Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Announces Establishment of Dreyfus Prize in Chemical Sciences

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation announces the establishment of the Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences to recognize an individual for exceptional and original research in a selected area of chemistry that has advanced the field in a major way. The biennial prize of $250,000 is the one of the largest awards dedicated to the chemical sciences in the U.S. The first prize is scheduled to be announced in April 2009.

The first Dreyfus Prize will be presented in the field of materials chemistry, honoring the accomplishments of the Dreyfus brothers, Camille and Henry. Born and educated in Switzerland in the nineteenth century, the Dreyfus brothers were pioneers in both science and industry. Their development of the first commercially successful system for the production of cellulose acetate fiber contributed significantly to the evolution of the modern textile industry.

"A key feature of the Dreyfus Prize is that the area of focus will change each cycle. This underscores the rich diversity of chemistry and will ensure the contemporary nature of the Dreyfus Prize," says Dorothy Dinsmoor, president of the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation.