Tobin J. Marks

Tobin Jay Marks (born November 25, 1944) is the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Catalytic Chemistry and Professor of Material Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University. Among the themes of his research are synthetic organo-f-element and early-transition metal organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials chemistry, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, molecule-based photonic materials, superconductivity, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and biological aspects of transition metal chemistry.

Marks received his B.S. from the University of Maryland in 1966 in chemistry, which is part of the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Then he received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971. He came to Northwestern University in the fall of 1970.

As of April 2009, Marks has mentored over 100 PhD students and nearly 100 postdoctoral fellows.More than 90 of these alumni hold academic positions worldwide. He has published over 1245 research articles and holds 260 patents. His h-index is 141.

The Marks group is organized into four teams (A-D):

• A-team; Organometallics/Catalysis
• B-team: Molecular Photonics
• C-team: Transparent Oxides
• D-team: Molecular Electronics

Work in organometallics is conducted by the A-team of the Marks group and has traditionally focused on two main areas: Group IV mediated polymerizations and f-element mediated hydroelementation.Recent publications cover topics of f-element hydroelementation, supported catalysts, and bimetallic catalysis.

• 2018 (2018): Foreign Member, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei Italian National Academy of Sciences
• 2017 (2017): Harvey Prize in Science & Technology from the Technion in Israel
• 2017 (2017): ACS Priestley Medal
• 2016 (2016): Honorary doctor of the Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich
• 2016 (2016): Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Award for Distinguished Scientists
• 2016 (2016): Member, US National Academy of Inventors
• 2016 (2016): Tannas Award in Materials Science, University of California Los Angeles
• 2015 (2015): The Royal Society of Chemistry's Materials for Industry - Derek Birchall Award
• 2015 (2015): Luigi Sacconi Medal, Italian Chemical Society
• 2015 (2015): Honorary Foreign Fellow, Chinese Chemical Society
• 2014 (2014): Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Medal, UK Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2013 (2013): Alan G. MacDiarmid Medal, University of Pennsylvania
• 2013 (2013): Honorary Member, The Israel Chemical Society
• 2012 (2012): Gabor A. Somorjai Award for Creative Research in Catalysis
• 2012 (2012): US National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences
• 2012 (2012): Theodore W. Richards Medal, American Chemical Society
• 2012 (2012): Member, US National Academy of Engineering
• 2012 (2012): Distinguished Alumni Award and Election to Circle of Discovery, University of Maryland
• 2011 (2011): Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences, The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation
• 2011 (2011): American Chemical Society Arthur Cope Senior Scholar Award in Organic Chemistry
• 2011 (2011): Mosher Award, ACS Santa Clara / Silicon Valley, California Section
• 2011 (2011): Honorary Fellow, Indian National Academy of Sciences
• 2011 (2011): Schulich Prize, Technion in Israel
• 2010 (2010): Centennial Medal, University of Oviedo (Spain)
• 2010 (2010): Wilhelm Manchot Prize, Technical University of Munich
• 2010 (2010): Distinguished Affiliated Professor Award, Technical University of Munich
• 2010 (2010): William H. Nichols Medal, ACS New York Section
• 2009 (2009): Von Hippel Award, Materials Research Society
• 2009 (2009): Nelson W. Taylor Award in Materials Research, Penn State University
• 2009 (2009): Herman Pines Award, North American Catalysis Society
• 2009 (2009): Fellow, Materials Research Society
• 2008 (2008): Honorary Fellow, Chemical Research Society of India
• 2008 (2008): Príncipe de Asturias Prize for Technical and Scientific Research (Spain)
• 2008 (2008): American Chemical Society Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry
• 2005 (2005): United States National Medal of Science
• 2005 (2005): Member, Leopoldina, German National Academy of Natural Sciences
• 2005 (2005): John Bailar Medal, University of Illinois and the American Chemical Society
• 2005 (2005): Fellow, UK Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2005 (2005): University of Maryland Alumni Hall of Fame
• 2004 (2004): Sir Edward Frankland Medal, UK Royal Society of Chemistry
• 2003 (2003): Evans Medal, Ohio State University
• 2003 (2003): Karl Ziegler Prize, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker
• 2002 (2002): American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal
• 2001 (2001): Linus Pauling Medal
• 2001 (2001): Willard Gibbs Medal, ACS Chicago Section
• 2001 (2001): Burwell Award, North American Catalysis Society
• 2001 (2001): American Chemical Society (ACS) Award in the Chemistry of Materials
• 2000 (2000): F.A. Cotton Medal for Excellence in Chemical Research of the American Chemical Society
• 1999 (1999): Paolo Chini Award, Italian Chemical Society
• 1998 (1998): Francis Clifford Phillips Award, University of Pittsburgh
• 1997 (1997): Centenary Medal, UK Royal Society of Chemistry
• 1994 (1994): American Chemical Society (ACS) Award in Inorganic Chemistry
• 1993 (1993): Member, US National Academy of Sciences
• 1993 (1993): Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
• 1989 (1989) – 1990 (1990): Guggenheim Fellowship
• 1989 (1989): American Chemical Society Award in Organometallic Chemistry
• 1986 (1986): Mack Awardee and Lecturer, Ohio State University
• 1984 (1984): Sobral Medal, Portuguese Chemical Society
• 1984 (1984): American Chemical Society (ACS) Arthur K. Doolittle Award in Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering
• 1979 (1979): Fresenius Pure and Applied Chemistry Award of Phi Lambda Upsilon
• 1978 (1978): Innovation Recognition Award, Union Carbide Corporation
• 1977 (1977): DuPont Young Faculty Fellow
• 1975 (1975): Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar
• 1974 (1974): Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (see Sloan Fellows)