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2019 News

Friday, December 20, 2019

Aerosol Optical Tweezers Advance Understanding of Chemical Evolution of Airborne Particles

Two new studies led by faculty in Carnegie Mellon's Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies show how aerosol optical tweezing can allow scientists to scrutinize the components of the atmosphere with new precision.
Friday, December 20, 2019

Achievement in Athletics and Academics

Thirty-one Carnegie Mellon University student-athletes were recognized at the sixth annual Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Celebration in the Posner Center.
Monday, December 02, 2019

Carnegie Mellon Invention Among The Scientist’s Top Innovations of 2019

The Scientist Magazine has named Janus bases as one of its Top 10 Innovations of 2019. Carnegie Mellon University Chemistry Professor Danith Ly invented the molecules, and they are being used to create new treatments for genetic diseases and disorders.
Three Chemistry Professors Named Among World's Most Highly Cited Researchers
Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Three Chemistry Professors Named Among World's Most Highly Cited Researchers

The research of three chemistry faculty is some of the world’s most highly cited in the sciences, according to a list published by Clarivate Analytics.
Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate Finalist for International Prize
Friday, November 22, 2019

Chemistry Ph.D. Candidate Finalist for International Prize

Chemistry Ph.D. candidate Tatsuya Higaki was named a finalist for Elsevier's 2019 Reaxys Ph.D. Prize, an honor recognizing innovative research by young chemists.
“All-Purpose” Platform for Exosome-Mediated Delivery
Thursday, November 07, 2019

“All-Purpose” Platform for Exosome-Mediated Delivery

Carnegie Mellon University researchers have created an “all-purpose” platform for utilizing exosomes to deliver cargo in living organisms. Their method can be used to develop a new class of hybrid nanoparticles for delivering therapeutics aimed at treating or preventing a variety of diseases, including anti-cancer drugs and immunotherapies for organ transplantation.
Carnegie Mellon's Institute for Green Science Part of New $100M DOE Water Desalination Innovation Hub
Saturday, October 19, 2019

Carnegie Mellon's Institute for Green Science Part of New $100M DOE Water Desalination Innovation Hub

Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Green Science (IGS) is a core academic partner in a newly announced $100 million innovation hub on water desalination research and innovation established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Newell Washburn Recognized by Covestro for Scientific Excellence
Thursday, October 17, 2019

Newell Washburn Recognized by Covestro for Scientific Excellence

Today, Covestro announced Newell Washburn as the recipient of its global Science Award, in recognition of his role in pioneering a scientific innovation that speeds the development of customized polymer formulations. Washburn, an associate professor of chemistry and biomedical engineering with a courtesy appointment in the department of materials science and engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, accepted the award during the Covestro Science Celebration at K 2019. Held every three years, K 2019 is the world’s leading trade show for the plastics and rubber industry. It takes place October 16-23 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Chemistry Professor Receives Grant to Develop Algorithm for Designing Better Concrete
Monday, October 14, 2019

Chemistry Professor Receives Grant to Develop Algorithm for Designing Better Concrete

Associate Professor of Chemistry Newell Washburn has received a more than half-million-dollar grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop a machine learning algorithm that could help design more durable and energy-efficient concrete.
CMU and Yale Receive NIH Grant to Further Gene Editing Technique
Thursday, October 03, 2019

CMU and Yale Receive NIH Grant to Further Gene Editing Technique

A research team from Carnegie Mellon University and Yale University will advance their innovative, synthetic nucleic acid-based gene editing technique under a new grant from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) Somatic Cell Genome Editing (SCGE) Program.
New Faculty to Join Department of Chemistry
Thursday, October 03, 2019

New Faculty to Join Department of Chemistry

Three new faculty members will join the Carnegie Mellon Department of Chemistry in 2020. The researchers, who take interdisciplinary approaches to their work, will support the department’s efforts in automated science, computational chemistry, quantum chemistry and biological chemistry.
MCS Welcomes Its First Tartan Scholars
Monday, September 30, 2019

MCS Welcomes Its First Tartan Scholars

This semester, Carnegie Mellon University welcomed its first cohort of Tartan Scholars to campus. The Tartan Scholars program seeks to build a community of support and leadership among incoming first-year students who are academically high-achieving and come from low-income backgrounds.
Startup to Develop PNA Technology for Gene Editing
Friday, September 13, 2019

Startup to Develop PNA Technology for Gene Editing

Truecode Gene Repair has licensed peptide nucleic acid (PNA) technology developed by Chemistry Professor Danith Ly to develop new gene editing therapies.
Runaway Mitochondria Cause Telomere Damage in Cells
Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Runaway Mitochondria Cause Telomere Damage in Cells

Using a technology developed by Carnegie Mellon University's Marcel Bruchez, researchers at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center have provided the first concrete evidence for the long-held belief that sick mitochondria pollute the cells they're supposed to be supplying with power.
Feeding the World, Feeding Ourselves
Monday, August 19, 2019

Feeding the World, Feeding Ourselves

“Feeding the World, Feeding Ourselves” aims to help students make informed choices about the foods they consume and to better understand the ways that lives are shaped by food systems — even when they’re not eating.
Erin Kavanagh Researching Artificial Lungs in Germany as Fulbright Scholar
Monday, August 19, 2019

Erin Kavanagh Researching Artificial Lungs in Germany as Fulbright Scholar

This September, Erin Kavanagh will leave on a 10-month journey to conduct research on artificial lung devices in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar.
Ph.D. Candidate Zoe Wright Wins Kwolek Fellowship in Chemistry
Monday, July 29, 2019

Ph.D. Candidate Zoe Wright Wins Kwolek Fellowship in Chemistry

Chemistry Ph.D. candidate Zoe Wright has been named the recipient of the 2019 Kwolek Fellowship in Chemistry. The fellowship is funded by a bequest from Carnegie Mellon University alumna Stephanie Kwolek, best known as the inventor of the synthetic fiber Kevlar.
Cleaning Our Water with Groundbreaking 'Bioinspired' Chemistry
Monday, July 15, 2019

Cleaning Our Water with Groundbreaking 'Bioinspired' Chemistry

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Institute for Green Science (IGS) blazed the trail for a new field of sustainable chemistry by unveiling powerful, safe and inexpensive oxidation catalysts inspired by the biological processes within us that break down even the most stubborn micropollutants.
Startup Focuses on Developing Catalysts for Industry
Monday, June 17, 2019

Startup Focuses on Developing Catalysts for Industry

Startup Focuses on Developing Catalysts for Industry
Carnegie Mellon Researchers Develop Semi-Liquid Metal Anode for Next-Generation Batteries
Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Develop Semi-Liquid Metal Anode for Next-Generation Batteries

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s Mellon College of Science and College of Engineering have developed a semiliquid lithium metal-based anode that represents a new paradigm in battery design. Lithium batteries made using this new electrode type could have a higher capacity and be much safer than typical lithium metal-based batteries that use lithium foil as anode.
Chemistry Professor Emeritus Publishes Book About Carbon Dioxide's Impacts on Earth
Thursday, June 06, 2019

Chemistry Professor Emeritus Publishes Book About Carbon Dioxide's Impacts on Earth

Chemistry Professor Emeritus Publishes Book About Carbon Dioxide's Impacts on Earth
Carnegie Mellon Researchers Create Soft, Flexible Materials with Enhanced Properties
Thursday, May 23, 2019

Carnegie Mellon Researchers Create Soft, Flexible Materials with Enhanced Properties

A team of polymer chemists and engineers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new methodology that can be used to create a class of stretchable polymer composites with enhanced electrical and thermal properties. These materials are promising candidates for use in soft robotics, self-healing electronics and medical devices.
Two Seniors Win First MCS Gilman Award
Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Two Seniors Win First MCS Gilman Award

Two Seniors Win First MCS Gilman Award
Erin Kavanagh Named Fulbright Scholar
Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Erin Kavanagh Named Fulbright Scholar

Erin Kavanagh Named Fulbright Scholar
Sarah Simon, Judith A. Resnik Award Honorable Mention Finalist
Friday, May 17, 2019

Sarah Simon, Judith A. Resnik Award Honorable Mention Finalist

Sarah Simon received a rare honorable mention for the 2019 Judith A. Resnik Award. The award, named after the Challenger astronaut and Carnegie Mellon University alumna, recognizes an exceptional, senior woman graduating with an undergraduate technical course of study who will be pursuing graduate or professional training in a technical field.
Study Finds Direct Oxidative Stress Damage Shortens Telomeres
Thursday, May 16, 2019

Study Finds Direct Oxidative Stress Damage Shortens Telomeres

The same sources thought to inflict oxidative stress on cells – pollution, diesel exhaust, smoking and obesity – also are associated with shorter telomeres, the protective tips on the ends of the chromosomal shoelace. A new study from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, published in Molecular Cell, provides the first smoking gun evidence that oxidative stress acts directly on telomeres to hasten cellular aging.
Sophomore William Fahy Recognized as Goldwater Scholar
Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Sophomore William Fahy Recognized as Goldwater Scholar

