Ruibin Liang, Texas Tech University
Physical Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Ruibin Liang, Texas Tech University
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-Person Seminar
Unraveling the functional mechanisms and design principles of photoactive biomolecular systems through multiscale simulations by Ruibin Liang, Texas Tech University
Abstract: Photochemical reactions change electronic states during chemical transformations. A fundamental understanding of how they interact with proteins is essential for advances in biological and biomedical sciences. However, two central and fundamental questions remain elusive: (1) how does the protein environment modulate the pathway, dynamics, and quantum yields of the non-adiabatic reactions of the chromophores? (2) how do the non-adiabatic reactions induce structural changes in the protein? Molecular simulation is indispensable to answering these questions because it can resolve the energetics and kinetics of chemical reactions at atomic-level detail, which is often beyond the limit of current exp…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, November 3, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
ChemSAC and Curie Club Coffee Chat
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Event Categories: Meetups. Campus Locations: Eyring Chemistry Building - Henry (HEB). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM.
Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati
Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati
TBBC 4630 (4th floor Thatcher)
High-Valent Metal Catalysis
by Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati
Abstract: The ability of transition metals to reach high oxidation states, particularly among second- and third-row transition metals, has enabled the development of various catalytic transformations. However, the reactivity and catalytic potential of high-valent intermediates in earth abundant metals, especially first-row late transition metals, remain poorly understood. This talk will highlight recent advances from our group in understanding the synthetic accessibility of high-valent copper complexes and their catalytic relevance. Furthermore, I will discuss our efforts to harness these elusive intermediates to develop new catalytic modes for the synthesis of biologically active molecules and their applications in biomedical imaging. Finally, recent advances in high-valent nickel catalysis will be discussed.
Host: Qilei…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, November 6, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Jennifer Shumaker-Parry, University of Utah
Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Jennifer Shumaker-Parry, University of Utah
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-person seminar
Plasmonic Platforms for Exploring Light-Matter Interactions
by Jennifer Shumake-Parry
Abstract: Metal nanoparticles exhibit unique optical properties due to the localized plasmonic response to incident light. The strong dependence of plasmons on structural properties means metal architectures can be designed to manipulate electric and magnetic fields on a remarkably small size scale. This structural engineering has broad implications for developing plasmonic platforms for chemical and biological sensing, photovoltaics, and subwavelength and nonlinear optical effects. Chiroptical activity of metal nanostructures has attracted attention because of the potential for light manipulation and coupling with molecules. Much research activity has focused on elucidating the design rules for chiroptical plasmonic responses, with most materials systems focused on bottom-up…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, November 10, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Daeyeon Lee, UPenn
Materials Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Daeyeon Lee, University of Pennsylvania
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In person seminar
Harnessing Nanoconfinement for Functional Polymer–Nanoparticle Composites
by Daeyeon Lee, University of Pennsylvania
Abstract: Nanoscale confinement can dramatically change how polymers flow, mix, and deform. In this talk, I will present our recent work on polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle films (PINFs), a new class of multifunctional coatings where polymers are confined within the interstices of densely packed nanoparticles. Using capillarity-based methods such as capillary rise infiltration (CaRI) and solvent-driven infiltration of polymers (SIP), we fabricate composite films with ultrahigh nanoparticle loadings (>50 vol%) that combine the toughness and processability of polymers with the functionalities of inorganic nanoparticles. I will show how extreme nanoconfinement governs infiltration dynamics in disordered nanoparticle packings and modifies polymer…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Matt Sigman, University of Utah
Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Matt Sigman, University of Utah
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-person seminar
Developing Data Science Tools for Synthetic Chemistsby Matt Sigman, University of Utah
Host: Cindy Burrows.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Michael Wasielewski, Northwestern University
Physical Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Michael Wasielewski, Northwestern University
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-Person Seminar
Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity in Electron Donor-Acceptor Systems
by Michael Wasielewski, Northwestern University
Abstract: The role of chirality in determining the spin dynamics of photoinduced electron transfer in donor-acceptor molecules leading to radical pairs that can function as spin qubit pairs remains an open question. While chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) has been demonstrated in molecules bound to metal or semiconductor substrates, until now there was no experimental information about whether the intrinsic spin-orbit coupling of the substrate influences the spin dynamics within the molecules themselves. Here we use time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that CISS strongly influences the spin dynamics of isolated covalent donor-chiral bridge-acceptor (D-Bc-A) molecules in which selective photoexcitation of…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, November 17, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Libai Huang, Purdue University
Materials Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Libai Huang, Purdue University
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-Person Seminar
Imaging Exciton Transport and Quantum Interactions with Ultrafast Microscopy
by Libai Huang, Purdue University
Abstract: At the most fundamental level, transport of energy carriers (such as electrons and excitons) in the solid state is determined by their wavefunctions and the interactions with the lattices and the environment. Wave properties of these particles have profound consequences in their transport. The key difficulties in probing transport in the quantum regime in real materials lie in the fast (picosecond or shorter) dephasing processes and the nanoscale localization lengths. Thus, to image the motion of excitons in their natural (quantum) time and length scales, experimental approaches combining spatial and temporal resolutions are necessary.
