Schug receives Silver Jubilee Medal from Chromatography Society

Tuesday, Feb 06, 2024 • Greg Pederson :

A chemist at The University of Texas at Arlington has been honored for his significant contributions to separation science. 

Kevin Schug, the Shimadzu Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry, was named recipient of the 2024 Silver Jubilee Medal by the Chromatography Society, a UK-based organization with worldwide membership, which created the award in 1982 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. 

The purpose of the Silver Jubilee Medal is to recognize up-and-coming separation scientists, those who have made major use of separation science in their own field, or those who have made important contributions to a particular area of separation science.

“I know many prominent separation scientists who have been recognized by this medal in the past. I am humbled and honored to be among them,” Schug said. “I understand that I was selected due to my wide range of use and promotion of gas and liquid separations. I have to credit a lot of current and past students for their contributions to that effort. I must also acknowledge the critical role that industrial partnerships have played.

“It is a pleasure to work in a university environment where you can push the boundaries and constantly ask ‘what if’ questions. Seeing students grow, learn, and enter into gainful and enjoyable careers is very fulfilling. It is a cherry on top to be recognized by such an award, especially when I did not even know I was in the running. Such recognition validates the years of efforts in research, education, and service; it provides a great impetus to keep it going and to keep paying it forward.”

Rasika Dias, professor and chair of the UTA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said the quality and impact of Schug’s research make him a worthy recipient of the Silver Jubilee Medal.

“Dr. Schug is most deserving of this accolade from the Chromatography Society,” Dias said. “In a relatively brief period of time he has established himself as one of the top separation scientists in the world, as is demonstrated by the high esteem in which he is held by his peers.”

One area of Schug’s research noted by the society is his work with vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detection for gas chromatography. The VUV detector is made by a Texas company, VUV Analytics, Inc.

“VUV Analytics approached me in 2009 to help evaluate and demonstrate the potential of their technology,” Schug said. “This company has since grown and the technology has been adapted by many companies, particularly in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical spaces. 

“Working closely with industry professionals is a great opportunity for students who will eventually work in industry after their graduation. Through regular meetings they get to have a better sense of industrial work and then gain a better understanding of what is more or less important in the current state of science.”

The Chromatography Society noted that Schug’s research is primarily applied to the investigation of water treatment analysis and natural products, but also has interests in sustainable and environmental trace analyses. They also remarked on his extensive industrial collaborations and his role as founder of the Shimadzu Center for Advanced Analytical Chemistry at UTA.

“My students and I have benefited from working with a wide variety of companies, including but not limited to Shimadzu, Restek, VUV Analytics, Lummus Technologies, Genentech, and LabCorp,” he said. “Many students have obtained jobs based on these interactions and experiences.”

Schug received a B.S. degree in Chemistry in 1998 from the College of William and Mary and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Tech in 2002. He performed postdoctoral research at the University of Vienna in Austria from 2003-05 and joined the UTA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2005.

He and his lab group have authored more than 220 peer-reviewed publications, with more than 10,000 citations, as well as more than 600 presentations, posters, and invited talks. 

Schug has been honored with numerous awards, including a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award in 2023; the Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education from the American Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry in 2017; Tech Titans Future University Award in 2016; Young Investigator in Separation Science Award, ACS, Division of Analytical Chemistry in 2013; CAREER Award by the National Science Foundation in 2009; and the Young Investigator Award in Analytical Chemistry, Eli Lilly and Company in 2009.

He has also been named three times to the Top 100 Power List by The Analytical Scientist (2019, 2021, 2023) and to the magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 Power List in 2014. He also received the UT System Regent’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2014 and the UTA College of Science Research Excellence Award in 2010, as well as being named to the UTA Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2018.

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