George Whitesides, from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Harvard University, will be the plenary speaker at Pittcon 2009 on 8 March.
Dr Whitesides received an AB degree from Harvard University in 1960 and a PhD from the California Institute of Technology (with JD Roberts) in 1964. He was a member of the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1963 to 1982. He joined the Department of Chemistry of Harvard University in 1982, and was Department Chairman 1986-89, and Mallinckrodt Professor of Chemistry from 1982-2004.
Dr Whitesides' present research interests include physical and organic chemistry, materials science, biophysics, complexity and emergence, surface science, microfluidics, optics, self-assembly, micro- and nanotechnology, science for developing economies, catalysis, origin of life, and cell-surface biochemistry.
Program Chair Mitchell Johnson said: 'Dr Whitesides is an innovator - someone whose ideas have had substantial and lasting impact on so many areas in the natural sciences, not the least being the chemical measurement arena. We are very excited he is able to share his experience with leading analytical chemists from all over the world.'
Pittcon takes place from 8-13 March in Chicago.
