News Archive

Justine Drappeau Balances Breakthrough Science with Big-Hearted Leadership

Justine Drappeau, a Ph.D. chemistry student, has become a trailblazer in something called C–H functionalization.

Reptilian Red Flags: Forever Chemicals Found in Alligators in North Carolina Waters

UNC researchers uncovered dozens of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including two entirely new compounds, circulating in the blood of alligators.

Scientists Harness One of Nature’s Strange Quantum Properties—Spin—for Faster Electronics

UNC and Purdue scientists designed a special material that can carry spin currents over long distances without the need for chemical doping or unstable components.

Chemists Use Light and Cobalt to Make Greener, Cheaper Industrial Chemicals

UNC chemists developed a new method to produce esters and carboxylic acids using visible light and a cheap, earth-abundant metal catalyst: cobalt.

From UNC to Eastman’s R&D Leader: How a Chemist’s Humanity Became His Greatest Strength

Chris Killian's story is about the quiet and confident clarity that he has gained from overcoming a serious illness and getting a second chance at living a full life.

Fellowship Boosts UNC Ph.D. Student’s Research on Toxic Aerosols from Harmful Algae

First-year Ph.D. student Samantha Bell is investigating the danger of inhaling toxic air from harmful algae blooms.

From Lab Bench to Dance Floor, Courtney Johnson Leads with Creativity and Empathy

Courtney John's daily life is a blend of cutting-edge chemical research and tireless leadership in service to her department and peers.

In Redesigned Chemistry Course, Students Turn Pigments into Art Preservation Tools

In UNC Chemistry, a new kind of experiment is taking shape—one that melds the rigor of synthetic chemistry with the beauty of art conservation.

Light-Powered Technique Accelerates Synthesis of Medicinal Plant Compounds

A new light-driven method dramatically simplifies and accelerates the synthesis of stemoamide alkaloids, a class of bioactive compounds found in plants.

Study Finds Protein Stability in Cells a Complex Balance of Repulsion and Attraction

In their study, the UNC team focused on just one kind of protein called GB1, a small, well-studied globular protein often used as a model.

NSF Honoree Blends Chemistry, Environmental Passion in Bid to Find Nanoplastics

Haley Jostes' proposal is setting the stage for future studies on how these plastics might affect human health.

Kara Joseph Wins NSF Fellowship for Research on PFAS in Marine Mammal Milk

Ph.D. chemistry candidate Kara Joseph has won the 2025 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.