Professor Aaron Massari earns 2025 Provost’s Unit Service Award

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (4/24/2025) – Department of Chemistry Professor Aaron Massari has been honored with the 2025 Provost’s Unit Service Award. The award recognizes exceptional service that has strengthened the functioning and climate of our department.

Massari’s dedication to outreach and service has been demonstrated across a number of avenues over the course of his career at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. Currently, he serves as the Scientific Director for Energy and U, the Department of Chemistry’s biannual interactive chemistry show – which teaches third, fourth, and fifth graders about the First Law of Thermodynamics. Bolstered by his direction, the program has served over 100,000 Twin Cities metro-area students.

For the past decade, Massari and his group have been involved in University on the Prairie, a program that brings hands-on science to 7th-11th grade kids in rural parts of Greater Minnesota. University on the Prairie aims to inspire students to pursue degrees in STEM related fields and one day fill job opportunities in rural areas in the state.

In addition to his work in educational outreach work, Massari stepped into the role of Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in 2020. As the DGS, he is deeply involved in graduate student recruiting, onboarding, retention, and development.

Massari has been a member of the Department of Chemistry since 2006. His group’s research utilizes vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) and two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy to study the interfacial structure and ultrafast dynamics of organic electronic materials. The work aims to better understand how energy flows through molecules and materials, which affects the way that things heat up and cool down, the way that electricity moves, and the speed that chemical reactions occur.

For his dedication to teaching, mentorship, and research, Massari has been previously recognized with awards including the University of Minnesota Council of Graduate Students Outstanding Advisor Award (2020), George W. Taylor/College of Science & Engineering Alumni Society Award for Distinguished Teaching (2014), IREE Early Investigator Award (2010), an NSF CAREER award (2008), and the 3M Nontenured Faculty Award (2008).

Provost’s Unit Service Award

The Provost’s Unit Service Award is a higher-level category of the Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service. Each year, the Provost's Office and the Faculty Consultative Committee honor highly dedicated faculty with Awards for Excellence in Academic Unit Service, which recognize outstanding contributions to the awardee’s department. From among those nominated for the Award for Excellence in Academic Unit Service, seven individuals are chosen for higher-level awards. These awards, the Provost’s Unit Service Award, and the University of Minnesota Unit Service Award, serve to emphasize and elevate the importance of this type of service to the University’s success.