Chemistry professor Osvaldo Gutierrez was recently awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), by President Biden. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers.
Gutierrez, an alumnus of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, rejoined the department as a faculty member on January 1st, 2025. Gutierrez will continue his research focused on using a mechanistically guided approach to design and develop new catalytic and environmentally friendly chemical transformations. In addition to his contributions to the development of new iron-based catalysts to make cheaper medicines during his career, he has been an ambassador for promoting more welcoming environments in STEM, which he plans to continue at UCLA.
As part of that mission, Gutierrez also serves as the inaugural Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) Senior Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Faculty Director for UCLA.