The Struchkov Prize
Professor Yuri T. Struchkov (1926–1995) was a distinguished Russian crystallographer who made major contributions to the structural chemistry of organic and organometallic compounds. He founded and directed the X-Ray Structural Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which became one of the most productive laboratories in small-molecule organic crystallography.
Struchkov served on the IUCr Executive Committee from 1990 to 1993 and was elected IUCr Vice-President at the XVI General Assembly in Beijing in 1993. He died in August 1995 before completing his term.
The Struchkov Prize was established by his friends and former colleagues in 1997 to commemorate his scientific achievements. From 1997 to 2020, it was awarded annually to a scientist under 35 from the Former Soviet Union for outstanding research in X-ray crystallography.
During this period, the Struchkov Prize Association organized 24 annual competitions and awarded almost 30 top prizes and more than 50 secondary prizes. The value of the annual prize fund grew from USD 500 in 1997 to more than USD 5,000 in 2019, with all donations received in each year distributed to that year's winners.
From 2000, the Prize was funded by former colleagues and students of Professor Struchkov, researchers familiar with his work and contributions to chemical crystallography in Russia, and corporate sponsors. Recent Prize laureates also became supporters of subsequent competitions. The Struchkov Prize Association is a non-profit organization registered in the USA.
To ensure the long-term future of the Prize, the Association asked the IUCr to administer it.
IUCr administration and funding
Since 2020, the Struchkov Prize has been administered by the IUCr and awarded every three years at the IUCr Congress and General Assembly, beginning with the 2023 Congress in Melbourne.
Up to three winners may be selected at each Congress. The Struchkov Prize Association has endowed a dedicated Prize Fund. Interest earned by the Fund, together with donations received during each three-year period, is divided equally among the winners. The principal of the Fund cannot be used to supplement the Prize.
The IUCr appoints the selection committee responsible for reviewing nominations and choosing the recipients.
To support the continuation of the Struchkov Prize, donations can be made using the button below.
Eligibility and selection
The Struchkov Prize recognizes outstanding achievements in the application of small-molecule X-ray diffraction methods in chemistry, crystal chemistry or materials science.
- Nominees must be under 35 years of age at the nomination deadline.
- Up to three recipients may receive the Prize at each IUCr Congress.
- Nominees must be registered in the World Directory of Crystallographers.
- Winners are selected by a committee appointed by the IUCr.
