Three of Dow’s senior scientists were honored with the Herbert H. Dow Medal on August 30, 2006, during the annual Science and Technology Meeting at the Midland Center for the Arts. Madan M. Bhasin, B. Clifford Gerwick, and James C. Stevens received the prestigious medal, the highest honor Dow awards to the company’s scientists and researchers.
“Our three new Dow Medalists are role models for innovation in science and technology who have had a significant impact on Dow’s growth,” said Bill Banholzer, corporate vice president and chief technology officer. “They have devoted their careers to exploring new frontiers and have excelled in their leadership, not only in Dow’s R&D community, but throughout the chemical industry.”
The Herbert H. Dow Medal Award was created in 1979 to recognize researchers for continuous career achievements having significant impact on Dow business. The medal is 24-karat gold and features a likeness of Dow founder Herbert Henry Dow.
Since its inception, only 23 others have been honored with the Dow Medal: Dr. William Bauman, Carl B. Havens, Robert G. Heitz, Dr. Howard Johnston, Louis C. Rubens, Raymond H. Rigterink (1979); Dr. Turner Alfrey, Jr., Dr. Warren B. Crummet (1980); T. Ellis Davies, Dr. Cleve A.I. Goring, Hamish Small (1983); Dr. James J. Leddy, Dr. Lu Ho Tung (1987); George W. “Bill” Knight, Walter J. Schrenk, Ritchie A. Wessling (1991); and Dr. Che-I Kao, Dr. Douglas E. Leng, Dr. Lanny A. Robbins (1993); Dr. Pak-Wing Steve Chum, Dr. George J. Quarderer, Jr., Robert Page Shirtum, Dr. Richard J. Kociba.
This year’s honorees were recognized for the following achievements:
Dr. Madan Mohan Bhasin, senior scientist, Ethylene Oxide and Ethylene Glycol R&D – “For significant contributions to the advancement of catalysis, particularly for ethylene oxide. His creativity is remarkable, impacting diverse areas. Through effective collaboration, Madan has had a great impact at Dow and in the chemical industry.”
Madan Bhasin is widely recognized as an innovator in the area of heterogeneous catalysis and a rare practitioner who is conversant on the theoretical, scientific and practical levels. Along with the Dow Ethylene Oxide-Ethylene Glycol research team, he contributed to major research that included the development and application of 11 generations of new epoxidation catalysts that give remarkable improvement in efficiency and production capacity and also reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. Along with George Keller in the late 1970s, Bhasin co-discovered that methane can be oxidatively coupled to yield C2-hydrocarbons. His work also lead to the improved understanding of catalyst supports, particularly novel types of aluminas, which led to his development of a monolithic form of alpha-alumina for improved automotive exhaust catalysis and the first reported selective synthesis of C2 chemicals (ethanol, acetic acid and acetaldehyde) from carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
Bhasin's work is based on the fundamentals of surface science and reaction engineering, and has had both scientific and commercial impact. Along with the Dow Ethylene Oxide-Ethylene Glycol research team, their development of advanced ethylene epoxidation catalysts has contributed to securing a leading position in this technology and in the production of ethylene oxide and ethylene glycol for Union Carbide and Dow. His publication in 1982, co-authored with Keller, on the oxidative coupling of methane opened up a new area of research and inquiry, leading to a multitude of literature publications, citations and patents. The alpha-alumina monolith for exhaust catalysisrepresents a novel advance for auto emission converters that commonly employed a gamma-alumina washcoat.Bhasin has received several national and international awards for his work, including the Industrial Research Institute Achievement Award in 2002, the AIChE Award in Chemical Engineering Practice in 2001, the American Chemical Society Award in Industrial Chemistry in 1999 and The Eugene Houdry Award of the North American Catalysis Society in 1995. He has also received a Citation of Recognition in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate in the 105th Congress for his vision, creativity and breakthrough research in industrial catalysis. He has been invited speaker at numerous conferences and research institutions worldwide. In February 2006, Bhasin received the 1st Dow President’s Award. In the same month, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his development of efficient catalysts for the production of ethylene oxide and for contributions to the fundamental understanding of catalysts. Bhasin is the author of numerous publications in his field and holds 21 U.S. patents.
