News: 2024

John Jumper, SM’12, PhD’17, currently with Google’s DeepMind, received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Dec. 10 in Stockholm, Sweden. Watch his Nobel lecture, "Building chemical and biological intuition into protein structure prediction." His talk begins at 1:09:38.
 

Coating the interior of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities with a Nb3Sn film can drastically enhance the efficiency and performance of particle accelerator infrastructure. However, imperfections in the deposited Nb3Sn coating limit its implementation as a next-generation SRF material. A study by the Sibener group, in collaboration with Cornell University and Brigham Young University, explores how imperfections form and how they can affect SRF performance. 

On Saturday, November 16, the University of Chicago Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE UChicago) hosted the SHPE Chicagoland Día de Ciencias at the William Eckhardt Research Center. The STEM outreach event aimed to inspire Hispanic students and their families through hands-on learning, mentorship, and practical resources for academic success.

Congratulations to Wendy Freedman for being named one of Nature’s 10! She is recognized for her pioneering work on Hubble constant measurements. 

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.