CSN Affiliate Mike Curry and Mike Schwartz were co-chairs for a Presidential Symposium at ACS Denver, entitled “Strategies for Meaningful and Engaging Partnerships: Leveraging the Innovation of HBCU Research.” The goal of the symposium was to highlight success stories for collaborations between HBCUs and non-HBCU institutions.
Congratulations to CSN Director Bob Hamers for receiving the Hilldale Award in the Physical Sciences, given annually by UW-Madison to recognize one faculty member in primary areas of the university on the basis of combined research, teaching, and service.
Congratulations to Dr. Shreyasi Sengupta (Rosenzweig group) successfully defended her thesis, entitled “Surface Modifications of InSe and MXene Two-Dimensional Materials and their Impact on the Chemical Stability and Interactions with Bacterial Models Relevant to the Environment,” in July. Congratulations, Dr. Sengupta!
CSN Affiliate Shana Stoddard won the Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. This award was established to honor an outstanding scientist who has shown evidence of a sustained commitment to breaking down local and/or systemic barriers against scientists and students from historically marginalized or excluded groups. She delivered an award lecture entitled “Believe Without Boundaries.”
Congratulations to Dr. Mahima Unnikrishnan (Murphy group), who successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis, entitled “Implications of Nanoparticle-Protein Interactions on Protein Assembly and Conformation” on May 8th!
Congratulations to Dr. Connor Protter (Hamers group) for successfully defending his Ph.D. thesis, entitled “Surface Interactions and Applications of Copper Sulfide” on May 3rd! He will be staying on with CSN as a postdoctoral researcher.
Congratulations to Dr. Alicia Tripp (Hamers group), who successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis entitled “Surface Functionalization of 2D Nanomaterials” on April 26th! Alicia will be moving on to a role at the Cornell Center for Materials Research.
Congratulations to graduate student Beza Tuga (Haynes group), who was awarded the 2024 Merck Underrepresented Chemists of Color Research Award! This award was established in 2021 to “create a supportive, inclusive networking environment for rising chemists of color.” Read the full press release here.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Semarhy Quiñones-Soto will be the CSN’s Scholar-in-Residence for summer 2024. Dr. Quiñones-Soto is an Lecturer in Biological Sciences at Sacramento State, and also works as an independent artist creating artwork to increase the visibility of women of color, who have historically been underrepresented in STEM. Her artist website is here. She will participate in various activities with the center, including a Wednesday seminar about her research and mentoring, and working with students in our Summer Undergraduate Research Experience on a SciArt project.
In March 2024, CSN Director Bob Hamers and UW-Madison staff member Desiree Bates recived the Midwest Association of Graduate Schools Award for Excellence and Innovation in Graduate Education for their efforts founding the UW-Madison Bridge to the Chemistry Doctorate Program. Congratulations, Dr. Hamers & Dr. Bates!
