68 TheElectrochemicalSocietyInterface•Spring2011

SECTION NEWS

fortheiraccomplishmentsinthefieldofsemiconductorelectrochemistryandphotoelectrochemistry.

Prof.Tributschisagenuinepioneerintheresearchofphotoelectrochemical systems. He is highly renownedin terms of number and variety of breakthroughcontributions,severalofwhichhaveinitiatedimportantnew directions in photoelectrochemistry, photo(electro)catalysis, electrochemistry instrumentations, and innanomaterials. His highly creative work has inspirednumerous researchers to investigate semiconductorphotoelectrochemistryandhascontributedfundamentallyand profoundly to the understanding of electron-transfer mechanisms at the semiconductor/electrolyteinterface. Prof. Helmut Tributsch was the first to show(duringhisPhDthesis,HeinzGerischer,Supervisor)thatsemiconductorsensitizationofwidebandsemiconductorswithorganicdyesispossible,aprocesswhichhasprovento be a step forward into a new research direction forsolar energy devices. He has continuously promotedfundamentalstudiesofphotoelectrochemistrywithgreatenthusiasm.HewasafoundingmemberofEUROSOLARandlong-termmemberofitsBoardofDirectors.

RüdigerMemming,formerlyaprofessorofphysicsattheUniversityofOldenburgandtheUniversityofHamburg,as well as Executive Director of the Institute for SolarEnergyResearchinHanover,Germany,receivedthe2009GerischerAwardRecipientof theECSEuropeanSectionat the216th ECSmeeting inVienna,Austria inOctober2009.PaulNatishan,2009-2010ECSPresident,presentedtheawardscrollduringtheGerischerAwardreceptiononOctober6.PawelKulesza,ChairoftheEuropeansection,gaveanoverviewofProf.Memming’smajorcontributions.Prof. Memming spoke and reminisced about his work,particularly in the fields of photoelectrochemistry,materials science, spectroscopy, dye sensitization, andcharge transfer at semiconductor/liquid interfaces. Histalk was full of anecdotes, mentioning a collaborationwithHeinzGerischerontheonlyavailablesemiconductorpure enough at that time to perform electrochemicalstudies, namely, germanium. The atmosphere at thereceptionwithmorethan150attendees,wasverywarmandfriendly.

Helmut Tributsch, formerly aprofessor of physical chemistryat Freie Universität Berlin andDepartment Head of the Hahn-Meitner Institute presentlyHelmholtzCenter-Berlin,Germany,willreceivethe2011HeinzGerischerAwardoftheECSEuropeanSection.Previous awardees have includedAkira Fujishima (Japan), MichaelGrätzel (Switzerland), Allen J. Bard(USA), and Rüdiger Memming(Germany), all of them renowned

Canadian

European

Sylvie Morin (right) congratulates DaviD W. ShoeSMith (left) as recipient of the Canadian Section’s 2010 Electrochemical Award.

helMut tributSch

rüDiger MeMMing

ThehighesthonoroftheCanadianSection,theElectrochemicalAward,grantedonceeveryfouryearsinrecognitionofsignificantcontributions to the advancement of electrochemistry inCanada,waspresentedtoDavidW.ShoesmithoftheUniversityofWesternOntarioDepartmentofChemistryattheCanadianSectionFallSymposiumonSept.18,2010.

Dr.Shoesmithisaworld-leadingelectrochemicalscientistintheareaofnuclearfuelwastedisposal.Formorethan35yearshe has been using electrochemical methods to understandthefundamentalaspectsofmaterialsdegradationwithaviewto developing the necessary scientific basis for engineeringsolutionstonuclearfuelwastedisposal.HisexpertiseishighlyvaluedinCanadaandsoughtoutinternationally.Shoesmith’swork on nuclear waste disposal issues is directly applicablethroughout thedevelopedworldononeof themost seriousdilemmasofourtechnologicalage.

The Fall Symposium, entitled “Diverse Electrochemistry”was organized at University of Western Ontario by Prof.Zhifeng Ding, and featured invited lectures from 14 leadingelectrochemical researchers. Dr. Shoesmith delivered hisinterestingandhumor-lacedawardaddress,“NuclearFuel:NotEveryone’sFavoriteElectrochemicalSystem”andreceivedtheElectrochemicalAwardgoldmedal fromSectionChairSylvieMorin.

Followingtheoralpresentations,awine,cheese,andpostersessionwasenjoyed,givingattendeestheopportunitytotakein more than 50 student posters, the largest number everpresentedataCanadianSectionsymposium.

TheElectrochemicalSocietyInterface•Spring2011 69

SECTION NEWS

India,thelandoftheVedas,hasaproudhistoryofscientificresearch in astronomy, botany, chemistry, mathematics,medicine, metallurgy, and many other significant fields.However, there is no documentary evidence on howelectrochemistryevolvedinIndia.Untilabouthalfacenturyago,thistypeof scientificresearchinIndia,unlikeintheWest,waslimited.Overthisshortperiodoftime,majorcontributorsinelectrochemistry fromIndiahaveemerged includingK.S.G.Doss,A.K.N.Reddy,K.M.Joshi,S.Sathyanarayana,andS.K.Rangarajan.

TheIndianelectrochemicalcommunityismainlyaffiliatedwith three professional organizations: the Society forAdvancement of Electrochemical Science and Technology

roque calvo(left),Executive Director of ECS, officially recognizes the formation of the ECS India Section, and presents the certificate of recognition to a. K. ShuKla (right),first Chair of the India Section.

India (SAEST), theElectrochemicalSocietyof India (ECSI),andtheIndian Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry (ISEAC).Membership in these societies is largely confined toprofessionalsworkinginIndia,andthiscommunityfeltaneed

to extend its reach outside ofthecountry.Greatcontributionsinthiseffortweremadein2007by the late S. K. Rangarajan(thenPresidentofSAEST),A.K.Shukla (then Director of theCentralElectrochemicalResearchInstitute atKaraikudi), T. PremKumar (then Secretary ofSAEST),RoqueCalvo(ExecutiveDirectorofECS),andKrishnanRajeshwar, Editor of Interface.Subsequent deliberations withECSofficials,notablyPaulKohl,Daniel Scherson, and WilliamBrown,culminated ina formalrecognitionoftheformationofthe India Section of ECS inVancouver on April 29, 2010.

Thefollowingwerepresentonthisoccasion:WilliamBrown,Roque Calvo, Johna Leddy, Mary Yess, Sri Narayan, SubhashSinghal,A.K.ShuklaandG.Sozhan.AformalannouncementoftheIndiaSectionofECSwasmadebyRoqueCalvoattheNinthInternationalSymposiumonAdvancesinElectrochemicalScienceandTechnology(ISAEST-9)inChennaionDecember2,2010.

The newly formed India Section plans on promoting thegrowthofelectrochemicalscienceandtechnology.Afirststepin thisdirection includes launching an annual award in thenameofS.K.Rangarajantodesignatethebestyoungelectro-chemistinIndia.TheofficersforthefirsttwoyearsoftheIndiaSectionare:A.K.Shukla,T.PremKumar,S.Mohan,K.T. Jacob,andSubhasChalasani.

ECS is an international, educational organization with more than 8,000 scientists and engineers in over 70 countries, engaged in a broad range of technical interests including: Batteries, Corrosion, Dielectric Science & Technology, Electrodeposition, Electronics & Photonics, Energy Technology, Fullerenes, Nanotubes, and Carbon Nanostructures, High Temperature Materials, Industrial Electrochemistry & Electrochemical Engineering, Luminescence & Display Materials, Organic & Biological Electrochemistry, Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry, and Sensors.

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