WASHINGTON — Frank N. Jones, professor and director of the National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center at Eastern Michigan University, has been named the recipient of the Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings for 2001. The award is presented annually by the American Chemical Society’s Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE), and recognizes “outstanding contributions to coatings science and technology.” Jones will receive the award at the American Chemical Society’s 222nd Meeting on Aug. 27 in Chicago.

Jones has made significant contributions to the development of environmentally friendly coatings technologies during a 30-year research career. His work includes the development of polymers for high-solids and solventless coatings and the synthesis of innovative oligomers. He also has conducted research leading to greater understanding of chemical reactions involved in the crosslinking of high-solids coatings, and his work has demonstrated that solventless liquid coatings may be commercially feasible for many industrial applications. Other areas of interest for Jones include the study of composition-structure-property relationships in coatings films and surfaces; crosslinkable latexes; the synthesis of nanoparticle latexes with unique properties; and the use of liquid crystalline polymers to enhance coatings film properties.

Jones previously held research and management positions with DuPont Co., Celanese and Cargill Inc. before being named chairman of the Department of Polymers and Coatings at North Dakota State University in 1983. He moved to his current position at Eastern Michigan University in 1990. He delivered the prestigious Mattiello Memorial Lecture of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology in 1995.