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Chemistry

Revealing ‘hidden’ phases of matter through the power of light
an abstract depiction of atoms moving inside a crystal structure

A new study reveals a “hidden” phase of strontium titanate. On the left, extremely fast pulses of light excites atoms within the crystal structure (red arrows), which shifts the material into a new, ferroelectric phase. Vibrations of other atoms then work to stabilize the hidden phase (right panels). (Image: Felice Macera)

Revealing ‘hidden’ phases of matter through the power of light

New research shows how materials can be imbued with new chemical properties using a solid phase transition method that relies on extremely fast pulses of light.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids
students in a lab looking at filter paper

Younger students learned how scientists use color to study chemical solutions, such as using red cabbage to find out if something is an acid or a base.

Community outreach inspires interest in STEM for kids

Graduate students and postdocs led an afternoon of hands-on science activities and fun for students grades 3-8 in the hallways and labs of Penn Chemistry.

Erica K. Brockmeier

From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond
a person standing at the front of a full lecture hall giving a presentation

Penn Life Sciences & Management seniors from the Trident Therapeutics team present their final capstone project to a room of more than 100 of the “who's who” of biotechnology. (Photo: Brooke Sietinsons)

From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond

Penn’s Life Sciences & Management program empowers the next generation of biotechnology leaders with an education in both business and the natural sciences.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Creating connections with a Nobel laureate
students sitting around a table over lunch talking to a professor

Penn students had the opportunity to hear about Nobel laureate Michael S. Brown’s childhood growing up in the Philadelphia suburbs, stories from his time as a student at Penn, and the origins of his work that led him to winning a Nobel prize. 

Creating connections with a Nobel laureate

Thanks to their creative approach on a class project, a group of biochemistry students had the opportunity to get to know one of Penn Chemistry’s seven Nobel laureates.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Philadelphia: The new city of science
a large group of people in front of the Franklin Institute building with a science demonstration (with smoke and the aftermath of an explosion that caused colored balls to fly into the air) in the foreground

The Philadelphia Science Festival, happening from April 26th until May 4th, brings together hundreds of institutions from the Greater Philadelphia area and culminates in the grand finale Science Carnival along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (Photo credit: Philadelphia Science Festival). 

Philadelphia: The new city of science

Penn researchers will be involved in a weeklong series of interactive activities and events across the city as part of the Philadelphia Science Festival.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Colorful research comes to life when everything ‘clicks’ together
a neuron with colored dots showing where protein aggregates form; there is also an inset image showing a hand holding up two glowing vials in front of a UV light

Colorful research comes to life when everything ‘clicks’ together

A collaborative project connects proteins with fluorescent dyes through azide−alkyne cycloaddition, known as a “click” reaction, that provides researchers with a dynamic glimpse inside living cells.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Answering big questions by studying small particles
inside the sno+ detector A view inside the SNO detector, a 40-foot acrylic sphere that’s covered with thousands of photodetectors. The facility is located in SNOLAB, a research facility located 2km underground near Sudbury, Canada (Photo credit: SNO+ Collaboration).

Answering big questions by studying small particles

Using electronics designed at Penn, particle physicists study neutrinos, incredibly small and nearly massless subatomic particles, to understand the fundamental nature of the universe.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Groundbreaking chemistry research at record speeds
High-Throughput Experimentation Laboratory

Groundbreaking chemistry research at record speeds

The state-of-the-art High-Throughput Experimentation Laboratory helps chemistry researchers make new discoveries in record time.

Erica K. Brockmeier