Croucher awardee receives Porter Medal 2020
Professor Vivian Wing-Wah Yam (Croucher Senior Research Fellowship 2000, Croucher Studentship 1985), of the University of Hong Kong, has been awarded the Porter Medal 2020 for her contributions to the field of photochemistry.
The Porter Medal is named after the late George Porter, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. It is awarded every two years to the scientist who has contributed most to the science of photochemistry with particular emphasis on physical aspects.
Yam is Philip Wong Wilson Wong Professor in Chemistry and Energy and Chair Professor of Chemistry, with her major interests focused on inorganic/organometallic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, photochemistry, and solar energy.
Her research involves molecular design and synthetic strategies to create novel classes of strong, light-absorbing chromophoric and luminescent metal-based molecular materials with various functions, and the elucidation of their spectroscopic origins.
Yam’s goal is to design innovative classes of solar-harvesting materials for organic photovoltaics, as well as phosphorescent materials for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays and white OLED (WOLED) solid-state lighting.
The researcher also explores utilisations of non-covalent metal-metal interactions: for directed supramolecular assembly and stabilisation of nanostructures, conformations, folded structures and organogels; as spectroscopic reporters of assembly-disassembly processes, and morphology and microenvironment changes; and as chemosensors/biosensors of aggregation phenomenon.
Professor Yam obtained both her BSc (First Class Hons) and PhD from the University of Hong Kong. She is an elected Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, International Member (formerly Foreign Associate) of the US National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member of Academia Europaea, Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for developing countries, and Founding Member of Hong Kong Academy of Sciences. She was a Laureate of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2011. She received her Croucher Studentship and Senior Research Fellowship in 1985 and 2000, respectively.
To view Professor Vivian Yam’s Croucher profile, please click here.