Between 1954 and 2020, the Bourke Award enabled distinguished scientists from overseas to lecture in the UK in the field of physical chemistry or chemical physics. In 2020, as part of a series of changes introduced following an independent review of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s recognition programmes, this award merged with the Liversidge Award to form the new Bourke-Liversidge Award, to recognise excellence by a mid-career researcher in any aspect of physical chemistry.
The award was named after Lieutenant Colonel John Bourke (1865-1933), one of the benefactors of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Bourke became a founding member of the Faraday Society in 1903, which later became the Faraday Division.
Bourke Award Winners
- 2020 - Professor Sharon Hammes-Schiffer
- 2019 - Professor David Beratan
- 2018 - Professor Daniel Neumark
- 2017 - Professor Kieron Burke
- 2016 - Professor Laura Gagliardi
- 2015 - Professor Lyndon Emsley
- 2014 - Professor Ann McDermott
- 2013 - Professor Bert Weckhuysen
- 2012 - Professor Gregory Scholes
- 2011 - Professor Mark Ratner
- 2010 - Professor Michael Bowers
- 2009 - Professor Dr Gerard Meijer
- 2008/09 - Thomas Rizzo
- 2008 - Professor Ole Mouritsen
- 2007 - Professor George C Schatz
- 2006 - Professor Christian Amatore
- 2005 - Dr Marsha Lester
- 2004 - Dr Paul D Lett
- 2003 - Professor D Andelman
- 2002 - Professor D A Nesbitt
- 2001 - Dr Ewine F van Dishoeck
- 2000 - Professor C Wittig
- 1999 - D Frenkel
- 1998 - Dr Terry A Miller
- 1997 - R A van Santen
- 1996 - K Showalter
- 1995 - S R Leone
- 1994 - D M Kolb
- 1993 - H Lekkerkerker
- 1992 - R Saykally
- 1991 - G Ertl
- 1990 - K Morokuma
- 1989 - D H Levy
- 1988 - A Pines
- 1987 - M Quack
- 1986 - L Monnerie
- 1985 - D Chandler
- 1984 - V Ponec
- 1983 - E Hirota
- 1982 - E C M Clementi
- 1981 - R M Hochstrasser
- 1980 - A Zecchina
- 1979 - O Kedem
- 1978 - A Dymanus
- 1977 - R G Gordon
- 1976 - P G De Gennes
- 1975 - P Pimental
- 1974 - J Jortner
- 1973 - B Baranowski
- 1972 - I Prigogine
- 1971 - H Wolf
- 1970 - E U Franck
- 1968/69 - W Klemperer
- 1967 - D R Herschbach, G Wilse Robinson
- 1966 - S Sadron, H M McConnell
- 1965 - H Gerischer
- 1964 - S A Rice
- 1963 - A M Liquori, V L Talrose
- 1962 - M Eigen, J H van der Waals
- 1961 - H S Johnston
- 1960 - H J Bernstein, A Perterlin
- 1959 - R Gomer, V V Voevodsky
- 1958 - W H Stockmauer, R H Stokes
- 1957 - A J Rutgers, W Jost
- 1956 - J J Hermans
- 1955 - Professor D F Hornig
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