Chemistry at Illinois

As the inaugural Angewandte Chemie Chair, Scott E. Denmark, Reynold C. Fuson Professor of Chemistry at Illinois, chose to set a new standard, delivering five lectures—all from his own research group—during the 19th Belgian Organic Synthesis Symposium July 5-10 in Leuven, Belgium. Congratulations on this prestigious award recognizing an established scientist who has made transformative contributions to the field of organic chemistry. 👏
https://chemistry.illinois.edu/news/2026-07-15/prof-scott-denmark-receives-prestigious-2026-angewandte-chemie-chair

This summer, rising senior Claire Skowron is putting data to work at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, through a 10-week program supported by the Mayo Clinic Illinois Alliance. Claire is studying population health trends and learning how statistical research can help advance patient care and uncover insights into complex diseases. The chemistry and statistics major is an aspiring physician.
➡ https://chemistry.illinois.edu/news/2026-07-07/chemistry-undergraduate-pursues-summer-research-mayo-clinic

Congratulations to professor Majed S. Fataftah on receiving an American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund grant. His research takes inspiration from nature to develop sustainable catalysts that can transform carbon waste like CO and CO₂ into valuable chemical building blocks.

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Majed Fataftah awarded American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund grant | Department of Chemistry | Illinois Image

The life of Theodore “Ted” Brown, the founding director of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and professor emeritus of Chemistry at Illinois, will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at Copper Creek Church, 2202 W. Curtis Road, Champaign. It will be livestreamed.

Theodore Brown Obituary (1928 - 2026) - Champaign, IL - The News-Gazette View Theodore Brown's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

Alumni—make your reservations for a truly unforgettable evening!
Join us for the inaugural Alumni Dinner at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo on September 24, 2026 (5–8 PM). Enjoy a social hour, elegant plated dinner, and meaningful connections with fellow alumni, faculty, and friends. We’ll also celebrate the first-ever Chemistry at Illinois Alumni Award recipients. We hope to see you there! 🧡💙
Reservations ➡ https://go.chemistry.illinois.edu/AlumniDinner

C&EN special focuses on new synthetic approaches—including the blocc chemistry of Chemistry at Illinois' Martin Burke—and how this building block chemistry is helping chemists sculpt their molecules into new shapes and forms.

Modular syntheses: Putting function first New synthetic approaches are helping chemists sculpt their molecules into new shapes and forms

Alumni, faculty, graduate students, and postdocs—register for the next Alumni & Friends Reception coming up on Aug. 23 at Duneyrr Wine and Beer Company on Michigan Avenue. We are excited for this opportunity to connect and network with our Chicago area alumni and any alumni who will be in the city for the ACS meeting!

Details ➡ https://go.chemistry.illinois.edu/ACSReceptionRegistration

As a senior in Chemistry at Illinois, Don DeCoste changed his career path from medical school to the classroom and eventually returned to his alma mater as a chemistry instructor. After 30 years of teaching, DeCoste is retiring this summer, and in May, he enjoyed his final time hooding a Master of Science in Teaching Chemistry graduate—Ethan Ramirez. Enjoy retirement, Prof. DeCoste! 🎉
https://chemistry.illinois.edu/news/2026-05-29/don-decoste-cant-imagine-anything-better-teaching-chemistry-illinois

What helped make the U.S. a global chemical powerhouse? C&EN highlights pivotal moments, crediting the rise of research universities like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for pushing the frontiers of science. Under William A. Noyes' leadership, Illinois’ chemistry program flourished, earning its place among the nation’s most prestigious.

Here are 6 turning points that defined US chemistry. These crucial turning points helped make the country a global chemical leader

Congratulations to Jonathan Bajko!
One of chemistry professor Joomyung “Vicky” Jun’s first Ph.D. students, Bajko has trained every member of the group on the lab’s instruments, while balancing coursework, TA duties, and his own research. His dedication is recognized with the 2026 Gary Schuster Mentoring Scholarship! 👏
➡ https://chemistry.illinois.edu/news/2026-05-19/jonathan-bajko-2026-gary-schuster-mentoring-scholarship-recipient