PMSE Distinguished Service Award
The PMSE Distinguished Service Award is given to recognize extensive, sustained contributions and service to the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division
2023 Award Winner
Dr. Peter Johnson
SABIC

The PMSE Distinguished Service Award is given to recognize extensive, sustained contributions and service to the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Division. The first awardee was recognized in 1993, and it has continued as a yearly award. This year we are proud to announce the 2023 PMSE Distinguished Service Award Winner, Dr. Peter Johnson.
Peter Johnson received a B.S. from Michigan Technological University and a Ph.D. under Prof. Chris Bowman at the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduation, Peter went to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) under a NRC/NIST Postdoctoral Research Associateship, where he worked on projects related to adhesion, degradable polymers, and water membranes. Since 2011, Peter has worked at SABIC In Mt. Vernon, Indiana and is currently a Staff Scientist in the Specialties business unit. His work at SABIC has focused on product development of polycarbonates, polyetherimides, and polyimides for customer applications. His research has produced 12 patents, 21 publications, implementation of three new processes within production, and six new commercial grades. His current project involves the development of an near infrared transparent EXTEM™ polyimide resin for onboard optics that can withstand the 260°C used in the final product assembly
Peter has been a member of ACS since 2003 and started volunteering in 2011 to support the division with their overall web presence. He transitioned archival data dating back from two previous webpages to the PMSE website and rebuilt award lists which date back to 1955. In 2017, Peter designed and implemented the current pmsedivision.org site with input from the various stakeholders of the PMSE Executive Committee, and he continues to maintain and update the site.
Award Details
The awardee will receive a $1500 prize, plaque and a $1500 maximum travel allowance to attend the Spring ACS National Meeting where the award is presented at the evening reception.
Nominations
The award is granted to an individual who is a current PMSE member. Nominees must be a long-standing PMSE member and have had on the order of 20+ years of engagement with PMSE, with substantial active involvement in the division (e.g., serving as a leader on the Division’s Executive Committee, organizing many large symposia, serving PMSE on the ACS Council, leading important committee activities, etc.).
Award Selection
Nominations are to be submitted by August 30 of each year to the Chair of the PMSE Distinguished Award Committee. The nomination must include: (1) curriculum vitae and (2) supporting letter(s) describing the significance of the service to the PMSE division. Nominations that are not successful will be kept active and considered in subsequent evaluations each year for four years.
Past Recipients
Nominations and Award Process
Rules of Eligibility
The award is granted to an individual who is a current PMSE member and multiple years of engagement with PMSE, with substantial active involvement in the division (e.g., serving as a leader on the Division’s Executive Committee, organizing many large symposia, serving PMSE on the ACS Council, leading important committee activities, etc.).
Nominations Package
The first awardee was in 1993, recognizing Roy W. Tess’s enormous work to the PMSE division. It has continued as a yearly award with 23 awardees to date.
Nominations are to be submitted by August 30 of each year to the Chair of the PMSE Distinguished Award Committee. The nomination must include: (1) curriculum vitae and (2) supporting letter(s) describing the significance of the service to the PMSE division. Nominations should be submitted by someone other than the nominee. Nominations that are not successful will be kept active and considered in subsequent evaluations each year for four years.
Award Selection and Award Promotion
The first awardee was in 1993, recognizing Roy W. Tess’s enormous work to the PMSE division. It has continued as a yearly award with 23 awardees to date.
The awardee will receive a $1500 prize, plaque and a $1500 maximum travel allowance to attend the Spring ACS National Meeting where the award is presented at the evening reception.
Past Winners
2023 Peter Johnson, SABIC
2022 Timothy Bunning, AFRL
2021 Melissa Grunlan, Texas A&M University
2020 David Chung, ExxonMobil Chemical Company
2019 Jay Dais, ExxonMobil Chemical Company
2018 David A. Schiraldi, Case Western Reserve University
2017 Charles E. Carraher, Florida Atlantic University
2016 Lisa Baugh, ExxonMobil
2015 Benny Freeman, University of Texas, Austin
2014 Christopher K. Ober, Cornell University
2013 David Bauer, Exponent, Inc.
2012 Leslie H. Sperling, Lehigh University
2011 Elsa Reichmanis, Georgia Institute of Technology
2010 Michael Jaffe, New Jersey Insititute of Technology
2009 David J. Lohse, ExxonMobil Company
2008 Murrae J. Bowden
2007 George R. Pilcher
2006 S. Richard Turner
2005 Larry F. Thompson
2004 Ray Dickie
2003 Theodore Provder
2002 Charles E. Carraher
2001 John Lupinski
2000 Sandy Labana
1999 Clara D. Craver
1996 Kenneth N. Edwards
1995 Louis J. Nowacki
1994 E. E. McSweeney
1993 Roy W. Tess