The committee of the ESR Spectroscopy group of the Royal Society of Chemistry has long felt that, as a community, we want to establish a prize which recognises the importance of those who have paved the roads on which we are now privileged to make our own journeys. Those whose wisdom, insights and innovations, be it theoretical, methodological or experimental, we use without giving second thought. We wish to reward the pioneers who, to this day, influence directly the younger generation. The prize will be awarded by the RSC ESR Spectroscopy group as voted for by the committee and in consultation with the RSC ESR community, especially the most junior of our members. It will be celebrated at our annual meetings: A laudatio for the awardee will be followed by a session entirely provided by junior researchers, highlighting the awardee’s continued influence on our field.
It is with greatest joy therefore that we announce our first winner of the “Spin Chemistry Life Time Achievement Award”: Professor Jim Norris for his pioneering work in time resolved EPR, optical spectroscopy and magnetic field effects in the elucidation of the molecular structure and dynamics of paramagnetic species.
We are excited also to introduce the speakers of his session: Drs Sabine Richert and Jeannine Grüne. The second session on Monday will continue to celebrate the newest advances in transient EPR in talks by our Plenary speaker Professor Kobori as well as junior researchers Sebastian Kopp and Sebastian Gorgon. It promises to be a tour de force of time resolved EPR and spin effects.