David Flaherty, a professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is winner of the 2026 Paul H. Emmett Award in Fundamental Catalysis.

The award recognizes and encourages individual contributions in the field of catalysis with emphasis on discovery and understanding of catalytic phenomena, proposal of catalytic reaction mechanisms, and identification of and description of catalytic sites and species.

The award, which includes $5,000 and is presented to two winners every two years, is sponsored by WR Grace & Co and managed by the North American Catalysis Society. 

Flaherty will receive the honor at the 2025 North American Meeting of the Catalysis Society in June 2025. He will also present a plenary lecture at the meeting. 

“This is wonderful recognition of the thought, effort, and achievements of the talented members of my research group. I am humbled to be selected for the Emmett Award, especially considering the size of the catalysis community and the many deserving individuals.”

Flaherty, who holds the Thomas C. DeLoach Jr. endowed professorship at Georgia Tech, is recognized for his research group’s discovery of new catalytic phenomena; molecular descriptions of catalytic mechanisms; development of incisive methods to interrogate active sites and reactive intermediates; and creation of improved catalysts for relevant reactions.

His group has made discoveries and advanced understanding of complex phenomena that govern catalysis, including at dynamic interfaces between solids and liquids. These contributions involved precise synthesis of materials, detailed characterization of catalysts, quantitative and rigorous analysis of kinetic measurements, and use of novel spectroscopy and probe methods.

“These achievements demonstrate his ability to identify important questions, distill complex ideas to clear hypotheses, and pioneer experimental methods,” according to the society’s award announcement.