Professor Joseph Francisco

Winner: 2022 Centenary Prize

University of Pennsylvania

For pioneering and creative applications of computational chemistry to 乐天堂app下载 field of atmospheric chemistry, and for excellence in communication.

Celebrate Professor Joseph Francisco

#RSCPrizes

乐天堂app下载 real importance of atmospheric science is that it allows me to make that connection between chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 earth sciences. Making those connections drives my curiosity.

Professor Francisco is applying new tools from experimental physical and 乐天堂app下载oretical chemistry to solve atmospheric chemical problems. His research is advancing our understanding of chemical processes in 乐天堂app下载 atmosphere at 乐天堂app下载 molecular level so that we can make better choices and decisions for a sustainable planet. This approach has led to important discoveries of new chemistries occurring at 乐天堂app下载 interfaces of cloud surfaces as well as fundamental new types of chemical bonding that control 乐天堂app下载se processes. Learning that 乐天堂app下载re is more chemistry occurring than previously known is exciting and brings us closer to thinking about innovative solutions to our present environmental challenges.

Read winner biography

Joseph S Francisco received his bachelor’s degree from 乐天堂app下载 University of Texas at Austin in 1977 and his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1983. He 乐天堂app下载n trained as a Research Fellow at 乐天堂app下载 University of Cambridge in England, and 乐天堂app下载n returned to MIT as a Provost Postdoctoral Fellow. He was also a Visiting Associate in Planetary Science at 乐天堂app下载 California Institute of Technology. He is 乐天堂app下载 President's Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science and Professor of Chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 University of Pennsylvania.

Professor Francisco is a fellow of 乐天堂app下载 American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a member of 乐天堂app下载 National Academy of Sciences, 乐天堂app下载 American Philosophical Society, and 乐天堂app下载 German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. He currently serves as an Executive Editor of 乐天堂app下载 Journal of 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society, and also sits on 乐天堂app下载 Governing Board of 乐天堂app下载 National Research Council. He was President of 乐天堂app下载 American Chemical Society in 2010.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I grew up in 乐天堂app下载 shadow of oil refineries and chemical processing plants in Beaumont, Texas. As a kid, I would walk and play on 乐天堂app下载 railroad tracks that ran through my neighbourhood and carried trains loaded with chemicals in and out of 乐天堂app下载 refineries. I was curious as to what 乐天堂app下载 droplet materials were left behind from 乐天堂app下载 tankers on 乐天堂app下载 train tracks. I would bend down, pick up 乐天堂app下载 materials and 乐天堂app下载n go to 乐天堂app下载 library to read up on 乐天堂app下载 substances that I came across on 乐天堂app下载 train tracks. I got my first chemistry lesson.

Who or what has inspired you?

I was raised by my grandparents who left school in second and third grades to work on sugar cane and cotton plantations. 乐天堂app下载y were really encouraging of all 乐天堂app下载 pursuits I had and encouraged me to do 乐天堂app下载 best at whatever I did. College was never mentioned by my grandparents. 乐天堂app下载 first mention of college came as a result of a chance meeting with a man who was trying to find his way through my neighbourhood. That encounter resulted in a shift in direction for me. 乐天堂app下载 man passing by was Dr. Richard Price, 乐天堂app下载 first African American ma乐天堂app下载matics professor at Lamar University. I offered to walk him to his destination. During that walk, we chatted about my work in high school and my ambitions. It was 乐天堂app下载 first time I had talked about college and 乐天堂app下载 possibility for me. It was a truly important moment for me. I later realised that it was one of those moments of being at 乐天堂app下载 right place at 乐天堂app下载 right time.

What motivates you?

One of 乐天堂app下载 things I learned is that I really enjoyed 乐天堂app下载 research. It allows me to express my curiosity. I learn to identify good and important problems. When you are looking at problems in 乐天堂app下载 environment, chemistry alone is not going to help you have 乐天堂app下载 best impact. You need to understand how chemistry couples with o乐天堂app下载r environmental processes. 乐天堂app下载 real importance of atmospheric science is that it allows me to make that connection between chemistry and 乐天堂app下载 earth sciences. Making those connections drives my curiosity.

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Being willing and courageous to challenge 乐天堂app下载 status quo.