News: 2022

September

Introducing new faculty in the Physical Sciences Division

September 15, 2022

psd logo

Welcome to the new faculty joining the Physical Sciences Division in the '22-23 academic year!


Meet computer science student, Tianle Liu

September 14, 2022

Tianle Liu

Tianle Liu was born and raised in Beijing, China, and first came to UChicago as a physics and mathematics double major in The College. This will be her fifth year on campus! She is currently pursuing a master’s in computer science. As part of the EPiQC education team, she works with Professor Diana Franklin to create engaging and accessible quantum computing education materials.


UChicago earns #6 spot in U.S. News Best Colleges

September 12, 2022

U.S. News and World Report logo on maroon background

The University of Chicago earned the #6 spot in U.S. News Best Colleges national university rankings for 2022-2023.


Surprise finding suggests ‘water worlds’ are more common than we thought

September 8, 2022

Jupiter’s moon Europa

A new study suggests that many more planets in distant solar systems have large amounts of water than previously thought—as much as half water and half rock.


Argonne to establish center on climate change impact in Chicago

September 8, 2022

Cristina Negri speaks at a press conference in Chicagoland.

The DOE has awarded Argonne and a team of academic and community leaders, including UChicago, $25 million over five years to advance urban climate science by studying climate change effects at local and regional scales. It will establish a center called the Community Research on Climate and Urban Science or CROCUS.


UChicago/Argonne researchers will cultivate AI model “gardens” with $3.5M NSF grant

September 8, 2022

lettuce growing in rows

The Garden Project led by Prof. Ian Foster has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from NSF for researchers from materials science, physics, and chemistry, to create “Model Gardens” that publish and curate AI models, link them with data and computing resources, and make it simple for users.


Internet disconnect: CS and social science join forces to plumb the digital divide

September 8, 2022

Illustration of hands reaching up with smart devices

A UChicago Magazine feature on the Internet Equity Initiative that uses existing data to explore the digital divide and develops new ways of measuring internet activity.


UChicago/Argonne computer scientist Ian Foster receives ACM/IEEE Ken Kennedy Award

September 8, 2022

Ian Foster

Ian Foster, a pioneer in cloud and high-performance computing, was named the 2022 recipient of the Ken Kennedy Award, bestowed annually by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).


Humanity is doing its best impression of a black hole

September 7, 2022

Daniel Holz

WIRED sat down with Prof. Daniel Holz, Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics, to talk about cosmic versus earthly catastrophes, how to cope with doom, and why this is a uniquely perilous time in human history—but also why all is not lost.


Groundbreaking particle physicist named Fermilab chief research officer and deputy director, UChicago professor

September 7, 2022

Bonnie Fleming

Pioneering neutrino researcher Bonnie Fleming has been named Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory chief research officer and deputy director responsible for leading all areas of science and technology. She has also been appointed part-time professor in the Department of Physics and the Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago. 


PSD in the News - August 2022

September 6, 2022

PSD against a white and turquoise background

This month PSD researchers have been featured for their efforts to predict an extreme heat belt coming to the US, understand universe expansion from black hole collisions, and detect carbon dioxide on a faraway planet using the new James Webb Space Telescope.


South Side Science Festival to offer free hands-on demos and science experiments for the public Sept. 17

September 1, 2022

Logo of South Side Science Festival with the name of the event, a blue frame and UChicago logo.

The University of Chicago invites members of the community to explore the fascinating world of science at the first annual South Side Science Festival. Meet scientists and learn about everything from jellyfish to DNA at first annual UChicago event


August

U.S. Department of Energy Awards $12.5 million to UChicago for new Energy Frontier Research Center

August 29, 2022

Laura Gagliardi in a room with models of molecules. The background is a white screen with another model of a molecule.

The new Catalyst Design for Decarbonization Center will investigate the mechanisms behind sustainably generated hydrogen fuel
 


Scientists announce first detection of carbon dioxide on a faraway planet with James Webb Space Telescope

August 25, 2022

An illustration shows what exoplanet WASP-39 b could look like- an illuminated purple orb next to a bright body

James Webb Space Telescope has allowed a team co-led by Prof. Jacob Bean to capture definitive evidence for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet about 700 light-years away from Earth, the first indisputable evidence for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a distant star.


Report of an ancient methane release raises questions for our climate future

August 24, 2022

undersea Methane hydrates

Prof. David Archer comments on the planet’s ample stores of subsea methane hydrates as new research suggests a major destabilization of seafloor methane off the coast of Africa around 125,000 years ago.