▁subject ▁was ▁Phot opro cess es ▁in ▁Metal - Cont aining ▁M ole cules . ▁At ▁Cal tech , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁Herbert ▁New by ▁Mc Co y ▁Award . ▁ ▁Massachusetts ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁Wright on ▁joined ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁of ▁the ▁chem istry ▁department ▁at ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁professor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁associate ▁professor ▁and ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁full ▁professor ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁Wright on ▁held ▁the ▁Frederick ▁G . ▁Key es ▁Chair ▁in ▁Chem istry ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁newly ▁end owed ▁C iba - Ge ig y ▁Chair ▁in ▁Chem istry . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁ ▁Mac Ar thur ▁Foundation ▁" gen ius ▁grant ." ▁ ▁Wright on ' s ▁research ▁interests ▁are ▁centered ▁on ▁phot och em istry ▁and ▁transition ▁metal ▁catal ysis , ▁and ▁include ▁surface ▁chem istry , ▁mole cular ▁electron ics ▁and ▁phot opro cess es ▁at ▁electro des . ▁His ▁goals ▁include ▁understanding ▁the ▁basic ▁principles ▁underlying ▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁solar ▁energy ▁to ▁chemical ▁fu els ▁and ▁electric ity , ▁creating ▁new ▁catal yst s , ▁studying ▁chemical ▁activity ▁at ▁interfaces , ▁and ▁developing ▁new ▁electro - chem ical ▁devices . ▁ ▁Wright on ▁has ▁carried ▁out