David W.C. MacMillan
Who was David W.C. MacMillan?
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2021)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on David W.C. MacMillan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Sir David William Cross MacMillan was born on March 16, 1968, in Bellshill, Scotland. He went to Bellshill Academy for his early education, then attended the University of Glasgow where he laid the groundwork for his chemistry knowledge. He later advanced his studies at the University of California, Irvine, specializing in organic chemistry.
MacMillan's career took him to Princeton University, where he became the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry. He was recognized for his leadership skills during his time as chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2010 to 2015, helping the department expand and innovate. While at Princeton, he established himself as a leading expert in organic chemistry.
MacMillan's main scientific achievement is in the field of asymmetric organocatalysis, which has changed the way synthetic organic chemistry is approached. He showed that small organic molecules can be highly effective catalysts for asymmetric reactions, offering an alternative to traditional metal-based catalysts. This breakthrough allowed for new ways to create complex molecules with specific 3D structures, crucial for pharmaceuticals and other fields.
His work gained worldwide recognition when he shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Benjamin List for their work on asymmetric organocatalysis. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences noted that their research provided chemists with a new tool for molecule building, impacting drug discovery and the synthesis of natural products. MacMillan chose to use his share of the $1.14 million Nobel Prize to start the May and Billy MacMillan Foundation as a way to give back.
Throughout his career, MacMillan has been honored with several esteemed awards for his contributions to chemistry, including the Corday-Morgan Prize in 2004, the Mukaiyama Award in 2007, and the ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry in 2011. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2012, securing his status as a leading chemist of his generation.
Before Fame
Growing up in Bellshill, a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, MacMillan went to school during a time when organic chemistry was seeing big advances both in theory and in practice. He attended Bellshill Academy in the 1980s, a period when computational chemistry and new synthetic methods were beginning to change the field.
MacMillan's journey to his groundbreaking work emerged from the broader scientific developments of the late 20th century, when chemists were increasingly focused on creating more efficient and environmentally friendly synthetic methods. The field of catalysis was evolving quickly, with researchers looking for alternatives to traditional metal-based catalysts that would offer better selectivity and less environmental impact.
Key Achievements
- Co-winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing asymmetric organocatalysis
- Pioneer in establishing organocatalysis as a major field in synthetic organic chemistry
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 2012
- Served as James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University
- Received over ten major international chemistry awards including the Ernst Schering Prize and Ryoji Noyori Prize
Did You Know?
- 01.He named his research area 'organocatalysis,' coining a term that is now widely used throughout the chemistry community
- 02.MacMillan established the May and Billy MacMillan Foundation using his Nobel Prize money, named after his parents
- 03.He served as chair of Princeton's Chemistry Department for five years, from 2010 to 2015
- 04.MacMillan received his knighthood following his Nobel Prize win, becoming Sir David MacMillan
- 05.His research group at Princeton has trained numerous graduate students and postdocs who have gone on to establish successful academic and industrial careers
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Nobel Prize in Chemistry | 2021 | for the development of asymmetric organocatalysis |
| Fellow of the Royal Society | 2012 | — |
| Corday-Morgan Prize | 2004 | — |
| Ernst Schering Prize | 2015 | — |
| ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, | 2011 | — |
| Catalysis in Organic Chemistry Award | 2012 | — |
| Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences | 2012 | — |
| Ryoji Noyori Prize | 2017 | — |
| Mukaiyama Award | 2007 | — |
| Centenary Prize | 2019 | — |
| Elias James Corey Award | 2005 | — |
| Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards | — | — |
| Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science | 2010 | — |