Congratulations to Dr. Noy Nechmad and Claire Ogilvie! Both have been named as recipients of the 2026 Fall POLY General Topics Award for their outstanding presentations! The POLY Outstanding General Topics Presentation Award was established to recognize excellent presentations from graduate and professional students during ACS National Meetings. This award acknowledges and rewards the dedicated efforts to research and presentations. Noy's presentation, "Post-synthetic crosslinking of polymer strands with… read more about Nechmad and Ogilvie are POLY General Topics Award Recipients for Outstanding Presentations »
Arts & Sciences Council recognized four Trinity College of Arts & Sciences faculty members on Oct. 1 for outstanding teaching. The Council’s annual teaching awards celebrate faculty who challenge and support their students, create engaging and inclusive learning environments, and help students connect their coursework to questions beyond the classroom. This year’s honorees represent Computer Science, the Writing and Rhetoric Program, Sociology and Chemistry. Brandon Fain… read more about Arts & Sciences Council Honors Four Faculty for Excellence in Teaching »
Prof. Weitao Yang, a pioneering contributor to theoretical and computational quantum chemistry, specifically in Density Functional Theory (DFT) development and electronic structure calculations, has been awarded the 2026–2027 Joseph O. Hirschfelder Prize in Theoretical Chemistry, presented by the Theoretical Chemistry Institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Professor Yang will visit the University of Wisconsin–Madison in November to present two scientific lectures and will be honored at the Joseph O. Hirschfelder… read more about Weitao Yang is the 26-27 Joseph O. Hirschfelder Awardee »
Professor Weitao Yang, a pioneering contributor to theoretical and computational quantum chemistry, specifically in Density Functional Theory development and electronic structure calculations, has been awarded the 2026–27 Joseph O. Hirschfelder Prize in Theoretical Chemistry. The award, known as the top academic prize in theoretical chemistry, is presented by the Theoretical Chemistry Institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.Yang is the Philip Handler Professor of Chemistry at Duke University and one of the… read more about Weitao Yang Wins 2026 Hirschfelder Award, Top Academic Prize in Theoretical Chemistry »
Prof. Steve Craig is a Decker Nominee! The Judith Deckers Prize was established to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching. It aims to celebrate and promote outstanding teaching practices in and outside the classroom, focusing on faculty who have significantly impacted the student experience. The Deckers Prize acknowledges individual achievements and underscores Duke's commitment to fostering a culture of undergraduate teaching excellence. Three exceptional faculty members will receive this prestigious honor, which… read more about "Professor Craig has highlighted the type of individual I want to be in the future" »
Graduate student Yubo Wang has been named as a Scholar in the prestigious John T. Chambers Scholars program for 2026-2027 in the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics (FIP) at the Pratt School of Engineering! The John T. Chambers Program has a strong background at the Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics since 2001, and this year they are thrilled to continue the scholars program rewarding existing graduate students for their demonstrated excellence in their academic studies, research and interdisciplinary collaborations.… read more about Yubo Wang Named Chambers Scholar »
Professor Jim Parise has received the David and Janet Vaughan Brooks Teaching Award from the Arts and Sciences Council in recognition of his dedication to instruction in and outside of the classroom! The award is made in recognition of Prof. Parise's truly outstanding teaching across general and organic chemistry. Prof. Parise excels at sparking excitement about learning through engaging, well‑structured lectures that make complex material accessible without sacrificing rigor. Students frequently… read more about Parise Named Vaughan Brooks Teaching Awardee »
Duke Chemists Help Unravel the Secrets of Ancient Textiles at Nasher Museum of ArtAnna Sheinberg, Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry, is working with fellow researchers in Trinity College’s Chemistry Department and at the Nasher Museum of Art to uncover new information about some of the ancient, dyed textiles in the Nasher’s collection. Anna Sheinberg and Julia McHugh study and discuss ancient textiles in the Nasher Museum of Art's collection. (Photo… read more about Chemistry Helps Unravel Textiles' Mysteries »
Katherine J. Franz, the James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, and Daniel Reker, an assistant professor of Biomedical Engineering, were recently awarded funding through Wellcome Leap’s Focused Antibiotics program to develop a new approach to treating bacterial infections—one designed to spare the gut microbiome, while still effectively eliminating disease-causing bacteria.Wellcome Leap is a U.S. nonprofit founded by the Wellcome Trust to accelerate breakthroughs in human health. It represents a new model for… read more about Franz Receives Wellcome Leap Funding to Develop Safer Antibiotics »
The Moreno-Hernandez lab's ongoing body of work on developing new catalysts for the electrochemical production of chemicals was featured in a recent article in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. The lab discovered a catalyst that both improves the stability of non-iridium materials, and also significantly surpassed the activity targets for this technology compared to the state-of-the-art. Read more about their work, "Activation of Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis via Reduced… read more about Moreno-Hernandez Lab Develops New Catalysts for Electrochemical Production of Chemicals »
