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Chemical & Biological Engineering Blog

Red and white tulips bloom in front of the Memorial Union at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
May 9, 2025

Chemical engineering undergraduate award winners

This spring, three chemical and biological engineering students were honored at the 2025 Chancellor’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony on April 28th for various awards. The whole department is excited to see…

May 7, 2025

Fermentation feat: Extra special edition

Last year, four seniors drafted and set up a pilot fermentation lab. Led by Brian Pfleger, Karen and William Monfre Professor, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor, and R. Byron Bird Department…

Reid Van Lehn
May 2, 2025

Van Lehn receives Vilas early career award

Reid Van Lehn, the Hunt-Hougen Associate Professor in chemical and biological engineering, is one of 12 recipients of the 2025 Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Award, which honors University of…

A bird enjoys the warm weather and tree buds on an early spring evening at the University of Wisconsin–Madison on April 13, 2023.
April 22, 2025

How chemical engineers are tackling earth’s sustainability challenges

On Earth Day, our focus naturally shifts to environmental responsibility and the pursuit of a sustainable future. Environmental policy plays a critical role in this while individual and collective actions…

UW Crest with engineering background
April 8, 2025

UW-Madison engineering graduate programs ranked highly by U.S. News

University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering graduate programs are once again ranked among the nation’s best in the 2025 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Graduate Schools.” The UW-Madison College…

James Dumesic
April 4, 2025

Why we do research

At a time when the role and value of higher education are being questioned, it is imperative to reflect on the important and broad benefits research brings to our communities…

Graduate student Surajudeen Omolabake with a liquid-handling robot used in a recent project that used machine learning to speed the selection of green solvent mixtures for extracting valuable molecules from plant biomass. Scientists trained computer model to select 40 mixtures predicted to have the best properties then used the liquid-handling robot to test them. The results of the experiments were then used to train the model.
March 27, 2025

Machine learning solves complex solvent selection challenge

Plant fibers contain valuable chemicals that can be used to make biofuels, plastics, medicines, and other products, but separating and purifying them is challenging, especially without using toxic solvents.  Now…

UW Crest with engineering background
March 13, 2025

College honors faculty and staff for teaching, research, service

In a ceremony on March 13, 2025, Dean Ian Robertson presented awards to several engineering faculty and staff. These honors recognized exceptional contributions in research, teaching and service to society….

Bascom Hall with tulips in foreground
February 28, 2025

PhD Funding and Financial Information

Did you know that a vast majority of students receive a 5-year financial guarantee? Learn more about funding here.

Manos Mavrikakis
February 17, 2025

In new paper, Mavrikakis shares a pathway to more accurate models of catalysis

In an invited review article for the journal Nature Chemical Engineering posted on February 17, 2025, Manos Mavrikakis, the Ernest Micek Distinguished Chair, James A. Dumesic Professor, and Vilas Distinguished…

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