News: Faculty

2019

Physical Sciences professors awarded Quantrell and Graduate Teaching Awards

June 4, 2019

Physical Sciences data map logo

This week, Prof. Malliaris of Mathematics was awarded the Quantrell award and Profs. Hu of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Lalley of Statistics were both awarded Faculty Awards for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentoring.  


Scientist’s work on knotted vortices featured by PBS host of Physics Girl, Dianna Corwen

May 31, 2019

Picture of Knotted Vortex taken in Irvine Lab

William Irvine, professor of physics, appears on Physics Girl to explain the process of creating knotted vortices, a phenomenon that occurs with airplanes during takeoff, by accelerating 3D-printed models in water. 


Scientists recreate a cell division outside a cell for first time

May 31, 2019

Picture of heart muscle cell with bundles of actin filaments and bands of myosin

Margaret Gardel, professor of physics at the University of Chicago, led an innovative new study, which for the first time recreates the mechanism of cell division—outside a cell. The experiment published May 21 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps scientists understand the physics by which cells carry out their everyday activities, and could one day lead to medical breakthroughs, ideas for new kinds of materials or even artificial cells. 


UChicago physicists to study macroscopic quantum phenomena as part of the Simons Collaboration

May 28, 2019

Physical Sciences data map logo

Dam T. Son, University Professor in the Department of Physics, and Michael Levin, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, have been awarded a Simons Foundation grant as part of the newly established Simons Collaboration on Ultra-Quantum Matter.


UChicago BIG program funds ambitious, risky scientific research

May 9, 2019

Scientists collecting samples from 
Lake Michigan

Assistant Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences, Maureen Coleman, and microbiologist Sean Crosson use water samples from Lake Michigan to study the genes of model microbes in their natural habitats.


Scientists design method to build molecules that could be drugs—in half the steps

May 9, 2019

Molecule building

A study by University of Chicago chemists offers a new approach that could significantly cut the time and effort needed to make molecules that are important for pharmaceuticals in half.


Prof. Daniel Holz discusses with WTTW the recent detection of gravitational waves

May 9, 2019

Physical Sciences data map logo

UChicago astrophysicist Daniel Holz discusses the recent detection of gravitational waves that astronomers believe was created when a black hole swallowed a neutron star on WTTW .


Chemist Named 2019 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar

May 7, 2019

Physical Sciences data map logo

Bryan Dickinson, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, has been named a 2019 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar for chemical and evolutionary approaches to probe and control biology.


Press Release: UChicago Chemist Among 13 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars

May 7, 2019

Bryan Dickinson

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation announces the selection of 13 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars for 2019. These faculty are within the first five years of their academic careers, have each created an outstanding independent body of scholarship, and are deeply committed to education. 


Royal Society of Chemistry Recognizes Prof. Voth for Excellence in Computational Chemistry

May 6, 2019

Prof. Gregory Voth

The Royal Society of Chemistry's (RSC) Faraday Division has awarded Gregory Voth, the Haig P. Papazian Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry, the 2019 S F Boys - A Rahman Award.


Press Release: University of Chicago Scientist Wins Prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Award

May 6, 2019

Prof. Gregory Voth

Professor Gregory Voth has been named winner of the prestigious S F Boys-A Rahman Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry.


Alexei M. Khokhlov, theoretical and computational astrophysicist, 1954-2019

May 6, 2019

Alexei M. Khokhlov

Alexei Khokhlov, professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, died on May 4. He was 65.


Prof. R. Stephen Berry discusses new book on thermodynamics and need for scientific literacy

April 29, 2019

Prof. R. Stephen Berry in his office

The James Franck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Chemistry, R. Stephen Berry, discusses his new book that aims for improving scientific literacy and his pioneering research in thermodynamics that began with a landmark idea called the “life-cycle analysis".


Computer scientists design a way to defend against attacks to AI-based security systems

April 26, 2019

A picture imagining backdoor attacks to AI based security systems

In a new published paper, a group from Prof. Ben Zhao and Prof. Heather Zheng’s SAND Lab describe the first generalized defense against backdoor attacks in neural networks.


Chicago pollution inspired scholar’s career as chemist and environmental activist

April 26, 2019

Prof. R. Stephen Berry in his office

R. Stephen Berry discusses new book on thermodynamics and need for scientific literacy