The National Science Foundation is investing $19.8 million in the Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks (MONET) research center. The Center, led by Prof. Stephen Craig, will continue their exploration of the science of polymer networks: long, repeating molecules found in all sorts of things, from trees to tires to plastics. MONET will receive the funding over five years from the NSF Centers for Chemical Innovation program, which focuses on major challenges in fundamental chemistry that require substantial teams and… read more about MONET Moves in to Phase II! »
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing $19.8 million in a Duke-led research center that explores the science of polymer networks: long, repeating molecules found in a broad range of materials and products from trees to tires to plastics. The NSF Center for the Chemistry of Molecularly Optimized Networks (NSF MONET) will receive the funding over five years from the NSF Centers for Chemical Innovation program, which focuses on major challenges in fundamental chemistry that require substantial teams… read more about Duke Part of $19.8 Million NSF Investment in Polymer Network Science »
The Hong Lab, in collaboration with the Tadross Lab, has shown that associative opioid-reward learning can be blocked even under conditions that elevate dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. The team developed naloxoneDART, a cell-type-specific analogue of the clinical opioid receptor antagonist naloxone, and delivered it to genetically defined accumbal cholinergic interneurons, selectively rendering these cells morphine-insensitive. Their findings motivate exploration of opioid–cholinergic… read more about Hong Lab Proving Associative Opioid-reward Learning can be Blocked »
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is increasing its support for early-stage interdisciplinary research efforts with new funding for four faculty-led research initiatives designed to foster collaboration across the social sciences, natural sciences and arts & humanities. The projects — spanning biodiversity, statistics, mental health, philosophy, cultural heritage and data science — came out of a competitive call for proposals launched last year. Two initiatives, Causality at Duke and BioTA: Biodiversity… read more about Trinity Funds Four New Faculty-Led Research Initiatives »
Congratulations to Dr. Sheila Dewitt, a 2026 Fellow of The American Chemical Society. ACS fellows are members who have made outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the chemistry profession, and the society. Fellows will be celebrated during the ACS Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago.Dr. Dewitt completed her PhD work in 1986 with Professor Daniel Sternbach. While at Duke, she developed new synthetic routes and insights into constructing substituted cyclopentadienes and tricyclo 5.2.1.0('1,5) dec-8-ene ring… read more about Duke Chem Alumna Named ACS Fellow »
As temperatures climb and daylight stretches late into the evening, summer brings a familiar set of experiences — buzzing mosquitoes, sun-soaked afternoons and, for many people, the urge to reset routines or chase new goals. But the season also carries serious risks. Extreme heat and wildfires can threaten lives, destroy homes and ecosystems, and send hazardous smoke across entire regions. Behind both the ordinary and unsettling aspects of summer are fascinating scientific explanations.We asked four Duke faculty experts to… read more about Hot Days, Cool Science: Duke Experts Break Down Summer’s Everyday Mysteries »
Electron-bifurcating flavoproteins split electron pairs and deposit them in spatially separated electron-acceptor pools. Just how electron-transfer networks regulate steady-state electron-bifurcation (EB) fluxes and efficiencies remains unclear. We model the steady-state kinetics of electron-bifurcation in NADH-dependent ferredoxin-NADP oxidoreductase I (Nfn1), based on the protein's structure and electrochemistry. The Beratan Lab utilizes a many-particle master-equation to simulate the steady-state… read more about Beratan Lab Investigates Molecular Strategies for Flux Control in an Electron Bifurcation Protein »
Henry Chesley-Vogels has been selected as a new CBTE Fellow! The Duke Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering (CBTE) is an interdisciplinary center for training and research. The primary focus of CBTE is to nucleate interdisciplinary research and educational activities that link three broad areas of biotechnology: Biomolecular engineering, Cellular engineering, and Tissue engineering.The Fellowship selection committee is excited to welcome Henry into a program focused on preparing PhD students for leadership in… read more about Henry Chesley-Vogels Selected to Receive CBTE Fellowship »
Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of growing clinical concern, in part due to antifungal drug tolerance. The Franz Lab has recently reported a thiol-activated prochelation strategy that modulates the activity of azole antifungals against C. albicans in a manner influenced by the degree of azole stress as well as the metal composition of the growth medium. The lab identified two disulfide-linked prochelators containing aroylhydrazone (AH1-S)2 or… read more about Franz Lab Continue Deep Dive in to Opportunistic Fungal Pathogens »
Chemistry major Chinelo Agwuegbo is one of eighteen Duke students and alumni to have been offered a Fulbright grant for the 2026-2027 year. Through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, students will pursue independent research projects, enroll in graduate study, or work as an English teaching assistant in 12 different countries. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a world-renowned international education program, designed to facilitate cultural exchange and increase mutual understanding between the United States and more… read more about Chinelo Agwuegbo Receives Fulbright to Luxembourg »
