Robert Nelson and Christopher Reddy, both in the Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, ended up recognized for more than 15 years of continuous, high-impact contributions in the field of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, known as GCxGC.
GCxGC is an advanced analytical technique that separates and identifies highly complex mixtures of chemicals with exceptional detail.
Additionally, their work has advanced scientific understanding and informed response strategies for some of the most significant oil spills in recent history.
Covered Major Spills
To that end, those spills included the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, as well as spills in San Francisco, Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, and California, and internationally in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Korea, and Japan.
“As an oceanographer, I am particularly proud that this award is selected by, and presented to, analytical chemists – a field dedicated to advancing how chemicals are measured,” Reddy said. “It is a tremendous honor to have our work recognized by this community.”
“What is especially meaningful to me is that Chris and I worked so closely together – often on site collecting samples on boats and beaches, analyzing them, and writing about the results,” Nelson added. Furthermore, “this award reflects not just our technical work, but a long-term partnership forged in the field and in the lab.”
w/art: WHOI Marine Chemists Robert Nelson, right, and Christopher Reddy, left, earned the 2026 Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award by the International Symposium on Comprehensive Multidimensional Chromatography.
Source: Daniel Cojanu, Undercurrent Productions, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award for GCxGC Research is one of the highest honors bestowed by the GCxGC community, recognizing sustained innovation and impact in analytical chemistry and separation science.
Nelson and Reddy will receive the award at the 44th International Symposium on Capillary Chromatography & 21st GCxGC Symposium in Riva del Garda, Italy, this spring.