Dr. James MacKay, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
The 2022-2023 recipient of the Ranck Prize for Research Excellence is Dr. James MacKay, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The Professional Development Committee chose MacKay from nominations submitted by faculty peers.
In addition to receiving a monetary award and a supplement to his professional development fund to support ongoing scholarly activity, he will deliver remarks at an event to be scheduled in the spring semester. More details to follow.
“I’m grateful for the amazing colleagues, mentors, and collaborators that I have worked with over the last 15 years,” MacKay said. “I also want to thank my research students past and present who do a great deal of the hands-on work. Without them, my scholarship would not be where it is today. Dr. John Ranck helped pave the way for my career through his work as a scholar in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. To be the first chemist to receive this award in his name is an immense honor.”
Congratulatory Statement from the 2022-2023 Ranck Prize Selection Committee:
Dr. MacKay is commended for his outstanding research that includes student collaboration as well as his contribution to his field. Most notably, he is recognized for his numerous external grants. These grants bring positive recognition to the College on a national level and support the funding needed to enhance student experiences at Elizabethtown College. Additionally, the committee found his commitment to collaborative student research through Summer Scholarship, Creative Arts, and Research Program (SCARP) grants over the last 10 years impressive. The results of some of these research projects have been published in leading industry publications like The Journal of Organic Chemistry, The Journal of Chemical Education, and Tetrahedron Letters. Dr. MacKay’s scholarship has been featured as a cover article in Chemistry A European Journal, and he has also made chapter contributions to a leading textbook in undergraduate organic chemistry.
Ranck Prize Background:
Robert O. Kerr ’64 and Mary Ann Kerr ’64 established the Ranck Prize for Research Excellence as a permanent endowment to award a full-time faculty member of Elizabethtown College and to commend and celebrate excellence in research and commitment to his or her field of study. The prize honors John P. Ranck ’58, faculty member emeritus and former chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, for “his inspirational service to countless students at Elizabethtown College.”