In alphabetical order, the winners are:

Thomas Dick for the paper entitled "Computational Modeling of Brine to aid CO2 Sequestration Research". Co-authors on the paper are Pranav Dalal and Jeffry Madura. Mr. Dick is a graduate student in Prof. Madura's labs in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.

Benoit Leblanc for the paper entitled “Mixing Monte Carlo moves more efficiently with an evolutionary algorithm”. Co-authors on the paper are Herve Toulhoat, Bertrand Braunschweig, and Evelyne Lutton. The work is the fruit of a collaboration between the French Petroleum Institute (IFP) and the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et Automatique (INRIA). Mr. Leblanc is advised by his co-authors.

Viera Lukacova for the paper entitled "Implementation of Multiple Binding Modes in CoMFA". Ms. Lukacova's co-author on the paper is Stefan Balaz. Ms. Lukacova is a graduate student in Prof. Stefan Balaz' labs in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, at North Dakota State University.

Sabine Schefzick for the paper entitled "Theoretical Ligand Distortions in Chiral Catalysts: Can molecular deformations enhance a catalyst's chirality content?". Co-author on the paper is Prof. Kenny Lipkowitz. Ms. Schefzick is a graduate student in Prof. Lipkowitz' labs in the Department of Chemistry at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI) in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Xuelin Wang for the paper entitled "Error Analysis in Density Functional Theory: Atomization Energies." Co-authoring the paper is Prof. Angela K. Wilson. Mr. Wang is a graduate student in Prof. Wilson's labs in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Texas, in Denton, TX.

The CCG Excellence Awards have been created to stimulate graduate student participation in COMP Division activities (symposia and poster sessions) at ACS National Meetings. Winners will receive a one-year software license of CCG's MOE (Molecular Operating Environment) for their academic research groups, in addition to travel costs associated with attending an ACS National Meeting to present their research.

Awardees are chosen on the basis of the quality and significance of the research to be presented and the strength of the supporting materials.

Please join us in congratulating the winners of the CCG Excellence Awards for the Chicago ACS Meeting. We will present the awards at the COMP Poster Session (Tuesday Evening in McCormick Place South). Applications for the next round of CCG Excellence Awards will be accepted shortly.

Application for these awards is a two-step process. First, one must submit an abstract through the ACS OASYS system for online paper submissions. Secondly, an application for the Award must be submitted to the Treasurer of the COMP division for consideration.

Deadlines for these two steps are different to allow graduate students time to compile the additional paperwork needed to complete the application. Deadlines for the 2002 Fall National Meeting to be held in Boston, MA, will be announced shortly. Online submission of abstracts to the Boston Meeting will be opened sometime in mid-March and close at midnight eastern time on Monday April 1, 2002. The website will be www.acs.org/meetings/boston2002. Supporting materials must include an extended 1-2 page abstract for your paper along with a letter of support from your research advisor, a two-page CV and a personal statement. Deadline for supporting information will be announced after the Orlando National Meeting is completed. All graduate students are encouraged to submit applications for the Awards. Students from the same research group are encouraged to apply. Students from research groups that have won awards at previous ACS meetings are also encouraged to submit applications. Awards will be given only to those individuals making presentations, and not co-authors.

Send all application materials to: Prof. Curt M. Breneman; Treasurer, ACS COMP Division; RPI Department of Chemistry; 110 8th St.; Troy, NY 12180