Four KU chemistry professors named 2013 ACS Fellows

LAWRENCE — Four University of Kansas professors have been chosen as fellows by the world’s largest scientific society, the American Chemical Society.

Three faculty from the Department of Chemistry were chosen and one from the School of Pharmacy: Susan Lunte, Ralph N. Adams Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and director of the Adams Institute for Bioanalytical Chemistry; Richard Schowen, professor emeritus of chemistry; George Wilson, professor emeritus of chemistry; and Daniel Flynn, adjunct professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Flynn is also the president and CEO of Deciphera Pharmaceuticals in Lawrence and earned his Doctor of Pharmacy and doctorate in medicinal chemistry at KU.

They will be feted along with the other 92 fellows at the society’s national meeting in September in Indianapolis, in a ceremony hosted by ACS Immediate Past-President, Bassam Z. Shakhashiri.

“This is an honor bestowed on members for their outstanding accomplishments in scientific research, education and public service,” said Shakhashiri in announcing the 2013 class of ACS Fellows. “Their individual contributions to ACS, to science and to society are hallmarks of distinction in keeping with the ACS mission of advancing the chemical enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.

“Selection as an ACS Fellow greatly honors each individual and also honors ACS,” Shakhashiri said. “It is also a charge to each fellow to maintain his or her excellence in advancing chemistry and serving society.”

The 2013 honorees join past KU ACS Fellows Kristin Bowman-James, Daryle Busch, Ted Kuwana and Joseph Heppert from the Department of Chemistry and Les Mitscher, Gary Grunewald and Jeff Aubé from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. The fellows program began in 2009 as a way to recognize and honor ACS members for outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the profession and ACS.