Harris Award

Milton Harris Award in Basic Research

The purpose of the Harris award is to recognize exceptional achievement in basic research by honoring an outstanding faculty member in the College of Science. Special consideration is given to recent research that was carried out at OSU and that will have a significant impact on its field. The recipient of the Harris award not only receives a monetary award, but also is given the opportunity to present a public lecture that highlights his or her research.

This award was endowed by G. Milton Harris, a Portland native who received his bachelor's degree in 1926 from OSU and his PhD from Yale. He was a pioneer in polymer, fiber and textile science and was founder and for many years president of Harris Research laboratories which later became part of Gillette. His distinguished career in chemistry included service with the National Bureau of Standards and five years as the chair of the American Chemical Society.

Dr. Harris and his family were, and are, devoted supporters of higher education, and have supported scholarships, awards, and faculty positions in science and engineering at OSU. Milton Harris was the holder of 35 patents, among other things, for polymer-coated razor blades, permanent press treatment of wool and wrinkle-resistant cotton finishing.

Extended Information (PDF)

Previous Award Winners

Harold Evans, Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, 1983
Richard Morita, Microbiology, 1984
Victor Madsen, Physics, 1985
Curtis Johnson, Jr., Biochem. & Biophysics, 1986
James White, Chemistry, 1987
Michael Schimerlik, Biochem. & Biophysics, 1988
John Gardner, Physics, 1989
Dennis Hruby, Microbiology, 1990
Steven J. Gould, Chemistry, 1991
David W. Barnes, Biochem. & Biophysics, 1992
William G. Dougherty, Microbiology, 1993
Frank Moore, Zoology, 1994
Andrew Blaustein, Zoology, 1995
Jon A. Kimerling, Geosciences, 1996
Daniel J. Arp, Botany & Plant Pathology, 1997
Arthur W. Sleight, Chemistry, 1998
John A. Ruben, Zoology, 1999
Pui Shing Ho, Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2000
Andrew Karplus, Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2001
Peter U. Clark, Geosciences, 2002
Steve Giovannoni, Microbiology, 2003
Dawn Wright, Geosciences, 2005
Edward Waymire, Mathematics, 2006