In 1968, the American Chemical Society awarded the Priestley Medal to William G. Young “to recognize distinguished services to chemistry,” the Society’s most prestigious award.

Over the past few decades, Bill Young in his own quiet, almost unassuming, way has managed to leave his mark on chemical education—first as a teacher and more recently as an administrator. He was honored for his contributions to chemical education in 1962, when he won the ACS Award in Chemical Education sponsored by the Scientific Apparatus Makers Association. The year before, the ACS Southern California Section had recognized Dr. Young’s broad accomplishment in chemistry by awarding him the Richard C. Tolman medal.