To address this challenge, my research group has developed the combined use of optical microscopy and ultrafast…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, November 20, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Tucker Carrington, Queen's University
Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Tucker Carrington, Queen's University
Exceptionally accurate ro-vibrational energy levels and tunnelling splittings of water dimer
by Tucker Carrington, Queen's University
Abstract: We have used (contracted) basis functions that incorporate coupling between inter-molecular coordinates and coupling between intra-molecular coordinates and an iterative eigensolver to compute many energy levels of water dimer (a 12-D problem). The water monomers are completely flexible. We solve the full problem in a basis of products of intramolecular and inter-molecular functions. Intra-molecular coordinates specify the shape of the monomers and intermolecular coordinates specify the relative orientation of the two monomers and distance between them. We are able, for the first time, to compute many monomer-excited states water dimer. To solve the intra-molecular and inter-molecular problems we use the Lanczos algorithm, exploiting the product structure of the primitive basis.…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, December 1, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Shannon Stahl, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Shannon Stahl, University of Wisconsin-Madison
TBBC 4630 (4th floor Thatcher)
Title: TBA
by Shannon Stahl, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Abstract: TBA
Host: Chem SAC.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, December 4, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Ann Wuttig, University of Chicago
Analytical Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Ann Wuttig, University of Chicago
In-person seminar
4630 TBBC
4th floor Thatcher
Electrocatalytic Synthesis with Interfacial Control
by Ann Wuttig, University of Chicago
Abstract: Chemical synthesis driven by electricity offers a scalable, decentralized, and energy-efficient route to furnish value-added products – from fuels to complex molecules. Maximizing reaction efficiency and durability requires immobilized catalytic active sites on electrodes, resulting in dispersed and non-uniform sites. This heterogeneity challenges iterative optimization of reactivity through traditional catalyst modifications, which rely on uniform, singular active sites. This lecture will focus on our research developing synthetic tools and concepts to predictively control interfacial structures at heterogeneous and reusable electrodes at the molecular level. Surface-sensitive techniques and mechanisms will be highlighted throughout the talk. Applications of our…
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Monday, December 8, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
David Nagib, Ohio State University
Organic Seminar at the University of Utah
with David Nagib, Ohio State University
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-person seminar
Harnessing Radical and Carbene Polarity in Organic Synthesis
by David Nagib, Ohio State University
Abstract: Radical and carbene chemistry can afford opposite or orthogonal reactivity to classic two-electron pathways. By developing radical chaperone strategies that merge open (1e-) and closed shell (2e-) processes, we have harnessed this complementary reactivity (and polarity) to impart new types of chemo-, regio-, and stereo- selectivity for remote, double, or reversed C-H and C-O functionalizations of alcohols, amines, and carbonyls. These carbene and radical chaperone strategies are continually being developed to streamline the synthesis of complex, medicinally relevant molecules and heterocycles. This seminar will highlight our newest, most exciting chemistry and the mosaic of champions behind these discoveries.
Host: Qilei Zhu.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, December 11, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Robert Baker, Ohio State University
Physical Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Robert Baker, Ohio State University
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In person seminar
Title: TBA
by Robert Baker, Ohio State University
Abstract: TBA
Host: Luisa Whittaker-Brooks.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Andrew McNally, Colorado State University
Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Andrew McNally, Colorado State University
In-person seminar
4630 TBBC
4th floor Thatcher
Title: TBA
with Andrew McNally, Colorado State University
Abstract: TBA
Host: Qilei Zhu.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, January 22, 2026, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.
Guangbin Dong, University of Chicago
Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah
with Guangbin Dong, University of Chicago
TBBC 4630
4th floor Thatcher
In-person seminar
Title: TBA
by Guangbin Dong, University of Chicago
Abstract: TBA
Host: Qilei Zhu.
Event Categories: Seminars. Campus Locations: Thatcher Chemistry Building (TBBC). Campus Wide Event: Yes.
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM.