ANNOUNCEMENT:
2025 Wake Forest University Chemistry Department Young Alumni Award
Alec H. Christian, Ph.D.
The winner of the 2025 Young Alumni Award is Dr. Alec H. Christian. Congratulations to him! In just over a decade since he graduated from Wake Forest with a BS in Chemistry with Honors (‘14), Alec has gone on to establish his reputation as a leader in innovation and service in the field of medicinal chemistry while also maintaining a strong connection to Wake Forest, helping with student recruitment and
mentorship. As an undergraduate student at Wake, Alec was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa National Honors Society and a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. He conducted undergraduate research mentored by Dr. Paul Jones, culminating in the successful defense of his honors thesis entitled: “Dynamic Kinetic Resolution via Electrocyclization.” Alec’s academic excellence and commitment to the life of the
Chemistry Department were recognized by numerous undergraduate awards during his time at Wake, including the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry and Division of Organic Chemistry awards, and the John W. Nowell Award in Undergraduate Chemistry. For graduate studies, Alec received the Chancellor’s Fellowship to attend the University of California – Berkeley, where he went on to be awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award and the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship en route to completing his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (“Classical
and Modern Physical Organic Approaches for Developing and Understanding Reactivity
in Gold(I) Catalysis and Methionine Bioconjugation”) in 2019, advised by F. Dean Toste.
Upon graduation, Alec decided to pursue a career in medicinal chemistry, joining Merck Research Laboratories (Boston, MA) in 2019, where he is now a key contributor on neuroscience, oncology, and immunology programs, and serves as co-lead for Merck’s Chemistry Division External Engagement Team, working on successful initiatives for inclusive recruiting and outreach. Even since entering the private sector, Alec has continued to expand his impressive record of patents, peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals such as Science and Nature, and invited presentations at national conferences.
Dr. Alec Christian’s truly remarkable contributions to the field of medicinal chemistry reflect his commitment to Wake’s motto, Pro Humanitate, and we are so grateful to call him a Friend of Chemistry!
About this award:
Since 2014, the Wake Forest Department of Chemistry and the Wake Forest Friends of Chemistry alumni group have sponsored two alumni awards, a Young Alumni Award and a Distinguished Alumni Award:
The Young Alumni Award – presented annually – honors Chemistry alumni under the age of 40, who have significantly contributed to any facet of the chemical sciences and continue to exemplify WFU’s commitment to excellence in their contributions.
The Distinguished Alumni Award – presented every other year – honors Chemistry alumni for their preeminent contributions and service to the advancement of any facet of the chemical sciences and who have a sustained and enduring record of achievement,
recognized nationally or internationally, and who continue to exemplify WFU’s commitment to excellence in their contributions.