Congratulations to Dr. Mark MacLachlan for receiving the 2026 Canadian Light Source T. K. Sham Award in Materials Chemistry. This award is presented to an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to materials chemistry both in terms of research and mentoring while working in Canada.
Mark has made significant advances in the field of materials chemistry throughout his career, and especially over the past decade. In particular, he has pioneered new classes of materials based on cellulose nanocrystals, including aerogels for supercapacitor electrodes, aerogels for solar steam generation, hydrogels with tunable mechanical and optical properties, and responsive photonic materials that can be used in chemical and pressure sensing. He has also made substantial advances in the development of nanostructured catalysts for low temperature methane oxidation—an important reaction in the mitigation of this potent greenhouse gas. Mark and his team have also developed novel photonic liquids by manipulating suspensions of graphene oxide. Over his career, he has mentored more than 200 students and postdocs, many of whom have gone onto prestigious positions in academia, industry, government, and other fields.
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