/ Medals and awards

Leverhulme Medal

This medal is awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of chemical engineering and applied chemistry.

The award

The Leverhulme Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions in the field of chemical engineering and applied chemistry. The award is supported by the Leverhulme Trust, established under the will of Victorian entrepreneur William Lever, and was first awarded in 1960 to mark the Tercentenary of the Royal Society. The medal is of gold, is awarded triennially and is accompanied by a gift of £2,000.

Eligibility

The Leverhulme medal is open to UK/Commonwealth/Republic of Ireland citizens or those who have been residents for three or more years. There are no restrictions on career stage and nominations will remain valid and shall be considered by the award selection committee throughout three nomination cycles. Teams or groups may now be nominated for this award.

Nominations

Nominations are now closed and will reopen in November 2024. 

Winner 2022

  • Professor Charlotte K. Williams OBE FRS

    Professor Charlotte K. Williams OBE FRS

    Professor Charlotte K. Williams OBE FRS was awarded the Leverhulme Medal in 2022 for her pioneering work developing and understanding high performance carbon dioxide utilization catalysts and implementable processes.

Past winners

  • Charlotte K Williams
    Awarded in 2022

    Professor Charlotte K. Williams OBE FRS

    For her pioneering work developing and understanding high performance carbon dioxide utilization catalysts and implementable processes.
  • Frank Caruso
    Awarded in 2019

    Professor Frank Caruso FRS

    For driving the application of engineered particles in biology and medicine through nanoscale materials engineering.
  • Anne Neville
    Awarded in 2016

    Professor Anne Neville OBE FREng FRS

    For revealing diverse physical and chemical processes at interacting interfaces, emphasising significant synergy between tribology and corrosion and in addition for exceptional research which has enhanced understanding of basic processes and addressed major industrial problems.
  • Kostya Novoselov
    Awarded in 2013

    Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov FRS

    For revolutionary work on graphene, other two‐dimensional crystals and their heterostructures that has great potential for a number of applications, from electronics to energy.
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    Awarded in 2010

    Martyn Poliakoff

    For his outstanding contributions in the fields of Green Chemistry and supercritical fluids by the application of chemistry to advance chemical engineering processes.
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    Awarded in 2008

    Anthony Cheetham

    For the discovery and characterisation of novel materials exhibiting potential for catalysis and storage.
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    Awarded in 2005

    John Knott

    For his distinguished contributions to the quantitative scientific understanding of fracture processes in metals and alloys and its engineering applications.
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    Awarded in 2002

    Nicholas Handy

    For his pioneering contributions to the development of the modern methodology of quantum chemistry, which has had an enormous impact on chemistry and molecular biology.
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    Awarded in 1999

    Jack Baldwin

    In recognition of his distinguished contributions to the field of organic chemistry including his work on natural products synthesis and biosynthesis, particularly for his research in the b-lactam antibiotic field.
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    Awarded in 1996

    MM Sharma

    For his work on the dynamics of multi-phase chemical reactions in industrial processes.
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    Awarded in 1993

    John Rowlinson

    Distinguished for his contributions to thermodynamics, in particular to an understanding of the physical chemistry of gas-liquid interfaces and surfaces.
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    Awarded in 1990

    R Freeman

    For introducing new techniques in high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, particularly the development of two-dimensional Fourier transform methods.