• In Memoriam: Professor Emeritus Ronald Ragsdale

  Ronald Ragsdale passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at his home in Draper, Utah. He came as an assistant professor in 1963 and was promoted to full professor in 1972.

• Joel Harris Awarded for Outstanding Achievements by the Eastern Analytical Symposium

  Joel Harris has won the 2019 Eastern Analytical Symposium Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Fields of Analytical Chemistry. The award was presented at this year’s EAS Meeting in Princeton, NJ in November.

• Professor Stang Names as a Fellow of The National Academy of Inventors

  University of Utah distinguished professor of chemistry Peter Stang and professor of pediatrics Anne Blaschke were two of 168 academic inventors named as Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors for 2019. Stang opened pathways in organic chemistry reactions and now explores ways to form molecules into self-assembled geometric shapes. Blaschke played key roles in developing molecular tests for rapidly diagnosing infectious diseases.

• Professor Molinero Among Scientists to Probe the Limits of Ice: a new PNAS Publication

  How small is the smallest possible particle of ice? It’s not a snowflake, measuring at a whopping fraction of an inch. According to new research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the smallest nanodroplet of water in which ice can form is only as big as 90 water molecules—a tenth the size of the smallest virus. At those small scales, according to University of Utah chemistry professor and study co-author Valeria Molinero, the transition between ice and water gets a little frizzy.

• In Memoriam: James Sugihara

  “I have lived by the principle that one ought to give back more than they receive,” said Sugihara in 2018." James M. Sugihara, first Ph.D. recipient at the University of Utah and long-time faculty member in Chemistry, passed away on Nov. 12, 2019. He was 101.

• Professor Shelley Minteer The New Poulter Chair in Biological Chemistry

  The announcement was made last week that Professor Shelley Minteer will be the inaugural chair of the Dale and Susan Poulter Chair in Biological Chemistry.

• Michael Gruenwald Recipient of NSF Early Career Award

  Dr. Gruenwald's research predicting nanocrystal superlattices based on ligand interactions will receive NSF funding over the next five years to carry out his proposed plans to advance his field and educate the next generation of researchers.

• Joel Harris Named ACS Fellow

  University of Utah Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Joel Harris is among the newest fellows of the American Chemical Society. Harris develops methods to image chemical structures and processes. Among his many awards, Harris recently received the Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology in 2016 and the Calvin S. & JeNeal N. Hatch Prize in Teaching in 2019.

• Reid's & Sigman's Paper Published in Nature

  In a new publication in Nature, University of Utah chemists Jolene Reid and Matthew Sigman show how analyzing previously published chemical reaction data can predict how hypothetical reactions may proceed, narrowing the range of conditions chemists need to explore. Their algorithmic prediction process, which includes aspects of machine learning, can save valuable time and resources in chemical research.

• Prof. Ryan Looper Receives Huntsman Presidential Chair

  Professor Ryan Looper is one of six faculty members to receive the Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair, the highest honor for a faculty member. Looper's research aims to develop compounds that can affect cell signals which play roles in diseases including arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

• Cynthia Burrows Receives Endowed Rosenblatt Prize

  Distinguished Professor Cynthia Burrows was awarded the endowed Rosenblatt Prize by President Ruth Watkins "to honor excellence in teaching, research, and administrative efforts, collectively or individually, on behalf of the University.

• Henry White Receives Widtsoe Presidential Endowed Chair

  President Watkins has appointed Distinguished Professor Henry S. White as the holder of the John A. Widtsoe Presidential Endowed Chair in Chemistry, effective July 1, 2019.

• Rachel Cantrell Receives Goldwater Scholarship

  Rachel Cantrell, a junior majoring in chemistry, is pursuing a career as a research professor.

• Dr. Michael Morse Receives Meggers Award

  Professor Michael D. Morse received the William F. Meggers Award for his contributions to spectroscopy via his research focus on the electronic structure of small transition-metal molecules.

• Quah NSF Fellowship

  Tim Quah, a 2019 graduating student, has received a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship for his approaching time at UC-Santa Barbara.

