DATE: January 22, 2009

CONTACT: Dennis Smith, 864-656-1160
dwsmith@clemson.edu

WRITER: Jessica Lance, 864-656-2061
jrlance@clemson.edu

Clemson chemistry professor receives regional award

CLEMSON – Clemson University professor of chemistry Dennis Smith received the American Chemical Society (ACS) 2008 Charles H. Stone award.

The Charles H. Stone award is given annually by the ACS Carolina-Piedmont Local Section to the most outstanding chemist in the southeastern United States. It recognizes chemists for contributions to the field through activities in the scientific community, public outreach, education and research.

"As only the third Clemson chemist to win this award after professors Shiou-Jyh Hwu and Darryl DesMarteau, it's an honor to be included in this group and help the recognition of Clemson chemistry. It is also personally satisfying my Ph.D. research advisor, professor Ken Wagener of the University of Florida, won the award in addition to his Ph.D. advisor, the late professor George Butler of the University of Florida and pioneer in polymer chemistry, who was the first recipient,” said Smith.

Smith’s research interests include synthesis, mechanism, structure/property relationships and application of polymeric materials and composites.

Smith is the cofounder and associate director of Clemson’s Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET) and the chair of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymer Chemistry. He also cofounded Tetramer Technologies LLC in 2001 to commercialize research done at Clemson.

Smith received a B.S. degree from Missouri State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Florida. He worked as a Rhone Poulenc Graduate research fellow in Lyon, France, and a Dow Chemical postdoctoral fellow in Rheinmuenster, Germany. Smith joined the Dow Chemical Company Central Research Laboratory as senior research chemist and was promoted to project leader. He joined Clemson University in 1998.