2007 Happenings

'Father' and 'Son' Honored — During the Feynman Prize Luncheon on Tuesday 9 October 2007 in Arlington Virginia at a two-day conference on Productive Nanosystems: Launching the Technology Roadmap, it became known that, while the 2007 Foresight Institute Feynman Prize for Experimental Molecular Nanotechnology went to Fraser, the one in Theoretical Molecular Nanotechnology went to David Leigh (1984–1987), the Forbes Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. David and Fraser will give their award lectures back-to-back on the following day, Wednesday 10 October, in the Doubletree Hotel Crystal City (300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA). During the summer, David also received the Chancellor's Research Award from HRH The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh, Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh at a royal dinner in the Palace of Holyroodhouse. David was recognized for making a series of fundamental advances in synthetic molecular machine systems, including a motor-mechanism for artificial nanomachines inspired by James Clerk Maxwell's 140-year old theoretical experiment, 'Maxwell's Demon.' Congratulations David!

A Knight in London — The Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN) played host, with its Chief Executive Officer, Ottilia Saxl, in the chair, to a guest lecture given by Fraser on "Chemistry and Molecular Nanotechnology for Tomorrow's World" at the Institute of Physics, 76 Portland Place, London on the evening of Thursday 13 September 2007. At the dinner – for 40 or so – which followed the lecture, after-dinner speeches were made by David Brickwood (Postgraduate Student at the University of Sheffield from 1970 to 1973), Larry Cullen (Postgraduate Student at the University of Sheffield from 1985 to 1989) and Stuart Cantrill (associated with the group for a decade, from 1995 to 2005, as firstly an Undergraduate Student Researcher and then as a (Post)Graduate Student at both the University of Birmingham and UCLA before ending up as a Research Associate at UCLA). David is with the pharmaceutical company, Johnson & Johnson, Larry is practicing patent law in South Wales, and Stuart is a Deputy Editor with Nature Nanotechnology in London. Thanks to all three for their recollections over a 35-year span.

Scouting Out NU — Rising Third Year Graduate student, Travis Gasa, started his first day at Northwestern University on 10 September 2007, as the first member of the Stoddart group to transition from UCLA to the Department of Chemistry at NU. Travis' journey has become the role model for the upcoming Pioneer Group to emulate. Thanks Travis and be sure to write every now and then !

Free Fraser — Directing the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) came to an end on Friday 31 August 2007 for Fraser. He will, however, retain the Fred Kavli Chair of NanoSystems Sciences until Monday 31 December 2007.

Cape Event — Fraser and Fiona hosted a party for about 50 friends and "extended family" down at the Stoddart Retreat on Cape Cod in North Falmouth on the evening of Wednesday 22 August 2007. One of the star attractions was James Fraser the Second's train set. Kirsten Griffiths, Claire Yates and Stuart Rowan helped Fiona organize the party. Thanks to Kirsten, Claire, Stuart and Fiona!

Honor Roll — The American Chemical Society announced the ACS 2008 National Award Winners in the 20 August 2007 issue of C&EN. On p 74, James F. Stoddart is listed as the recipient of the Arthur C Cope Award. Fraser will be honored along with all the other 2008 recipients, at the Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 8 April 2008 in conjunction with the 235th ACS National Meeting in New Orleans. Fraser's Award Lecture is scheduled to be given on Tuesday 19 August 2008 at the Arthur C Cope and Arthur C Cope Scholars Awards Session to be organized by the Division of Organic Chemistry during the 236th ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia.

The Mechanical Bond Comes of Age — A Symposium on the Chemistry of the Mechanical Bond and Beyond was run by the Division of Organic Chemistry to mark Fraser's 65th Birthday. Organized by Stuart Rowan, David Leigh and Jon Preece on Monday 20 August 2007 at the 234th ACS National Meeting in Boston, it brought the following speakers to the podium — Omar Yaghi, Douglas Philp, Francisco Raymo, Bill Goddard, Bruce Gibb, Jovica Badjic, David Reinhoudt, Hsien-Rong Tseng, David Leigh and yours truly. Stuart Rowan acted out the role of master of ceremonies for the second day on the trot. Thanks again Stuart!

Feast of Sir Fraser's Round Table — On the Sunday evening of August 19, 2007, yet another 65th birthday party was held for Fraser by Fraser for the speakers performing at the two symposia (vide supra and vide infra) and group members past and present who were not defending posters at the Sel de La Terre restaurant in Boston. The event was organized by Kirsten Griffiths, who could not attend because of the competing poster session, and Fraser's elder daughter Fiona. Many thanks Kirsten and Fiona!

Polymer Community Honors a Knight — A special symposium in Honor of Sir Fraser Stoddart was held under the auspices of the Division of Polymer Chemistry at the 234th ACS National Meeting in Boston on Sunday 19 August 2007. The speakers were Craig Hawker, Wayne Hayes, Stuart Rowan, Howard Colquhoun, Al Nelson, Makoto Fujita, Alexander Star, Marcus Weck and Bob Grubbs. This highly successful event was organized by Stuart Rowan. Many thanks Stuart!

