This is a selection of featured videos from the Department of Chemistry. For more videos showcasing a variety of stories, people and topics related to Chemistry at Illinois, visit our Media Space channel and our YouTube channel.
In 2020, the U.S. was in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic without any vaccines in sight. Millions of college students were left wondering when they’d be able to resume in-person instruction. Researchers from various disciplines across the University of Illinois campus decided to create a fast and inexpensive COVID-19 test in order to ensure that its students, faculty and staff could remain safe and healthy during the pandemic. That journey and the events of the 2020-21 school year are detailed in this 30-min Big Ten Network documentary.
Student Research Showcase, Aug. 2, 2023. This virtual event features four University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergraduate students presenting their research projects: Seungwook Kim (Class of 2023, Han Lab), Aidan Lindsay (Class of 2025, Jackson Lab), Maria Massa (Class of 2025, Silverman Lab), Aidan Tijerina-Albury (Class of 2026, Dlott Lab).
You can also watch this video on our YouTube channel.
Alumni Lecture: Dr. Lance E. Rodewald, MD (BS, ’76) (April 19, 2023), Dr. Lance E. Rodewald, MD (BS, ’76) gave a virtual talk entitled “Prevention and Control of Vaccine Preventable Diseases in China, from Polio to COVID-19” on April 19, 2023. Dr. Rodewald is a pediatrician and serves as the senior advisor to the National Immunization Program of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He received the 2023 Alumni Humanitarian Award from the College of LAS for his dedication to improving children’s access to life-saving vaccines.
Alumni Career Panel: Chemistry & Beyond, April 20, 2022. This virtual panel with Chemistry at UIUC alumni, shared their experience and careers in energy storage, process R&D chemistry, and research administration. The panel included Dr. Karla Ewalt (BS, '89 Zimmerman & Nieman), Senior Associate Dean for Research, Princeton University; Dr. Kaitlyn Gray (PhD, 'Burke), Senior Principal Scientist in Process Chemistry, Pfizer; and Dr. Nicholas Ndiege (PhD, '08 Masel), Senior Member of Technical Staff, QuantumScape.
Alumni Lecture: Wandering in the Garden of Sphingolipids Searching for the Resilient Brain, held virtually on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. The speaker was Dr. Robert Yu, with the introduction by department Head Cathy Murphy. Dr. Robert Yu (PhD, '67, Carter) is from the Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
Asian American Pacific Islanders Celebration: Dr. Marinda Wu, A Personal & Professional Journey, June 25, 2021. Alumna Marinda Wu (PhD, ‘76, Drago) will share her personal and professional journey as a chemist, from her family roots to her PhD in chemistry at Illinois and a long career in the chemical industry, primarily with Dow Chemical Company in research and development but also experiences with small chemical companies and startups.
UIUC Chemistry Celebrates Women's History Month: Faculty Panel, March 31, 2021. A panel of three chemists, Dr. Catherine J. Murphy (UIUC), Dr. Lisa Olshansky (UIUC), and Dr. Quinetta D. Shelby (DePaul University), will discuss working in the field of chemistry in 2021, reflect on the challenges women chemists faced in the past, and share what they would like to see in the future for women in chemistry. The panel was moderated by Dr. José Andino Martinez.
UIUC Chemistry Celebrates Women's History Month - Women Untold, March 30, 2021, is a panel discussion about the documentary Women Untold. The panel was introduced and moderated by Alexis Thompson and the panel included two of the creators, Marie Anne Torres and Stephen Baird.
UIUC NOBCChE'S 2021 Black History Month Conference - Dr. Sibrina Collins, February 20, 2021. Saturday's keynote speaker was Dr. Sibrina Collins, who's topic was The Importance of Storytelling in Chemical Education. Dr. Collins was introduced by Safiyah Muhammad.
UIUC NOBCChE'S 2021 Black History Month Conference - Prof. Tyrone Hays, February 19, 2021. Friday's keynote speaker was Prof. Tyrone Hayes, who's topic was From Silent Spring to Silent Night: A Tale of Toads to Men.
Alumni Lecture - Catalysis Used in Oil Industry and Next-Gen Alkylate Gasoline Manufacturing Technology Development, Oct. 29, 2020. This virtual lecture via Zoom features Alumna Hye Kyung Timken (PhD, '87, Oldfield). As a research and development team leader at Chevron Corporation, Timken has worked for the last 20 years on groundbreaking technology that is now poised to transform gasoline production at oil refineries into a safer, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly process.
Alumni Career Panel - Chemistry and Beyond, Oct. 2, 2020. This virtual event features a panel of four alumni, Tripta Holtz (BS, '10), Yantao Hughes (PhD, '03, van der Donk), Mark Pytosh (BS, '86), and Olaseni Sode (PhD, '12, Hirata), sharing their varied career experiences since graduating from the department.