Chemist Zhang Lina became the first Chinese scientist to win the Anselme Payen Award, a prestigious chemistry award, for her contributions to the science and chemical technology of cellulose and its allied products.

Zhang's daughter, Dr. Du Wenzheng, accepted the award on behalf of her mother from Alfred French, chairman of the American Chemical Society's Cellulose and Renewable Materials Division, at a ceremony held in San Diego on Tuesday.

"It is not only my personal honor but also the honor of Wuhan University. It is also a recognition of the achievements made by Chinese chemists," Zhang, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reasons, said, addressing the ceremony via video.

Zhang, a professor at Wuhan University in central China's Hubei Province, has devoted herself to basic and applied research on biomass natural polymeric material science.

She and her team have successfully created useful materials out of agricultural waste such as bagasse, crab shells and bean dregs through polymer physics and green technologies.

Zhang, also an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, is the first Chinese scientist to win the annual award since it was established in 1962 to honor outstanding professional contributions to the science and chemical technology of cellulose and its allied products.

The award is named for Anselme Payen, a French chemist who first discovered cellulose.

(Xinhua News Agency March 29, 2012)