MIT Department of Chemistry

Laura L. Kiessling, the Novartis Professor of Chemistry, and Ronald T. Raines, the Roger and Georges Firmenich Professor of Natural Products Chemistry, have been awarded the 2026 van ’t Hoff Lectureship Award from the Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW) in the Netherlands. Established in 1957 in memory of Dutch chemist Jacobus Henricus van ’t […]

The Hertz Foundation announced that it awarded 2026 fellowships to three current MIT students as well as an incoming graduate student. They are: Annika Marschner, Alvin Q. Meng, Zachary S. Siegel, and Matthew Wanta. The prestigious science and technology award provides each recipient with five years of financial support — a stipend and full tuition equivalent — which gives […]

With help from a novel cross-linking molecule, MIT chemists have shown they can substantially improve the ballistic impact resistance of common polymers, including polystyrene and a type of rubber used to make shoe soles. Polystyrene is a hard, glassy polymer that is used to make many types of plastic containers, such as bottles and mugs, […]

On Friday, May 29, 2026, 24 chemistry majors were awarded their undergraduate degrees as members of the Class of 2026. The graduates and loved ones gathered on Killian Court to hear the charge from Chancellor Melissa Nobles, as well as enjoy musical performances from fellow members of the Class of 2026. Following the ceremony, the […]

Professor Daniel L.M. Suess, currently the Arthur Amos Noyes Associate Professor of Chemistry and Associate Department Head for Education, has been promoted to Full Professor, effective July 1, 2026. Suess earned Bachelors degrees in chemistry and English from Williams College before obtaining his PhD in inorganic chemistry from Caltech. Following postdoctoral research in the laboratory […]

On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, the Department of Chemistry presented its graduate students with their advanced degrees and doctoral hoods. Prior to the ceremony, the graduates and their families were celebrated with a brunch hosted by the Department of Chemistry at the Samberg Conference Center. The School of Science held the Advanced Degree Conferral Ceremony in […]

JoAnne Stubbe, Novartis Professor of Chemistry, Emerita, was one of eight distinguished individuals to receive an honorary degree at Yale University’s 325th graduation ceremony this spring. The awarding of honorary degrees—a Yale tradition since 1702—recognizes pioneering achievement and exemplary contributions to the common good. “The eight individuals we honor this morning serve as examples to …

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected 120 members and 25 international members for 2026, including six MIT faculty members and 10 additional alumni. Among MIT professors, Bengt Holmström, Michale Fee, Gareth McKinley ’91, Keith Nelson, Fan Wang, and Catherine Wolfram ’96 were elected in recognition of their “distinguished and continuing achievements in original […]

On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the Undergraduate Recognition Banquet was held in the R&D Common Area of the Stata Center. Chemistry faculty, staff, and students gathered to celebrate the Course 5 and Course 5-7 graduating class of 2026, alongside other outstanding members of the undergraduate community.   Over the course of the event, each graduating […]

Originally from Ukraine, Ira Martyniak has studied and conducted research in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, and has been at MIT since 2023. She credits a lifelong attraction to minerals and gemstones (and a childhood dream of becoming a jeweler!) with influencing her decision to combine her passion for mathematics and hard sciences with […]

The Haystack 37m Telescope has been a landmark in radio astronomy and radar studies of the solar system since its first light in 1964. Over the following four decades, it supported NASA’s Apollo landings on the moon, made planetary radar maps of the surface of Venus, contributed to experimental tests of Einstein’s general relativity, supported the development […]

Seven members of the Department of Chemistry community have been honored with the department’s semi-annual Mentorship Spotlight Award. Established in 2020, the award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to fostering a positive working environment, leading by example, and providing outstanding mentorship to their peers and mentees. Each recipient receives a crystal award a…

Oxygen is a cornerstone of chemistry, largely because it is so good at building the organic molecules that make up our world. Some oxygen-based compounds, called peroxides, are famous for being highly reactive — they act like oxygen delivery trucks, transferring atoms to other molecules. This process is essential for everything from creating new medicines […]

The inaugural class of XtalPi AI for Science Fellows—Peter Miedaner, Anh Nguyen, Jihye Roh, and Nate Somers—concluded their fellowship year with a Virtual Symposium held via Zoom on May 11, 2026. At the event, each fellow presented research focused at the intersection of chemistry, chemical engineering, machine learning, and automation. Following the presentations, Masha Elkin, […]

Sylvia T. Ceyer, the John C. Sheehan Professor of Chemistry, has been selected by the Undergraduate Advising Center (UAC) Awards Committee to receive the 2026 Undergraduate Departmental Advising Excellence Award. Ceyer was honored in recognition of her outstanding dedication to advising upper-level students within the Department of Chemistry. Recipients of this award demonstrate a profound [&#823…

Each year, faculty and researchers across the MIT School of Engineering are recognized with prestigious awards for their contributions to research, technology, society, and education. To celebrate these achievements, the school periodically highlights select honors received by members of its departments, institutes, labs, and centers. The following individuals were recognized in winter 2026: Arup…

While chemistry usually follows the downhill pull of thermodynamics, Alison Wendlandt is creating higher‑energy stereoisomers in the final stages of synthesis Alison Wendlandt describes her work as sitting in the overlap of a Venn diagram. In one circle are stereochemical editing reactions that, for example, flip the handedness of a specific chiral centre. In the other […]

On Monday, May 11, 2026 at 10:00AM ET, the inaugural class of XtalPi AI for Science Fellows will present their research in a virtual symposium. The XtalPi AI for Science Fellowships are the manifestation of a gift from XtalPi, a biotechnology company founded by former MIT postdoctoral researchers, to the MIT Departments of Chemistry and […]

Robert Guy Griffin, the Arthur Amos Noyes Professor of Chemistry, was recently honored with the Washington University in St. Louis’ Department of Chemistry’s inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award. Nominations for the award were submitted by members of the Washington University community and alumni, and after a meticulous selection process, it was determined that Griffin — who […]

The Xi Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa voted to invite a distinguished cohort from the Class of 2026 to membership in the Society in recognition of their outstanding academic records and commitment to the ideals of a liberal education. This honor is bestowed upon fewer than 10% of the class. Seven members of this esteemed group […]