Professor John Hepworth receives the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Exceptional Service Award
Professor John Hepworth of the University of Central Lancashire has received The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Exceptional Service Award.
The Emeritus Professor, who is based in Preston and is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Lancaster and District Local Section, was nominated by his peers for an outstanding contribution to proactively and inclusively supporting colleagues and the wider scientific community.
After receiving the award, he said: “I’m very surprised but proud to be honoured with this award. Throughout my career I have been associated with the Royal Society of Chemistry and have seen first-hand the excellent work that it has done for science education. It seemed only natural to get involved and support the Society and its members, especially those in the early stages of their careers.”
"It’s incredibly important to recognise those who are making significant contributions behind the scenes towards improving the world we live in as well as inspiring colleagues within the chemical sciences community"
As well as being named winner of the award, Professor Hepworth also receives a medal.
Dr Helen Pain, Acting Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry said: “We live in an era of tremendous global challenges, with the need for science recognised now more so than ever. It’s incredibly important to recognise those who are making significant contributions behind the scenes towards improving the world we live in as well as inspiring colleagues within the chemical sciences community to do what they can for the people around them.
“This award is about celebrating the efforts of the unsung heroes who go above and beyond to support their colleagues and our wider community. It is for this reason we are proud to be presenting this award to Professor Hepworth, for outstanding service to the Royal Society of Chemistry through our Local Sections, governance committees and Board of Trustees.”
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Exceptional Service Award recognises and celebrates those members who have made a positive impact by contributing through a variety of volunteer positions or over a sustained period of time. For further information, see
Of those to have won a Royal Society of Chemistry Award, an illustrious list of 50 have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.
Last year, the Royal Society of Chemistry announced it is reviewing its recognition mechanisms. Details of how the awards structure will be changed – to ensure that the way excellence is recognised is fit for today’s needs – will be announced later this year.