Award

UBC supramolecular chemist Mark MacLachlan has been awarded a 2011 Steacie Memorial Fellowship, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) honour that recognizes some of the nation's most promising scientific talent.

MacLachlan explores the potential for invention through supramolecular chemistry—a discipline that takes advantage of the fact that molecules with specific shapes and properties will self-assemble to form new materials.

Among his discoveries is a new iridescent glass film that can be tuned to filter or reflect various types of light. Its potential applications include coatings for glasses or windows that block ultraviolet light, or reduce heating and air conditioning requirements. His lab has also generated materials that show promise for storing electricity or hydrogen.

The NSERC award is designed to allow fellows to concentrate solely on research for two years. Winners receive a grant of up to $250,000, and host Universities receive funding for a replacement for the fellow's teaching and administrative duties during the course of the fellowship.

Robert Schober, with UBC Electrical and Computer Engineering, was also awarded a 2011 Steacie Memorial Fellowship. Schober's many theoretical and applied discoveries have helped set new standards for the wireless industry.