The application of external voltages to self-assembled monolayers formed on electrodes allows for dynamic tuning of the properties of the constituent molecules. The electrode and the applied voltage give rise to two main effects on the molecules, the electro-inductive and electric field effects, both of which significantly alter their chemical properties and reactivity. Dr. Jun-Hyeong Kim and Prof. Weitao Yang present fractional charge density functional theory coupled with a model electrode and a continuum model solvent (… read more about Yang Lab presents "Fractional charge density functional theory elucidates electro-inductive and electric field effects at electrochemical interfaces" »
Professor Jonathan Schultz, a former Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. David Beratan, has been named as a 2026-2027 IAIER Emerging Leaders in AI and Research at North Carolina Central University! This year’s cohort includes professionals and changemakers who are committed to exploring the future of artificial intelligence, emerging research, and real-world impact. Jon's research group at NC Central combines theory, machine learning, and experiments to examine how energy and charge move… read more about Former Beckman Postdoc, Dr. Jonathan Schultz, named Emerging Leader at NCCU »
Sarah Angle has received a prestigious fellowship from the National Institutes of Health! Sarah's T31 award, "Developing Prodrugs to Selectively Suppress Beta-lactam Resistant Bacteria", will provide funding for her continued studies with Professor Katherine Franz. Antibiotic-resistant infections are steadily on the rise and threaten public health worldwide. Sarah's research aims to develop new antibacterial prodrugs that are only activated in resistant bacteria, reducing harm to beneficial microbes. In the long term, this… read more about Sarah Angle Awarded NIH Fellowship »
Three students with extensive research records under their belts have been named 2026 Faculty Scholars, the highest award given by the Academic Council to undergraduate students.The students are Daniel Levin, a biology major; Emily Song, who is studying biomedical engineering; and Anushka Kumar, who crafted her own Program II individualized major. The trio was chosen from 27 applicants.Meet the scholars:Emily SongEmily Song’s interest in neuro-engineering began long before college through work with the… read more about Trinity Undergraduate Students Named Faculty Scholars »
Prof. Ivan Moreno-Hernandez has been named as the Eberts Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry beginning July 1, 2026. This title is in recognition to the contributions to Duke’s program of teaching and scholarship. Congratulations, Ivan! read more about Moreno-Hernandez named Eberts Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry »
Two Duke alumni have been awarded the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship for graduate study at Stanford University. Class of 2022 graduates Ayden Case and Jonathan Perera will receive three years of funding there.Case and Perera are members of the ninth Knight-Hennessy cohort and are the 15th and 16th Duke students to receive the scholarship since the program welcomed its first class in 2018.“I am thrilled to celebrate Ayden and Jonathan as 2026 recipients of the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, an honor that recognizes… read more about Duke Chemistry Alumnus Awarded Knight-Hennessy Scholarship »
The Welsher Lab surveyed recent progress in Single-virus tracking (SVT) methodologies, from image-based approaches to active feedback techniques, and assess their capacity to resolve viral behavior in physiologically relevant epithelial models. In their recent Viruses publication "3D Single-Virus Tracking: Advances in Methodology and Labeling Strategies Towards Probing the Virus–Epithelium Interaction", the lab discussed current challenges, including limited penetration depth, photobleaching,… read more about Welsher Lab Guides Therapeutic Strategies by Probing the Virus–Epithelium Interaction »
Christina Colwell knew she wanted a college where friendships would grow beyond the classroom and professors felt more like mentors than voices at the front of a lecture hall. A campus visit with her father during Blue Devil Days made that vision a reality. “The faculty and students I met were so kind and accessible, and there was such a vibrant community spirit,” she recalls. “I remember calling my mom and telling her I needed to be here.” From her sophomore year in the… read more about Rewriting the Formula: How Christina Colwell Brought Her Path to Science, Language and Cameron Indoor »
Michael Kiel is a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, majoring in Environmental Sciences with minors in Biology and Chemistry. During his time at Duke, he participated in research through Bass Connections and completed a Graduation with Distinction honors thesis in the Levin Lab studying the effects of environmental exposures on neurobehavior. As he prepares to graduate, Kiel reflects on the academic opportunities and communities that shaped his Duke experience. This interview has been edited for clarity and… read more about Michael Kiel '26: Discovering a Passion for Research »
Alexandria Calloway is a senior majoring in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she is a member of the Baldwin Scholars program, the Huang Fellows Program and the Iota Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Calloway is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, and in her free time she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, spending time with family and relaxing near the water. As commencement draws near, we asked Calloway to reflect on her time at Duke, the… read more about Alexandria Calloway '26: Mentorship, Growth and Independence »