News

PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship

Susan Glairon — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 23:07:01 +0000

PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship Susan Glairon Thu, 02/12/2026 - 16:07

Susan Glairon

Chemical and Biological Engineering PhD student Erin Dunphy has won the prestigious International Centre for Diffraction Data’s Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship, which recognizes research promise in the field of crystallography. Crystallography, the science of figuring out how atoms are arranged inside a solid material, has been essential in developing X-ray, electron and neutron diffraction methods to reveal the atomic structure of materials.

Tell me about your research

My research examines how polymers (long-chain molecules) and hydrocarbon (molecules made of hydrogen and carbon, such as fuels) attach to the surface of Ruthenium-based catalysts, which are used to speed up chemical reactions. Understanding this interaction is critical to improving catalytic processes for polymer upcycling, an innovative approach for converting plastic wastes into valuable products, such as jet fuels. By studying these interactions at the atomic level, we gain insight into how the materials bind and react, helping guide the design of more efficient catalysts.

What does receiving the Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship Award mean to you?

Receiving the Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship is a great honor that marks a milestone for my academic career. It's exciting that my research inspires others and reminds me that fundamental research is critical to the development of new technologies.

How will this scholarship support your research or academic goals?

Receiving this scholarship reinforces my commitment to tackling complex scientific challenges by developing techniques that deliver real-world solutions. I aim to continue pushing boundaries at the intersection of fundamental science and technology development.

What drew you to crystallography as a research focus?

My first experience with advanced crystallography was during a science undergraduate laboratory internship when I worked at the National Synchrotron Light Source II. While there, I realized that materials optimization, improving a material’s properties so it performs as well as possible for a specific application, is often the key bottleneck limiting progress in energy and infrastructure technologies.

What are you most excited to work on?

I am excited to finish my �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder research and to defend my thesis in June. I am performing my final single-crystal diffraction studies at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France. This technique allows scientists to map the atomic structure at the crystal interface.

For these experiments, I designed a custom reaction chamber that can operate at temperatures up to 250°C and pressures of 15 bar, allowing us to study materials under realistic working conditions. I also developed specialized software that processes and analyzes the data in real time.

What are your future research or career goals?

My sights are set on integrating renewable energy onto an industrial scale. Plastics recycling using catalysis offers a route to sustainable fuel generation which is part of creating a circular energy infrastructure. Ultimately using multiple forms of green energy generation (solar, wind) is all a part of the renewable energy infrastructure.

I hope to work with industry professionals to optimize new technologies and streamline deployment onto national and international scales.

How do you hope your work will contribute to the field?

My research looks at how molecules or atoms (called adsorbates) attach to the surface of a single crystal under realistic conditions for thermal catalysis. I hope my work encourages other researchers to study surfaces in environments that go beyond the extremely clean, ultra-high vacuum conditions typically used to more real-world operating conditions. Ultimately, my work helps expand surface science to investigate materials in contact with liquids, oils and membranes under practical pressures and temperatures, making the findings more relevant to real-world applications such as in thermal catalysis.

Dunphy's research involves studying interactions at the atomic level to design more efficient catalysts for polymer upcycling, an innovative approach for converting plastic wastes into valuable products, such as jet fuels.

Off

Traditional

White

In America science-sceptics are now in charge

Susan Glairon — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:44:57 +0000

In America science-sceptics are now in charge Susan Glairon Wed, 02/11/2026 - 10:44

Professor Michael D. McGehee and his team are advancing tandem solar cells—pairing silicon with a high-efficiency material called perovskite—that could significantly improve the economics of renewable energy. While the technology shows great promise, making perovskites durable enough for commercial use remains a key challenge. In October 2025, just as the research was gaining momentum, the Trump administration abruptly terminated the team’s federal grant.

Off

Traditional

White

Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’

Susan Glairon — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:39:42 +0000

Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’ Susan Glairon Fri, 02/06/2026 - 05:39

Susan Glairon

From right, Thad Sauvain with his husband, Carl, in front of the Bernese Alps near Murren, Switzerland, in May 2025.

Thad Sauvain (ChemEngr’91) grew up in Colorado Springs in the 1980s, when the climate was largely anti-LGBTQ+ and conservative ministries such as Focus on the Family, headquartered just a few miles from his home, were actively opposing anti-discrimination policies.

Sauvain is part of the LGBTQ+ community, but during that period, he mostly kept that part of himself hidden.

“It was my transition to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to get a BS in chemical engineering that allowed both parts of me—as an engineer and as a gay individual—to grow and thrive,” he said.

Sauvain recently established a legacy endowment in his estate plan to fund undergraduate scholarships for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder chemical and mechanical engineering majors, with preference given to students who demonstrate a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community through involvement in Out in STEM (oSTEM) or similar college programs.

Each year the endowment supports one student for four years of their college education.

“There’s a need to support students whose college funding may depend on families who are not accepting and who may be forced to choose between that funding and living authentically,” Sauvain said. “I want to support engineering students who struggle to thrive as LGBTQ+ individuals. I hope the endowment enables them to be their true selves while contributing to society as successful engineers.”

Thriving at CU

Sauvain studied chemical engineering at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and was later recruited to join Chevron as a process engineer. He recently retired following a 33-year career with the company and is a member of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Advisory Board.

“My engineering degree prepared me for my career and helped me build the connections that launched it,” he said.

Three years after starting his role at Chevron, Sauvain became involved in the company’s campus recruiting for engineers, a role that eventually grew into his work as a liaison for Chevron’s gifts, donations and funding.

In the early 2000s, he helped establish a Chevron scholarship for those involved in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s LGBTQ+ community, similar to scholarships for other diversity organizations in place at the time, during “a time when it was not the norm.”

Thad Sauvain shortly after graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and
starting his career with Chevron in 1991.

“Some responded negatively to this new scholarship,” he said. “But Chevron’s senior management remained steadfast in its support of the new scholarship as it aligned with the company’s values and The Chevron Way.

“Every time I tell people that I went to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, I feel a deep sense of pride,” he added. “Even back in the 1980s, it was a shining beacon of acceptance. I've seen that grow and broaden over the years, and I am very proud to be part of the �鶹��Ѱ��community and a graduate of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's College of Engineering.”

Looking ahead

Sauvain recently met with oSTEM students to talk about the climate for today’s LGBTQ+ community and its historical context.

“I told them that in 1998 when Matthew Shepard was killed, you could not be out and visible, gay, transgender, anything. And though it seems like we're taking several steps backwards now, it has gotten better since then, and long term, I fully believe that it will again get better.”

Sauvain emphasized the College of Engineering’s strong support for the LGBTQ community, noting that he has seen this commitment firsthand through his work with Chevron, his service on the Engineering Advisory Board, and now through the creation of this endowment.

“Being part of the LGBTQ+ community is only one aspect of my being, just as my training as a chemical engineer is another,” he said. “Both have enriched my life in ways I never expected. My chemical engineering degree from �鶹��Ѱ��enabled me to build a successful 35-year career in an industry not necessarily known for being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, during which I came out to everyone in my life. I attribute my college years at �鶹��Ѱ��with giving me the confidence to become my true self, both as an LGBTQ individual and as a chemical engineer, and I hope that this endowment will help others following a similar path.”

To learn more about adding the �鶹��Ѱ��Foundation to your estate planning, contact the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Advancement Team.

Thad Sauvain (ChemEngr’91)recently established a legacy endowment in his estate plan to support undergraduate scholarships for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder chemical and mechanical engineering majors, with preference for those who demonstrate a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Sauvain credits his own time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, where he earned a BS in chemical engineering, with helping him thrive both as an engineer and as a gay individual.

Off

Traditional

White

Arianna McCarty awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history

Susan Glairon — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:18:22 +0000

Arianna McCarty awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history Susan Glairon Fri, 01/30/2026 - 10:18

Chemical and biological engineering senior Arianna McCarty has earned the prestigious Churchill Scholarship, becoming just the fourth student in university history to receive the honor. The award will support a year of master’s study at the University of Cambridge, recognizing her exceptional research achievements and academic excellence.

Off

Traditional

White

Dragan Mejic honored with Chancellor's Employee of the Year Award

Susan Glairon — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 17:35:45 +0000

Dragan Mejic honored with Chancellor's Employee of the Year Award Susan Glairon Wed, 01/28/2026 - 10:35

Dragan Mejic is the Instrument Shop Supervisor for Chemical and Biological Engineering, whose expert machining, welding and equipment design directly support student learning and cutting-edge faculty research. A trusted, positive presence in the department, he also advocates for state employees through volunteer leadership with the Secure PERA coalition.

Off

Traditional

White

Wyatt Shields receives Grubstake Award to advance treatment toward clinical use

Susan Glairon — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:06:34 +0000

Wyatt Shields receives Grubstake Award to advance treatment toward clinical use Susan Glairon Thu, 01/22/2026 - 14:06

Assistant Professor Wyatt Shields

High-grade serous carcinoma is the deadliest form of ovarian cancer, and while a drug called olaparib can help prevent the cancer from returning, it often causes serious side effects. To address this challenge, Wyatt Shields, assistant professor in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Benjamin Bitler, associate professor in the �鶹��Ѱ��Anschutz Division of Reproductive Sciences and �鶹��Ѱ��PhD Student Courtney Bailey have developed a new way to deliver the drug more safely. Their approach uses tiny, biodegradable particles carried by immune cells to deliver treatment directly to tumors, helping reduce harmful effects on the rest of the body. Funding totaling $300,000 from the Gates Institute at University of Colorado Anschutz, in partnership with �鶹��Ѱ��Anschutz Innovations, will support the next steps to move this technology closer to clinical use.

Read more at University of Colorado Anschutz News...

Assistant Professor Wyatt Shields along with other researchers have developed a safer, targeted way to deliver an ovarian cancer drug using immune cell–carried particles, supported by $300,000 in Gates Institute funding to advance it toward clinical use.

Off

Traditional

White

Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty

Susan Glairon — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:53:05 +0000

Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty Susan Glairon Tue, 01/20/2026 - 11:53

Susan Glairon

Meet the department's newest faculty, Assistant Professors Cody Ritt and Antonio Del Rio Flores.

Off

Traditional

White

Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles

Susan Glairon — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:17:52 +0000

Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles Susan Glairon Wed, 01/14/2026 - 14:17

�鶹��Ѱ��researchers have created shape-shifting microparticles that change their shape in response to environmental factors for self-directed propulsion and navigation.

Off

Traditional

White

Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue

Susan Glairon — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 16:42:18 +0000

Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue Susan Glairon Wed, 12/10/2025 - 09:42

A �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder team has invented a sound-wave technique that softens dense tumors so chemotherapy can penetrate more deeply. The discovery could boost treatment effectiveness and make cancer therapies safer for patients.

Off

Traditional

White

Alumnus Alexander Osterbaan featured in UV+EB Technology

Susan Glairon — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:54:27 +0000

Alumnus Alexander Osterbaan featured in UV+EB Technology Susan Glairon Tue, 12/09/2025 - 14:54

By creating UV-sensitive materials and innovative 3D printing resins, alumnus Alexander Osterbaan (PhD ChemEngr'25) has made it possible to print detailed, high-quality parts more efficiently. His work brings new possibilities to light-based manufacturing.

Off

Traditional

White

News

PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship

Tell me about your research

What does receiving the Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship Award mean to you?

How will this scholarship support your research or academic goals?

What drew you to crystallography as a research focus?

What are you most excited to work on?

What are your future research or career goals?

How do you hope your work will contribute to the field?

Off

In America science-sceptics are now in charge

Off

Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’

Thriving at CU

Looking ahead

Off

Arianna McCarty awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder history

Off

Dragan Mejic honored with Chancellor's Employee of the Year Award

Off

Wyatt Shields receives Grubstake Award to advance treatment toward clinical use

Off

Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty

Off

Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles

Off

Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue

Off

Alumnus Alexander Osterbaan featured in UV+EB Technology

Off

Arianna McCarty awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history