The following is from the nomination letters.

Prof. Shakhashiri is a long-time leader in the ACS Division of Chemical Education. He has served as Division Chair (1981), BCCE chair (1976), organized an impressive number of CHED symposia and delivered invited plenary talks at numerous BCCE and many national meetings (30+), and authored contributed papers at national and regional meetings (40+). Some examples since 2010: Communicating Chemistry: Demonstrations in the Classroom and Beyond, 2010 BCCE, University of North Texas; Communicating Chemistry and Public Engagement: Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of National Chemistry Week, 2012 ACS Fall National Meeting, Philadelphia; A New Vision of Chemistry Graduate Education, 2013 Spring National Meeting, New Orleans) that illustrate the far-reaching ideas he brought to his CHED colleagues.

He has founded, chaired, and/or served on these CHED committees:

• Program Committee (1971-1975), Chair (1974)
• Teaching of Chemistry Committee (1974-1977)
• Founding Chair, Biennial Conference Coordination & Planning Committee (1976-1979)
• Nominating Committee (1977)
• Board of Publications (1980-1982)
• Executive Committee (1980-1982)
• Society Committee on Chemical Education (1981-1984)
• Membership Committee (1981-1983)
• ACS Task Force on the Future of Chemical Education (1982-1983)

His leadership with the Division includes major contributions to the inclusion of high school chemistry teachers in all aspects of the Divisional programs, expansion of the Divisional work with 2YC3, securing improved relationships with the ACS Education Division, SOCED, NSTA, and other professional organizations. He was instrumental in establishing the position of secondary school editor in the Journal of Chemical Education. In 1977 he and Prof. J.J. Lagowski were the two finalists to succeed W.T. Lippincott as editor of the Journal of Chemical Education. He received the ACS Award in Chemical Education (1986.)

This work with the Division and its members greatly influenced his decision to establish the Institute for Chemical Education (1983) and serve as its first director. The Institute for Chemical Education remains a national leader in materials development work and as a dissemination center for improving the quality of chemistry education at all levels.

During his service as the NSF Assistant Director for Science and Engineering Education (1984-1990) he remained involved in programming efforts of the Division at national ACS meetings and international IUPAC meetings.