Newswise — EVANSTON - Northwestern University Professor Tobin Marks will be awarded the 2017 Harvey Prize in Science and Technology from the Technion in Israel for his breakthrough research in chemistry.

Marks, the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, has made major contributions in the field of materials chemical science, specifically in catalysts and catalytic processes, opto-electronic materials and organometallic chemistry.

“I am delighted to join the distinguished cohort of Harvey Prize winners and to receive this distinction which honors achievements in all fields of science and technology,” Marks said.

Over the course of his 45-year academic career, he has created new plastics, catalysts for environmentally benign chemical transformations and efficient plastic solar cells. He has also created printable transistors and organic light-emitting diodes that are faster, more energy efficient and more versatile.

Marks also serves as Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering in Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering and as Professor of Applied Physics.

The Harvey Prize, awarded by the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, was established in 1972 as a bridge of good will between Israel and other nations. It is awarded annually to “individuals who have made significant contributions to humankind.”

In citing Marks’ achievements, the Technion said Marks was selected “for his groundbreaking research that has both fundamental and practical significance, in the areas of catalysis, organo-f-element chemistry, electronic and photonic materials, and coordination chemistry.” The Israeli university said his research has strongly impacted contemporary chemical science.

Professor Carla Shatz from Stanford University also was awarded a Harvey Prize for her discoveries about the emergence and function of brain circuits for vision. Both Marks and Shatz will receive $75,000 from the Technion. The prizes will be awarded June 10.