October 2025 |
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 | Ming Lee Tang, University of Utah Special Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Ming Lee Tang, University of Utah 4630 TBBC 4th floor Thatcher In-Person Seminar Photogenerated triplet excitons for photon upconversion and spin-polarization in QD-molecular nanostructures by Ming Lee Tang, University of Utah Abstract: Semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots (QDs), offer direct optical access to photogenerated triplet excited states for photon upconversion and spin-correlated radical pairs (SCRPs). This is important for energy conversion or quantum information science. QDs are excellent triplet photosensitizers because their synthetically tunable absorption profile usually comes with a large extinction coefficient, accessible with steady-state light sources at moderate temperatures. In this talk, I will describe how our initial foray into using QDs as light absorbers for photon upconversion via triplet-triplet annihilation, has lead us to explore different classes of materials for QIS applications. In particular, our work designing conjugated organic ligands to enhance triplet energy transfer from chalcogenide QDs for the most efficient conversion of near-infrared photons to visible light, has motivated research into silicon QDs. Compared to chalcogenide nanocrystals, silicon is non-toxic and earth-abundant. Silicon’s low spin-orbit coupling can potentially support spin-polarization in organics. Using Si QDs synthesized with a scalable non-thermal plasma, using pulsed EPR spectroscopy, we can generate, study and manipulate the spins in these hybrid Si:QD-acene nanostructures to photogenerate SCRPs. These highly tailorable inorganic-organic hybrid systems offer versatility, stability and expanded access to spin-active excitons compared to traditional all-organic donor-acceptor systems. Host: Tom Richmond More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | Erik Alexanian, UNC Chapel Hill Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Erik Alexanian, UNC Chapel Hill TBBC 4630 (4th floor Thatcher) Amides & Amidyl Radicals: Unlocking Novel Reaction Platforms for Synthesis by Erik Alexanian, UNC Chapel Hill Abstract: Transformations of common molecular building blocks can broadly impact chemical synthesis in contexts ranging from the discovery of medicinally relevant small molecules to industrial-scale chemical production. This lecture will describe our efforts in harnessing new modes of reactivity in radical chemistry and organometallic catalysis to streamline the synthesis of diverse small molecules. First, our efforts applying the unique reactivity of amidyl radicals for the derivatization of several classes of organic substrates will be presented. In addition, our work involving the catalytic hydrocarbonylations of unsaturated substrates using earth-abundant metals will be discussed. Host: Qilei Zhu More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | Tom Linz, Wayne State University Analytical Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Tom Linz, Wayne State University High-Sensitivity Microfluidics to Characterize Biological Heterogeneity by Tom Linz, Wayne State University Abstract: Microfluidic analyses offer numerous benefits compared to traditional bioanalytical techniques. These miniaturized systems afford faster analysis times, require less sample volume, and can integrate sample preparation and analysis into a single platform. Our laboratory has harnessed these benefits to develop high sensitivity gel electrophoresis and digital PCR methods to measure diverse biological analytes including proteins, nucleic acids, and cells. Our electrophoresis project utilizes thermally responsive polymers as a gel matrix. Temperature is adjusted to tune analytical performance and achieve preconcentration and separation of biomolecules and cells. Our digital PCR project integrates detection of proteins and nucleic acids. Target analytes are measured from individual nanoscopic biocomplexes with single-molecule sensitivity. The innovative analytical strategies developed in our laboratory enhance measurement capabilities to facilitate biological research. Host: Long Luo More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | Barry Thompson, USC Materials Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Barry Thompson, USC TBBC 4630 (4th floor Thatcher) Approaches to Mechanically Robust and Sustainable Polymers for Organic Solar Cells by Barry Thompson, USC Abstract: Conjugated polymers have been the cornerstone of organic electronics, with applications in such diverse areas as photovoltaics, field effect transistors, batteries, and bioelectronics. However, a number of challenges are still apparent, including, scalability, sustainability, and applicability under a broad range of real-world conditions. Our efforts have focused on novel, simplified polymer architectures, scalable synthetic methods and applications in solar cells and batteries. In this talk, a primary focus will be on the design of novel semiconducting polymers for intrinsically stretchable solar cells (IS-PSCs). We have designed novel side-chain functionalized conjugated polymers bearing hydrogen-bonding groups, such as thymine. Such units capable of inducing strong intermolecular hydrogen-bonding leading to polymer assembly and highly efficient and mechanically robust PSCs. Importantly, such polymers have enabled IS-PSCs showing an unprecedented combination of PCE (13.7%) and ultrahigh mechanical durability (maintaining 80% of initial PCE after 43% strain). The talk will also address sustainable methods for the synthesis of conjugated polymers including the C-H activation-based method of Direct Arylation Polymerization (DArP). Additionally, efforts toward the development of novel non-conjugated electroactive polymers will be introduced where we focus on elucidating structure-function relationships and synthetic pathways for this promising materials class. Host: Connor Bischak More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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November 2025 |
