Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Chung-Wei Kung
Inorganic Seminars
"Electrochemistry Meets Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) – Roles of Electrochemically Inactive Frameworks"
Professor Chung-Wei Kung - Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan
Host: Dianne Xiao
The development of clean energy has gained more and more attention in recent years, and electrochemical technologies play an important role in a range of clear-energy applications. The design and synthesis of highly active electrode materials, namely, the active thin film modified on the electrode surface that can facilitate the desired electrochemical reaction, are thus crucial for the development of high-performance electrochemical devices toward energy and environmental applications. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), also known as porous coordination polymers (PCPs), are thus highly attractive for electrochemical systems owing to their ultrahigh specific surface area, tunable pore structure in the molecular scale, and tunable chemical functionality within the nanopores. However, the…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 260. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Lectures/Seminars.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit che.ncku.edu.tw. Weston T. and Sheila Borden Endowed Lecture in Theoretical Chemistry: Prof. Ned Sibert
Physical Seminars
Weston T. and Sheila Borden Endowed Lecture in Theoretical Chemistry
"Exploring the CH Stretch Spectral Region with Local Mode Hamiltonians"
Professor Emeritus Ned Sibert - Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Host: Anne McCoy
The CH spectral region has often been assumed to be so congested and plagued with resonant interactions that there is little information or conformational content to be gleaned from the spectra. We have recently challenged this assumption. A key to our success has been the ability of the Zwier group to obtain conformer specific vibrational spectra at low temperatures. These spectra have been used to obtain empirical scaling factors that, when applied to our density functional based model Hamiltonians, lead to results that allow one to fully extract the information embedded in the molecular spectra. We have developed this Hamiltonian, which has Huckel-like simplicity, to understand the spectroscopy of a broad range of molecules and clusters so that we can predict…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 260. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit chem.wisc.edu. Chemistry Faculty Meeting
*Executive Session Only.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: Veronica Howell, atchmchr@uw.edu. Event Types: Meetings. Target Audience: Faculty.
Thursday, October 22, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Chemistry Education Seminar: Prof. Thom Dunning
Careers in Chemistry
"The Chemical Bond: A New Perspective"
Affiliate Professor Thom Dunning - Department of Chemistry, University of Washington
Host: Lutz Maibaum
Numerous studies have shown that undergraduate chemistry students, and even many chemistry graduate students, have misconceptions about the chemical bond.1 A striking example is the belief that the Octet Rule is responsible for the formation of chemical bonds. The misconceptions are due, in large part, to the difficulty associated with the unusual nature of quantum mechanics—the physics underlying the structure of atoms and molecules—which describes electrons as “clouds” not particles, and the difficulties this poses for teaching about chemical bonding.
In this presentation, we will provide an overview of a new perspective on the chemical bond that arises from the advances made by quantum chemists over the past thirty years. This new perspective is based on Spin-Coupled Generalized Valence Bond (SCGVB) theory,2,3 which addresses the most serious limitations of both…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Meetings. Lectures/Seminars.
Monday, October 26, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit chem.washington.edu. What Haven’t We Asked Quantum Computers to Do? Jeff Henshaw Senior VP, Quantum Compute Products at IonQ
When people talk about quantum computing, the focus is usually on a small set of well-known applications. But an equally interesting question is whether we’re asking the right questions in the first place. What kinds of problems might benefit from quantum approaches that we simply haven’t recognized yet?
This talk offers a brief introduction to the ideas behind quantum computing and a snapshot of where the field stands today. It then explores a broader challenge: discovering new applications by bringing together people who approach problems from very different perspectives. Researchers in fields ranging from chemistry and biology to public policy, history, literature, and religious studies may see opportunities that physicists and computer scientists overlook.
Not every problem will be a good fit for quantum computing. But expanding the conversation beyond the traditional quantum community may be one of the best ways to discover what these technologies will ultimately be useful for.
All disciplines welcome…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Student Union Building (HUB). Campus room: 250. Accessibility Contact: casevents@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Target Audience: Open to all UW faculty, students, and staff.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM.
