PRIESTLEY MEDAL

It has long been an ACS tradition that the recipient of the Priestley Medal has the privilege of addressing the society's awards banquet when he—and it has always been a he so far—and winners of other ACS national awards are honored. Such addresses have varied in tone and approach, from highly scholarly presentations of research findings to a spirited discourse on the role of scientists in the nuclear arms race by Linus Pauling when he received his Priestley Medal in 1984. This year, at the ACS national meeting in Denver earlier this month, it was the turn of John D. Roberts, Institute Professor of Chemistry at California Institute of Technology and 1987 Priestley Medal recipient (C&EN, May 26, 1986, page 27). The 40-year veteran of chemical research used the opportunity to enchant a receptive audience with a mixture of humor, wisdom, nostalgia, and a little inspiration. Roberts said he used to think the Priestley was ...