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 16, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Analytical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Richard Zare
Analytical Seminars
"How Did Life Begin on Early Earth?"
Professor Richard Zare - Department of Chemistry, Stanford University
Hosts: Bo Zhang and Daniel Chiu
When the Earth was first formed, it was too hot to support life as we know it. It cooled off and life began. How? The original gases on early Earth did not contain carbon-nitrogen (C-N) bonds, but these are needed to form amino acids, peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids such as RNA and DNA. How were they made? Since the landmark experiments by Miller and Urey, it has been proposed that lightning could play a crucial role in synthesizing life’s building blocks from abiotic molecules. Arguments have been offered against this hypothesis based on what is thought to be the composition of early Earth ‘s atmosphere, the fact that lightning is intermittent, and the reaction products might become too dispersed. We demonstrate that spraying room-temperature water droplets into a gas mixture containing nitrogen (N2), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and ammonia (NH3) leads…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 261. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Monday, October 20, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit chemistry.stanford.edu. Hyp J. Dauben, Jr. Endowed Lecture in Organic Chemistry: Prof. Wilfred van der Donk
Organic Seminars
Hyp J. Dauben, Jr. Endowed Lecture in Organic Chemistry
"Genome Mining for New Chemistry"
Professor Wilfred A. van der Donk - Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Host: Lauren Rajakovich
The genome sequencing efforts of the past 20 years have revealed that ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) constitute a large class of peptide natural products. These molecules are produced in all three domains of life, their biosynthetic genes are ubiquitous in the currently sequenced genomes, and their structural diversity is vast. Furthermore, they are increasingly recognized for their involvement in fighting or causing human disease. This lecture will discuss the use of genome mining and synthetic biology for the discovery of new RiPPs that has also proven to be an excellent platform to discover new chemistry involved in their biosynthesis.1-3
(1) Nguyen, D. T.; Mitchell, D. A.; van der Donk, W. A. Genome mining for new…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Physics / Astronomy Auditorium (PAA). Online Meeting Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChT45EErfUqqah_8s62nJuw. Campus room: PAA A118. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit www.vanderdonk.scs.illinois.edu. Organic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Wilfred van der Donk
Organic Seminars
"Biosynthesis and Engineering of Macrocyclic Peptides"
Professor Wilfred A. van der Donk - Department of Chemistry and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Host: Lauren Rajakovich
Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) constitute a very large class of peptide natural products. Lanthionine-containing peptides are examples of this rapidly growing class. These peptides are post-translationally modified to install multiple thioether crosslinks. During their biosynthesis, a single enzyme typically breaks 8-16 chemical bonds and forms 6-10 new bonds with high control over site- and chemoselectivity. This lecture will discuss utilization of these biocatalysts for bioengineering purposes and generation and use of macrocyclic peptide libraries. The lecture will also present mechanistic insights into the remarkable biocatalysts that transform a linear peptide into polycyclic products.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, October 23, 2025, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit www.vanderdonk.scs.illinois.edu. Chemistry Faculty Meeting
*Open Session.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/j/95101454481?pwd=Dd3dyH9uJUqyDfLtvK2W7hcg5gIk9U.1. Accessibility Contact: Veronica Howell, atchmchr@uw.edu. Event Types: Meetings. Target Audience: Faculty.
Thursday, October 23, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Online (see below for further information).
Welcome to CHEM 592 and How to Benefit the Most from Seminars
Analytical Seminars
"Welcome to CHEM 592 and How to Benefit the Most from Seminars"
Professor Matthew Bush - Department of Chemistry, University of Washington.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Target Audience: Students enrolled in CHEM 592.
Monday, October 27, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Inorganic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Raúl Hernández Sánchez
Inorganic Seminars
"Chemistry at interfaces: macrocyclic templates facilitating strong and weak interactions"
Assistant Professor Raúl Hernández Sánchez - Department of Chemistry, Rice University
Host: Dianne Xiao
Macrocyclic arene compounds have played a fundamental role in the development of supramolecular chemistry. Research on these systems have laid the foundations to explore and establish non-covalent interactions, e.g. hydrogen bonding, π···π stacking, C–H···π interactions. The Hernández Sánchez research group has taken the basic principles of macrocyclic arenes to design architectures enforcing metal–metal interactions towards the activation of small molecules, scaffolds capable of tubularly contorting aromatic systems, and frameworks able to bind anionic species for environmental remediation, all while retaining their intrinsic non-covalent interactions. In this seminar, Prof. Hernández Sánchez will discuss progress in each of these areas constantly crossing the boundaries between organic-inorganic synthesis and ma…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 260. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit profiles.rice.edu. General Exam Info Session
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: 3rd year PhD students.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM.
