World-leading chemist San Thang, who attracted headlines late last year after CSIRO made him redundant the very month he was named a frontrunner for the prestigious Nobel Prize in chemistry, has been elected a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science.

Dr Thang, who fled Vietnam as a 24-year-old refugee, is one of 21 new fellows who will be admitted at a ceremony in Canberra on Monday.

CSIRO researchers Dr San Thang (right) with Dr Ezio Rizzardo Credit:Eddie Jim

"I'm so pleased and so proud," he said.

Dr Thang, 60, joins his long-time collaborators and fellow organic chemists Ezio Rizzardo and Graeme Moad as fellows of the Australian Academy of Science.