Professor Robert M. Waymouth of Stanford University and Dr. James L. Hedrick of the IBM Almaden Research Center in the Academic Category for developing a broad class of highly active, environmentally benign organic catalysts for synthesizing biodegradable and biocompatible plastics.

Professor Geoffrey W. Coates of Cornell University in the Academic Category for developing a new family of catalysts that can effectively and economically turn carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into valuable polymers.

Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc., of Bolingbrook, Ill., in the Small Business category for their groundbreaking work using metathesis catalysis to produce high-performing, green specialty chemicals at advantageous costs from renewable oils.

Codexis, Inc., of Redwood City, Calif., and Professor Yi Tang of the University of California, Los Angeles, in the Greener Synthetic Pathways Category. Simvastatin is an important drug for treating high cholesterol. Professor Tang discovered a new way to greatly streamline the process of manufacturing simvastatin, thereby reducing waste. His approach also uses a low-cost feedstock. Codexis optimized the process, and to date has manufactured more than 10 metric tons of simvastatin.

Cytec Industries, Inc., of Woodland Park, N.J., in the Greener Reaction Conditions Category. The electrochemical production of alumina requires enormous amounts of energy, further compromised by scale buildup that depletes production efficiency. Cytec has developed a scale inhibitor that permits continued production and reduced need for sulfuric acid cleaning.

Buckman International Inc., of Memphis, Tenn., in the Design of Greener Chemicals Category for developing new enzymes that allow for the production of paper and paperboard with improved strength and quality.