Second-year chemistry student William Fahy has been named a 2019 Goldwater Scholar by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation.
Neil Donahue Named University Professor
Monday, May 06, 2019

Neil Donahue Named University Professor

Four Carnegie Mellon University faculty members have been elevated to the rank of University Professor, the highest distinction a faculty member can achieve at CMU. The newly minted University Professors are Peter Cooke, Neil Donahue, Sara Kiesler and Sridhar Tayur.
Matyjaszewski Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Wednesday, May 01, 2019

Matyjaszewski Elected to the National Academy of Sciences

Carnegie Mellon University chemist Krzysztof Matyjaszewski has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). NAS membership recognizes distinguished and continuing achievements in original research and is one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.
Sipei Li Receives Graduate Student Research Award
Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Sipei Li Receives Graduate Student Research Award

Chemistry Ph.D candidate Sipei Li received the 2019 Guy C. Berry Graduate Student Research Award. He was presented with the prize at the Mellon College of Science Graduate Student Town Hall this month.
Carnegie Mellon Chemists Manipulate the Quantum States of Gold Nanoclusters
Thursday, April 25, 2019

Carnegie Mellon Chemists Manipulate the Quantum States of Gold Nanoclusters

Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Chemistry have found a way to control the lifetime of the quantum states of gold nanoclusters by three orders of magnitude, which could lead to improvements in solar cell and photocatalysis technologies. Their study is published in the April 18 issue of Science.
Graduate Student Tatsuya Higaki Receives Award from the International Precious Metals Institute
Friday, April 19, 2019

Graduate Student Tatsuya Higaki Receives Award from the International Precious Metals Institute

Chemistry Ph.D. student Tatsuya Higaki has received the 2019 Student Award from the International Precious Metals Institute for his work on gold nanoparticles. The $12,000 award will be given at the institute's annual conference in Nevada in June, where Higaki will also present on his research.
Professor Selected to Give Distinguished Lectures
Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Professor Selected to Give Distinguished Lectures

Bruce Armitage, professor of chemistry and co-director of Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, was selected by the Akron Section of the American Chemical Society as its 2019 Crano Memorial Lecturer.
Bioengineering the Future
Friday, April 12, 2019

Bioengineering the Future

For Jennifer Hartt Elisseeff, blending fields has long been a theme in her career in research, dating back to her time as a student at the Mellon College of Science’s Department of Chemistry.
Two Chemistry Juniors Receive ISURF Awards to Fund Research Abroad
Thursday, April 11, 2019

Two Chemistry Juniors Receive ISURF Awards to Fund Research Abroad

Two Chemistry Juniors Receive ISURF Awards to Fund Research Abroad
Quantum layer boosts machine learning predictions
Monday, April 01, 2019

Quantum layer boosts machine learning predictions

Computational chemistry lets chemists predict molecules’ properties without measuring them in the lab. Some of the most accurate computational chemistry tools use quantum chemistry, but these calculations can be time-consuming.
'Using the Power of Chemistry' to Heal Our Broken Bones
Tuesday, March 26, 2019

'Using the Power of Chemistry' to Heal Our Broken Bones

When she was in graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Stefanie Sydlik suffered a cartilage injury. This got the chemistry major to start thinking about and researching the biological processes behind healing in the body, especially the healing of bones. In a new paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sydlik demonstrates how graphite ¬— the same substance we fill our pencils with ¬— can be employed to repair severe bone fractures more effectively than current technology.
PPG Foundation Recognizes Two Chemistry Graduate Students with Prestigious Fellowship
Thursday, February 28, 2019

PPG Foundation Recognizes Two Chemistry Graduate Students with Prestigious Fellowship

The PPG Foundation has awarded two Department of Chemistry fifth-year Ph.D. students fellowships to support their research.
Meet MCS’s Highland Ambassadors
Monday, February 11, 2019

Meet MCS’s Highland Ambassadors

Meet MCS’s Highland Ambassadors
‘Gamechanger’ in Natural Product Structure Determination Published in Nature Protocols
Friday, February 08, 2019

‘Gamechanger’ in Natural Product Structure Determination Published in Nature Protocols

a team including Professor Roberto R. Gil comprises work using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
Innovation Unleashed Podcast: Saving the World’s Water from Our Own Destruction
Friday, January 04, 2019

Innovation Unleashed Podcast: Saving the World’s Water from Our Own Destruction

Terry Collins and Ryan Sullivan speak with Alan Russell about water pollution on his podcast
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