Jerrold Meinwald

Jerrold Meinwald was the Goldwin Smith Professor of Chemistry Emeritus at Cornell University, where his research spanned a wide range of topics in organic chemistry and chemical ecology. His most recent research explored the chemistry of spider venoms, insect defensive chemistry, chemical communication, and plant-insect interactions. In addition to his research, he assisted in the establishment of chemical ecology/biodiversity-oriented research centers in Kenya, Costa Rica, Germany, and Brazil. He co-chaired the Academy’s study on Science in the Liberal Arts Curriculum. He was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and of the American Philosophical Society. His awards included the 2013 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry, given by the Franklin Institute, and the 2014 Nakanishi Prize, given by the Chemical Society of Japan. Meinwald served as Secretary for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Co-chair of its Committee on Studies.