"The award honors a chemistry faculty member whose research in an undergraduate setting has achieved wide recognition and contributed significantly to chemistry and to the professional development of undergraduate students," says Thompson. "Norm has achieved all of this and more during his almost 40 years at Oberlin College."
Craig, a professor of chemistry and the Robert W. and Eleanor H. Biggs '29 Professor of Natural Sciences, has taught at Oberlin since 1957. During that time he has squired 107 Oberlin undergrads through chemistry research, 52 of whom have co-authored articles with him.
Craig and his students have what he calls "interesting materials to study" in
their work synthesizing small fluorocarbons. And because it's work most
physical chemists don't do, they enjoy "temporary control over the
investigation of these new substances," says Craig.
The award consists of prize money as well as a grant to Oberlin College from the Research Corporation, which sponsors the award. Craig and the chemistry department will donate the prizes to the Jewett Prize Fund, which honors deserving sophomore chemistry students.