The man who turned the science of glow-in-the-dark stars into ways to detect disease, University of Houston Huffington-Woestemeyer Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Richard Willson, has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a significant honor recognizing individuals who have made substantial contributions to the chemical sciences.
Since 1841 when 77 scientists — including doctors, academics, manufacturers and entrepreneurs — formed the Chemical Society of London, with dialysis inventor Thomas Graham as their first President, the Royal Society of Chemistry has maintained its mission to advance excellence in the chemical sciences. Today the society has evolved in ways the founders likely never envisioned, with 54,000 members across the world, an internationally renowned not-for-profit publishing business and a reputation as an influential champion for the chemical sciences.
Throughout his career, Willson has developed innovative methods to purify, detect and measure substances, improving medicine production, optimizing industrial processes and advancing medical testing. And he’s done it all through creative approaches rarely used by other scientists, using materials found in everyday items like reflective vests and glow sticks to develop techniques to detect viruses and other biological threats.
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