News

CSN faculty member Sara Mason received another XSEDE allocation for her project “Density Functional Theory Calculations for Nanomaterials in Energy Applications and the Environment.”  The award includes the following very precise resources: PSC Regular Memory (Bridges): 1,043,401.0 SUs, PSC Storage (Bridges Pylon): 500.0 GB, SDSC Dell Cluster with Intel Haswell Processors (Comet): 1,185,094.0 SUs, SDSC Medium-term disk storage (Data Oasis): 500.0 GB.  For any non-computational chemists out there, the NSF says, “The allocation of SU/GBs awarded to this PI would amount to approximately an additional $82,244.05 to support the scientific goals of the project.” Congratulations, Sara!

CSN graduate student Alicia McGeachy (Geiger group) was recently featured in a C&E News sponsored article entitled “How to empower the next generation of chemists – The chemical industry can take several approaches to build a dynamic and diverse 21st-century workforce.”   Read more here. Alicia was also been granted a Student Travel Award to attend the NOBCChE conference in Minneapolis this November. Congratulations, Alicia!

Our CSN external evaluator, Dr. Lizanne DeStefano, was recognized as a Georgia Power Professor of Excellence. As the the Georgia Power Facebook post says, “Her research interests include the evaluation and sustainability of innovative STEM programs; multi-site initiatives; and programs serving special populations, such as students with disabilities or those at risk for academic failure.” Congratulations, Lizanne! Photo from Georgia Power Facebook page

CSN graduate student Laura Olenick (Geiger group) defended her thesis at Northwestern University. Her thesis was titled “Sum Frequency Generation Spectrosocpy of Interactions at Model Biointerfaces.” Franz & Laura Congratulations to Dr. Olenick!

CSN graduate student Mimi Hang (Hamers group) defended her thesis at the University of Wisconsin, entitled “Investigating and controlling technologically relevant complex metal oxide nanomaterials to mitigate environmental impact.” Congratulations, Dr. Hang! Bob & Mimi

CSN faculty member Jason White and collaborator Wade Elmer were featured in a recent Undark.org article entitled “In Connecticut, a Nanoscale Agricultural Experiment With Global Potential: Researchers are experimenting with nano-sized nutrients that might help curb chemical fungicide use and transform agriculture on the cheap.”  See the full article here. Jason was also recently interviewed on an episode of our Sustainable Nano podcast, which you can listen to here. Jason White at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (image by Jan Ellen Spiegel used with permission from Undark magazine)

Margy Robinson (the 50th Ph.D. from the Hamers lab!) recently defended her thesis at the University of Wisconsin. Her thesis was titled “Background-free Imaging of Nanoparticles in Complex Environments.” Congratulations, Dr. Robinson! Bob & Margy

Congratulations to CSN faculty member Cathy Murphy, who was appointed as a permanent faculty member for the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois! The appointment is “one of the highest forms of academic recognition the University of Illinois campus makes for outstanding scholarship.” Read more about the appointment here. Photo from chemistry.illinois.edu

Alicia McGeachy (Geiger group) has won a 2017 Robert L. Burwell Scholarship from Northwestern University, which recognizes and rewards excellence in physical chemistry. Congratulations, Alicia!

Graduate student Miranda Gallagher won the “best poster award” at the Environmental Nanotechnology Gordon Conference in Stowe, VT. Miranda presented an elevator pitch on her work to all conference attendees during the closing session as part of the award.  Congratulations Miranda!