News of the Week

APRIL 20, 2026

CBE News

Prof. Victoria Muir was one of the 2026 Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM selected this year! On March 24, 2026, Governor Matt Meyer signed a proclamation, and the Delaware General Assembly unanimously passed a concurrent resolution, officially declaring the day “Delaware Women & Girls in STEM Day.” The proclamation and resolution affirm Delaware’s commitment to celebrating the contributions of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and to expanding opportunities for girls across the state to pursue STEM education and careers. The 2026 Outstanding Delaware Women in STEM represent a remarkable breadth of disciplines, from artificial intelligence and aerospace engineering to environmental education, chemistry, data science, and public infrastructure.
Congratulations!
- April Kloxin being named the Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professor
- Srikanth Pilla being named the Karl W. and Renate Böer Professor
ACS Colloid and Surface Science Symposium turns 100

cbe Seminars/Events

CBE Seminar Series
9:00 AM in 102 CLB (*unless otherwise noted)
- APR. 24, 2026
  Pushkar Lele, Texas A&M University
  Bacterial Transport Under Confinement: New Paradigms in Microbial Competition and Host Response
- MAY 1, 2026
  Haro Hartounian, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics
  Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and the Business of Modern Therapeutics: From Molecules to Cells, with a Case Study in Intelligent Cell Therapy Manufacturing Platforms

OTHER DEPARTMENT’S SEMINAR/EVENTS

AIM-EFRC Webinar Series
April 20, 2026 on Zoom
Somnath Ghosh, Ph.D., John Hopkins University
Modeling Damage in Piezocomposites: A Digital Twin Approach
CAS Analytical Seminar
April 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM in 219 BRL
Lauren Buchanan Ph.D., Vanderbilt University
Advances in 2D IR Spectroscopy of proteins: Utilizing Transition Dipole Strength Calculations to Enhance Structural Analysis
CAS Organic Chemistry Seminar
April 22, 2026 at 4:00 PM in 219 BRL
Christian Pester Ph.D., University of Delaware
Shining light on polymer brushes
CAS Biochemistry Seminar
April 24, 2026 at 4:00 PM in 219 BRL
Kumble Sandeep Prabhu Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
Modulation of Eicosanoid Metabolism by Selenium and Selenoproteins: Implications for Resolution of Inflammation and Myeloid Leukemia
DBI Events: April 27, 2026
- Core Science as Art
  Science is full of unexpected beauty—from nano- and micro-scopic structures to striking data visualizations. We invite all community members, including researchers, students, and staff, to showcase the artistic side of their work performed in the DBI Cores. Scan flyer QR code to submit artwork.
- Meet the Editors: 12:00-1:00 PM in 140 BPE
  Matthew Pavlovich & Michelle Muzzio
  Join us for an engaging discussion on publishing high-impact research that covers the applied biological sciences, particularly those bridging engineering and biology.
MSEG-CHARM Seminar
April 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM in 322 ISE
Dr. Steve May, Drexel University
Anion-based Approaches for Engineering Properties in Perovskite Oxide Heterostructures
The Franklin Institute Symposium
April 30, 2026 at 9:00 AM in Trabant Theater
Sustainable Plastics
LaShanda Korley, Ph.D. – Framing Circularity in the Plastics Landscape
Bradley Olsen, Ph.D. – Following in the Footsteps of a Sustainable Polymers Innovator
Geoffrey Coates, Ph.D. – Rethinking Plastics: Molecular Strategies for Sustainable Polymers
COE: The Last Lecture
May 6, 2026 at 4:00 PM in Mitchell Hall
Earl “Rusty” Lee, Senior Researcher & Associate Professor Emeritus
The Last Lecture: The Journey, The Impacts and The Future
Register to attend by April 28
7th Annual 3M RISE Symposium
The 7th annual 3M RISE Symposium (Raising Influence in Science and Engineering) is accepting applications! The purpose of the symposium is to introduce emerging doctoral students in science and engineering to the wide range of rewarding careers in research and development at 3M. This is a virtual event that will be hosted August 17th-19th, 2026 and is a great way for future STEM leaders to get introduced to the corporate world. Ideal applicants are expected to complete their graduate degree appointment within 24 months of the RISE event. We will accept applicants from any STEM field. HERE is a flyer describing the symposium. The RISE Symposium application deadline is May 1st, 2026

