UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering

New AI model explores massive chemical space with minimal data Starting with just 58 data points, a new artificial intelligence model identified four battery electrolytes that rival the state of the art

AI models usually need millions of data points to find new battery materials. But UChicago PME researchers showed otherwise: starting with just 58 points, a new AI model identified four electrolytes rivaling the state of the art. #Engineering #Science

Learn more: ms.spr.ly/63326tE8Kr

An older man with glasses and a cap plays a maze game on a laptop. Two young girls watch a similar game on another laptop. A sign reads "Engineers at UChicago." People mill about in the background.

A group of about 16 young adults standing and squatting in a large room. They are associated with 'The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering'. Most are smiling, with some making peace signs.

A group plays a board game. Two players, a girl with curly hair and a boy with red hair, focus intently on the game board. Game involves cards, a grid, and a red tablecloth covering the table. Other students are seated at nearby tables.

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The STAGE Center at UChicago PME took quantum international this fall — entangling science, culture, and community in France and Japan.

These global collaborations advance quantum literacy and strengthen international ties in research, education, and outreach.

#Quantum #Engineering #Science

Hearts, clubs and qubits: New card game teaches quantum principles to middle schoolers

Through playful learning, "Entangled and Shuffled" by UChicago PME Instructor Danyel Cavazos shows that quantum mechanics isn’t inaccessible—it’s something students can see, manipulate, and understand. #Science #Engineering

Read more and play the game online: pme.uchicago.edu/news/hearts-...

New nanomaterial helps patients with kidney stones Taking materials science to medicine, new research could improve the performance of existing lasers in removing kidney stones

A new way to help with kidney stones💡 Researchers from UChicago PME and Duke Engineering have developed a nanoparticle-infused saline solution that helps lasers work more efficiently during kidney stone removal. #Science #Engineering

Learn more: pme.uchicago.edu/news/new-nan...

Quantum sensors built "from the ground up" What does creating custom-sewn, Edwardian-era-inspired clothes by hand have in common with developing a new class of quantum units or "qubits" controlled by light? "To me, both are forms of engineering," says Chloe Washabaugh. In her evenings, Washabaugh enjoys making early-1900s-style clothes, a process she describes as drafting and configuring 2D pieces of fabric into patterns that fit the 3D shape of the body.

From working in a vibration-proof underground lab to sharing science at Chicago’s South Side Science Festival, UChicago PME PhD student Chloe Washabaugh is passionate about advancing quantum research and connecting it with the public.

Read her research story: ms.spr.ly/63322tBCp4

Ad for UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering 'Master of Engineering' info sessions, virtual, Thursday, October 30, 2025, 8:30 AM CT and 4:00 PM CT. Three students work in a lab, in the background.

🎓 This week, UChicago PME is hosting virtual info sessions on Thursday, October 30. Learn more about the program, ask questions, and learn about career opportunities! #Engineering #Science 🧪

REGISTER NOW: ms.spr.ly/63322tBxlu

Creating games to promote sustainable irrigation in rural Indian agriculture An innovative, cross-cultural collaboration is using the power of play to solve real-world agricultural challenges in rural India. The Vidyut Project, a creative collaboration between the University of Chicago's STAGE Center and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay's Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (C-TARA), is leveraging storytelling and board games to promote energy-efficient irrigation techniques among farmers.

The Vidyut Project, a collaboration between UChicago PME STAGE Center and IIT Bombay's Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, is advancing sustainable agriculture through the power of play in rural India.

Read more: pme.uchicago.edu/news/creatin...

Techne Chicago | Discover Innovation Today Explore the intersection of art, science, and technology at Techne Chicago, a hub for innovation and cultural dialogue on quantum computing and interpretability.

We are pleased to share that Professor David Awschalom will join TECHNĒ on October 29 as a featured speaker. #Science #Engineering 🧪

🎟️ Members of the UChicago PME community are invited to attend TECHNĒ using complimentary tickets with promo code TECHNE-PMECOMP at www.technechicago.com

Creating better batteries for the renewable energy transition PhD student Avi Gargye is working to create sustainable batteries to help improve quality of life around the world

From witnessing power outages in India to researching next-generation energy storage at UChicago PME, PhD student Avi Gargye is driven by one goal: to create sustainable batteries to help improve the quality of life around the world.

Read more about his work: pme.uchicago.edu/news/creatin...

