Hupp appointed Morrison Professor in Chemistry

Joseph T. Hupp, professor of chemistry and former Dow Chemical Company Research Professor, has been appointed the Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor in Chemistry.

Hupp’s work ranges across ion transfer chemistry, mesoporous molecular materials synthesis, electrochemistry and photochemistry. These studies are significant for both theoretical and practical applications. His current work has particular relevance in the emerging areas of fast, nondestructive remote sensing of key environmental pollutants and development of artificial enzymes. Hupp and his associates are examining the dynamics and energetics of electron-transfer reactivity in a variety of environments. One aspect of their research is light-induced charge transfer in multiple-site metal complexes. Knowledge gained from optical studies is providing a fundamental basis for understanding and designing promising new solar-energy-conversion devices.

Another research area centers on charge transfer kinetics at surfaces, an important problem in electrochemical catalysis and in photochemical environmental remediation. A growing portion of his research is directed toward the synthesis and utilization of compelling new chemoresponsive and electroresponsive materials, including nanostructured molecular, colloidal, polymeric and network-solid materials. Hupp has written more than 180 journal articles and has given many invited lectures at Gordon conferences and other international meetings.

A member of the faculty since 1986, Hupp has been an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow, an Atlantic Richfield Foundation Junior Faculty Fellow and a Presidential Young Investigator. He held a Henry and Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and received the National Fresenius Award from Phi Lambda Upsilon. Hupp’s research has attracted substantial funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research, the Army Research Office, the Department of Education, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Chemical Society.