Song Lin, a professor of chemistry in the School of Humanities and Sciences, has been awarded a 2026 MacArthur Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The fellowship recognizes Lin for his frontier research developing electrochemical methods for building large, complex organic molecules. Conventionally, electrochemistry – which employs electricity to drive chemical reactions – is used for applications such as energy storage in batteries and various industrial processes. Lin’s research seeks to bridge electrochemistry and the life sciences, ultimately offering more efficient, sustainable ways to synthetically create drugs.

“Song Lin’s work deepens our understanding of chemical reactions and provides new tools that expand the reach of synthetic chemistry with many applications,” said Debra Satz, the Vernon R. and Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences. “His work is an example of how one can simultaneously advance fundamental and applied research. It is wonderful to see this important work honored with a MacArthur grant.”

Lin’s electrochemical approach is promising in part because of the degree of control it provides to chemists as they seek to construct large molecules. That finesse stems from being able to precisely choose the amount of voltage to apply to an electrode to induce a chemical reaction – a critical capability that Lin has demonstrated through his research. As a result, multi-step reactions normally required to make complicated drug molecules can be honed to one or two steps. Furthermore, electrochemistry allows a more eco-conscious approach to synthesis: Traditional chemical reagents, some of which are hazardous, can be replaced with mild, environmentally friendly ones.

“I am honored and humbled to have received this MacArthur award,” Lin said. “The award is not about just me; it's a group effort. For all my past and current group members, this award really shows the ingenuity and hard work they have put into our research advancing the use of electrochemistry into new areas. Having our research highlighted in this way validates how curiosity-driven, fundamental research can lead to substantial impact in the long term. I'm excited that the award will enable us to continue to pursue the fundamental research we want to do.”

Lin joined the Stanford faculty in July 2026 and was previously affiliated with the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University.

The MacArthur Foundation announced 20 fellows for 2026 across a range of disciplines in science and art. Every year, the foundation recognizes 20 to 30 fellows for their creativity and their potential to make important future advances. The fellows receive an award of $800,000, paid out over five years.