ChEMS News

Michael Hickner is creating new materials at Michigan State University to improve energy and water technologies. As the Craig A. Rogerson Endowed Professor in Chemical Engineering, he uses polymer science and materials to solve engineering problems by applying the tools of chemistry and chemical engineering.

Xinyue Liu, an assistant professor in the Michigan State University Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Medical devices implanted in muscular tissue work wonders to relieve chronic pain, rehabilitate muscles and control prosthetic limbs. However, traditional materials used to make the devices are hard to see on X-rays and CT scans. A new material developed at the MSU Polymer Engineering Lab provides high contrast on medical imaging for intramuscular implants, making implanted devices easier to locate and monitor.

For decades, algae have been seen as a promising source of sustainable food, animal feed, biofuels and carbon-neutral materials. Compared with traditional crops and livestock, algae grow faster, require less land and freshwater and can directly convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into useful products. However, a major challenge has limited the widespread adoption of algae technologies for large-scale applications: light cannot penetrate deeply into the dense cultures used to grow algae resulting in slowed growth and increased production costs.

Twelve student-athletes from the Michigan State University College of Engineering have earned Academic All-Big Ten honors for the 2026 spring season.

Thermoelectric materials can turn temperature differences directly into electrical power, with no moving parts and no working fluids. Devices based on these materials already power deep-space missions and provide precise solid-state cooling for sensitive electronics and sensors.

However, today’s thermoelectric materials are often too inefficient, expensive, or reliant on scarce or toxic elements to be used widely for energy recovery or cooling on Earth.

Michigan State University has awarded comprehensive scholarships to 51 extraordinary first-year students - 16 of them are headed to the College of Engineering. Alumni Distinguished Scholarships are part of a 71-year-tradition, University Distinguished Scholarships were initiated in 2000, and the Joseph R. and Sarah L. Williams Scholarships have enabled more students than ever to receive full merit awards to MSU.

Michigan State University College of Engineering students earned recognition this spring in competition, entrepreneurship, scholarships, fellowships and research. Their work spans computer science, civil engineering, biosystems engineering, elec

After a national search, John Papapolymerou has been recommended as dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan State University, effective June 1, 2026. He will serve as dean designee prior to the June 12 meeting of the MSU Board of Trustees. Papapolymerou has served as interim dean since Oct. 1, 2024.

Eighteen Michigan State University College of Engineering students received first-place awards at the 2026 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) at the Breslin Center in April. Students from 14 colleges participated in MSU's premier showcase for undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity.