West Lafayette grad awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry

‘Incredible,’ Moungi Bawendi’s high school chemistry teacher says, as West Side ’78 grad one of three to get Nobel for work with quantum dots, key in development of computer screens, medical equipment

Moungi Bawendi. (Photo provided, via West Lafayette schools)

The phone was ringing early Wednesday morning at the home of Jim Guy, former West Lafayette High School chemistry teacher and namesake for the school’s recently built academic wing.

All the calls came with the news: One of his former students, Moungi Bawendi – an MIT researcher and West Side grad, class of ’78 – was one of three scientists awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work in the field of quantum dots.

“Incredible,” Guy said. “We had so many kids who did very, very well. There were so many great ones. … I’m very excited about this. For Moungi, but also for West Lafayette schools.”

The Nobel, announced Wednesday morning, went to Bawendi; Louis Brus, a professor at Columbia University; and Alexei Ekimov, who is with Nanocrystals Technology Inc. in New York.