• Graduating Student from Zimbabwe

  Humans of the U featured Chemistry’s Collins Kabaira and his inspiring story about how he overcame all the hurdles that come with immigrating to the U.S. as a young person.

• 43 Years of Teaching Excellence: Harris Awarded Hatch Prize

  Joel Harris was awarded this year's Hatch Prize for his excellent teaching legacy which he continues to cultivate.

• Churchill Scholar

  U Chemistry Student awarded prestigious Churchill Scholarship

• U Chemistry in SPAAAAAAACE!

  Experiment sends engineered plants to International Space Station

• Utah's Most Explosive Holiday Tradition

  Professors Louie and Richmond light up the stage at the Faraday Lecture every year

• Two U professors honored as 2018 AAAS Fellows

  Shelley Minteer has been elected one of the newest Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

• Humans of the U: Craig Hanson

  This Humans of the U story features Craig Hanson: student, veteran, and previous TA of the Year for the Department of Chemistry

• Ethics in Action

  Rodrigo Noriega awarded for keeping ethics at the heart of his courses

• Humans of the U: Ming Hammond

  Ming Hammond, one of the Chemistry Department's newest faculty members, is spotlighted in the @theU feature: Humans of the U

• Simulations enable "choose-your-own-adventure" stereochemistry

  Matt Sigman is developing a way to get a better grasp on the tricky field of stereochemistry

• Climbing to the Top 12

  Luisa Whittaker-Brooks is named one of C&EN's Talented 12

• Electric Achievement in Electrochemistry

  Shelley Minteer wins the 2018 ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Electrochemistry

• ZHAROV AND BARTL MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO NEW $11M RESEARCH CENTER

  Ilya Zharov and Michael Bartl will lead effort to prepare ordered nanoporous materials that will allow studying how fluids interact with porous solids, part of DOE-funded research aimed to improve future production of energy resources.

• How Antifreeze Proteins Stop Ice Cold

  Valeria Molinero shows how antifreeze proteins function in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

• New Endowed Professor

  Valeria Molinero has been named the first Jack and Peg Simons Endowed Professor of Theoretical Chemistry

• Low Energy Photons, High Energy Research

  Luisa Whittaker-Brooks receives Early Career Research Program award from the U.S. Department of Energy

• Committed to Excellence

  Janis Louie receives the 2018-19 College of Science Award for Teaching Excellence

• Hypersonic Heat Solutions

  Scott Anderson's research on ethylene dehydrogenation for use in jet fuel cooling appeared in a recent edition of C&EN.

• International Recognition

  Matt Sigman has been awarded the Humboldt Research Award, given by the Humboldt Foundation of Berlin

• Developing Successful Students

  Peter Flynn receives award from Career and Professional Development Center

• Looking Sharp

  Five chemistry students are recipients of the Suit Up Award, given by Career Services

• Front Page News

  The Molinero Group supplied the cover art for JACS, Volume 140, Issue 14.

• 2018 Goldwater Scholars

  Meet the U of U Chemistry students who received 2018 Goldwater Scholarships!

• Turning Up the Heat

  Peter Armentrout is the recipient of the 2018 Ron Hites Award for his contribution "How Hot Are Your Ions Really? A Threshold Collision-Induced Dissociation Study of Substituted Benzylpyridinium 'Thermometer' Ions"

• The Rewards of Creativity

  Marc Porter is awarded the 2018 University of Utah Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Research Award

• Newest Cottrell Scholar

  Luisa Whittaker-Brooks named one of 2018's Cottrell Scholars

• Student Spotlight

  Rachel Cantrell

• Cover Story

  Professors Statler and Steele contribute the cover art for January 2018's Journal of Chemical Education

• One of the Highest Honors

  Cynthia Burrows is awarded the 2018 Willard Gibbs Medal

• How ice in clouds is born

  Valeria Molinero and Laura Lupi reveal more on the freezing process that occurs in clouds

• Standing Out From The Crowd

  Professor Ryan Steele has been awarded the 2017 PCCP Emerging Investigator Lectureship

• Aiming High for Sustainable Energy

  Professor Luisa Whittaker-Brooks receives the Ovshinsky Sustainable Energy Fellowship

• Shedding Light on Tetracyanoethylene DImerization

  Professor Joel Miller published "Cation Dependence of the Dimerization Enthalpy for A2[tetracyanoethylene]2 (A=NMe4, Mepy, NEt4) Possessing a Long, Multicenter Bond" in Chemistry: A European Journal.

