News

2020

Twenty PSD students selected as 2020–21 Radix Trading Fellows

December 15, 2020

A woman pushes a pipet into a test tube. UChicago Logo. Titled, PSD Fellowship Challenge

The Physical Sciences Division of the University of Chicago has selected 20 PhD students in the Departments of Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, and Astronomy & Astrophysics as the 2020–21 Radix Trading Fellows.


Prof. Elisabeth Moyers’ new US Energy History Visualization profiled in The Atlantic

December 9, 2020

Sankey Diagram image of US Energy Use

Geophysical Sciences Professor Elisabeth Moyer discusses her work on the Research Computing Center's U.S. Energy History Visualization in the Atlantic. It is an interactive Sankey diagram of energy transitions.


Geophysical Sciences Prof. Fred Ciesla comments on asteroid dust from Hayabusa2 solving a mystery of planet creation

December 8, 2020

Upclose image of Chondrules in polarized light

Geophysical Sciences Prof. Fred Ciesla comments on asteroid dust from Hayabusa2 solving a mystery of planet creation


Astronomer Andrea Ghez on the responsibility that comes with a Nobel Prize

December 8, 2020

Andrea Ghez

Astronomer Andrea Ghez on the responsibility that comes with a Nobel Prize. Honored for black hole discovery, Laboratory Schools alum becomes ‘spokesperson for science’


Web of science recognizes highly cited researchers of 2020

December 2, 2020

Physical Sciences data map logo

Nine current and former University of Chicago Physical Science Division scientists were named in Web of Science's 2020 report of highly cited researchers. Researchers on the list have demonstrated significant and broad influence in the past decade, with highly cited papers ranking in the top 1% by citation for a chosen field or fields.


UChicago campus full voter engagement helps boost Hyde Park-Kenwood voter turn-out to 88.19%

December 2, 2020

Students wearing blue Vote sweatshirts on UChicago campus

UChicago campus full voter engagement helps boost Hyde Park-Kenwood voter turn-out to 88.19 percent. Precinct 27, which covers campus, exceeded 100 percent voter turn-out


CS student, Tyler Skluzacek, invents vibrating smartwatch to stop nightmares

December 2, 2020

Tyler Skluzacek

CS student, Tyler Skluzacek, invented a vibrating smartwatch to stop nightmares affecting combat veterans. Now it has been given FDA approval as a therapeutic device


New nanotechnology design provides hope for personalized ‘vaccination’ to treat cancer

November 30, 2020

 close up of cancer cells

Professor of Chemistry Wenbin Lin co-led a new study that uses a nanotechology to provide hope for personalized ‘vaccination’ to treat cancer


South African roots, travel shape computer scientist’s research

November 30, 2020

Marshini Chetty, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, studies human-computer interaction. Her South African roots and extensive travel have shaped her research, which focuses, in part, on making the internet a more inclusive space.


Meet Financial Mathematics student, Zachary Myers

November 30, 2020

Zachary Myers, financial math student

Zachary Myers was born in Michigan and grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Mathematics in May. He began his studies at UChicago this Autumn Quarter as a master’s student in the Financial Mathematics program. 


Pioneering PSD scientists Laura Gagliardi, John Carlstrom, and Yamuna Krishnan recognized as 2020 AAAS fellows

November 24, 2020

Three portraits of PSD scientists, Laura Gagliardi, John Carlstrom, and Yamuna Krishnan

Five UChicago scientists named 2020 AAAS fellows, with pioneering PSD scientists Laura Gagliardi, John Carlstrom, and Yamuna Krishnan attaining recognition


Chicago Quantum Summit highlights new U.S. quantum centers, economic opportunities

November 23, 2020

Two columns of attendees on Zoom at a conference

The third annual Chicago Quantum Summit, hosted virtually at the University of Chicago Nov. 11-13 by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, brought together more than 20 speakers from across the nation and attracted more than 1,000 attendees from 42 countries


ECHO game brings students together—and keeps them safe

November 20, 2020

Woman scientist in wig

This Autumn Quarter an alternate reality game created by an interdisciplinary group of UChicago researchers gathered 70 teams of students—and helped keep them safe. Culminating in an Oct. 30 livestream, the ECHO game brought together students and other members of the UChicago community through weeks of collaborative play


Computer scientist Nick Feamster discusses Twitter and Facebook disinformation on WTTW

November 20, 2020

Two men in a split panel image from WTTW news

Computer scientist Nick Feamster discusses Twitter and Facebook disinformation on PBS-affiliate WTTW


Astronomy and physics students featured in new UChicagoGRAD podcast

November 20, 2020

Three portraits of astronomy and physics students, plus the PSD logo

New ‘Expand Your Perspective’ podcast features PSD grad students studying space and the universe: ranging from exoplanets to galaxies to black holes. With Nora Bailey (Astronomy & Astrophysics), Gourav Khullar (Astronomy & Astrophysics), and Gautam Satishchandran (Physics)