NIST joined the ranks of some illustrious organizations on December 5th, 2001 when it was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Chemical Society of Washington (CSW) in ceremonies held in Gaithersburg’s Green Auditorium. The ACS, the world’s largest scientific society, has named nearly 40 illustrious places, discoveries, and achievements as national historic chemical landmarks. Among them: the Chandler Chemistry Laboratory at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. (the first in the United States built specifically to train industrial chemists); the University of California, Berkeley’s Gilman Hall (site of the identification of plutonium); and New York’s Rockefeller University (home to five Nobel laureates in chemistry for breakthrough work on proteins and nucleic acids). The landmark designation awarded NIST by the ACS is an outstanding tribute that caps NIST’s exciting centennial year. NIST was cited as having “made broad-based and comprehensive contributions to chemical science and technology and to the economic strength and competitiveness of the United States.” ACS added that NIST “continues to demonstrate that the intelligent application of research in physical sciences to a wide range of societal changes contributes to a higher quality of life for everyone.” The ACS National Historic Chemical Landmarks Program recognizes the nation’s scientific and technical heritage and encourages the preservation of historically important achievements and artifacts in chemistry, chemical engineering, and the chemical process industries.

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Date created: February 3, 2006
Last updated: June 21, 2006
Contact: cstlinfo@nist.gov