News, Events & CEMS Seminars
CEMS Logo on wall in Amundson Hall

Department Events

Oct 13 Tue 1:25pm

Lars Grabow seminar (Piercy Lecture)

Oct 21 Wed 8:00pm

CEMS Graduate Programs Virtual Information Session (Evening)

Oct 22 Thu 7:30am

CEMS Graduate Programs Virtual Information Session (Morning)

Oct 22 Thu 1:25pm

Nav Singh seminar (Aris Series)

Oct 29 Thu 1:25pm

Jim Nondorf, Keri Risic, & Sarah Ruhland seminar (Aris Series)

Nov 5 Thu 1:25pm

Paige Novak seminar

Nov 18 Wed 6:00pm

MS in Data Science for CEMS Info-Session

Dec 8 Tue 1:25pm

Michael Osterholm seminar (Aris Series)

Fall 2026 CEMS Seminar Schedule

ARIS LECTURE SERIES    

Tuesday, Sep. 15: Thad Levine, Special Advisor to Baseball Operations at Milwaukee Brewers

Tuesday, Sep. 29: Lorrie Cranor, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Computer Science and Engineering & Public Policy

Tuesday, Oct. 6: Phil Busman (Partner at Nelson Mullins) and Juliana Manrique (Jury Consultant at Verdict Insight Partners)

Thursday, Oct. 22: Nav Singh, Founder at Build Mode

Thursday, Oct. 29: Jim Nondorf, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Advancement and Dean of College Admissions and Financial Aid at University of Chicago

Tuesday, Dec. 8: Michael Osterholm, Regents Professor, Division of Environmental Health Sciences at University of Minnesota

 

DEPARTMENT SEMINARS

Tuesday, Sep. 8: Matt Tirrell, Professor Emeritus at University of Chicago and University of Minnesota

Tuesday, Sep. 22: John Brady, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Caltech (Amundson Lecture)

Tuesday, Oct. 13: Lars Grabow, Professor of Chemistry at University of Houston (Piercy Lecture)

Thursday, Nov. 5: Paige Novak, Department Head and Professor of  Environmental Engineering at University of Minnesota

CEMS Named Seminar Series and Lectures

The Aris Lecture Series

The late Regents Professor Rutherford Aris was a luminary in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. The Aris Lecture Series occurs approximately every 5 years and focuses on the common bond between science and the arts. 

The Fredrickson Lecture

The Fredrickson Lecture was established in 2001 to honor the late Professor Arnold (Arnie) Fredrickson upon his retirement and foster broader intellectual interaction between undergraduate and graduate students. The Fredrickson lecture includes both a departmental seminar and an undergraduate lecture in the biomolecular engineering course.

The Amundson Lecture 

The annual Amundson Lecture features a guest speaker that embodies the tenets of Professor Neal R. Amundson in scholarship and innovation in the fields of chemical engineering and materials science. Amundson, department head from 1949-1974, was a visionary leader who pioneered the application of mathematics in chemical engineering.

The Singh Entrepreneurship Lecture

The Singh Entrepreneurship Lecture was established in 2025 by a generous donation from Navjot and Nithya Singh. Its purpose is to increase awareness of entrepreneurship in the disciplines of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. This lecture serves as a venue for scientists and engineers to tell the story of how they translated their research from the lab to a successful company, and tends to be a combination of science, business and storytelling versus a more traditional seminar.

Department News

Bharat Jalan wearing a tan suit.

Bharat Jalan elected Fellow of the American Physical Society

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/09/2026) — Professor Bharat Jalan has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), one of the most prestigious honors in the field of physics.

Bharat and a student in the lab

Jalan Group publishes new study on unconventional magnetism in Advanced Science

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (10/06/2026) — Researchers in the Jalan Group in the University of Minnesota Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science have published a new study in Advanced Science reporting direct evidence of unconventional magnetism in epitaxial RuO2.

The EAB members together

Reflecting on the impact of the CEMS External Advisory Board

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/29/2026) — Established in 2016, the CEMS External Advisory Board (EAB) was created to strengthen the department’s engagement with external partners and provide guidance on key areas including curriculum, student training, faculty hiring, fundraising, alumni outreach, and long-term strategy.

The five fellows in a grid.

Meet the inaugural Wei-Shou Hu Fellowship cohort

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/28/2026) — Five exceptional Ph.D. students have been selected as the inaugural cohort of the Wei-Shou Hu Fellowship.

Lorraine Francis wearing red.

Lorraine Francis retires after 35 years of teaching, research, and service

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/28/2026) — After more than 35 years of service to the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Professor Lorraine Francis has retired. Since joining CEMS in 1990, she has helped shape materials science education through curriculum development, mentorship, and a collaborative approach to teaching and scholarship. 

Don Heins in May 1974, after earning his chemical engineering degree from the University of Minnesota.

Engineering a legacy

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/10/2026) — A high school counselor advised Don Heins (Chemical Engineering '74) not to apply to the University of Minnesota because he wouldn't get in. Don applied anyway. When the acceptance letter arrived, his mother proudly carried it into the counselor's office.

Student presetnations at the 2026 Stahl Forum

CEMS Data Science Updates: Professional Training, Industry Engagement, and New Programs

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/22/2026) — Through industry partnerships, professional training opportunities, and new educational pathways, CEMS continues to expand opportunities for students, researchers, and industry professionals to engage with data science and artificial intelligence.

Hannah during golden hour

Meet Hannah Holmes: New Assistant Professor in CEMS

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/22/2026) — We are excited to welcome Hannah Holmes as an assistant professor.

Paul holding a molecule

Dauenhauer Group research explores converting corn into jet fuel

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (09/10/2026) — A new video produced by Minnesota Corn Growers and Linder Farm Network highlights research by the Dauenhauer Research Group into converting corn into sustainable aviation fuel.

Satish Kumar stands in front of a brick wall.

Satish Kumar awarded the 2026 John A. Tallmadge Award for Contributions to Coating Technology

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/31/2026) — Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Satish Kumar, has been selected to receive the 2026 John A. Tallmadge Award for Contributions to Coating Technology, which is jointly sponsored by the International Society of Coating Science and Technology (ISCST) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).