Michael Wong, the Tina and Sunit Patel Professor in Molecular Nanotechnology and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Rice, will receive the 2025 Henry J. Albert Award from the International Precious Metals Institute (IPMI).
Wong is being recognized for his “outstanding contributions to the science and engineering of precious metals for clean water applications.”
“My team and I develop precious metals for catalysis technologies to break down unwanted chemicals,” Wong said. “By understanding the precious metal catalysis chemistry, we can remove dangerous contaminants from water. For example, dry-cleaning and industrial solvents like trichloroethene, perchloroethylene and chloroform. Also, fertilizer runoff containing nitrates and nitrites, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the so-called ‘forever chemicals.’”
Wong joined the Rice faculty in 2001, became department chair in 2014 and holds joint appointments in chemistry, materials science and nanoengineering, and civil and environmental engineering.
He directs the Catalysis and Nanomaterials Laboratory, which studies molecular processes and develops new chemical techniques to design and synthesize nanomaterials to address global problems.
His research group addresses problems related to clean water and the environment, sustainable chemicals production, and clean energy and hydrogen production from water. He leads the public health efforts of the Rice WaTER Institute and also directs the Rice PFAS Alternatives and Remediation Center. He is a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Royal Society of Chemistry, and was recently named associate editor of the ACS journal Environmental Science and Technology.
He will formally receive the award, which includes an honorarium of $10,000, at IPMI’s 49th Annual Conference to be held June 7-10 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Previous recipients include National Academies members and Nobel Laureates.