The North Carolina Local Section of the American Chemical Society (NC-ACS) has established Dr. Bhaskar R. Venepalli Award for Distinguished Speaker of the Year in honor of the Indian American innovative entrepreneur and scientist.
This follows creation of a new perpetual endowment fund dedicated to supporting the annual award recognizing outstanding contributors to the chemical sciences who deliver the keynote address at the local section’s annual meeting, according to a press release.
In recognition of a significant foundational donation that ensures the award’s continued legacy, the NC-ACS has officially renamed this prestigious honor to the “Dr. Bhaskar R. Venepalli Award for Distinguished Speaker of the Year.”
This generous endowment, fully supported by Dr. Bhaskar R. Venepalli, ensures the permanent future of the award, allowing the NC-ACS to increase the annual honorarium and expand opportunities for soliciting and celebrating the most distinguished scientific communicators in the region.
READ: Indian American Karthik Nayani receives $500,000 NSF CAREER Award (
The new name honors Venepalli, whose profound impact has been felt across both the local and national levels of the American Chemical Society. The award will be presented annually at the NC-ACS local section conference.
Dr. Venepalli served the NC-ACS local section with distinction, including as Chair in 2019. His commitment to the chemical sciences was further recognized by the National ACS when he was named an ACS Fellow in 2017. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Marcus E. Hobbs Award (2022) and the Henry F. Whalen, Jr. Award from the ACS Division of Business Development & Management (BMGT) (2025).
“We are incredibly grateful for Dr. Venepalli’s generous and forward-thinking gift. This endowment secures the future of our most distinguished speaking award and allows us to elevate its recognition,” said Michael David, Chair of the NC-ACS Local Section. “Renaming the award in his honor is a fitting tribute to a leader whose service, mentorship, and enthusiasm for the chemical sciences have shaped our section for years.”
READ: Gayatri Datar wins Stanford President’s Award for 2025 (
Sharing his motivation for establishing the endowment, Venepalli said, “It is a privilege to give back to the scientific community that has given me so much, and particularly to the North Carolina Local Section of the ACS. Mv hope is that the ‘Dr. Bhaskar R. Venepalli Award for Distinguished Speaker of the Year’ will inspire more scientists to embrace communication, leadership, and service, ensuring the vital dissemination of chemical knowledge for generations to come.”
The award seeks to recognize a distinguished speaker who embodies Dr. Venepalli’s passion for science, integrity, and excellence in communication. It’s given to an individual who has inspired and educated the community with exemplary presentation skills, fostering Dr. Venepalli’s legacy of collaboration, engagement, and clear dissemination of knowledge.
The NC-ACS Local Section is a regional chapter of the American Chemical Society, dedicated to advancing the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.