Dr. B. Clifford Gerwick, senior scientist, Dow AgroSciences R&D – “For his numerous contributions to R&D at Dow AgroSciences and the scientific community over his 25-year career in Discovery Research. His contributions directly impact the success of our business, enhance our research productivity, advance our understanding of science and improve the capabilities of our scientists.”
Cliff Gerwick has distinguished himself at Dow AgroSciences with numerous contributions to the scientific community during his 25-year career in Discovery Research.
Gerwick’s earliest accomplishments were in the discovery and development of the triazolopyrimidine sulfonamide herbicides. His expert biological guidance of structure-activity studies led to the identification of the commercial herbicides flumetsulam, cloransulam-methyl and diclosulam. Gerwick’s technical direction of the biology program also contributed to identification of the commercial cereal herbicides metosulam and florasulam. He also developed a simple diagnostic method for detecting field resistance to these and other acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibiting herbicides, an industry-wide issue.
In the mid-1990’s, Gerwick accepted the challenge to develop DAS’ capability in natural products, and built what has been acknowledged by our competitors as the industry’s leading natural products program.
More recently, he assumed strategic leadership for DAS’ Weed Management Discovery program. In that role, he promoted a concept for a new herbicide tolerance trait and began a modest “proof-of-concept” effort. In record time, this effort led to the identification of a novel gene that gave DAS a new and unique trait, as well as its first proprietary selectable marker.
Gerwick’s technical contributions have resulted in 20 issued U.S. patents and two additional active Invention Disclosure Memos. He has published extensively on his work (36 publications and author or co-author on 49 posters or papers) and is frequently invitedto present at scientific conferences. Gerwick received the Vista Award for leadership in R&D in 2004.Dr. James Carl Stevens, research fellow, Performance Plastics and Chemicals R&D – “For his continuing contributions to science, technology and business results. He is widely recognized both inside and outside of Dow for his contributions in the fields of catalysis and polymer chemistry.”
Jim Stevens’ work in the catalyst field began in the late 1970s, when he joined Dow Central Research. He has been involved with the discovery and commercial implementation of Dow's INSITE™ Technology and Constrained-Geometry Catalysts, which are used in the production of approximately 2 billion pounds of polyolefins per year. He is one of the primary inventors of a number of commercial catalysts and plastic products including a variety of INSITE catalysts.
Stevens’ work has resulted in several new Dow product lines such as AFFINITY™ polyolefin plastomers, ELITE™ enhanced polyethylene resins, ENGAGE™ polyolefin elastomers, NORDEL™ IP EPDM rubber, NORDEL™ MG EPDM, INDEX™ interpolymers, VERSIFY™ plastomers and elastomers.
His current work includes applications of combinatorial and high-throughput methods to catalyst research, solution-process polypropylene, and the relationship of catalyst structure to polymer microstructure.
Stevens is an inventor on 76 U.S. patents, has 15 publications, and is the editor of one book. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards for his contributions to polymer science and to the plastics industry. He has been the recipient of the Dow “Inventor of the Year” award five times and was presented the Dow Central Research “Excellence in Science” Award in 1993. In 1994, Stevens was a co-recipient of the United States “National Inventor of the Year” Award, presented in the United States Congress. In 2002, The Dow Chemical Company was awarded the National Medal of Technology by President George H. W. Bush, based in part on Stevens’ work in the area of olefin polymerization catalysis. Stevens was the recipient of the 2004 Carothers Award, presented by the Delaware Section of the ACS for scientific innovators who have made outstanding contributions and advances in industrial applications of chemistry. In 2005, Stevens was the recipient of the American Chemical Society Award in Industrial Chemistry. In June, 2006, The Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) named Stevens the winner of the 2006 Perkin Medal. He is the 100th recipient of this award, which will be presented at the Society’s annual dinner on September 21, 2006, in Philadelphia, Penn.
