Jaqueline K. Barton, the John G. Kirkwood and Arthur A. Noyes Professor of Chemistry and holder of the Norman Davidson Leadership Chair in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, has received the 2019 National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences.
According to the NAS website, the award is presented annually “to honor innovative research in the chemical sciences that contributes to a better understanding of the natural sciences and to the benefit of humanity.” Throughout her career, Dr. Barton’s research has significantly contributed to the understanding of how DNA is damaged, repaired, and replicated within the cell.
This new award is the latest addition in Dr. Barton’s award-winning career. In previous years, she has received the 2015 Priestly Medal from the American Chemical Society, the Award in Pure Chemistry from the American Chemical Society, a MacArthur Fellowship, the National Science Foundation’s Alan T. Waterman Award, and the National Medal of Science. Additionally, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Medicine.
“It’s really a very special honor, and especially so because it honors the extraordinary work of my students and co-workers, both past and present,” said Dr. Barton when she was notified of the award.
Dr. Barton holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College in New York City and a Ph.D. from Columbia University.