Physicist David Awschalom takes us on a fast-paced journey from Star Trek to quantum teleportation, showing how what once seemed like science fiction is quickly becoming reality. Equal parts inspiring and mind-bending, he reveals how uncertainty—the quirky heart of quantum physics—is actually a powerful engine of discovery, fueling breakthroughs in computing, medicine, and secure communication. This talk makes clear that our quantum future is not just coming—it’s already here. #quantum #quantumtechnology #teleportation, #quantumcomputing, #sensing, #quantuminternet, #cybersecurity Dr. David Awschalom is an experimental physicist and pioneer in quantum technology. He is the University of Chicago’s Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and Physics, a senior scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and the founding director of the Chicago Quantum Exchange- an intellectual hub that advances quantum information science research, prepares the quantum workforce, and drives the quantum economy in collaboration with leading universities, national laboratories and more than 50 corporate, international, and nonprofit partners. Dr. Awschalom is the inaugural director of Q-NEXT, a U.S. Department of Energy Quantum Information Science Research Center. He is a member of the U.S. National Academies of Science and Engineering and has received a U.S. Secretary of Energy Achievement award. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx How quantum technologies may impact your life | Dr. David Awschalom | TEDxChicago

Watch Professor David Awschalom’s TEDxChicago talk on the future of quantum technologies and how it may impact your life: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dYx...

A promotional graphic announcing the "2025 Chicago Quantum Summit", features Earth below, and above it is lightning. To the left and right there are quantum spheres, and at the top it says "Latest News."

#CQS2025 In less than two weeks, global leaders in science, industry, and government will convene for the 2025 Chicago Quantum Summit on November 3–4, hosted by the Chicago Quantum Exchange at the University of Chicago. #Science #Engineering

Learn more: ms.spr.ly/63324sCRh0 🧪

A woman stands, presenting at a podium in front of a banner that reads 'Pritzker Molecular Engineering.' She's gesturing with one hand and holding a remote in the other, speaking to an audience.

A woman smiles at someone wearing a backpack. Pritzker Molecular Engineering is shown on a red banner in the background.

A woman gestures during a presentation. She wears a brown blazer and a patterned skirt, standing before banners for Pritzker Molecular Engineering. The University of Chicago logo is visible on a nearby lectern.

An audience seated in red chairs listens to a presenter in a suit. A screen reads, "Students Are the Core of All We Do," highlighting UChicago PME students' work. Banners display "Pritzker Molecular Engineering."

Thank you to all UChicago PME students, staff, and faculty who joined Dean Nadya Mason for our Fall Town Hall! Her talk shared the school’s latest groundbreaking achievements, ongoing opportunities, and priorities for the future. #Science #Engineering

Read more: ms.spr.ly/63324sCKSQ 🧪

“Quantum sound” researcher earns Boeing Quantum Creators Prize UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering postdoctoral researcher Hong Qiao will be recognized for his work on phononics

UChicago PME postdoctoral researcher Hong Qiao earned the 2025 Boeing Quantum Creators Prize for groundbreaking work in quantum phononics — advancing the science of “quantum sound” toward future quantum computers. #QuantumScience #UChicagoPME

pme.uchicago.edu/news/quantum...

Two scientists in lab coats and red goggles work on a complex optical setup. Text reads: "2026 Cycle QUANTUM POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP," and "THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MOLECULAR ENGINEERING."

UChicago PME 2026 Quantum Postdoctoral Fellowship: This 3-year fellowship supports exceptional early-career scientists engaging in experimental or theoretical quantum science.

Deadline: 11/03/2025
Support: Competitive salary + $3,000 annual travel allowance

pme.uchicago.edu/quantum-uchi...

We're thrilled to announce that David Awschalom of @uchicagopme.bsky.social will present the 13th Patrusky Lecture at #SciWri25! David will de-mystify the peculiarities of quantum physics and look ahead to the ways quantum information science may reshape our everyday lives.

casw.org/news/quantum...

A woman stands at a table with a "UChicago Pritzker Molecular Engineering" banner. The table has brochures, pens, and a tablet displaying a QR code. A portrait hangs on the wood-paneled wall.

A man stands beside a table draped with a blue cloth displaying "THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRITZKER SCHOOL OF MOLECULAR ENGINEERING." A laptop and brochures sit on the table. The setting is an indoor arena.

The UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering was at the UIUC and MSU Career Fairs to showcase our MEng & PhD programs – where science and engineering come together to transform the world. #STEMCareers #UChicago #UIUC #MSU

The power of a battery in the palm of your hands 🔋

Amid the displays of the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry main hall, UChicago PME taught participants of the Science Works STEM career fair how to make their own battery. Researchers of Asst.

Read more: pme.uchicago.edu/news/amanchu...

Engineering better vaccines: A graduate student’s path from lab bench to biotech PhD student Kate Johnson works to make vaccines better—with support from across UChicago

From early curiosity to cutting-edge research, UChicago PME PhD student Kate Johnson is helping engineer more effective vaccines and cell therapies.

