Texas A&M University professor Dr. Jaime Grunlan has been named a 2023 Fellow of the American Chemical Society in recognition of his outstanding achievements in chemistry and contributions to science, the profession and the society.
Grunlan, Leland T. Jordan ’29 Chair Professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, is one of 42 international chemists and scientists selected this year to the prestigious fellows program, established in 2009. Since its inception, less than 1,500 of the organization’s more than 170,000 members have ever been awarded the distinction.
Grunlan is cited by the ACS for “pioneering the field of environmentally-benign, polyelectrolyte-based flame-retardant nanocoatings for polymeric materials and leadership on polymer nanocomposite-based gas barrier materials for protecting food and flexible electronics.” He is also recognized for outstanding service to the ACS Divisions of Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering (PMSE) and Polymer Chemistry (POLY) through his organization of POLY workshops and administration of the PMSE Fellows program.
Grunlan will be honored along with his fellow Class of 2023 inductees — announced in the July 27 issue of Chemical & Engineering News — with a lapel pin and certificate during an Aug. 14 ceremony and reception in conjunction with the ACS Fall 2023 meeting, set for Aug. 13-17 in San Francisco.
“This is among the most significant honors I’ve been granted in my career,” said Grunlan, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry. “It’s equivalent to winning the National Science Foundation CAREER award when I was an assistant professor and receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of South Brittany — requiring approval from the French government — a few years ago. The roster of Fellows is truly a who’s who in the broad world of chemistry. I still cannot believe it’s real.”
Grunlan earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering along with a minor in chemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2001, then spent three years at the Avery Research Center in Pasadena, Calif., prior to joining the Texas A&M faculty in 2004. His significant contributions beyond environmentally-benign flame retardant nanocoatings include opening new possibilities for protecting telephone and transmission line poles to prevent forest fires, treating textiles for military use and reducing the flammability in various foams and fabrics used in transportation including planes, trains and cars. Additionally, his work has significantly advanced gas barrier thin films and organic thermoelectric materials.
Learn more about Grunlan's research in the Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory or the ACS Fellows Program, including a complete list of all previous honorees.