WSU chemistry chair and AVP for research and innovation named fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry

Dr. Matthew J. Allen, chair of Wayne State's Department of Chemistry, has been named a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, one of the highest distinctions awarded by the world's oldest chemical society.

The Royal Society of Chemistry awards the fellow designation to members who have demonstrated at least five years of senior leadership and significant contribution to the chemical sciences.

Fellows are recognized for their experience, expertise and commitment to advancing the field across research, industry and education.

"I am honored to be recognized by the Royal Society of Chemistry," said Dr. Allen. "This recognition reflects the collective efforts of the outstanding students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty colleagues, and collaborators who have contributed to our research over the years. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to pursue scientific discovery alongside them. It is also a reflection of the outstanding research environment that we continue to build at Wayne State."

Dr. Allen earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before joining Wayne State as an assistant professor in 2008. His research sits at the intersection of inorganic chemistry, organic synthesis and biology, with a research program focused on lanthanide chemistry, molecular imaging, contrast agents for MRI, and translational inorganic chemistry. He has chaired WSU's Department of Chemistry since 2016, during which time the department's National Science Foundation research ranking climbed from 100th to 54th.

In addition to leading the department, Dr. Allen serves as Wayne State's assistant vice president for research and innovation, supporting research centers and institutes with strategic planning, leading campus engagement on federal funding initiatives and serving as a thought leader and deputy to the vice president for research and innovation.