Chemistry Faculty Meeting
*Executive Session Only.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: Veronica Howell, atchmchr@uw.edu. Event Types: Meetings. Target Audience: Faculty.
Thursday, October 29, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
George H. Cady Endowed Lecture in Inorganic Chemistry: Prof. Ram Seshadri
Inorganic Seminars
George H. Cady Endowed Lecture in Inorganic Chemistry
"Discovering Compounds and Designing Materials"
Professor Ram Seshadri - Materials Department and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara
Host: Douglas Reed
In the literature, there has been a tendency to label extended crystalline compounds somewhat inaccurately as materials, but materials are usually only those compounds that display some useful functionality. Moreover, real materials are rarely pure compounds when employed in real-world applications. It is also of interest to note that the synthesis of chemical compounds often predates the discovery of the key functionality that would allow the compound to be declared a material, sometimes by several decades. It is more often the case therefore, that compounds that have been previously synthesized are screened for their function. I will discuss approaches to the synthesis of new compounds (using examples of halide perovskites and double perovskites), and how…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 260. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Monday, November 2, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit www.chem.ucsb.edu. Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Ram Seshadri
Inorganic Seminars
"Rapid, High-Temperature Microwave Synthesis of Useful Materials"
Professor Ram Seshadri - Materials Department and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara
Host: Douglas Reed
I will introduce assisted microwave methods for high-temperature reactions and describe how they have accelerated the preparation of phosphor, thermoelectric, magnetic, and battery materials in my research group over the years. In contrast to microwave heating for solution reactions, these are techniques that employ domestic (≈$100) microwave ovens to readily achieve temperatures as high as 1400°C in minutes. In this talk, I will focus on the preparation of battery electrodes materials for Li–ion and Na–ion batteries. I will close with a description of how these microwave methods are being scaled for industrial use.
Ram Seshadri received a Ph.D. in solid state chemistry in 1995 from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, working with Professor C. N. R. Rao FRS. After some years as a…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 260. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Lectures/Seminars.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit www.chem.ucsb.edu. Physical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Tim Zuehlsdorff
Physical Seminars
"Modeling optical properties of molecules in complex environments using tensor-network approaches"
Assistant Professor Tim Zuehlsdorff - Department of Chemistry, Oregon State University
Host: Xiaosong Li
Theoretical spectroscopy plays a crucial role in understanding light-driven properties of materials and molecules. Truly predictive modeling of optical properties of systems in the condensed phase, such as solvated molecules, is however highly challenging, as direct couplings of the electronic states to the complex environment must be accounted for. Additionally, non-Condon effects due to vibrationally induced symmetry-breaking, or nonadiabatic effects due to multiple explicitly coupled electronic excited states influence light-induced energy relaxation dynamics in a wide range of molecular systems and are notoriously difficult to model. In this talk, I discuss a dynamic approach recently developed in our group to address this challenge, that is based on sampling fluctuations of the excitation energies and…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit science.oregonstate.edu. MS in Applied Chemical Science & Technology Program
STEM undergraduates are invited to learn about the Department of Chemistry Master of Science in Applied Chemical Science and Technology (MSACST) program.
The application for starting in Autumn 2027 or Winter 2028 is open.
Priority Consideration deadline: January 31, 2027
UW students may apply as Combined Undergraduate and Graduate (CUG) students and potentially apply up to 12 credits of 400-level chemistry courses toward the degree.
The session will cover the program and degree requirements. Refreshments will be provided.
MSACST prepares students for advanced graduate studies and careers in biotech, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and related fields using cutting-edge chemical and data science tools. See our website for alumni careers and outcomes https://www.appliedchem.uw.edu/careers-outcomes. Questions? Contact MSACST director Sharon Durfy at acstadvising@uw.edu.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: Sharon Durfy. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: Undergraduate Students.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit www.appliedchem.uw.edu. Veterans Day
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Organic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Green Ahn
Organic Seminars
"Precision Reprogramming of Cellular Pathways through Chemical and Computational Protein Design."
Assistant Professor Green Ahn - Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington
Host: Dustin Maly.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Academics.
