ACS CHED Award for Outstanding Service to Emeritus Prof. Morton Hoffman
The Division of Chemical Education (CHED) presented its Award for Outstanding Service to Morton Z. Hoffman, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Boston University, at the Spring 2023 ACS National Meeting in Indianapolis on March 26. The award ceremony was held as part of the CHED social reception; unable to travel and attend in-person, Hoffman connected via a telephone link.
This award is given annually to a member of the Division who has contributed exemplary volunteer service to CHED over a sustained period of time; it consists of a certificate and a ceramic apple (for the teacher, of course).
At the award ceremony, Resa Kelly (San José State University), the 2023 CHED Chair-Elect, presided and made introductory remarks, followed by Zafra Lerman (Columbia College Chicago, emerita), a member of CHED and a friend for more than 50 years, who provided personal reflections. Anna Wilson (Purdue University, emerita), the long-time CHED Treasurer, read Hoffman’s remarks upon his acceptance of the award.
A member of ACS and CHED since 1956 and 1961, respectively, Hoffman has served on the Division’s Program Committee (Chair 1999-2001), International Activities Committee, and Regional Meetings Committee (Chair 1999-2008), and as representatives to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the ACS International Activities Committee. He was Chair of the Division in 2005.
Cited in the award ceremony were the numerous presentations he made, as well as the many chemistry education symposia he organized at ACS (and other organizations’) regional, national, and international conferences.
Hoffman is a Fellow of ACS, AAAS, and IUPAC, and was the recipient of the Metcalf Cup and Prize for Excellence in Teaching from Boston University in 1994, the James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry from the ACS Northeastern Section in 2005, and the ACS Volunteer Service Award in 2007. A comprehensive list of his service contributions to CHED, and his other accomplishments is at https://divched.org/2023-outstanding-service-division-award-awarded-morton-z-hoffman.