Jan. 30, 2025

NDSU professor wins prestigious award for contributions to the history of chemistry

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Seth C. Rasmussen, NDSU professor of chemistry

Seth C. Rasmussen

NDSU chemistry professor Seth C. Rasmussen has been named the recipient of the 2025 Joseph B. Lambert HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry, recognizing his significant contributions to historical scholarship and his efforts in promoting a global community of historians of chemistry.

Administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society, the international award honors scholars whose work has advanced the understanding of chemistry’s historical impact. Rasmussen will receive an engraved plaque and a $1,500 monetary prize at the ACS Fall National Meeting in Washington, D.C., in August.

“I am deeply honored with this recognition, particularly as I began work on historical topics with no formal training in history,” Rasmussen said. “In the nearly 30 years since, I have worked hard to develop myself as a chemist-historian and thus it means so very much that I am now being recognized among the best in the field.”

A distinguished researcher, educator and author, Rasmussen has been a faculty member in the chemistry and biochemistry department since 1999 and was promoted to full professor in 2012. 

His work spans both scientific research and historical analysis, with his efforts in history focusing particularly on the topics of glass, ethanol, and polymers/plastics. His books, How Glass Changed the World (2012) and The Quest for Aqua Vitae (2014), have earned international recognition, with the latter receiving the Gourmand Award for Best Drinks History Book published in Germany.

Beyond his scholarly research, Rasmussen has played a pivotal role in strengthening the field of the history of chemistry. He has edited and contributed to the Springer Briefs in the History of Chemistry and Perspectives on the History of Chemistry book series, helping to establish them as leading platforms for historical discourse. His leadership within HIST includes serving as Program Chair (2008-2017) and Chair (2021-2022), where he helped expand its global reach.

Rasmussen’s selection for the Joseph B. Lambert HIST Award continues a legacy of honoring chemists and historians who have made significant contributions to the history of chemistry. The award, originally established in 1956 as the Dexter Award, has recognized some of the field’s most influential scholars.

Rasmussen’s latest book, The Origins and Early History of Conjugated Organic Polymers, is set for release in 2025 by Oxford University Press.

“I am very thankful that NDSU has allowed me the freedom to pursue my work in history in addition to my traditional laboratory research in materials chemistry,” Rasmussen said.

For more information about the HIST Award and its past recipients, visit the Division of the History of Chemistry website.

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