With a broad perspective ranging from pure chemistry to materials engineering, Professor Whitesides has studied key processes by which organic molecules self-assemble on inorganic materials to form ultrathin film structures. Through the systematic investigation of the phenomena that take place on the interface between these materials, he has developed outstanding methods to control and utilize these self-assembly processes. In particular, he has demonstrated through a series of unique experiments that such technology can be used to form nanometer-scale functional materials. These efforts have opened a new domain of research in the field of nanomaterials based on organic molecules and have contributed greatly to the advancement of materials science as a whole.