Two senior undergraduates in chemistry, Jacob Strand and Yi Yang, have been selected as the 2026 recipients of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC, United Kingdom) Certificate of Undergraduate Excellence Award.
The RSC awards recognize students who have excelled in the chemical sciences and specifically are within the top 5-10% of their class in subject-specific and overall coursework, participate and excel in undergraduate research projects, and have taken on leadership roles in their department and community.
Jacob Strand
A Specialized Chemistry major, Jacob Strand graduated in May with Highest Distinction from the Department of Chemistry. Students qualify for graduation with distinction by exhibiting superior performance in both course work and in senior thesis research, and to earn Highest Distinction, must have a major grade point average of at least 3.75. Strand also participated in undergraduate research in the laboratory of Prof. Walter Klemperer. For more than two years, Strand pursued a computational investigation of the temperature-dependent structural phase transitions in Keggin anion salts. He also synthesized and experimentally studied one of these salts. Klemperer said Strand has a strong ability to work independently, while also seeking guidance from more senior students and other faculty to advance his research. In Fall 2026, Jacob will attend Stanford University to earn his Ph.D. in chemistry. Strand also received the John C. Bailar Award for excellence in undergraduate research from the Department of Chemistry.
Yi Yang
A Specialized Chemistry major, Yi Yang graduated in May with Highest Distinction from the Department of Chemistry. Students qualify for graduation with distinction by exhibiting superior performance in both course work and in senior thesis research, and to earn Highest Distinction, must have a major grade point average of at least 3.75. Yang also worked in the laboratory of Prof. Wilfred van der Donk for three years on chemical approaches to studying and modulating lanthipeptide biosynthesis. Yang's research has included small molecule synthesis, solid-phase peptide synthesis, expression and purification of enzymes, and enzymatic assays. He is coauthor of two peer-reviewed research publications in the van der Donk lab, with another forthcoming. Prof. van der Donk said Yang is among the best undergraduates ever in his lab with regard to commitment, resilience, and intellectual ability. In Fall 2026, Yang will attend the University of Chicago to earn his Ph.D. in chemistry. Yang also received the Carl S. Marvel Award for excellence in undergraduate research from the Department of Chemistry.