Tobin Jay Marks (born November 25, 1944) is the Vladimir N. Ipatieff Professor of Catalytic Chemistry and Professor of Material Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University. Among the themes of his research are synthetic organo-f-element and early-transition metal organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials chemistry, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, molecule-based photonic materials, superconductivity, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, and biological aspects of transition metal chemistry.
Marks received his B.S. from the University of Maryland in 1966 in chemistry, which is part of the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Then he received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1971. He came to Northwestern University in the fall of 1970.
As of April 2009, Marks has mentored over 100 PhD students and nearly 100 postdoctoral fellows. More than 90 of these alumni hold academic positions worldwide. He has published over 1245 research articles and holds 260 patents. His h-index is 141.
The Marks group is organized into four teams (A-D):
A-team; Organometallics/Catalysis
B-team: Molecular Photonics
C-team: Transparent Oxides
D-team: Molecular Electronics
Work in organometallics is conducted by the A-team of the Marks group and has traditionally focused on two main areas: Group IV mediated polymerizations and f-element mediated hydroelementation. Recent publications cover topics of f-element hydroelementation, supported catalysts, and bimetallic catalysis.
2017 (2017): ACS Priestley Medal
2016 (2016): Honorary doctor of the Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich
2016 (2016): Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Award for Distinguished Scientists
2015 (2015): The Royal Society of Chemistry's Materials for Industry - Derek Birchall Award
2013 (2013): Gabor A. Somorjai Award for Creative Research in Catalysis
2012 (2012): NAS Award in Chemical Sciences
2011 (2011): Dreyfus Prize in the Chemical Sciences
2011 (2011): ACS Arthur Cope Senior Scholar Award
2011 (2011): Mosher Award, ACS Santa Clara Section
2011 (2011): Schulich Award, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
2010 (2010): Centennial Medal, University of Oviedo (Spain)
2010 (2010): Wilhelm Manchot Prize, Technical University of Munich
2010 (2010): Distinguished Affiliated Professor Award, Technical University of Munich
2010 (2010): William H. Nichols Medal, ACS New York Section
2009 (2009): Von Hippel Award, Materials Research Society
2009 (2009): Nelson W. Taylor Award, Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Penn State University
2009 (2009): Herman Pines Award, Catalysis Club of Chicago
2008 (2008): Honorary Fellow, Chemical Research Society of India
2008 (2008): Príncipe de Asturias Prize for Technical and Scientific Research (Spain)
2008 (2008): American Chemical Society Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry, 2008
2005 (2005): United States National Medal of Science
2005 (2005): Member, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
2005 (2005): John Bailar Medal, University of Illinois
2005 (2005): Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry
2005 (2005): University of Maryland Alumni Hall of Fame
2004 (2004): Sir Edward Frankland Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry
2003 (2003): Evans Medal, Ohio State University
2003 (2003): Karl Ziegler Prize, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker
2002 (2002): American Institute of Chemists Gold Medal
2001 (2001): Linus Pauling Award
2001 (2001): Willard Gibbs Award, ACS Chicago Section
2001 (2001): Burwell Award, North American Catalysis Society
2001 (2001): ACS Award in the Chemistry of Materials
2000 (2000): F.A. Cotton Medal for Excellence in Chemical Research of the American Chemical Society in
1999 (1999): Paolo Chini Award, Italian Chemical Society
1998 (1998): Francis Clifford Phillips Award, University of Pittsburgh
1997 (1997): Centenary Medal, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
1994 (1994): ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry
1993 (1993): Member, US National Academy of Sciences
1993 (1993): American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellow
1989 (1989) – 1990 (1990): Guggenheim Fellowship
1989 (1989): ACS Award in Organometallic Chemistry
1986 (1986) – 1987 (1987): Mack Awardee and Lecturer, Ohio State University
1984 (1984): Sobral Medal, Portuguese Chemical Society
1984 (1984): American Chemical Society (ACS) Arthur K. Doolittle Award in Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering
1979 (1979): Fresenius Pure and Applied Chemistry Award of Phi Lambda Upsilon
1978 (1978): Innovation Recognition Award, Union Carbide Corporation
1977 (1977): DuPont Young Faculty Fellow
1975 (1975): Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar
1974 (1974): Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (see Sloan Fellows)
