Chemical Engineering and Materials Science News
Distinguished Professor Bruce C. Gates
Bruce Gates Named 2009 Robert Burwell Lecturer
Posted on: April 10, 2009
Bruce C. Gates, a distinguished professor of chemical engineering and materials science, has been awarded the 2009 Robert Burwell Lectureship in Catalysis from the North American Catalysis Society. The award is accompanied by an honorarium and financial support for Gates to visit any of the society’s 14 clubs, which range from Mexico City to Waterloo, Ontario.
The Society cited Gates for his 40 years of significant contributions in three major areas of catalysis research: the preparation and characterization of surface organometallic complexes, catalysis by strong solid acids, and the kinetics and reaction pathways of hydroprocessing catalysis. The Society also commended Gates for mentoring over 130 students, postdocs and visiting scientists, as well as for educating “two generations of catalytic scientists and industrial practitioners.” His teaching texts are used worldwide.
The award is given in recognition of substantial contributions to one or more areas in the field of catalysis with emphasis on discovery and understanding of catalytic phenomena, catalytic reaction mechanisms, and identification and description of catalytic sites and species.
Gates is cited for expanding applications and the further understanding of hydroprocessing catalysis and the underlying mechanisms in catalysis of strong solid acids. He has authored widely read and cited articles. Many nanoscience papers in the literature today follow the path Gates pioneered decades ago, according to the Society.
In addition to being an active member of the Board of the North American Catalysis Society, Gates “has been a tireless cheerleader for the field of catalysis and in all his lectures strives for understanding, arousing curiosity, and getting down to the essentials of a problem,” the Society stated.
Gates’ interests include catalysis, catalytic reactors, chemical reaction engineering, material micro structure, and sol-gel processing.