Geoffrey W. Coates is a world-renowned chemist and preeminent authority in polymer science and sustainable materials chemistry. He currently holds the distinguished position of Tisch University Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University, representing one of the highest academic honors at the institution. Born in 1966 in Evansville, Indiana, Coates received his B.A. in Chemistry from Wabash College in 1989 and completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Stanford University in 1994 under the guidance of Robert M. Waymouth. Following his doctoral studies, he conducted postdoctoral research with Nobel laureate Robert H. Grubbs at the California Institute of Technology as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow before joining the Cornell faculty in 1997, where he was rapidly promoted to Associate Professor in 2001 and Professor in 2002, ultimately receiving the first Tisch University Professorship in 2008.
Professor Coates has pioneered groundbreaking approaches to polymer synthesis, particularly in developing environmentally benign materials and catalytic processes that transform commodity feedstocks into valuable products. His research laboratory has developed innovative catalysts for olefin polymerization, epoxide copolymerization, and carbon dioxide utilization, with over 300 peer-reviewed publications that have garnered more than 47,000 citations. His work on sustainable polymerization methods has been instrumental in advancing the field of green chemistry, earning him the prestigious Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in 2012 and the ACS Award in Affordable Green Chemistry. Through his scientific cofounding of Novomer, which was later acquired by Danimer Scientific, his research has successfully transitioned from academic discovery to commercial application, demonstrating significant real-world impact in creating sustainable materials.
Beyond his research contributions, Coates has profoundly influenced the chemistry community through his leadership roles and mentorship, serving as Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Chemical Society since 2021 after previously editing Macromolecules for thirteen years. His election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2017 and identification as one of the world's top 100 chemists by Thomson Reuters in 2011 underscore his significant standing in the scientific community. As a scientific cofounder of multiple companies including Ecolectro, Intermix Performance Materials, and Imperion Coatings, he continues to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial applications in sustainable chemistry. Currently focused on developing new methods for reacting commodity feedstocks in unprecedented ways, Professor Coates remains at the forefront of creating polymers that address critical environmental challenges while maintaining the performance characteristics required for widespread adoption.
