A. Corma, awarded with the Grande Médaille de l’Académie des Science de l’Institut de France

Foto A. Corma, premiado con la Gran Medalla de la Academia de las Ciencias de Francia.Paris, France 22 November 2011. The French Academy of Science has awarded Avelino Corma, one of the founders of ITQ and director of the same for twenty years with the Grand Medal for his work, pioneer in his field that supposes an exceptional contribution to solve problems related to energy saving and environment protection.

The Academy highlights that Prof. Corma is the international reference when talking about materials Chemistry and Physical Chemistry for heterogeneous catalysis and application to improve energy saving and environmental impact. Prof. Corma has obtained a new catalytic and non toxic materials family derived from Zeolites. Prof. Corma can synthesis these materials with different pore size as well as vary acid-base properties depending on the process, minimizing the energy consumption and the formation of byproducts. These new materials can be used for hydrocarbon conversion in refining processes and in chemistry and fine chemistry processes decreasing the production of non desirable products and minimizing the environmental impact derived from chemical processes.

The Grand Medal is the most important distinction awarded by the French Academy of Science. It is awarded every year since its inception in 1997 to a French or foreign scientist that has contributed to science in a decisive manner, as much for the originality of his ideas as for the international impact of his research. Avelino Corma is the first Spanish scientist to be awarded with such Grand Medal.

Link: http://www.academie-sciences.fr/activite/prix/grande_medaille.htm