08/26/2025

Alexei Demchenko, Ph.D., chemistry department chair, has been named an American Chemical Society Fellow for 2025.

ACS fellows are members of the society who have “shown outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the chemistry profession, and the society.” This year, 36 members were named.

"This ACS Fellow membership is a well-deserved recognition,” said Gregory Tripplet, Ph.D., the Oliver L. Parks Dean of Saint Louis University's School of Science and Engineering. “Alexei's research excellence has set him apart as he now stands with other accomplished fellows. Importantly,  this recognition is another example of SLU's faculty contributions to society.”

Demchenko joined the SLU faculty in 2021. He has spent his career studying glycosciences — the study of sugars and their biological role. Throughout his career, his research has yielded game-changing scientific discoveries, 235 peer-reviewed publications, $13.3 million in federal and private funding, and numerous other honors and awards.

This honor also acknowledges Demchenko’s key roles in integrating research and innovation, mentoring, higher education administration, service, and industry collaboration spanning his 24-year independent career at UMSL and SLU.

“While I am proud of these accomplishments, it is my record of mentoring students and other junior scientists – 177 total – and building inclusive research teams, of which I am most proud, and which speaks to my strengths as a scientist and as a leader,”  Demchenko said. “This recognition goes to all of them. Our research has led to international collaborations around the world and to advancing innovations and discoveries in the growing field of glycoscience.”

The citation announcing his selection cited Demchenko’s work toward “the development of new methods for stereoselective glycosylation and automated technologies for glycan synthesis as well as for distinguished accomplishments in teaching and development of chemistry curricula.”

The citation also noted his work with ACS and the ACS community.  He served as an officer and chair of the American Chemical Society in the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry, and served in a leadership capacity with ACS for 18 years. 

“Through controlled, but transparent leadership, I have led our division to set records for membership; championed partnership with industry and sponsors; invested in excellence; grown resources to strengthen our award endowments; and worked on establishing unprecedented levels of accountability, diversity and transparency,” Demchenko said. “In this role, I served as a champion for helping the division increase equity and inclusion through direct engagement with underrepresented groups across disciplines and diversifying the Executive Committee cabinet.”

Demchenko also served as a member and president of the U.S. Advisory Committee for the International Carbohydrate Symposia.  He currently serves as president of the U.S. Advisory Committee and the National Representative of the USA for the International Carbohydrate Organization (ICO). 

“By working with fellow presidents across the world, I continue to advocate for how the research enterprise can serve as a catalyst for increasing social and economic mobility,” he said. “I leverage my extensive leadership experience with ACS to continuously improve operations and set ambitious goals and targets, while championing equity and inclusion.”