Chemistry professor Edgar Arriaga named Fulbright-Aalto University Distinguished Chair

Arriaga will explore renewable alternatives to animal-derived materials and disposable plastics in biomedical research

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (08/18/2026) – University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor Edgar Arriaga has been named a Fulbright-Aalto University Distinguished Chair for the 2026–27 academic year.

Beginning Aug. 1, Arriaga will spend six months at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, conducting research aimed at using renewable resources to reduce biomedical laboratories’ reliance on conventional animal-based research and fossil fuel-based plastics. He will also teach, lead workshops and lectures, and help develop new academic and research collaborations between the United States and Finland.

Arriaga is in the University’s Department of Chemistry and leads a bioanalytical chemistry research group that develops new ways to study individual cells and the smaller structures within them. His team uses those tools to investigate aging, metabolic dysfunction, cancer and responses to drugs.

Like many biomedical research laboratories, Arriaga’s lab relies on animal models and disposable plasticware. In Finland, he will initially investigate whether cellulose-based scaffolds can support cells grown in three-dimensional environments that more closely resemble conditions inside the human body. Longer term, he hopes to apply what he learns to the development of plastic-free laboratory supplies, reducing waste from conventional disposable plasticware.

“For some time, I have been thinking about how we can transition bio-related research from fossil-based plastics to bio-based materials,” Arriaga said.

Finland’s expertise in cellulose-based materials made Aalto University a natural place to explore possible solutions. Arriaga will be based in its Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, where researchers bring together materials science, chemical engineering and biotechnology to turn renewable biomass into sustainable products and processes.

He will also collaborate with FinnCERES, a materials bioeconomy competence center jointly established by Aalto and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

The Distinguished Chair appointment extends beyond research. Arriaga will participate in teaching, workshops and lectures while exchanging ideas about higher education and institutional practices with Finnish colleagues.

“The Fulbright-Aalto University Distinguished Chair, sponsored by the Fulbright Finland Foundation, is a mechanism for strengthening connections between the United States and Finland,” Arriaga said. “I am excited to learn how we in Minnesota can connect with our Finnish counterparts and identify opportunities for continued collaboration.”

Fulbright scholars also serve as cultural ambassadors, helping build greater mutual understanding between the United States and their host countries. That aspect of the experience is especially meaningful to Arriaga, who carefully planned the sabbatical to include his family.

“Planning a sabbatical that accommodates both academic and family commitments is complex, and Fulbright made it possible,” Arriaga said. “I am ready to fully embrace the experiences that will be possible through this award.”

Arriaga joined the University of Minnesota faculty in 1998. In addition to his research and teaching, he has played a significant role in strengthening community and belonging within CSE. He was a founding chair of the CSE Alliance, has held numerous department- and college-level service roles and has mentored hundreds of undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

His previous honors include election as a fellow of the American Chemical Society and the CSE Taylor Award for Distinguished Service.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program provides opportunities for faculty members, administrators and other professionals to teach and conduct research abroad while building international partnerships. Arriaga’s appointment concludes Jan. 16, 2027. His project is titled “Innovating Aging Models and Teaching Bioanalytics: A U.S.-Finland Exchange in Cellulose Research.”