UC Davis Chemistry Professor Named Cottrell Scholar

Assistant professor of chemistry Jesús Velázquez has received a $100,000 Cottrell Scholar Award for his leadership in research and education. He is one of 25 scholars throughout the U.S. given the award in 2020, and the first UC Davis professor recognized with the award.

Funded by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the Cottrell Scholar program honors early-career professors in chemistry, physics and astronomy for their outstanding contributions to science and citizenship.

Velázquez’s research centers on designing new materials for applications in nanoelectronics, green energy and environmental remediation. The grant will support the development of novel catalysts that can facilitate aqueous chemical transformations of small-molecule feedstocks into viable chemicals and fuels, he said. Velázquez will also design student programs targeting first-generation and under-represented groups who face specific and unique challenges at large public universities.

— Becky Oskin, content strategist in the College of Letters and Science