Academician Shie-Ming Peng has been awarded the Luigi Tartufari International Prize in Chemistry by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (Italian National Academy of Science) along with Italian chemist Professor Luisa De Cola. Dr. Peng will receive the award at a prize ceremony on June 26 at the headquarters of the Academy in Rome.

         The Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei is the most prestigious Italian and oldest European science academy. It was founded in 1603 in Rome and gained its reputation in part by publishing the books of one of its early members, Galileo Galilei. As the most high­ranking cultural institution in Italy, it functions as an official advisor to the Italian president on issues related to sciences and culture.

         The Academy presents the Luigi Tartufari prizes to eminent international and Italian scholars. Scholars can be nominated by one of the ordinary members of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei or the Presidents of the Italian and international academies of sciences. This year four prizes in Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences worth 25,000 euros each will be awarded.

         Academician Peng (Academician since 1998) was a vice president of Academia Sinica from 2011 until February 2014. He is an expert in inorganic chemistry and crystallography who is particularly noted for his work in the synthesis and structure of transition metal complexes. In recent years, Academician Peng has dedicated himself to research into the synthesis of molecular metal wires. His highly innovative and pioneering designs hold promise for use in several applications.