Grp photo 2025 Fall

Our research focus can be summarized as analytical surface-science. Nearly all of our research is based on measurements of chemical interactions with surfaces, and most of our instrumentation is specifically designed to examine interfacial phenomena. If you've ever wondered why oil spreading on water looks like a rainbow, why you can only make sand castles with wet sand, or how Rain-X® keeps your windshield so clean, you might be interested in our work. We use precice measurements of chemical behaviors to create new, fundamental understanding of these types of questions to address important challenges in environmental remediation, materials development, and energy science. 

Detailed descriptions of our research projects and some laboratory pictures can be found within this website.  If you have questions, feel free to send us an email or arrange a visit to our lab.  Follow us on Twitter @shawschem (group) or @shawchem (Prof Shaw)

Research for All

The Shaw group accepts that scientific advancement suffers without participation from all varied communities. We proactively engage all people regardless of status or ability. We acknowledge institutional challenges within the sciences, both for and against, certain groups of people. To counter this and provide clearer pathways to success, we work to create an inviting and enjoyable environment to do, and share, good science for all. Through formal training and informal interactions, we continuously strive to improve ourselves while advocating for each others’ success. We hope our efforts will support positive changes within our field.

 

Event and news feeds

Departmental Events

Seminar: Mark Nutt of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory & Iowa Nuclear Energy Task Force

Thursday, April 23, 2026 12:30pm
Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)

Join us on Thursday, April 23 for a special chemistry department seminar by Dr. Mark Nutt, Director of Nuclear Energy Programs at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and chairperson of the Iowa Nuclear Energy Taskforce. The Taskforce was established by Governor Kim Reynolds in January 2026 to advise state leadership on the development and advancement of nuclear energy technologies and infrastructure in Iowa. Dr. Nutt, an Iowa native, holds bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in nuclear...

Materials Frontier Symposium- hosted by MatFab

Friday, April 24, 2026 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Chemistry Building

On April 24, MATFab is hosting the Materials Frontier Symposium from 1:00-5:00 p.m. in the Chemistry Building. There will be two workshops (Laser Ablation/LIBS techniques, and Industry-Academic Partnerships Forum), an undergraduate/graduate poster session, and a plenary speaker. Additional Information and registration information is on our website: https://matfab.research.uiowa.edu/matfab-materials-frontier-symposium

Colloquium- Joe Topczewski of Corteva Agrisciences

Friday, April 24, 2026 3:30pm
Pappajohn Business Building

Inorganic Chemistry & Chemistry Education Research Seminar- Paul Ellison

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 12:30pm
Virtual

This will be held via zoom. If you'd like a link, please email chem-admin@uiowa.edu

Title: "Educating the next generation of adjacent lanthanide separation and radiopharmaceutical scientists at the University of Wisconsin"

Abstract: Radionuclides of the rare earth elements, including the lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium are useful for a wide range of nuclear medicine applications. This includes both diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals due to the wide variety of radioactive decay...

Final Thesis Defense- Grant Benthin (Carter/Forbes Groups)

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 3:00pm
Chemistry Building

"Nuclear Waste Materials at the Extremes of Oxidation: Rethinking the Stability and Structure of Neptunium (VII)"

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University Professional Development Events

Writing Conference Proposals as Graduate Students: A Reviewer’s Perspective promotional image

Writing Conference Proposals as Graduate Students: A Reviewer’s Perspective

Friday, April 24, 2026 10:30am to 12:00pm
Lindquist Center
This workshop will provide tips and tricks for graduate students to craft competitive conference proposals.
MATFab Materials Frontier Symposium promotional image

MATFab Materials Frontier Symposium

Friday, April 24, 2026 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Chemistry Building
The MATFab Materials Frontier Symposium is an event to highlight materials research within the University of Iowa Core Facilities.

Iowa Law Virtual Panel: “Diverse Career Paths in Law”

Wednesday, May 6, 2026 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Virtual

Virtual Panel: “Diverse Career Paths in Law”

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Noon-1 p.m.

Zoom event (Join here)

Diverse Career Paths in Law is a virtual panel for recent Iowa Law graduates exploring the many ways a law degree can shape a career. Alumni panelists from a range of practice areas and professional settings—traditional and nontraditional—will share how they found their paths, made pivots, and built fulfilling careers using their legal training. This candid conversation will highlight possibilities...

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