Franz Receives National ACS Award!

Professor Katherine Franz has received the 2020 ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences! 

She was nominated by two former graduate students – Louise Charkoudian (’08, Associate Professor at Haverford College) and Kathryn Haas (’10, Associate Professor at St. Mary's College). “Kathy’s faith in me gave me the ambition to pursue my biggest dreams, and her unrelenting support made me unafraid of failure,” Charkoudian wrote in her nomination letter. “She provided me with a rigorous and enjoyable PhD training experience and continues to foster my growth as a teacher-scholar to this day.”  Prof. Franz has mentored six postdoctoral associates and more than 20 graduate students, as well as dozens of undergraduates and high school students. 

Professor David Mitzi, Simon Family Professor in MEMS and secondary professor of Chemistry, received the ACS Award in the Chemistry of Materials. Additionally, Duke Chemistry alumna Kerry Karukstis (’77, ’81) won the ACS Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution.  All three awards will be presented at the Spring ACS meeting in Philadelphia.

Read more about Professors Franz and Mitzi in a recent Duke Today!