16 June 2011
The 2011 Perkin Medal will be presented to Dr Rodney H Banks, a research fellow at Nalco (NYSE: NLC), the America International Group announced. He will receive the medal at a dinner in his honour on 20 Sept 2011, at the Hyatt Hotel in Philadelphia, USA.
'Rod Banks is an outstanding industrial technologist,' said Stephanie Burns, Honorary President of SCI. 'This award recognises his fundamental contributions to new sensor technologies that have led to improved water and energy efficiencies for a variety of industries.'
Dr Banks holds a PhD in Inorganic/Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked for Nobel laureate and fellow Perkin winner Glenn Seaborg. In the mid-1980s, Dr Banks and his co-workers at Nalco identified the need for improved control of industrial water treatment and commercial processes. He and colleague John Hoots subsequently led the invention and commercialisation of TRASAR® fluorescent tracing technology. During the past decade, Dr Banks invented a broad suite of technologies incorporating chemical and mechanical sensors for intelligent monitoring and control of industrial water and process applications that have saved more than 300 billion gallons of fresh water at thousands of customer locations around the world.
'Nalco is very proud for Rod to receive this prestigious recognition for his work,' said Erik Fyrwald, Nalco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. 'The evolution of sensor technology that Rod and his team have developed is transforming how water systems are treated, delivering enormous water and energy savings.'
The current generation, 3D TRASAR automation technology has won a United States Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its cooling water application. Its use is being expanded to a variety of additional applications, including boiler water treatment, membrane operations, papermaking and refinery process applications.
In addition to TRASAR sensing and control, Dr Banks has also created various electrochemical, optical, quartz crystal microbalance-based sensors for chemical treatment levels, corrosion, scale and microbial fouling detection. These detect system performance in real time and allow optimum control of chemical treatments, increasing the longevity of mechanical assets, improving process and worker safety, optimising water and energy usage and minimising impact on the environment. He holds more than 20 patents and has published nine scientific papers.
About the Perkin Medal
The award is recognised as the highest honour given for outstanding work in applied chemistry in the United States. It commemorates the discovery of the first synthetic dye (the so-called Perkin mauve) by Sir William Henry Perkin in 1856 (more). This discovery was a significant step forward in organic chemistry that led to the birth of a major segment of the chemical industry. The Perkin Medal was first awarded to Sir William at a banquet held by SCI in New York in 1906. Since then, more than 100 such awards have been given to notable scientists.
About SCI
SCI is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join where they can share and exchange information, ideas, new innovations and research and access SCI's growing database of member specialists between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental science and safety. Originally established in 1881, SCI is a registered charity with members in over 70 countries. For more information on SCI activities and publications, publications, click here.
The America International Group was launched in 1894. Its events are managed by the Chemical Heritage Foundation. The award dinner will be the final event of Innovation Day, a full day of research collaboration in the molecular sciences to be held at the Chemical Heritage Foundation on 20 Sept 2011. More
About Nalco
Nalco is a major sustainability services company focused on industrial water, energy and air applications; delivering significant environmental, social and economic performance benefits to its customers. More
Award Contact: Natalie Clark, T: +215-873-8232, E: nclark@chemheritage.org
Press Contact: Neil Gussman, T: +215-873-8262 /+717-314-2494, E: neilg@chemheritage.org
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