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit sites.uw.edu. Physical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Hsing-Ta Chen
Physical Seminars
"Navigating Various Disorders and Dynamics in Strongly Coupled Light-Matter Systems."
Assistant Professor Hsing-Ta (Theta) Chen - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame
Host: David Masiello
Strong light-matter interactions hold great promise for modulating molecular and material properties, including chemical reactivity, energy transfer, and charge conductivity, via polaritonic states. In realistic chemical and material systems, disorder arising from thermal fluctuations and structural defects is inevitable and has a significant impact on the polaritonic state. However, disorder is often considered a perturbative effect and is usually omitted from models of light-matter dynamics and spectroscopy. In this talk, I aim to explore dynamical simulations of strongly coupled systems under various forms of disorder, including random dipole orientations, electromagnetic field fluctuations, and electron-phonon coupling. Contrary to the intuition that disorder inherently hinders exciton…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit chemistry.nd.edu. Thanksgiving Day
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Thursday, November 26, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Native American Heritage Day
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, November 27, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. MS in Applied Chemical Science & Technology Program
Go to the Online Meeting Link in this listing to RSVP and obtain the Zoom link for this info session.
STEM undergraduates are invited to learn about the Department of Chemistry Master of Science in Applied Chemical Science and Technology (MSACST) program.
The application for starting in Autumn 2027 or Winter 2028 is open.
Priority Consideration deadline: January 31, 2027.
MSACST prepares students for advanced graduate studies and careers in biotech, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and related fields using cutting-edge chemical and data science tools. See our website for alumni careers and outcomes https://www.appliedchem.uw.edu/careers-outcomes.
The information session will cover the program requirements, research options, career pathways, and more. Bring your questions! We look forward to meeting you.
Questions? Contact MSACST director Sharon Durfy at acstadvising@uw.edu.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://www.appliedchem.uw.edu/admissions/events. Accessibility Contact: Sharon Durfy. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: Undergraduate STEM Students.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Online, register at Online Meeting Link to receive Zoom link.
For more info visit www.appliedchem.uw.edu. Physical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Zhou Lin
Physical Seminars
"Physics-Informed Machine Learning and Quantum Mechanics for Electronic Structures and Molecular Spectroscopy"
Assistant Professor Zhou Lin - Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Host: Anne McCoy
Our research encompasses forward structure-to-property prediction and inverse property-to-structure inference and provides essential tools for predicting and interpreting molecular structures and dynamics. We are developing computational models that combine physics-informed machine learning with quantum mechanics for these goals.
To achieve high-throughput inference of spectroscopic signals without trial and error, we created Spec2D, an encoder–decoder architecture that translates spectroscopic signals into molecular identity and connectivity. This process uses pre-trained large language models, such as transformers and GPT, to treat the task as a form of language translation. Spec2D demonstrates state-of-the-art accuracy in inferring the structures of single molecules and binary mixtures…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, December 9, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit www.umass.edu. Christmas Day
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, December 25, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. New Year's Day
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, January 1, 2027.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. MS in Applied Chemical Science & Technology Program
Go to the Online Meeting Link in this listing to RSVP and obtain the Zoom link for this info session.
STEM undergraduates are invited to learn about the Department of Chemistry Master of Science in Applied Chemical Science and Technology (MSACST) program.
The application for starting in Autumn 2027 or Winter 2028 is open.
Priority Consideration: January 31, 2027, General Consideration: April 30, 2027
MSACST prepares students for advanced graduate studies and careers in biotech, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and related fields using cutting-edge chemical and data science tools. See our website for alumni careers and outcomes https://www.appliedchem.uw.edu/careers-outcomes.
The information session will cover the program requirements, research options, career pathways, and more. Bring your questions! We look forward to meeting you.
Questions? Contact MSACST director Sharon Durfy at acstadvising@uw.edu.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://www.appliedchem.uw.edu/admissions/events. Accessibility Contact: Sharon Durfy. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: Undergraduate STEM Students.
Wednesday, January 13, 2027, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Online, register at Online Meeting Link to receive Zoom link.
For more info visit www.appliedchem.uw.edu.