Karla Coti, William Dichtel, Lei Fang, Douglas Friedman, Travis Gasa, Kirsten Griffiths, Phil Haussmann, JC Olsen, Kaushik Patel, Jason Spruell — All gave poster presentations and Ivan Aprahamian, Ognjen Miljanic and Claire Yates gave oral and poster presentations at the 234th ACS National Meeting on 19-23 August 2007 held in Boston.

Mid-West Call — With Fraser's acceptance on 15 August 2007 of an invitation to join the Northwestern University (NU) faculty as a Board of Trustees Professor of Chemistry, the Stoddart group is planning its phased move to Evanston, starting with the first scout (Travis Gasa) arriving in the Department of Chemistry at NU on 10 September 2007. He will be followed by a group of pioneers in early October. They will prepare the newly refurbished research laboratories and office space for the final stage of the move over the holiday period at the end of the year. Around 20 group members are moving to NU, leaving around 10 at UCLA to complete their time in the group by September 2008 at the latest.

The Northwestern University press release can be found here. Read all about it ! Sample what the Chicago newspapers have to say on the subject – Chicago Sun Times / Chicago Tribune

School in Tsukuba — Third year graduate student, Kaushik Patel, was awarded a fellowship to attend the 2007 ICYS–ICMR (International Center for Young Scientists – International Center for Material Research) Summer School on Nanomaterials at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Tsukuba, Japan from July 23–28, 2007. He was chosen to give an oral, as well as a poster presentation. Congratulations Kaushik!

Tetrahedron Sea Change — The Executive Board of Editors and Elsevier, the Publisher of Tetrahedron Publications, have announced that the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry for 2007 has been awarded to Fraser in recognition of his creative fundamental research in catenane and rotaxane chemistry and its extension into functioning molecular machinery and nanotechnology. The prize will be presented to Fraser at the Fall 2008 ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia. The provisional date for the Prize Symposium on "Synthetic NanoSystems and NanoMachinery" is Sunday 17 August 2008.

Well Done McD — David Leigh (Postgraduate Student at the University of Sheffield from 1984–1987), presently the Forbes Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, was the recipient of the 2007 International Izatt–Christensen Award in Macrocyclic Chemistry on Thursday 28 June 2007 at the 2nd International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry held in Salice Terme, Italy from June 24–28, 2007. Many congratulations Dave!

By Giorgio — During the 2nd International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry held in Salice Terme, Italy from 24-28, June 2007, Fraser and Graduate Student Cari Pentecost were privileged to be given a private tour (thanks to Luigi Fabbrizzi!) of the Collegio Borromeo in Pavia, Italy on Wednesday 27 June guided by Giorgio Mellerio, Professor of Organic Chemistry and Vice-Rector of the College. They discovered that the artists treat topology with gay abandon: only 1 out of 10 images of the Borromean Rings are Brunnian links in the Collegio Borromeo. Take the tour with them here!

Grazie Italia — Graduate Students JC Olsen and Cari Pentecost and Postdoctoral Scholar Claire Yates presented posters at the 2nd International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry held in Salice Terme, Italy from 24-28 June, 2007.

Cari Carries Off Another Prize — At the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Commencement on Saturday 16 June 2007, Cari Pentecost received the Saul Winstein Prize, awarded for her outstanding dissertation on "Molecular Borromean Rings and Solomon Links." Congratulations again Cari!

Ma'am to the Rescue — On Wednesday 13 June 2007, Fraser made his way to Buckingham Palace for an investiture accompanied by his two daughters, Fiona (McCubbin) and Alison Stoddart, and David Leigh, a former group member from the Sheffield days and now the Forbes Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. Here is Fraser's recollection of his meeting with The Queen –

Lord Chamberlain: "May I present to Your Majesty, Professor Sir Fraser Stoddart, for Services to Chemistry and Molecular Nanotology" (The last word is not misspelt)

THE CEREMONY

Her Majesty: "He got that wrong didn't he ?"

Sir Fraser: 'He certainly did, Your Majesty."

Her Majesty: "What should it be then, nanotechnology ?"

Sir Fraser: "You've got it right, Ma'am."

Her Majesty: "It's about very small things, isn't it ?"

Sir Fraser: "Indeed, it's about tiny things that are 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, Ma'am."

Her Majesty: "That's exceedingly small. You work in America now, I'm told."

Sir Fraser: "That's so, Ma'am."

At this point, she extends her right hand, and I mine for she leaves me with no choice. A strong handshake is followed by a big approving smile from Her Majesty, and I am on my merry way – a brand new Knight Bachelor.

"Arise Sir Fraser" / Fraser / Fraser with Alison & Fiona / Fraser with David Leigh / Fraser with Everyone

The Young(-ish!) Giants of Chemistry — To celebrate Fraser's 65th Birthday in 2007, David Leigh, the Forbes Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh, with help from Stuart Cantrill, Amar Flood, Wayne Hayes, Douglas Philp, Jon Preece, Stuart Rowan, and Alison Stoddart, held a special – and fun – symposium in the School of Chemistry at Edinburgh University where Fraser obtained his BSc (1964) and PhD (1966) Degrees. The symposium began late afternoon on Wednesday 6 June and ran through to the Saturday evening of 9 June 2007. In keeping with Fraser's wishes, the plenary lecturers, who included Takuzo Aida, Harry Anderson, Geert-Jan Boons, Neil Branda, Alberto Credi, Makoto Fujita, Miguel Garcia-Garibay, Craig Hawker, Jim Heath, Chris Hunter, Takashi Kato, Steven Loeb, Chad Mirkin, Tim Swager, Karen Wooley and Omar Yaghi, were chosen from people who are leading and shaping the course of science but are at least a generation younger than him! Numerous past members of the Stoddart group gave short talks and there were poster sessions for the present (post)graduate students. Fraser hosted a dinner for all the speakers and some special guests on the Thursday evening at Edinburgh Castle and for everyone attending the symposium on the Friday evening in the Playfair Library in the Old College of the University of Edinburgh.

The website to the event (created by Stuart Cantrill) can be found here.

An article in Chemistry World by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) relating to the event can be found here.

Photos from the event can be found here!

From Auld Reekie to the City of Angels — In his interview in the Spring 2007 Issue of the UCLA Undergraduate Science Journal, Alex Capecelatro provides a glimpse into the life and mind of Sir Fraser Stoddart.

Cari Caps Her Graduate Career — Final year graduate student, Cari Pentecost was one of only two such students to receive a 2007 UCLA Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Recipients are chosen for their academic excellence, research contributions, and leadership on behalf of graduate students at UCLA, as well as for their service to the university and the community. Cari was honored on two occasions, firstly at a party held at the Chancellor's Residence on the UCLA Campus on Monday 21 May 2007, and then at the formal Award Ceremony held at Covel Commons on Sunday 10 June 2007. Congratulations Cari!

BRs for Undergrads — Borromean Rings (BRs) have long fascinated scholars of all disciplines for their wide cultural appeal and unique topology. Undergraduate students are no exception and so Graduate Student Cari Pentecost, working with Undergrad Nick Tangchaivang, has modified the reported experimental procedure (Science 2004, 304, 1308) for the total synthesis of molecular BRs in order to turn it into a lab instruction experiment suitable for undergraduate students to pursue in an organic chemistry laboratory course. See the May 2007 Issue of the Journal of Chemical Education, Vol 84, p 855 and the cover.

Birthday Celebration in Asia — During the International Conference on Molecular Machines and Sensors organized at the East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) by He Tian in the period of May 7–9, 2007, there was an early 65th Birthday Party Celebration at the Banquet on the evening of Tuesday 8 May. Fraser was entertained in many different ways and showered with presents, including the biggest (hand-painted) fan he had ever seen. Many thanks to He Tian!

Laying the Foundation — William Dichtel, Kaushik Patel, Jason Spruell, Ying-Wei Yang and Yan-Li Zhao all gave poster presentations at the Foundations of Nanoscience 2007 (FNANO 07) event on April 18–21, 2007 which was held at the Snowbird Cliff Lodge, Snowbird, Utah.

A Link to the Past — Following his King Faisal Memorial Lecture on "The Mechanical Bond in Chemistry" at the King Abd Al-Aziz City of Science and Technology in Riyadh on Tuesday 17 April 2007, Fraser was presented with the Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber) Medal by the Saudi Chemical Society. Jabir ibn Hayyan was a prominent Arab alchemist in the 8th Century. He has been referred to as "the father of Arab Chemistry." He is widely credited with the introduction of the experimental method into alchemy, and with the invention of numerous important processes still used in modern chemistry today. "The first essential in chemistry," he said, "is that you should perform practical work and conduct experiments, for he who performs not practical work nor makes experiments will never attain the least degree of mastery."

Top-Top VIPs in a Place of Gardens and Trees — Accompanied by Youssry (U3) Botros, an Intel secondee to UCLA, Fraser made his way First Class to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia on Thursday 12 April 2007. They arrived in this place of gardens and trees and met up with Fraser's younger daughter Alison, and her boyfriend Dr Mikey Ho. The week that followed was a never-to-be forgotten experience. The grandeur and oppulance of the Al-Faisaliah Hotel! The butlers! The Prince Sultan Grand Hall at the Al-Faisaliah Center where the Prize Award Ceremony took place. Fraser received the Faisal International Prize (KFIP) in Science from Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 17 April 2007. The feast in the desert! The camel ride! A whole week being treated as a Top-Top VIP according to the bulters' noticeboard! Sheer Magic! Thank you to the King Faisal Foundation and the butlers!

Fraser's Acceptance Speech can be found here.

The Arab News story can be found here.

Pictures from the trip can be found here.

Prof Philp — We were delighted to learn recently that Douglas Philp (Postgraduate Student at the University of Sheffield then the University of Birmingham from 1989–1992) has been promoted to a Professorship in Chemistry at the University of St Andrews. Congratulations Doug!

Travis Gasa, Phil Haussmann, Steve Joiner, Cari Pentecost, Wenyu Zhang — All gave poster presentations and Ivan Aprahamian gave an oral presentation at the 233rd ACS National Meeting on 25-29 March 2007 held in Chicago.

CNSI Hawaii — Ivan Aprahamian, William Dichtel, Phil Haussmann, Ognjen Miljanic, Cari Pentecost, Jishan Wu, Claire Yates and Yan-Li Zhao gave poster presentations at the 3rd Annual Frontiers in NanoSystems on March 19–21, 2007 in Kauai, Hawaii. Photos from the event can be found here!

Special Issue Dedicated to Fraser — The March 2007 Issue of Advanced Functional Materials, edited by Alberto Credi from the University of Bologna and He Tian from the East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST) in Shanghai, contains a wealth of articles on Molecular Machines and Switches. Among the senior authors are Angel Kaifer, Itamer Willner, Ben Feringa, Josef Michl, Vincento Balzani, Jan Jeppesen, Daoben Zhu, Tom and Anna Moore, Devens Gust, Mogens Nielsen, Steve Langford and He Tian. Alberto Credi and He Tian wrote an Editorial (Thanks!) and Fraser teamed up with his UCLA colleague Jeff Zink to write a feature article on Nanovalves (Adv. Funct. Mater. 2007, 17, 685) which were displayed on the cover.

Knight of the Nano-Realm — As he prepares to receive his Knighthood, Ottilia Saxl, the Founder and Chief Executive of the Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN), asks Sir Fraser Stoddart, Director of the California NanoSystems Institute about his Eureka moment, why making molecules is like playing with Lego, and what still gets him up at 5am! The article is on p 32 in the first issue of NanoNow! which can be found here.

A Switch in Time — So reads the title of a News Feature (Nature 2007, 445, 362) by Philip Ball in the 25 January Issue of Nature where a Letter (Nature 2007, 445, 414) describes an array which is no bigger than a single white blood cell, yet it contains 160,000 memory cells - made up of around a couple of hundred bistable rotaxane molecules - each with an area of just under 300 nanometers square - some 40 times smaller than those in existing devices. This density of memory matches potentially the needs of the semiconductor industry some 13 years from now, i.e., in 2020. For more information, see the UCLA News report dated 24 January 2007. This development has also been featured in the Science Section of the New York Times!

Knight Honored by King Faisal Foundation — The King Faisal Foundation have just announced that Professor Stoddart, director of the California NanoSystems Institute and Fred Kavli Chair of NanoSystems Sciences, is the winner of the King Faisal International Prize in Science for 2007. Visit the CNSI and the UCLA Newsroom for more information.

Solomon Knots are Everywhere — The Solomon's Knot is carved, sculpted, stitched, crocheted, knitted, inlaid, and beaded in cultural relics from Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere, according to Lois Rose Rose, author of "Seeing Solomon's Knot" and a UCLA graduate. It is found in numerous buildings on the UCLA campus, including floor tiles and on the wooden ceilings inside UCLA's Powell Library. They can also be located on the outside architecture of UCLA's Haine's Hall and Moore Hall. Now, final-year graduate student, Cari Pentecost, has made molecular rings in the shape of King Solomon's Knot. For more information, see Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2007, 46, 218) and the UCLA News Report dated 10 January 2007.

Kirsten Leads Again — The Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) have selected Kirsten Griffiths for a Leadership Development Award to support her participation in the YCC Leadership Development Workshop to be held in Baltimore, MD from Friday 26 January to Sunday 28 January 2007. Many congratulations Kirsten! We will look to you for even more leadership in the future.

2006 Happenings

Yes Sir — "If they followed protocol, his students could call him Sir Fraser," says the Los Angeles Times article, announcing the knighthood, bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Britain upon Professor Fraser Stoddart for Services to Chemistry and Molecular Nanotechnology. For one who does not take easily to firsts, it is ironic that he might be the first UCLA professor to become a Knight Bachelor!

Other Knights and Dames in LA include Dame Julie Andrews, Sir Clive Granger, Sir Eldon Griffiths, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Julian Ridsdale, Sir Ken Robinson, Sir Ridley Scott, Sir Howard Stringer, and Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Los Angeles Honorary Knights, who are not UK citizens and so are not entitled to use the title, include Lodwrick Cook, Placido Domingo, and Steven Spielberg.

Fraser welcomed the well-balanced piece in the December 30, 2006 California Section of the LA Times written by Larry Gordon, whom he feels says all the right things about him, his outlook, his science, and the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI). He is particularly grateful to Bob Peirce, the British Consulate General in LA, who came out with some extremely generous comments about his achievements and standing, and the spokesman at the British Embassy in Washington who put the honor in perspective.

This level of recognition only comes as a result of the dedicated support and deep commitment to a common cause by many people. They include almost 300 past and present group members and Fraser’s academic colleagues at UCLA and, in previous times, at Birmingham, Sheffield and Imperial Chemical Industries. He is also much indebted to the stellar staff and supportive members of the CNSI who have helped him raise the profile of nanosystems science and engineering here at UCLA. Chemistry, however, still remains his first love and passion, and he looks forward to practicing it alongside highly talented graduate students and postdoctoral researchers for many years to come.

It’s with more than a tinge of sadness that Fraser and his two daughters, Fiona and Alison, reflect upon Norma’s massive contribution to his and their accomplishments and successes, and yet was not spared to share in them. It’s just one of life’s many twists and turns that they have to bear and accept in the knowledge that she would surely have been a proud spouse and contented mother today if she had lived to see it. As Lady Stoddart, she would also have made damn sure that his knighthood did not go to his head!

The CNSI press release can be found here.

The full list of honorees can be found here.

Tying the Knot — The molecular Solomon link, which is destined to appear in the first bumper issue of Angewandte Chemie for 2007, was featured in Research Highlights in Nature on 7 December 2006.

Honorary Degree from the University of Twente — Fraser Stoddart received an Honorary Doctorate for his crucial contributions to supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology from the University of Twente on 1 December 2006. The oration was given by David Reinhoudt. Fraser used as his text for his address, Shakespeare's Soliloquy in "As You Like It" (Act II, Scene 7) on the seven ages of man's life.

Another Prize for Cari — Final year graduate student, Cari Pentecost, received a prize for her poster at the 2006 Seaborg Symposium held at UCLA on 4 November 2006. Congratulations Cari!

Molecules Get Suited Up — The Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2006, 40, 6817) communication on Suitanes was featured in the 16 October 2006 issue of Chemical and Engineering News.

Ivan Aprahamian, Taichi Ikeda, Ognjen Miljanic, Cari Pentecost and Jishan Wu — All gave oral and poster presentations and Diego Benitez, William Dichtel and Claire Yates gave poster presentations at the 232nd National American Chemical Society on 10-14 September 2006 held in San Francisco.

Double Whammy — The Journal of the American Chemical Society revealed that Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Dendronized Polymers and Efficient Templated Synthesis of Donor-Acceptor Rotaxanes Using Click Chemistry were respectively, the third most-accessed article and seventh most-accessed communication for the period July–September 2006.

Relaxing Towards Rotaxanes — The mechanically interlocked molecular bundles obtained by dynamic covalent chemistry and reported in Organic Letters (2006, 8, 3899) were an Editors' Choice in the 18 August 2006 issue of Science.

Making Inroads into South America — Celica Ronconi has been appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Congratulations Celia!

Taichi Ikeda, Ognjen Miljanic, Cari Pentecost and Claire Yates — All presented posters at the 1st Joint International Symposium on Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry (ISMSC) which was held on 25–30 June 2006 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Claire Yates was the outright winner of the poster competition. Congratulations Claire!

Edinburgh Honors Fraser — On 20 June 2006 at a Graduation Ceremony in the McEwan Hall, Fraser Stoddart received the Alumnus of the Year 2005 Award from the University of Edinburgh. The award was created to acknowledge the achievements of the University's former students and is presented for service to the community, achievements in the arts or sciences, or for their contribution to business, public or academic life.

Brian Picks Up Another Gong — At the UCLA Deptartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry Commencement on 17 June 2006, Brian Northrop received the prestigious Thomas L and Ruth F Jacobs Award. Congratulations Brian!

Recognition for Cari — Fourth year graduate student, Cari Pentecost, has been selected by the UCLA Graduate Division to receive a prestigious Dissertation Year Fellowship. Congratulations Cari!

Edinbuggers versus Weegies — Fraser, an estranged Edinbugger, and Douglas Philp, a displaced Weegie compared the emergence of nanotechnology with the golden age of Victorian railway engineers in the last CNSI seminar of the present academic year at UCLA. The seminar, which was entitled "Engineering Big Time: There's Plenty of Room at the Top," took place in La Kretz Hall 110 on Tuesday 30 May 2006. The seminar was followed by a CNSI-hosted reception in the Court of Sciences.

Kelly on the Horizon Again — We have just learned that Kelly Chichak (Postdoctoral Scholar from 2002 - 2005) has been chosen to receive a University of Alberta Alumni Association Horizon Award. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of alumni, in their community and beyond, in the early stages of their careers. Kelly is one of five awardees that will be presented with the honor at a gala ceremony on Thursday 28 September 2006 at the prestigious Francis Winspear Center for Music located in downtown Edmonton. Congratulations again Kelly!

Fraser Goes Dutch — Fast on the heels of the group's 750th publication, Fraser has learnt that he has been elected to serve as a Foreign Member of the Science Division (Chemistry Section) of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. This honor is one which Fraser says he is going to treasure for it associates him with Dutch chemists whom he considers to be amongst some of the very best chemists of his generation.

The 750 Party — Fraser played host on Monday 22 May 2006 to the current members of the Stoddart group, as well as to the dedicated staff of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) and the hard-working graduate student members of the Spring 2006 Cume Class to celebrate the first 750 publications by the Stoddart group. Thanks to the many past group members who sent material that was presented at the party. Douglas Philp (Sheffield/Birmingham Postgraduate student 1989/93), who is in the middle of a two-month sabbatical leave from St Andrews University to UCLA, was the honored guest.

Kelly Completes the Double — Kelly Chichak (Postdoctoral Scholar from 2002 - 2005) received the Amgen Postdoctoral Award from Nobel Laureate Paul Boyer at the 2006 Postdoctoral Recognition Awards Ceremony and Reception on Wednesday 10 May 2006 sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Molecular Biology Institute at UCLA. Well done Kelly!

Wayne Hayes is Reader in Reading — We were delighted to learn recently that Wayne Hayes (Postgraduate Student at the University of Birmingham from 1992 to 1996) has been promoted to Reader in Chemistry at the University of Reading. Congratulations Wayne!

Fraser the Scientist, Engineer and Artist — Fraser gave the UCLA Science Faculty Research Colloquium entitled "Science Engineered by Art" in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA on Thursday 4 May 2006.

Research Excellence Award for BR Chemist — Kelly Chichak (Postdoctoral Researcher from 2002-2005), now a Research Scientist in the Nanotechnology Group at General Electric Global Research, will return to the UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry on Wednesday 10 May 2006 to receive a Certificate of Excellence for his synthesis of the first wholly synthetic molecular Borromean Ring (BR) compounds and his research on the supramolecular chemistry of carbon nanotubes. This long overdue recognition by UCLA is well deserved. Congratulations Kelly!

First Year Strikes Gold — Jason Spruell has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship to support his research on "Artificial Molecular Muscles" over the next three years. Jason joined the Stoddart group from the University of Alabama back in September of last year. This early recognition by the NSF is well deserved. Congratulations Jason!

Moving Rooms in Hotel California — Just like the song says, "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave". After several years of shuttling back and forth, Yi Liu (Graduate Student from 2000-2005) will check out shortly from Room SD at Hotel California and will move to Room SF passing by the old LA Room on the way. On June 5th, Yi will take up a position as an Independent Principal Investigator at the Molecular Foundry, a state-of-the-art research facility at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) where he will move into an office overlooking the San Francisco Bay in a brand new, six-story, $85 million, 94,500 square-feet steel and glass building. Yi will be a member of the Organic Nanostructures Research Group focusing on the creation of new organic nanostructures. His research activities will include (1) designing and leading a vigorous individual research program at the interface between organic/macromolecular chemistry and nanoscience (2) devoting effort to collaborating on research projects brought to the Molecular Foundry by its users. Many congratulations, Yi, and good luck!

OH Plays Host to ME — Hard on the heels of celebrating the second birthday of James Fraser the Second in Belmont MA on Friday 31 March 2006, James Fraser the First received the 44th Mack Memorial Award from the Department of Chemistry at Ohio State University on Monday 3 April 2006. His award lecture was entitled "Whither Molecular Electronics." The occasion coincided with the publication by Jovica Badjic (postdoctoral researcher at UCLA from 2001 to 2004) of his first independent full paper in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on the "Design, Synthesis and Conformational Dynamics of a Gated Molecular Basket." Congratulations Jovica!

No Beer for Weegie Winner —Douglas Philp (Sheffield 1989/91 & Birmingham 1991/93), Reader in Chemistry at the University of St. Andrews is the recipient of the Saltire Society Scottish Award 2005 sponsored by Scottish & Newscastle. The award (founded in 1989) is presented annually to a distinguished scientist in mid-career who has lived and worked continuously in Scotland for not less than five years, or is of Scottish descent. The Saltire Society seeks to recognize those who are making major contributions to science and who are able to communicate their scientific results to the wider public. Douglas will give a public lecture entitled "From Grey Goo to the Greater Good: Harnessing Replication for Nanoscale Manufacturing" at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on Tuesday 18 April 2006. He will receive a medallion, a certificate, a small monetary prize but no beer. Congratulations Douglas !