• Bond Energy Breakthrough

  Professor Michael Morse recently reported a method for determining bond dissociation energies in transition metal silicides in a paper in the Journal of Chemical Physics.

• Award for Cynthia Burrows

  Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry Cynthia Burrows has been awarded the 2018 James Flack Norris Award in Physical Organic Chemistry by the American Chemical Society.

• Marc Porter Makes Front Page News

  Professor Marc Porter and his research team made Salt Lake Tribune front page with report on their development of a new liver cancer test.

• PhD Student Harshkumar Patel is a Reaxys Finalist

  PhD student Harshkumar Patel has been chosen as a finalist for the 2017 Reaxys PhD Prize

• Chemistry Cover Art

  Utah chemistry professor provides cover image for EurJIC

• Minteer's Research in C&EN

  Professor Shelley Minteer's research featured in a C&EN article

• PAC12 Lab Conference

  The first-ever PAC12 Lab Managers & Demonstrators Conference

• Cuban Chemist Collaboration

  Cuban Chemists Workshop and Collaboration

• Minteer and Sigman Research in C&EN

  Shelley Minteer and Matthew Sigman's work with RFBs featured in C&EN

• Jen Heemstra Interview with Nature Chemistry

  Professor Jen Heemstra interview featured in Nature Chemistry Blog

• Professor's Work in Forbes

  Recent work by Professor Sigman mentioned in Forbes

• Professor Atwood Awarded

  Butch Atwood Earns CoS Award

• Professor Steele Awarded

  Ryan Steele Earns CoS Award

• ACS Student Chapter in News

  The U of U ACS Student Chapter Spring Festival featured in local news

• Jen Crawford Awarded

  Jen Crawford Awarded NSF Fellowship

• Natascha Knowlton Awarded

  Natascha Knowlton receives UAAC 2017 award

• Chemistry Student Given UROP Award

  Chemistry student Amanda Bischoff is awarded the 2017 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award

• Stabilizing Energy Storage

  University of Utah and University of Michigan chemists improve batteries for renewable energy storage

• Cynthia Burrows Awarded Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology

  Cynthia Burrows has been awarded the 2016 Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology

• Flipping the Switch on Ammonia Production

  Study by Shelley Minteer and postdoctoral scholar Ross Milton featured in UNews.

• Matt Sigman Receives ACS Award

  Matt Sigman Receives ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

• NSF-REU 2017

  Applications are NOW being accepted for our NSF-REU Summer 2017 Program, which runs from May 30th - Aug 4th, 2017.

• Modeling molecules in the Molinero Group

  Computational chemistry allows scientists like Professor Valeria Molinero to do research that might not be possible in a traditional lab.

• Faculty Spotlight: Luisa Whittaker-Brooks

  Luisa Whittaker-Brooks, assistant professor of chemistry, is working on two critical challenges of our time – alternative energy sources and low cost electronics for daily use.

• Faraday Lectures on UEN

  A performance of the Faraday Lecture featuring original duo Dr. Ronald Ragsdale and Dr. Jerry Driscoll will be broadcast on UEN (channel 9) several times this December.

• Coupling phenols and allylic alcohols

  C&EN highlights a JACS paper by the Sigman Group reporting an intermolecular oxa-Heck reaction that allows them to couple phenols with allylic alcohols in an enantioselective manner.

• Work by Heemstra Group Featured on JACS Cover

  The article shows the first example of capture beads having more than one capture sequence, expanding the ability to study genetic variation and differences in gene expression profiles between cell populations.

• Tea Time with Women in STEM

  Undergraduate and graduate women are invited to a monthly gathering to hear stories from successful women in STEM. Career advice and mentorship served with tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and treats!

• Minteer Group creates novel biofuel cell for medical implants

  The new hybrid device combines the best of biofuel cells and supercapacitors to harness energy-dense, abundant glucose.

• Clues in Zika's Genome

  In a study in ACS Infectious Diseases, the Burrows group used G-quadruplexes as genetic landmarks to compare Zika with other related viruses and suggest a possible drug target.

• The Department of Chemistry is Hiring

  Two tenure-track positions in the areas of Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Bioanalytical and/or Biophysical Chemistry are available.

• Undergrads pursue real research in CURE course

  The Advanced Chemical Biology Lab (CHEM 5750) is a course-based undergraduate research experience - a “CURE" - giving students real training in a research lab.

• JPOC Features Jen Heemstra in Early Excellence Profile

  The noncovalent forces that drive molecular recognition and self-assembly of nucleic acids are the key to the fantastic architectures produced by the Heemstra group.

• College of Science Publishes Notebook Magazine

  This issue of Notebook highlights key efforts that demonstrate the College’s strong commitment to student education, scientific discovery, and economic impact in Utah and around the world.

• Janis Louie Competing on 'American Ninja Warrior' - Featured by Salt Lake Tribune

  Janis Louie, professor of chemistry and mother of triplets, isn’t your typical ‘American Ninja Warrior’ contender

• Watch Live Stream of Convocation

  The College of Science Convocation Ceremony will be held on Friday, May 6th at 8am. If you're not able to be there, you can still watch your favorite chemist graduate through our live stream!

• 2016 Distinguished Alumni Awards

  Meet the four alumni honored at our annual Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner - James M. Sugihara, Sung Wan Kim, Jaqueline L. Kiplinger, and Milton L. Lee

• Department Awards Ceremony

  Join us to celebrate the achievements of our students, faculty, and staff. 2pm on Tuesday, April 19th, in 2008 HEB.

• Women in STEM Panel on Wednesday 4/6

  Join us as we aim to increase equality and diversity within the STEM community here at the U through discussion of proactive steps to combat and increase awareness of bias and stereotypes.

• Remembering Charles Price

  Charles Price passed away unexpectedly on March 23. Charles was a first-year graduate student, a promising young scientist, and a friend to many. He will be sorely missed.

• Celebrate U: A Showcase of Extraordinary Faculty Achievements

  Professor Bethany Buck-Koehntop was featured at the event highlighting faculty who reached a pinnacle of professional success in 2015.

• NSF REU: Research Experience for Undergrads

  Join undergraduates from colleges and universities across the United States. Engage in full-time, cutting-edge research on a project of your choice this summer. APPLY BY FEB 7TH.

• Alumna Authors JOC Cover Article

  Judy Zhu (HBS '15) is first author on the current cover article of The Journal of Organic Chemistry. The paper is based on her undergraduate honors thesis.

• Joel Harris Wins Governor's Medal

  Joel Harris was honored with the 2015 Governor's Medal for Science and Technology, along with four other University of Utah awardees.

• Peter Stang Wins Major Chinese Science Award

  Prof. Stang was awarded the highest Chinese honor in science for foreigners, China's International Cooperation Award in Science and Technology, on Jan. 8 in Beijing.

• Antibiofilm Antibiotic Research

  Development of new antibiotics has been dwindling at a time when we need them most, but the Looper Group is working on two promising compounds.

• Distinguished Professor Gary Keck Retiring

  After 39 years at the U, Prof. Gary Keck is retiring. His contributions to synthetic chemistry are among the top in his field. Congratulations Gary!

• A New Way to Find DNA Damage

  Chemists from the Burrows group look for precursors to disease mutations in new study.

• New Lectureship Honors Bob Parry

  To celebrate Bob’s life and career, the Department has endowed the Robert W. Parry Lectureship in Chemistry.

• Meet Natascha Knowlton

  The Department welcomed a new undergraduate academic advisor this semester, alumna Natascha Knowlton (HBS '14).

• New Faculty Member Vahe Bandarian Brings Group to the U

  Bandarian moved his research program from the University of Arizona in July. His research focuses on developing molecular level understanding of biosynthesis of complex natural products.

• KUTV highlights ACS Student Chapter's Event

  The "Chemistry Colors Our World" Festival brought crowds of students to the U to learn about chemistry.