Category: BC 2020

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a call to action for many within the scientific community. Long-time collaborators, Lloyd Smith, professor of chemistry, and Nathan Sherer, associate professor of molecular virology and oncology with the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research and Institute for Molecular Virology, set out, along with their students, to contribute to the global understanding of SARS-CoV-2 by adapting the Smith group’s Hybridization Purification of RNA-protein complexes followed by Mass Spectrometry (HyPR-MS) technology to the study of SARS-CoV-2.

Read the full version of this press release here. Abridged version of a news release from the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry The American Chemical Society Organic Division released a new resource for organic chemists: OrganicChemistryData.org The idea and majority of the current content (~1500 html pages + 650 PDF files) is from the late …

This year’s pandemic-induced online instruction did not stop students from enrolling in chemistry courses, but it did give instructors and teaching assistants (TAs) experience using a different instructional medium. “Teaching CHEM 344 online was definitely a unique experience,” said TA Maggie McEwan. “Teaching online requires a different set of skills compared to teaching in a classroom or lab, so I think I learned a lot this summer right along with the students.”

Our public engagement programs reach large audiences in person, on the radio, in print, via television, social media and the internet. The Science is Fun truck traveled to schools, libraries, farmers markets, public parks and other community centers.

Prof. Bruce Bursten received his Ph.D. in chemistry from UW–Madison in 1978. He was recently honored with the 2020 ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry.

Bursten’s journey toward the ACS award has been profoundly guided by his experiences. His story begins in high school, as a curious student in a math summer program.

It was a busy year for awards, despite the constraints of a pandemic. In May, the Department of Chemistry celebrated students, faculty and staff with an online awards and graduation event called Celebrating Student Success. Because of generous donors, the department was able to give almost $500,000 in student support. See the winners of department and other awards below.