Gelest, Inc., a leading innovator in materials science, announced that its Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Barry Arkles is the recipient of the American Chemical Society 2020 Frederic Stanley Kipping Award in Silicon Chemistry.
MORRISVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 5, 2019) – Gelest, Inc., a leading innovator in materials science, announced today that its Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Barry Arkles is the recipient of the American Chemical Society 2020 Frederic Stanley Kipping Award in Silicon Chemistry.
This prestigious award is presented by the American Chemical Society (ACS) recognizing distinguished contributions to the field of silicon chemistry during the 10 years preceding the nomination. The Kipping award was established in 1960 by the Dow Corning Corporation to commemorate the achievements of Prof. Frederic Stanley Kipping.
In addition to scientific achievements in the area of silicon chemistry, Barry Arkles has been instrumental in introducing products derived from silicon chemistry into new commercial applications including advanced thermoplastic composites, oxygen permeable contact lenses, enzyme and cell immobilization, and interlayer dielectrics and barriers for semiconductors.
“Dr. Arkles’ research is characterized by curiosity, leading to scientific understanding, leading to applications in the real world,” said Prof. Michael A. Brook, Science Research Chair in Sustainable Silicone Polymers, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at McMaster University. “While particularly adept at developing synthetic strategies to understand and then manipulate interfaces, he has made important impacts in areas ranging from novel silica precursors, to ultra-extensible rubbers, and bird-rejecting window coatings – all through careful and clever silicone chemistry.”
This is the first time the Kipping award has recognized a researcher who has spent his entire career in the industrial sector. Dr. Arkles has over 300 significant publications including over 100 patents in the field of silicon chemistry and related material science.
“In my over 50 years involvement with organosilicon chemistry, Dr. Arkles stands alone in the ability to bring an academic approach to an industrial endeavor. These efforts have resulted in a large number of significant publications and patents in addition to two highly successful silicon-based companies which have created hundreds of technology-based US jobs. These achievements over the past 45 years along with his continuous contributions to the development of silicon chemistry make him uniquely qualified for the Kipping Award,” said Dr. Gerald L. Larson, Senior Research Fellow at Gelest.
The formal Kipping Award will be presented to Dr. Arkles on March 23, 2020 at the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia
About Gelest
Gelest, Inc., a New Mountain Capital portfolio company headquartered in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, is an innovator, manufacturer, and supplier of silicones, organosilanes, and metal-organics for advanced technology end markets including medical devices, life sciences, microelectronics, and personal care. Gelest, Inc. helps customers succeed by assisting them to develop and supply the chemistry to solve their most challenging materials science problems and to enable their new product technology.
About New Mountain Capital
New Mountain Capital is a New York based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private equity, public equity, and credit funds with over $20 billion in assets under management. New Mountain seeks out what it believes to be the highest quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors, working intensively with management to build the value of these companies. www.newmountaincapital.com
