Assistant Professor of Chemistry Rongsheng (Ross) Wang is among 25 outstanding teacher-scholars in chemistry, physics and astronomy to receive a 2021 Cottrell Scholar Award. Presented by the foundation Research Corporation for Science Advancement, each award is $100,000.

Recipients are chosen through a rigorous peer-review process of applications from top research universities, degree-granting research institutes and primarily undergraduate institutions in the United components. “The Cottrell Scholar Award allows me to join a national community of outstanding teacher- scholars,” said Wang, who joined Temple after four years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Research Institute. “The award recognizes excellent teaching and research as well as academic leadership, goals that shape me as a faculty member here at Temple.”

Wang’s winning research proposal is titled A Fluorine Displacement Based Bioorthogonal Labeling Approach to Interrogate Non-Histone Substrates of “Histone” Deacetylases. “My lab is inventing bioorthogonal chemical reactions that can occur efficiently in aqueous solutions without interfering with normal biological processes,” explained Wang.

As part of the project’s science education component, Wang wants to expand opportunities for CST undergraduates to experience more interdisciplinary research. “Temple has a fantastic and diverse undergraduate student body, ready to experience emergent interdisciplinary research,” said Wang, “which has been shown to advance students’ critical thinking and cognitive development, as well as improve their overall confidence and increase their interest in STEM disciplines.”    

Learn more about the Cottrell Scholar Award.