Chemistry Seminar: Dr. George Agbeworvi
Physical Seminars
"Stereochemically Active Electron Lone Pairs and Their Implications for Neuromorphic Computing and Anion Batteries."
Dr. George Agbeworvi - Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
Host: Nicholas M. Riley.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Chemistry Faculty Meeting
*Open Session.
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 30, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
CEI Interdisciplinary Seminar: Geraldine Richmond - Presidential Chair in Science, Professor of Chemistry; University of Oregon
Event interval: Single day event. Campus room: Nano 181. Accessibility Contact: Danica Hendrickson, danicah@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Target Audience: Clean Energy Community and Anyone interested in Current Clean Energy Research.
Thursday, October 30, 2025, 4:00 PM – 4:50 PM.
Chemistry Faculty Meeting
*Open Session.
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, November 6, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Veterans Day
Administrative
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2025. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Organic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Jennifer Kong
Organic Seminars
"TBD"
Assistant Professor Jennifer Kong - Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington
Host: Jesse Zalatan.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit www.thekonglab.org. Analytical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Jessica Ray
Analytical Seminars
"Novel, polymer-imprinted activated carbon media for selective adsorption of PFAS in wastewater."
Assistant Professor Jessica Ray - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington
Host: Matthew Bush
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 9,000 different compounds with high thermal and chemical stability due to their C–F bonds. These toxic compounds have been used in many applications and in consumer-end products which has led to widespread dispersion in the environment—particularly in water sources. During water treatment, granular activated carbon is commonly used to separate PFAS from water. Granular activated carbons are sourced from coal and other materials, and thermally and chemically activated to generate a high surface area, high porosity adsorbent. However, granular activated carbon is a nonselective adsorbent with low removal efficiency for small PFAS. Furthermore, once the adsorbent is spent, it is either landfilled where loaded PFAS will be leac…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Campus room: BAG 261. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Monday, November 17, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit ray-aimslab.com. A Discussion of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025
Inorganic Seminars
"The History and New Frontiers of Metal–Organic Framework Chemistry"
Associate Professor Dianne Xiao and Assistant Professor Doug Reed - Department of Chemistry, University of Washington
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognizes the architects of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi. Professors Dianne Xiao and Doug Reed from the Department of Chemistry will introduce MOFs and discuss their importance. Following this talk, we invite the audience to join in a moderated Q&A session.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Bagley Hall (BAG). Online Meeting Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChT45EErfUqqah_8s62nJuw. Campus room: pending confirmation. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Special Events. Lectures/Seminars. Target Audience: Non-experts with some some interest in or knowledge of chemistry.
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
For more info visit www.nobelprize.org. 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, November 20, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Thanksgiving Day
Administrative
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2025. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Thursday, November 27, 2025.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Native American Heritage Day
Administrative
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2025. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, November 28, 2025.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Analytical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Libin Xu
Analytical Seminars
"Differential Contributions of Distinct Lipid Peroxidation Mechanisms to Ferroptosis"
Associate Professor Libin Xu - Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington
Host: Dan Fu.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus room: room change in progress. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Monday, December 1, 2025, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
For more info visit faculty.washington.edu. Physical Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Sang-Hyun Oh
Physical Seminars
"TBD"
Professor Sang-Hyun Oh - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota
Host: Tristan Shi.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
For more info visit nanobio.umn.edu. Organic Chemistry Seminar: Prof. Nathan Romero
Organic Seminars
"TBD"
Assistant Professor Nathan Romero - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego
Host:
Matthew Golder.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, December 4, 2025, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
For more info visit sites.google.com. 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, December 4, 2025, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM.
Seminar: Dr. Stephanie Greed
"TBD"
Dr. Stephanie Greed - Senior Editor, Nature Reviews Chemistry
Host: Alshakim Nelson.
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Chemistry Building (CHB). Campus room: CHB 102. Accessibility Contact: chem59x@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Student Activities.
Monday, December 8, 2025, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Christmas Day
Administrative
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Thursday, December 25, 2025.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. New Year's Day
Administrative
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Thursday, January 1, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu.