News

Congratulations to Chemistry Department alumni Jiuyun Shi, PhD’23 (Bozhi Tian Group), and Nan Li, PhD’23 (Sihong Wang Group), for being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list!

A new study uses data collected by the South Pole Telescope to deepen our understanding of how the universe was born and evolved.

Thanks to a new investment, researchers will leverage the Aurora exascale supercomputer at Argonne National Laboratory to discover new targets for cancer therapies. Bryan Dickinson, a UChicago chemist, is part of the team behind the project.

New observations of distant galaxies have intensified a debate that scientists call the Hubble Tension. A UChicago study led by Prof. Wendy Freedman produced new estimates for the Hubble Constant, challenging previous work. 

Researchers led by chemist Stuart Rowan developed a method that uses charred plant material to produce high-quality graphite. 

Six University of Chicago Physical Sciences Division scientists were named in Web of Science's 2024 report of highly cited researchers. According to Web of Science, researchers on the list have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields.
 

The University of Chicago announces the launch of a groundbreaking research center, the NSF Center for Multimodal Observations for Single Atom Imaging of Chemistry (MOSAIC), set to revolutionize our comprehension of chemical reactions. University president Paul Alivisatos will serve as the Principal Investigator and Center Director, where his pioneering work with inorganic nanocrystals, coupled with the expertise of Professor Jiwoong Park in 2D materials, will be instrumental in developing the MOSAIC platform.

With increased cybersecurity risks, experts recommend that students become proactive in protecting their data. UChicago Associate Prof. Marshini Chetty comments on the steps college students can take to preserve their information. 

In this new episode of the PBS series Decoding the Universe, UChicago scientists David Awschalom and Nadya Mason join a conversation on the importance and latest questions in the realm of quantum research.

A new AI tool called Tutor CoPilot aims to assist educators with individualized tutoring. UChicago Computer Science Asst. Prof. Mina Lee comments on the potential of this technology in the field of education.

Dr. John Anderson, Associate Chair of the Chemistry department at UChicago, talks to NBC 5 about the presence of toxic chemicals in recycled plastics that are used for food containers, utensils, and even toys. 

Created by UChicago scientists in the SAND Lab, the tools Glaze and Nightshade are helping artists fight back against exploitative generative AI practices. As the project continues, the team has faced backlash from sectors of the AI community but has also received encouragement from the broader scientific and artistic community. 
 

AI tools are proliferating, leading to more people and industries adopting this technology. At UChicago, scientists explored the possibility that an AI model could help predict extreme weather events. However, the results demonstrated that AI climate models are still in need of more advanced strategies if they are to provide warnings for the most extreme weather scenarios.

Abigail Poteshman, a fifth-year PhD student in the Committee on Computational and Applied Mathematics, conducts research in method development for modeling and characterizing quantum materials, such as ferroelectrics and spin-defects in semiconductors.

Chiza Mwinde, a fifth-year PhD student in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences, focuses on measuring element variations in evaporite minerals, which helps reconstruct factors like the pH and elemental composition of ancient seawater.