Hoffman Receives Chemistry Education Award

Prof. Emer. Morton Z. Hoffman has received the Distinguished Contribution to Chemistry Education (DCCE) Award from the Committee on Chemistry Education (CCE) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on the occasion of the 23rd International Conference on Chemistry Education (ICCE) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (July 13, 2014).

Prof. Emer. Morton Hoffman receiving the IUPAC-CCE Award for Distinguished Contribution to Chemistry Education from Peter Mahaffy (King's University College, Canada), at left, and Mei-Hung Chiu (National Taiwan Normal University).  (Photo attribution:  Paul Piunno, University of Toronto)
Prof. Emer. Morton Hoffman receiving the IUPAC-CCE Award for Distinguished Contribution to Chemistry Education from Peter Mahaffy (King’s University College, Canada), at left, and Mei-Hung Chiu (National Taiwan Normal University). (Photo attribution: Paul Piunno, University of Toronto)

The DCCE Award recognizes outstanding contributions with both local and international impact by a chemistry educator to improve the teaching and learning of chemistry.  Previous recipients of the award have been Peter Atkins (Oxford University, U.K.), Lida Schoen (Young Ambassadors of Chemistry, Netherlands), Peter Mahaffy (King’s University College, Canada), and Robert Bucat (University of Western Australia).

Morton Hoffman was promoted to emeritus in 2005 after a 44-year, highly productive career in research and teaching in Boston University’s Department of Chemistry.  In 1994, he received the University’s highest teaching honor:  the Metcalf Cup and Prize for Excellence in Teaching.  His many other honors and awards have included being named a Fellow by the ACS, AAAS, and IUPAC;  receiving the 2007 ACS Volunteer Service Award, the 2002 Catalyst Award for Teaching Excellence from the American Chemistry Council, the 2003 Timm Award for Encouraging Young People to Study Chemistry from the New England Association of Chemistry Teachers, the 2005 Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry from the Northeastern Section, and the 2006 Outstanding Professional Achievement Award from the Alumni Association of Hunter College of the City University of New York.  He was chair of the Northeastern Section in 2002 and of the ACS Division of Chemical Education in 2005.