I don't personally know him, nor ever heard of him, but a local Purdue U. professor won the Nobel Prize for chemistry. The Lafayette (IN) area is all abuzz over this honor.
Last year, a professor from my alma mater (Indiana U.) won a Nobel Prize in economics, so our pathetic state (ranking 45th in college graduates) has something to brag about two years in a row.
The winner is a 75 yr old Japanese native, Ei-ichi Negishi. His expertice comes in the field of organic chemistry, specifically finding new ways to bond carbon atoms--methods now widely used for medicines, in agriculture and in electronics. He's been at Purdue for nearly 50 years and is well liked by his students.
Congratulations Professor Negishi! You've made our community proud.
Many congratulations to the recipient of this honour