Paul J. Flory-Polymer Education Award
1994
At the POLY Awards Banquet at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, Leo Mandlekern was presented with the
Paul J. Flory-Polymer Education award. The Flory Polymer Education award was established to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding achievements by an individual in promoting undergraduate and/or graduate polymer education. The award was established in 1981 and administered POLY. Some of Leo's accomplishments are summarized below.
Leo has made a number of contributions in the area of polymer education, but the most important of these is probably the training he has given his large group of research students over the last three decades. He has instilled in these students and collaborators the highest standards of scientific investigation, at least in part by his own outstanding example. Another salient aspect of his education activities is his presentation of courses in polymer science, mainly undergraduate and graduate courses given at Florida State University, but also include valuable contributions in the American Chemical Society Short Course Program.
One of Leo's major goals in the educational area has been to convince the academic community of the need to introduce sound, quantitative principles of polymer science throughout the standard undergraduate and graduate chemistry curricula. For example, he has submitted to the Polymer Division a very carefully thought-out proposal for "Polymer Curriculum Development." It was successfully received and is currently being extensively implemented. Specifically, a set of polymer-related experiments is being introduced into an Instrumental Analysis course, which is a standard senior-level course in analytical chemistry.
Leo has served with great distinction on the Polymer Division Education Committee, one of his contributions being to serve as coauthor of the two-part series "Polymer Principles in the Undergraduate Physical Chemistry Course". He himself has published additional articles of this type, and all have been important in documenting the critical importance of polymer subjects in the chemistry curriculum. Finally, Leo has had indirect but very important educational impact through the two books he has published, both well-received. The first, "Crystallization of Polymers", is addressed more to the specialist interested in crystalline polymers. The second, however, is a fascinating introductory text for lower-level undergraduates entitled "An Introduction to Macromolecules", first published in 1972. A revised and expanded edition appeared in 1983.
Out of his broad experience in the field, Leo has achieved a presentation that deals descriptively and in lucid terms with the complete spectrum of polymers ranging from those of commercial interest to biopolymers. It has had a great
nfluence on the teaching of the basic concepts of polymer science, and has received many favorable reviews.
Leo Mandelkern's contributions in undergraduate and graduate education in polymers have been absolutely superb. They have been invaluable to our polymer community for more than thirty years and show no signs of slackening. It is rewarding to polymer scientists world-wide to see contributions such as his recognized by the Paul J. Flory Polymer Education Award.
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