Professor Shannon S. Stahl

We are delighted to announce that Professor Shannon S. Stahl, affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is the recipient of the 2025 EFCATS Robert K. Grasselli Award for Catalysis. This award aims to recognize outstanding theoretical and experimental contributions in the field of oxidation catalysis that advance our understanding and practice of catalysis during the last five years prior to the year the award is given.

Professor Shannon S. Stahl is a world-renowned leader in oxidation catalysis whose pioneering research has transformed both the scientific understanding and industrial practice of aerobic oxidation. His groundbreaking work has produced field-defining contributions across pharmaceutical synthesis, biomass valorization, plastics upcycling, and electrocatalysis. Prof. Stahl’s development of safe, scalable aerobic oxidation methods has been widely adopted in the pharmaceutical industry, while his innovations in lignin depolymerization and plastic waste oxidation are now enabling sustainable pathways for bio-based chemicals and circular plastics. His research is marked by a rare combination of deep mechanistic insight, interdisciplinary breadth, and practical applicability, consistently bridging fundamental discovery with real-world impact. From organometallic catalysis to heterogeneous and electrochemical systems, Stahl’s work embodies the ideals of sustainable chemistry and stands as a benchmark for scalable, environmentally responsible catalysis.

His exceptional scientific leadership and transformative innovations make him uniquely deserving of the EFCATS Robert K. Grasselli Award for Catalysis.

The award consists of a plaque and an honorarium of EUR 5,000. It will be presented at the EUROPACAT meeting in a special ceremony. The award winner is invited to give a lecture at the meeting of the European Federation of Catalysis Societies (EuropaCat) in 2025.

Congratulations again Professor Stahl for the award!