BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
The Indiana University O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs has created a new prize honoring one of its most distinguished faculty members.
The inaugural Ron Hites Prize in Environmental Science will be awarded in the fall of 2022. The prize was endowed by Prof. Hites, who is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Indiana University, and his family, friends, and colleagues. This endowment coincides with and is in honor of the O’Neill School’s 50th anniversary. Nominations will be open to anyone whose work falls within the broad category of environmental science, and nominations will be solicited beginning in November of 2021.
This prize will be awarded to a scholar whose work has had a transformative impact on environmental science and who has contributed to solving complex environmental challenges. The Ron Hites Prize will allow members of the O’Neill School community to connect with those at the forefront of environmental science.
“Among an elite class of environmental scientists who have taught and carried out research here at the O’Neill School, Prof. Hites stands out as one of the best in our 50-year history,” said Dean Siân Mooney. “Not only has he published six books and more than 500 scholarly articles, Prof. Hites has advised and mentored nearly 100 post-doctoral associates and graduate students over the course of his career. He has paved the way for multiple generations of environmental scientists and chemists to prosper. This award is a fitting tribute to Prof. Hites’ unparalleled legacy, and I look forward to presenting it to our inaugural recipient next year.”
The Ron Hites Prize recipient will be determined by a selection committee comprised of the O’Neill School’s tenured and tenure-track environmental sciences faculty.
The honoree will be invited to Bloomington to deliver a lecture, collaborate with O’Neill School and Indiana University faculty and students, and participate in a reception after the prize is awarded.
Prof. Hites joined the O’Neill School in 1979, after a 15-year tenure at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned his doctorate in analytical chemistry.
He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society, the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received the 1993 Founders Award from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and the 1991 American Chemical Society Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology. He was an associate editor of Environmental Science and Technology from 1990 to 2019. In 1988, Prof. Hites spearheaded the creation of the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) while serving as president of that society.
The Ron Hites Prize in Environmental Science will be the second award named in his honor—the ASMS presents the Ron Hites Award for the outstanding research paper published in its journal every year.
About the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
The O’Neill School is a world leader in public and environmental affairs and is the largest school of public administration and public policy in the United States. In the 2022 "Best Graduate Public Affairs Programs" by U.S. News & World Report, the O'Neill School is one of the top-ranked programs in the country. Five of its specialty programs are ranked in the top-five listings, including top-ranked concentrations in environmental policy and management; nonprofit management; and public finance.