Northeastern Voice

Barnett Director Karger receives international honors

Barry L. Karger

Barry L. Karger, James L. Waters Chair in analytical chemistry and director of the Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, has been elected into the Hungarian Academy of Sciences as an Honorary Member by members of the prestigious organization.

Karger has also been awarded the Csaba Horváth Medal of Innsbruck, Austria for his contributions to the field of separation science and bioanalytical chemistry.

While membership in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences is generally restricted to Hungarian citizens, scholars or scientists active in a foreign country can be elected to become honorary members if they pursue their field of science on an internationally recognized level, and if their  achievements are worthy of the special esteem of Hungarian scientific life.

In its eighth year, the Csaba Horváth Award Medal is given to a recognized person in the field of separation science whose contributions to the field has exemplified and will continue to provide for the advancement of separation science in the future.

“I am deeply honored by both recognitions,” said Karger. “Hungary is historically strong in this scientific field and it is a particular honor to be chosen by fellow scientists in the international scientific community.”

Csaba Horváth was a Hungarian-American chemical engineer, particularly noted for building the first high performance liquid chromatograph. Horváth, an outstanding and longtime member of the Yale University faculty, co-founded the society that eventually became the Connecticut Separation Science Council (CSSC).

The medal named after the late scientist was conceived by him to honor the achievements of fellow researchers in the field.

“Csaba was one of the greatest pioneers of the field of separation science, a personal friend and a great colleague,” noted Karger. “Receiving this award is both a personal and a professional honor for me as many of the achievements I’m being recognized for are results of our collaborations over many years.”

The Csaba Horváth Award Medal is given each year at the CSSC’s annual symposium, organized in conjunction with the Horváth Laboratory of Bioseparation Science at the Leopold-Franzens University in Innsbruck.

Karger gave an award presentation at the 8th Csaba Horváth Medal Award Symposium in Innsbruck, Austria, followed by an inaugural lecture in at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, Hungary. Both events took place in April.