Other Events

Wilmington International Society of Automation
Wilmington International Society of Automation invites all engineering professionals to an upcoming event and get a peek at the recent advances in control systems in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries. This event will be outdoor (weather permitting) at the ACE corporate office bldg. Join the Wilmington ISA for their annual Shrimp Boil! There will be great food, beverages, networking, and prizes as we celebrate another wonderful year of automation and instrumentation! Please stop by the vendor tables before food is served —this popular event would not be possible without our generous sponsors!
When: April 23rd from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Where: Applied Control Engineering: 700 Creek View Rd, Newark, DE 19711
PoWER Conference
May 21-22, 2026 at University of Toronto
Polymer Women Empowerment & Research (PoWER) Conference
PoWER will foster community, share cutting-edge scientific results, highlight women’s contributions and voices, and address issues pertinent to women and gender minorities in polymer science. We have an excellent schedule of impactful speakers and workshops lined up. Poster submission is also open.
100th ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium
June 21-24, 2026 at University of Delaware
Location: Audion on STAR Campus, Gore Hall, and Winterthur Museum & Gardens
Description: The meeting will feature integrated, thematic programming across core and emerging areas of colloid and interface science, including rheology, neutron scattering, environmental and sustainability challenges, and application-driven topics such as paints, coatings, membranes, and materials. Abstract Submission is open until Friday, March 27th, 2026.
1st AIChE Mid-career Faculty Development Workshop
July 2026 at Drexel University
This workshop will bring together senior faculty and academic leaders in chemical engineering to help the mid-career faculty plan the next steps in their career, including research, teaching, service, and leadership/administration. Reach out to the organizing faculty with questions: Matthew Liberatore, Laura Ford, Margot Vigeant, and Donald Visco.
Florida State University
2026 Future Faculty Workshop in Soft Materials
Applications are now open for the 2026 Future Faculty Workshop in Soft Materials, hosted at Florida State University on July 14-16, 2026! This highly interactive workshop is designed for senior graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who aspire to become academic faculty in the U.S. in soft matter-related fields, including chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, and bioengineering.
2026 BEST Symposium
July 27-29, 2026 Virtually
An engaging symposium primarily intended for underrepresented U.S. doctoral and post-doctoral scientists to learn more about exciting career opportunities in industrial research. Application deadline: May 1st
ACS I&EC Division Graduate Student Award Symposium
This symposium will be featured at the ACS Fall National Meeting, in Chicago, August 23-27, 2026. Call for papers deadline for abstract submission is March 31, 2025. The symposium will be held in person.
Arthur B. Metzner Centennial Commemorative Issue – AIP Publishing LLC
Manuscripts are invited on Rheology-related advances inspired, directly or indirectly, by the work of the late Arthur B. Metzner in experiments, theories, modeling and computation involving rheology and the behavior of complex fluids under flow. Submission Deadline: October 31, 2026

TIDBIT

MS Publisher no longer supported
In October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will reach its end of life. After that time, it will no longer be included in Microsoft 365 and existing on-premises suites will no longer be supported. Microsoft 365 subscribers will no longer be able to open or edit Publisher files in Publisher.

Jobs/Recruiting

University of Washington
Position: 16th annual Distinguished Young Scholars Seminar (DYSS) series
Brief description: The University of Washington is delighted to invite your top graduate students and postdocs to apply for our 16th annual Distinguished Young Scholars Seminar (DYSS) series. The summer seminar provides top early-career chemical engineers the opportunity to present an hour-long research seminar and gain critical interviewing skills. Selected candidates will also have the opportunity to network and meet with UW faculty and students. We view it as a service to the profession and an opportunity for our graduate students and postdocs to see the best of the best in their peer group. The deadline for submissions is May 13th, 2026
MIT
Position: Postdoctoral Position
Brief description: We have several open postdoctoral positions in my group here in ChemE. The positions focus on reaction engineering, heterogeneous catalysis, and materials design for biomass valorization and plastics recycling. Our group combines chemistry, engineering, and materials science to develop sustainable processes. Grad students interested can email Yurly Roman at yroman@mit.edu directly with a CV and cover letter.