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

Department Events

Spring 2026 CEMS Seminar Schedule

MARCH

Tuesday, Mar. 31: Ana Torres, Carnegie Mellon University

 

APRIL

Tuesday, Apr. 7: Moon Park, Pohang University of Science and Technology

Thursday, Apr. 16: James Kakalios, University of Minnesota Twin Cities Department of Physics

Thursday, Apr. 23: David Schaffer, University of California, Berkeley (Fredrickson Lecture)

Tuesday, Apr. 28: Judy Cha, Cornell University

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 academics 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

Graduate student Kathryn Medrow (left) and postdoctoral researcher Jinsol Yook

C&EN highlights CEMS research on improving compostable plastics

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (07/01/2026) — A new feature in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) highlights research from CEMS Professor Chris Ellison and University of Minnesota chemistry professor Marc Hillmyer that could make one of the world's most widely used biodegradable plastics more suitable for home composting.

Bartel, Magruder, and Mkoyan

Spring 2026 CEMS Awards Highlights

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (06/04/2026) — CEMS faculty, students, and alumni earned several notable awards and recognitions during the Spring 2026 semester, reflecting achievements in research, teaching, service, leadership, and innovation. We are pleased to recognize the following honors:

paul getting his award

Paul Dauenhauer named 2026 Faculty Innovator of the Year

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/20/2026) — University of Minnesota Twin Cities Professor Paul Dauenhauer was honored with the “Faculty Innovator of the Year” award at the 2026 University of Minnesota Founder’s Day.

Kelsey Stoerzinger (left) and Matthew Neurock (right) will lead this project looking for a sustainable solution to the creation of chemicals and fuels.

CEMS researchers awarded grant to develop sustainable fuel production

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/21/2026) — Researchers Associate Professor Kelsey Stoerzinger and Professor Matthew Neurock from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have been awarded a grant from the Toyota Research Institute to transform how we create essential chemicals and fuels.

Left: Courtney Archibald. Right: Aquarina Hoanca receiving her award.

Two CEMS undergraduates recognized with university leadership awards

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/15/2026) — Congratulations to CEMS undergraduate students Courtney Archibald (BMatSE, 2026) and Aquarina Hoanca (BChE, 2026) on earning University of Minnesota student leadership awards.

The winners of the TA awards together

Celebrating the 2026 CEMS TA Award Winners

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/13/2026) — The Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 CEMS TA Awards.

Matt Neurock receiving his award from MSU

Matt Neurock honored with Red Cedar Circle Distinguished Alumni Award

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/06/2026) — Congratulations to CEMS Professor Matthew Neurock on receiving the Red Cedar Circle Distinguished Chemical Engineering and Material Science Alumni Award from his alma mater, Michigan State University (MSU). 

Shin wearing a jacket.

Shinnosuke Kamohara receives ECS Travel Grant

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/05/2026) — Congratulations to CEMS graduate student Shinnosuke Kamohara, a member of the Stoerzinger Research Group, on receiving an Electrochemical Society (ECS) Twin Cities Section Travel Grant.

Mason stands on stairs wearing a Minnesota sweater.

“Never a dull moment” for chemical engineering student in Minnesota

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/28/2026) — In four years at the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE), Mason Hamar has co-authored a research paper, completed three internships and one engineering co-op, built a water distribution system for a school in Malawi, competed in ultimate frisbee tournaments across the Midwest, and learned to snowboard.

Students in front of a purdeu sign

CEMS Students Attend AIChE North Central Regional Conference

Posted

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (04/27/2026) — Last month, CEMS students involved in the AIChE at UMN student organization attended the 2026 AIChE North Central Regional Student Conference at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.