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 | 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 experimental techniques. However, the multiscale nature of these processes poses significant challenges for traditional computational methods. In this talk, I will discuss our recent efforts to overcome these computational challenges, focusing on the multiscale simulation of light-induced reactions in protein environments such as photoinduced electron transfer in cryptochrome and photoisomerization of molecular photoswitches in enzymes, microtubules, and G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs). We developed a multiscale simulation framework that integrates new methods in docking, molecular dynamics, conical intersection seam exploration, first principles non-adiabatic dynamics, and free energy simulations. Notably, multireference electronic structure calculations were performed on-the-fly during the non-adiabatic dynamics simulation in a QM/MM setting, and global exploration of conical intersection seam space was achieved through the development of the Crystal method. The combination of these state-of-the-art simulation techniques enables comprehensive characterization of the photochemical reactivity of photoactive biological systems. Our simulations elucidate how the ligand-protein interactions and chemical modifications on the ligand are tightly coupled with the pathway, kinetics, and quantum yields of photochemical reactions. These novel insights are critical for improving the design of photoactive biomolecular systems in optogenetics and photopharmacology.Host: Jessica Swanson More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | ChemSAC and Curie Club Coffee Chat More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati TBBC 4630 (4th floor Thatcher) Title: TBA by Wei Liu, University of Cincinnati Abstract: TBA Host: Qilei Zhu and Luo Long More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 Title: TBA by Jennifer Shumake-Parry Abstract: TBA More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 Title: TBA by Daeyeon Lee, University of Pennsylvania Abstract: TBA Host: Luisa Whittaker-Brooks More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 Title: TBA by Michael Wasielewski, Northwestern University Abstract: TBA Host: Connor Bischak More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 Title: TBA by Libai Huang, Purdue University Abstract: TBA Host: Luisa Whittaker-Brooks More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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December 2025 |
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 | 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. We calculate the potential matrix for the full problem without storing the potential on a full-dimensional grid. This is done by storing an intermediate matrix, called the F matrix and parallelizing the calculation. We use a new super accurate potential energy surface computed by S. Yang and D. Zhang, who fit a two-body interaction term with a large number of high-level ab initio points. Agreement with experimental spectra is extremely good. For (H2O)2 the best experiments probe the intermolecular levels and the root means square error (RMSE) with respect to experimental levels is 0.29 cm−1 ; for (D2O)2 the best experiments probe the intra-molecular levels and the RMSE with respect to 22 of 24 intra-molecular (D2O)2 levels is 0.17 cm−1 . The accuracy of our calculation makes it possible to re-assign several experimental bands. Host: Ryan Steele More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 interfacial designs in enabling selective chemical syntheses and durable energy conversion systems will be discussed. Bio: Anna Wuttig is a Neubauer Family Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department at the University of Chicago. She joined the faculty in July 2021. She holds a A.B. in Chemistry from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from MIT. She was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Berkeley. Her research group develops electricity-driven chemical reactions to synthesize products across the chemical value chain by drawing on physical and synthetic inorganic and organic tools to advance the underlying science gating chemical reactivity at electrified interfaces. Host: Long Luo/Qilei Zhu More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 Title: TBA by David Nagib, Ohio State University Abstract: TBA Host: Zhu More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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January 2026 |
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 | 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 More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | 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 More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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February 2026 |
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 | Jun Ohata, North Carolina State University Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Jun Ohata, North Carolina State University 4630 TBBC 4th floor Thatcher In-Person Seminar Title: TBA by Jun Ohata, North Carolina State University Abstract: TBA Host: Andrew Roberts More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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 | Monica McCallum, U Penn Organic Chemistry Seminar at the University of Utah with Monica McCallum, U Penn TBBC 4630 4th floor Thatcher In-Person Seminar Title: TBA by Monica McCallum, U Penn Abstract: TBA Host: Andrew Roberts More info Add to calendar Forward to friends |
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