Although art and science are commonly viewed as two completely unrelated ventures, over the years, their coexistence has been realized as more compatible than immiscible. Graduate students from the Department of Chemistry, through their recently established art and literary magazine, are advocating for this interdisciplinary approach and the benefits it renders. The Benzine, besides being a great pun, is a platform for the chemistry community to share their art, build a sense of community and alleviate stress.
News
New nondestructive optical technique reveals the structure of mother-of-pearl
Most people know mother-of-pearl, an iridescent biomineral also called nacre, from buttons, jewelry, instrument inlays and other decorative flourishes. Scientists, too, have admired and marveled at nacre for decades, not only for its beauty and optical properties but because of its exceptional toughness.
New method targets disease-causing proteins for destruction
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have developed a way to use a cell’s own recycling machinery to destroy disease-causing proteins, a technology that could produce entirely new kinds of drugs.
UW–Madison to celebrate spring commencement with graduates-only ceremonies at Camp Randall
After a year in which students faced many challenges, University of Wisconsin–Madison leaders are pleased to announce plans to hold in-person commencement ceremonies for spring 2021 graduates at Camp Randall.
The university is planning two ceremonies on Saturday, May 8 — one for undergraduates, the other for all graduate degree candidates.
Cavagnero group develops novel optically-enhanced NMR technology
By Hanming Yang Graduate Student (Cavagnero Group) A recent cover article from the Cavagnero research team has appeared in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance. The Cavagnero group developed a novel optically-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology known as …
Collaboration helps UW-Madison Chemists quickly evaluate technologies to clean the air
Individuals and businesses are scrambling to find new ways to protect themselves from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. With this interest, the effectiveness of new technologies that promise to improve indoor air quality has taken center stage. University of Wisconsin–Madison chemists have accepted the challenge of evaluating those technologies and the work is moving quickly, thanks to the lab’s partnership with HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) specialists at Johnson Controls.
Measuring the pancreas’s protein landscape assists diabetes and cancer research
The pancreas is one of the most important organs in the body. It produces insulin to regulate blood sugar and helps digest food. If the pancreas goes haywire, diabetes, cancer, or other diseases threaten lives.
Gellman and Smith present research on COVID-19 at Chemistry Conversations event
On Wednesday morning, more than 60 members of the Chemistry Department joined a zoom meeting to participate in the first Chemistry Conversation of the year. The event, organized by the Faculty and Staff Wellness and Professional Development Committee, included presentations from Professors Sam Gellman and Lloyd Smith about their work on COVID-19 research.
Bertram and Bain Receive James W. Taylor Excellence Teaching Awards
The Department of Chemistry has chosen two recipients for the James W. Taylor Excellence Teaching Award – Professor Timothy Bertram and senior instructional technology specialist Dr. Rachel Bain. Like many events in the past year, the departmental gathering to present the award looked quite different. Rather than holding a large gathering on campus, the award ceremony was held over Zoom.
Prof. Susanna Widicus Weaver brings a love of chemistry and expertise in astronomy
Vozza Professor of Chemistry Susanna Widicus Weaver arrived at UW–Madison in May to conduct research in prebiotic astrochemistry and on how life may form with the evolution of stars and planets. Weaver received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Illinois Wesleyan University (2000) and her Ph.D. in chemistry at California Institute of Technology (2005). She most recently was a professor of chemistry at Emory University.