Dear Alumni and Friends of UMass Chemistry,
We had an outstanding year marked by significant accomplishments and well-deserved recognition of our faculty, students, and staff. Prof. Zhou Lin received multiple honors, including the prestigious Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation. Prof. Vincent Rotello was elected to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Prof. Scott Auerbach was named a Provost Professor in recognition of his outstanding achievements in research and education. Prof. Jianhan Chen has been selected for the UMass Amherst 2026–2027 Distinguished Faculty Lecture Series and will receive the Chancellor’s Medal. Prof. Ricardo Metz received a CNS Exceptional Internal Service Award. After completing two terms as Department Head, he had planned to step away from leadership but generously agreed to my request to serve as Associate Head, enabling an exceptionally smooth transition for the department. I was also honored to be elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Our students also achieved remarkable distinctions. Ranit Dutta, a graduate student in Prof. Thayumanavan’s lab, was selected to participate in the 74th Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany. Prachi Gupta, also from Prof. Thayumanavan’s group, earned the People’s Choice Award in the UMass Three-Minute Thesis competition. In addition, Prachi authored the lead article in this issue of the Goessman Gazette, highlighting UMass Chemistry’s exciting advances in targeted drug delivery. Her article eloquently captures the breadth of work—from fundamental research to translational applications—across multiple research groups and underscores the strong synergies within our department that position us as a leader in this important field.
I am also delighted to welcome Dr. Zachary Riedel, who will join us as an Assistant Professor. Zach will establish a research program focused on the design and synthesis of inorganic materials for next-generation energy and quantum information technologies. His work centers on probing bonding in solid-state materials and elucidating how electronic structure governs magnetic, chiral, and thermoelectric properties. His research will strongly complement and enhance existing strengths within our department and across campus in materials chemistry.
The year 2028 will mark the 160th anniversary of Prof. Charles Goessmann’s appointment as Professor of Chemistry. To commemorate this milestone, we are planning a special celebration in the first half of October 2028. I invite all of you to return to UMass Amherst and join us for this occasion. Please mark your calendars and share the news with your classmates. On page 32 of this issue, you will find a link where you can share your favorite memories and offer suggestions for celebrating this landmark event.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all who have generously supported our department over the years. Your contributions have enabled us to sustain a high-quality educational experience, advance scientific discoveries, and enhance our ability to share our work with the broader community. Through your generosity, we are able to nurture the next generation of exceptional scientists with scholarships and continue pushing the frontiers of knowledge.
We have also launched a new initiative—catalyzed by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous—to honor Prof. Peter Uden. Details on how you can support this effort are provided on page 34 of this issue. Thanks to you, UMass Chemistry will continue to lead, inspire, and innovate for generations to come.
Sincerely,
D. Venkataraman, Head of Chemistry