EAS 2026 Preview: The Award Winners

One of the most central aspects to the Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) technical program are the conference-specific awards given out and subsequent lectures from the awardees. Thus far, EAS has announced six award winners that will be recognized at the conference.

In this article, we recognize the award winners that will be honored at the upcoming conference.

To start, Professor Richard van Breemen will be recognized as the recipient of the 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry. He is a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Oregon State University, where he also serves on the faculty of the Linus Pauling Institute and is a founding member of the Global Hemp Innovation Center.¹ A recognized expert in natural products and mass spectrometry (MS), van Breeman’s research focuses on affinity selection–MS for drug discovery, cancer prevention, neurodegenerative disease, and botanical dietary supplements.¹ He has pioneered innovative screening techniques, published more than 400 scientific works, mentored over 80 trainees, and received numerous honors recognizing his outstanding contributions to analytical science, pharmacognosy, and natural products research.¹

Next, Robert W. Schurko, a professor of chemistry at Florida State University and Director of the NMR/MRI User Program at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, will be recognized as the recipient of the 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Magnetic Resonance. An internationally recognized leader in solid-state NMR, Schurko has pioneered ultra-wideline methods and pulse sequences that expand the study of challenging nuclei across the periodic table.² His research has transformed applications in materials science, inorganic chemistry, and pharmaceuticals.² Schurko has authored more than 165 publications and received numerous honors for his sustained innovations in magnetic resonance spectroscopy.²

David Bell was announced as the winner of the 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Separation Science. Bell has spent more than three decades advancing chromatography through research, innovation, and scientific leadership. He serves as Director of Applied R&D at Phiex Technologies and leads ASKkPrime, LLC, supporting the development of new separation technologies.³ His career includes leadership roles at Restek Corporation and MilliporeSigma, following a decade in pharmaceutical analytical development.³ Bell is also a columnist and editorial board member for LCGC International, with more than 95 publications and numerous presentations at scientific conferences worldwide.

Next, the 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Mass Spectrometry will be awarded to Professor Joshua Coons of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Morgridge Institute for Research. Coons develops advanced chemical instrumentation for biological research. He co-invented electron transfer dissociation (ETD), a landmark MS technique, and has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers.⁴ His achievements have earned major honors, including the American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) Biemann Medal and the ACS Chemical Instrumentation Award, while his mentorship has shaped dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.⁴

Meanwhile, Brooke W. Kammrath, a professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven and Co-Executive Director of the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, has been announced as the recipient of the 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Vibrational Spectroscopy. A certified criminalist and consulting expert witness, she serves in leadership roles with the Eastern Analytical Symposium, Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and Coblentz Society.⁵ Kammrath is also an associate editor, prolific author, and co-editor of several forensic spectroscopy books.⁵ Her extensive contributions include more than 30 journal articles, numerous book chapters, and over 100 conference presentations.⁵

Professor Xin Yan, an associate professor of chemistry at Texas A&M University and the Ray A. Rothrock ’77 Faculty Research Fellow, has been announced as the winner of the 2026 EAS Young Investigator Award.⁶ After earning her Ph.D. at Purdue University under Graham Cooks and completing postdoctoral research with Richard Zare at Stanford, she joined Texas A&M in 2018. Her research advances reactive microdroplet mass spectrometry (MS), lipidomics, and transition metal catalysis. Yan has received numerous honors during her career thus far, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, the National Institute of Health (NIH) Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award, the Sloan Research Fellowship, the American Society of Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) Research Award, and multiple awards recognizing both her research and teaching excellence.⁶

References

1. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-award-outstanding-achievements-field-analytical-chemistry/ (accessed July 21, 2026).
2. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Magnetic Resonance. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-award-for-outstanding-achievements-in-magnetic-resonance/ (accessed July 21, 2026).
3. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Separation Science. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-award-for-outstanding-achievements-in-separation-science/ (accessed July 21, 2026).
4. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Mass Spectrometry. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-award-for-outstanding-achievements-in-mass-spectrometry/ (accessed July 21, 2026).
5. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Vibrational Spectroscopy. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-award-outstanding-achievements-vib-spec/ (accessed July 21, 2026).
6. Eastern Analytical Symposium, 2026 EAS Young Investigator Award. EAS, 2026. https://eas.org/eas-young-investigator-award/ (accessed July 21, 2026).