Sixty-nine researchers received American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) grants following the spring 2024 application process, including Benjamin Snyder, assistant professor of chemistry.

Snyder said this award from the PRF will allow his research group to tackle some really exciting questions surrounding the formation of reactive metal-oxo intermediates in heterogeneous catalysts.

"If successful, our approach will provide new insights into how inert hydrocarbon substrates can be transformed into valuable products using cheap and abundant oxygen,” Snyder said.

The grant recipients were announced Aug. 15, 2024. According to the announcement in C&EN, the purpose of the ACS PRF grants is providing seed money that allows researchers to pursue a new direction in petroleum-relevant science and has helped support the careers of many scientists, including current ACS president Mary Carroll and recent Nobel laureate Moungi Bawendi. Awarding the ACS PRF grants contributes to the work of the ACS Scientific Advancement Division, which helps the society fulfill its mission “to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people.”

“ACS PRF projects are so important because they drive discovery and innovation in the chemical sciences, addressing fundamental questions and contributing to a sustainable future,” says Joerg Schlatterer, director of the ACS Office of Research Grants.

The ACS PRF awards close to $20 million a year to around 180 investigators through two application rounds, one in the spring and one in the fall. Applications go through a thorough review process, and the ACS Board of Directors approves each applicant.