Read her story: ms.spr.ly/63321s4WQD | Photo by John Zich

At a university event, students line up at a red table where a staff member assists them. Promotional materials are on display, with large windows and a modern architectural design visible in the background.

A well-lit lecture hall filled with people in red chairs, facing a presenter and a screen that reads "Molecular Engineering Major Open House". Large windows offer a view of an exterior building.

Indoor shot of a group of students sitting in rows, facing forward with attentive expressions. The students are wearing casual clothing, including hoodies. A name tag is visible on one student's hoodie.

A man with glasses gestures with his right hand while presenting to an audience. He wears a blue dress shirt and grey pants.

Wonderful turnout at the Molecular Engineering Major Open House!

New and returning undergraduate students joined the UChicago PME community to explore degree pathways, connect with peers and faculty, and learn more information from registered student organizations and offices on campus. #UChicago

A man in a black jacket with the text "The University of Chicago, Pritzker school of molecular engineering" is standing in a hallway with his arms crossed.

Welcome @drmilossimic.bsky.social to UChicago PME as a Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering! Dr. Simic's research focuses on combining cell engineering and synthetic biology to understand and treat brain diseases.

Learn more: pme.uchicago.edu/news/enginee...

Bringing quantum to the public ✈️ A further look into UChicago PME STAGE Center's new exhibit featuring a model IBM Quantum System One computer in the O'Hare Airport. #EngineerTheFuture #Quantum

Materials Research Society Honors Professor Jiwoong Park with Prestigious Turnbull Lectureship The Materials Research Society (MRS) has named Professor Jiwoong Park of the University of Chicago Department of Chemistry, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the James Franck Institute as the 2025 recipient of the David Turnbull Lectureship. This highly esteemed career award recognizes a scientist for "outstanding contributions to the fundamental understanding and communication of materials science."

Congratulations to Professor Park! The Materials Research Society has named Professor Jiwoong Park of the UChicago Department of Chemistry, UChicago PME and the James Franck Institute as the 2025 recipient of the David Turnbull Lectureship. chemistry.uchicago.edu/news/materia...

Ad for UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering's Master of Engineering open house on 10/21. Professor points to diagrams on a chalkboard in front of students. Text: "Master of Engineering."

Join us for the On-Campus Open House at UChicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and explore our MEng program firsthand.

📅 October 21 – 12:00 PM
📍 The University of Chicago
🔗 Register today: ms.spr.ly/63320sFH9o

A hands-on approach to creating materials for quantum tech PhD student Haoran Lin creates materials with properties that have never been shown before

UChicago PME PhD student Haoran Lin is creating new materials that could help power the quantum computers of the future.

Read more about Haoran’s research: pme.uchicago.edu/news/hands-a...

Thank you to all the scientists and scientists-to-be who made Saturday's Southside Science Festival one for the books! @uchicagopme.bsky.social

Entrance to "Ca Phe Da @ Quantum Cafe, a Vietnamese Cafe" with an abstract mobile hanging above. The interior visible through the entrance has signs for "Order Here" and "Pick Up Here".

Need a bite to eat? The William Eckhardt Research Center has great options to fuel your day:
🍴 Quantum Café & Ca Phe Da — open Mon-Fri | 8 AM – 3 PM

Stop by between classes for coffee, lunch, or a quick study break! #UChicagoFood

Argonne presents Quantum Concepts In our Quantum Concepts series, we bring key quantum ideas to life by imagining how a familiar object - the apple that inspired Isaac Newton - might act in t...

Your Sunday watch: Visualize key quantum concepts with Argonne National Laboratory: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

A woman in a suit stands at a clear podium, speaking to an audience. A screen displays "The University of Chicago". Microphones are set up on a table in front of the seated attendees.

UChicago PME partnered with CSIS and Chicago Quantum Exchange to host a full-day symposium on the Midwest quantum ecosystem. Leaders from universities, national labs, industry, and government explored opportunities to strengthen Illinois’s quantum economy and workforce. #Quantum #UChicago #CSIS

It was great talking with students at the Graduate Programs Fair about our MEng and PhD programs! We’re excited to see how future engineers and scientists will shape the world.

To learn more about UChicago PME graduate programs, visit pme.uchicago.edu/academics/ap...

NSF workshop led by Prof. Andrew Ferguson proposes priorities for AI in science The workshop’s white paper offers guidance to the National Science Foundation on how to prioritize funding for artificial intelligence research in mathematics and the physical sciences

How should we set priorities for AI's future? UChicago PME Prof. Andrew Ferguson co-organized an NSF workshop that brought together nearly 200 researchers nationwide to chart the future of AI in mathematics and the physical sciences.

Read more: ms.spr.ly/63322saSY8