UofL professor earns top Fulbright prize

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 2, 2013) —University of Louisville chemistry professor G.B. Hammond has been named a 2014 Fulbright Distinguished Chair. The award is among the program’s most prestigious and is typically given to fewer than 50 educators each year.

A professor and endowed chair, Hammond will use the award to travel to Sao Paulo University, Brazil, where he will conduct lectures and collaborate with colleagues.

“One of my objectives is to build bridges between Latin American and U.S. educators and researchers,” Hammond said. “Brazil is becoming a powerhouse both scientifically and economically, so it makes sense to collaborate.”

Hammond has earned accolades for his work involving fluorine, an element used in many industrial applications. In 2007-2009 he was appointed program chair for the National Science Foundation’s chemistry division. He also has authored nearly 140 publications, holds five patents and has been a visiting professor at some of the world’s most prominent universities.

A native of Peru, Hammond earned his doctoral degree from the University of Birmingham, England.

Fulbright awards are administered by the Institute of International Education’s Council for International Exchange of Scholars and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This is Hammond’s second Fulbright award.