Through a series of nine research articles — each one of which colleagues worldwide consider a ‘landmark’ publication — Howard Curler Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Juan de Pablo has demonstrated unprecedented advances in developing powerful computational methods that enable researchers to conduct molecular simulations of complex fluids. With his students, de Pablo has invented new simulation methods, algorithms and theoretical formalisms that are key to establishing quantitative relations between atomic-level structure and interactions, processing conditions, macroscopic properties, and performance in applications.   [MORE]

Professor Bob Hamers has been selected to receive the 2009 Medard Welch Award of the AVS (formerly the American Vacuum Society), the society\'s highest award. The citation reads, \"for wide ranging studies of chemistry and photochemistry at semiconductor surfaces and for establishing connections to various emergent technologies\". The Welch award consists of a cash prize, a struck gold medal, and an honorary lectureship at the national AVS meeting in November. Please join us in congratulating Bob!

James Dumesic was among four UW-Madison scholars elected to The American Academy of Arts and Sciences 2009 class of fellows.

Established in 1780, the academy studies contemporary issues influenced by science, humanities, culture and education. The goal of electing an annual class of fellows is to enhance its ability to conduct interdisciplinary, long-term policy research.  [MORE]

Artful images of the very, very small — cells, molecules and nanoscale structures — will be on display beginning Friday, April 24, at the Art Court of the Dane County Regional Airport.

The show, \"Tiny: Art From Microscopes at UW-Madison,\" will be open through September and features the beautiful images generated in the course of research by UW-Madison biologists, engineers and physical scientists. The show is free and open to the public.  [MORE]

The Materials Research Society (MRS) named Erwin W. Mueller Professor and Bascom Professor of Surface Science Max Lagally an MRS fellow. Fellowship honors members whose sustained and distinguished contributions to materials research are internationally recognized. MRS will recognize new fellows at the 2009 spring meeting, April 13-17 in San Francisco. Less that 0.2 percent of MRS members are named fellows each year, and fellowship is a lifetime appointment.

The UW-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center on Nanostructured Interfaces is sponsoring NanoDays 2009, part of the second annual nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering and its potential impact on the future. Events in Madison run through April 18 and include presentations and discussions on energy and nanotechnology on April 1, hands-on activities at the UW-Madison Science Expeditions public event on April 4, NanoDays program at the Madison Children's Museum April 5, and activities at the UW-Madison Engineering Expo April 16-18.

Images will be on display at the Dane County Regional Airport as part of a collaborative exhibition, curated by Tandem Press. The show opens Thursday, April 23rd.

One position will focus on informal and K-12 education and on our collaboration with the NSF-funded Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net). Another position will focus on undergraduate and graduate-level education and educational material development. Applications are due April 24, 2009.  [MORE]

A team of scientists from the Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports that it has created induced human pluripotent stem (iPS) cells completely free of viral vectors and exotic genes.

By reprogramming skin cells to an embryonic state using a plasmid rather than a virus to ferry reprogramming genes into adult cells, the Wisconsin group's work removes a key safety concern about the potential use of iPS cells in therapeutic settings.

The new method, which is reported in today's (March 26) online issue of the journal Science, also removes the exotic reprogramming genes from the iPS equation, as the plasmid and the genes it carries do not integrate into an induced cell's genome and can be screened out of subsequent generations of cells. Thus, cells made using the new method are completely free of any genetic artifacts that could compromise therapeutic safety or skew research results, according to the Science report.

The new work was conducted in the laboratory of James Thomson, the UW-Madison scientist who was the first to successfully culture human embryonic stem cells in 1998 and, in 2007, co-discovered a way to make human-induced pluripotent stem cells. Thomson, a professor in the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, is also the director of regenerative biology for the Morgridge Institute for Research, the private, nonprofit side of the new Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery at UW-Madison.  [MORE]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) on Nanostructured Interfaces presents NanoDays 2009, part of the second annual nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering and its potential impact on the future.

The largest public outreach effort in nanoscale informal science education, NanoDays events, organized by the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net), will take place Saturday, March 28-Sunday, April 5, at more than 200 science museums, research centers and universities across the country from Maine to Hawaii.

NanoDays activities will bring university researchers together with science museum educators to create unique new learning experiences for both children and adults to explore the miniscule world of atoms, molecules and nanoscale forces. Most NanoDays sites will combine simple hands-on activities for young people with presentations on current research for adults.  [MORE]