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Chemistry News

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Alumna Stephanie Potisek Lee returns to campus as 2026 Sylvia Stoesser Lecturer
 Drawing on over 15 years of industrial research and development experience at Dow, alumna Stephanie Potisek Lee (Ph.D., ’08) gave Illinois Chemistry graduate students an inside look at how research in industry translates into the development of new products....
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Professor Xiaotang Lu selected as a 2026 Beckman Young Investigator
 Xiaotang Lu, assistant professor of chemistry, is among 12 researchers selected as Beckman Young Investigators by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.The 2026 class of awardees was announced June 9, 2026, and selected from a pool of about 400 applicants from colleges and universities...
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Graduate student Gavin Hazen mixing it up
 Generally, water and electricity don’t mix well. But microdroplets of water – like 1/25,000th of an inch – have a surprisingly large degree of reactivity that makes them attractive for chemistry and electricity.“They can accelerate reactions to like significant degrees. But essentially, one...
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In Memoriam: Richard M. Millberg led Mass Spec Lab for 20 years
 Dr. Richard M. Milberg, who led the School of Chemical Sciences Mass Spectrometry Laboratory for more than 20 years, passed away on May 6, 2026.  His leadership of the SCS Mass Spectrometry Laboratory left a significant mark on the field and helped countless researchers with his...
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Don DeCoste can’t imagine anything better than teaching Chemistry at Illinois
 In his many years of teaching chemistry at Illinois, Don DeCoste has often shared his own story with students who are feeling uncertain about their major. As an Illinois senior in the Class of ‘88, DeCoste was on the pre-med track when he realized how much he enjoyed being a chemistry...
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Chemistry May 2026 Convocation

Watch a recording of the May 17, 2026, Chemistry Convocation, celebrating graduates from the Department of Chemistry.

Convocation Recording  May 2026 Chemistry Graduates

Research Areas in Chemistry

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Analytical Chemistry

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Chemical Biology

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Inorganic Chemistry

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Materials Chemistry

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Organic Chemistry

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Physical Chemistry
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Chemistry at Illinois: #9 in the nation

The graduate program in Chemistry at Illinois is one of the top programs in the nation and specialty areas are ranked in the Top 10 as well — U.S. News and World Report rankings. Learn how you can pursue an advanced degree in this nationally ranked program and experience the thrill of working on some of the most challenging problems in the chemical sciences.

#4 Analytical / #7 Inorganic / #8 Organic / #9 Physical / #9 Theoretical

 

 

 
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Nobel laureate and alumnus Omar M. Yaghi (PhD, '90)

"Believe in the power of the experiment"

The 12th person from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to win the Nobel Prize, alumnus Omar M. Yaghi (PhD, '90) said it was as a graduate student at Illinois that he learned from his PhD advisor Walter Klemperer how to do rigorous science and become a scientist that can break new ground, not somebody who follows other people’s discoveries. 
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Chemistry courses offer study abroad opportunities

Explore these two courses in the Department of Chemistry that offer short-term study abroad opportunities that will enrich what you learn in the classroom by applying your knowledge to real-world experiences while exploring another part of the world. 
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Chemistry Learning Center

The Chemistry Learning Center (CLC) is an opportunity for all undergraduates enrolled in general chemistry to receive help with homework, meet with teaching assistants and connect with other students taking the same courses. 

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