Congratulations to "Stevie Wonder" Down Under — We were delighted to learn recently that Steven Langford (Ramsay Memorial Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Birmingham from 1993 to 1995) has been promoted to the position of Professor of Organic Chemistry at Monash University.

An Insider Beats the Outsider into First Place — Many thanks to all those who voted for the inside cover of issue 27 of Chemical Communications in the covert 2005 ChemComm Cover Competition run by RSC Publishing. To find out more about how Borromeates can be turned into Borromeands, see Publication #719.

Two out of Five! — CAS Scientists have highlighted Linear Artificial Molecular Muscles and Template-Directed Olefin Cross Metathesis as the most "intriguing" documents for the third quarter of 2005. See Publications #723 and #730, respectively. CAS Scientists, who analyze over 200,000 documents in nearly 9,500 journals and 50 patent-issuing authorities, characterize a document that is "intriguing" if it contains 'new, novel or trendsetting scientific research that is likely to be of growing interest over time.'

What do BRs, GE and MLK have in Common? — General Education (GE) at UCLA is using the Borromean Rings (BRs) graphical representation from the 28 May 2004 issue of Science as its logo in association with a short quote from Martin Luther King (MLK) that reads, "To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction. The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals."

OK Plays Host to ME — On his first visit to Oklahoma, Fraser Stoddart gave the J Clarence Karcher Lecture entitled "Whither Molecular Electronics," in the Deptartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma on Thursday 16 February 2006.

Nanomotor Powered by Solar Energy — In the 23 January 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Stoddart group - in collaboration with the Balzani group at the University of Bologna in Italy - reported the operation of an autonomous artificial nanomotor powered by sunlight. This article is also featured in the Science & Technology Concentrates in the 30 January 2006 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.

The Top Ten — For the period from January 1995 to October 31, 2005, Fraser Stoddart is ranked by the Thomson Scientific Institute as the Third Most-Cited Researcher in Chemistry with a total of 12,760 citations from 306 papers at a frequency of 41.7 citations per paper.

2005 Happenings

Stuart Strikes Again — Stuart Cantrill shared the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Hanson-Dow Award for Excellence in Teaching with Professor Yung-Ya Lin of the Physical Chemistry Division. Stuart received this award in recognition of his dedication to the teaching of introductory organic chemistry to undergraduate students at UCLA.

Caledonia Here He Comes — Fraser Stoddart gave the 2005 Carnegie Trust Centenary Chair Lecture at the University of Edinburgh on Thursday 3 November 2005. The Visiting Chairs Program was established in 2001 to celebrate the centenary of the foundation of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland. These are prestige appointments intended to enable leading scholars to visit Scotland and contribute to the enhancement of academic work in the Universities of Scotland.

Stuart Answers the Call of Nature — Stuart Cantrill, Lecturer at UCLA and long–standing member of the Stoddart Group, will join the Nature Publishing Group in January 2006, as an Associate Editor with Nature Nanotechnology. This latest venture to come out of the Nature stable will be launched in October 2006.

AAAS Fellowship — The Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have elected Fraser Stoddart to the rank of AAAS Fellow. Fraser is being honored for distinguished achievements in molecular self–assembly and nanoscale science, including leadership as Director of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).

Pitt Event — Fraser Stoddart gave the Provost Lecture at Science2005 at the University of Pittsburgh on Friday 7 October 2005.

Corning Catches —Theresa Chang (1998-2003) and James Matthews (2003-2004), who have been carrying out postdoctoral research in the research group of E. W. (Bert) Meijer at the Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands, will be joining Corning in New York State.

Getting into Molecular Electronics — In the September/October 2005 issue of Science Watch, Fraser Stoddart is interviewed on "Switching to Molecular Electronics."

Adam Braunschweig, Stuart Cantrill, Brian Northrop, Cari Pentecost, Robert Ramirez and Celia Ronconi — All gave oral presentations at the 230th National American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting on 28 August to 1 September 2005 held in Washington D.C.

Ivan Aprahamian, Adam Braunschweig, Daniela Lanari, Ken Leung, Brian Northrop, Cari Pentecost and Robert Ramirez — All presented posters at 11th International Symposium on Novel Aromatic Compounds (ISNA-11) that was held on 14-18 August 2005 in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Brian Northrop was the outright winner of the poster competition.

Thomson Scientific Laureate — Fraser Stoddart has been selected as a 2005 Thomson Scientific Laureate in the field of chemistry. This is the fourth year in a row that Fraser has been named such.

The Top Ten — For the period from January 1995 to June 30, 2005, Fraser Stoddart is ranked by the Thomson Scienctific Institute as the Third Most-Cited Researcher in Chemistry with a total of 11,993 citations from 296 papers at a frequency of 40.52 citations per paper.

Amy Hayden — She was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrated Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) Materials Creation Training Program (MCTP) Fellowship.  The program involves several materials chemistry related laboratory and classroom courses, as well as the opportunity to partake in an internship outside of UCLA.

Alumnus of the Year — Fraser Stoddart has been awarded the University of Edinburgh Alumnus of the Year 2005 Award. The Award is presented to a former student of Edinburgh University for services to the community, or for achievements in the arts or sciences, or for their contribution to business, public or academic life. Previous winners have included Lord Steel of Aikwood, novelist Ian Rankin, and double Olympic medalist Katherine Grainger. Fraser will receive the Award at a Graduation Ceremony in the McEwan Hall on Tuesday 20 June 2006.

Honorary Degree from Birmingham — Fraser Stoddart received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science at the Degree Congregation at the University of Birmingham held on Friday 15 July. The oration was given by Professor Peter Rock. Fraser's address to the congregated was entitiled "Changing Places".

Kirsten Griffiths — She had the opportunity to represent the Stoddart Group as part of the US delegation to the 55th Annual Meeting of Nobel Laureates and Students in Lindau, Germany from 26 June to 1 July 2005.  This interdisciplinary meeting brought together more than 50 Nobel Laureates and 600 students/young scientists to discuss the international implications of science in mainstream society.

From a Meccano Set to Nano Meccano — The hurly-burly life of a scientific nomad is traced through thick and thin from the Athens of the North to the City of Angels with brief and not so brief interludes on the edge of the Canadian Shield, in the Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire, on the Plains of Cheshire beside the Wirral, and in the Midlands in the heartland of Albion. For more on the scientific career of Fraser Stoddart to date, see the July 2005 issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Brian Northrop — He has received an American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Organic Chemistry (DOC) Graduate Fellowship, sponsored by the Nelson J Leonard ACS DOC fellowship, which is sponsored by Organic Syntheses, Inc. for the 2005-06 academic year. The fellowship will give Brian the opportunity to attend the National Organic Symposium in June 2007 and present his research.

ACS PMSE Award — Fraser Stoddart and Jim Heath have been awarded the Arthur K Doolittle Award which recognizes the best paper, based on scientific content, significance to the field, mechanics of presentation, and the quality of the reprint presented at the 2004 American Chemical Society (ACS) Meeting in the Division of Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering (PMSE) held in Anaheim in April 2004. The award was presented to Jim and Fraser at the PMSE Award Luncheon at the Spring ACS Meeting in San Diego in March 2005.

2004 Happenings

C&E News Highlight — The molecular elevator is one of the key advances in Nanotechnology and Materials highlighted in the 20 December 2004 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.

C&E News Cover Story — The molecular Borromean rings are featured on the cover of the 20 December 2004 issue of Chemical & Engineering News. It is highlighted as one of the key advances in Supramolecular Chemistry in 2004.

NanoNews — Fraser Stoddart is featured on the homepage of the UCLA College website along with a nanoscience article that was published in the UCLA College Report dated 19 August 2004.

Nagoya Medal — Fraser Stoddart received the Tenth Nagoya Gold Medal from Professor Ryoji Noyori at the 15th International Conference on Organic Synthesis held during the 2004 IUPAC Meeting in Nagoya, Japan. He delivered his award lecture entitled "The Nature of the Mechanical Bond" on Wednesday 4 August 2004.

Olympiadane is Ten — A feature article entitled "Olympiade der Moleküle" describing some of the Stoddart group's more exotic interlocked molecules — e.g. Olympiadane, a Molecular Elevator, and the Molecular Borromean Rings, — appeared in the German national newspaper, Die Welt, on Tuesday 27 July 2004. The article was written by Barbara Witthuhn.

Norma Stoddart Memorial Symposium — The event was held on the UCLA campus from Tuesday 22 June to Saturday 26 June 2005 and included a Memorial Service for Norma arranged in the UCLA Faculty Club on the Wednesday by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. A special thanks to all who helped organize and participated in this event. Norma would have been proud of everyone but somewhat embarrased by an event that was focused on her.

Nanoscale Borromean Rings — In the 28 May 2004 issue of Science, the Stoddart Group — in collaboration with the Atwood group at the University of Missouri, Columbia — report the self-assembly of molecular Borromean rings from 18 components by the template-directed formation of 12 imine and 30 dative bonds, associated with the coordination of three interlocked macrocycles, each tetranucleating and decadentate overall, to a total of six zinc (II) ions, in near quantitative yield. For more information, see the orginal article and visit the UCLA College Report dated 1 June 2004.

Molecular Elevator — In the 19 March 2004 issue of Science, the Stoddart group — in collaboration with the Balzani group at the University of Bologna in Italy — report the incrementally staged design, synthesis, characterization, and operation of a molecular machine that behaves like a nanoscale elevator. For more information, see the original article and visit the UCLA College Report dated 22 March 2004.