Your assistance in identifying candidates for the 2026 American Chemical Society (ACS) Midwest Award is solicited. In 1944, the St Louis Section of the ACS established, and since then has sponsored and funded the ACS Midwest Award to recognize “those who have made meritorious contributions to the advancement of pure or applied chemistry or chemical education” in the Midwest Region. The award is conferred annually on a scientist who has made such meritorious contributions in the profession of chemistry during a period of residence in the geographic area of the ACS Midwest Region.1
Nominees need not be members of the ACS and can work in industry, academia, government, or private practice. Anyone who has previously won the Midwest Award or any other national award administered by the ACS are ineligible, as are members of the Midwest Award Jury and, for the St Louis Section of the ACS, the Immediate Past Chair, Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary and members of the Awards Committee.
The 2026 ACS Midwest Award will be presented at the 2026 Midwest Regional Meeting of the ACS to be held in Manhattan, Kansas, from October 25-27, 2026, hosted by Kansas State University. Ceremonies associated with the award feature a Midwest Award Symposium, a Midwest Award Lecture and the Awards Banquet scheduled on October 26. The Award consists of a medallion and a cash honorarium. A condition of acceptance of this award is that the recipient gives the Midwest Award Lecture at the time of presentation of the award.
Nominations should consist of a nominating letter and two or more seconding letters; a CV for the nominee; a brief biography of the nominee; and documented and objective information regarding the outstanding achievements of the nominee. If the nominee is an academic, a list of people who received advanced degrees under her or his direction should be provided. Activities by the nominee that support the ACS in the Midwest Region constitute additional criteria of merit. Please submit nominations electronically via a single pdf file to the e-mail address given below, on or before Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Nominations are retained and reconsidered (if unsuccessful) over a period of 3 consecutive years.
Thank you for your assistance. Questions and nominating materials should be directed to: Dr Leah O’Brien, Midwest Award Coordinator, at lobrien@siue.edu or by phone at (314) 757-3179 (cell).
1The ACS local sections within the Midwest Region are: Ames, Iowa, Kansas City, Kansas State
University, Mark Twain, Mo-Kan-Ok (The Tri-State), Nebraska, Omaha, Ozark, St Louis, Sioux Valley,
South Central Missouri, Southern Illinois, University of Arkansas, University of Missouri, Wakarusa
Valley, and Wichita.