News & Events

Department Newsletter

Sent exclusively to alumni, the Department of Chemistry's newsletter features alumni and department updates, as well as event information. If you are one of our alumni, update your contact information with the GW Office of Alumni Relations to start receiving this and other exclusive alumni benefits. And don’t forget to gwchemgwu [dot] edu (send an email) to the department with your life updates for future newsletters.

Latest Issues: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, Fall 2020, Spring 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017

Upcoming Events

Visit the Events Calendar

Seminar Series

We welcome visiting speakers on Fridays throughout the school year. Hear chemists from top agencies and research universities as well as GW’s own chemistry graduate students discuss their scientific breakthroughs.

View Upcoming and Past Speaker Events

Two students in the audience of an event talking to each other

Chemistry Department News

UWI-FST Mona and George Washington University Strengthen Chemistry Research Collaboration

May 20, 2026

Professor Cahill and PhD student Elizabeth Decoteau visited the University of the West Indies as part of a collaboration on research and student initiatives.

GW Research Shared with Science Writers at D.C. Science Writers’ Association Professional Development Day

May 14, 2026

Chemistry's Lauren Pincus discussed research related to how plastic pollution degrades in the environment, the design of materials for metal recovery and more.

From Lakes to Labs, Chemistry’s Pincus Tracks Microplastics in Motion

April 15, 2026

Professor Lauren Pincus and her student researchers at CCAS track how plastics move through the environment in real-world conditions.

Message from Department Chair Cynthia Dowd

February 12, 2026

Read a welcome message from incoming chair Cynthia Dowd, who steps into the role following 18 years with the Chemistry Department.

A large group of GW Chemistry faculty and students smiling outside the Science and Engineering Hall

Grad students in a lab with the sun shining in

Graduate students in an SEH Research Lab

Clare Trainor, Undergraduate Researcher

Claire Trainor, Undergraduate Researcher, had this to say,"Working in the lab throughout the summer has been a great experience for me to further my interest in chemistry research!"

New PhD Dr. Caleb Reese walking to commencement with Drs. Boyes and Voutchkova

Undergraduate researcher, Jamison Shih in the Hao Lab

The Dowd Group 2023

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Miller Lab conducting research in the field

Collage of pictures taken at a poster presentation

REU Poster Session

Dr. Cahill's group with he and his graduating PhDs in their regalia

Some of Dr. Cahill's research group on hooding day for two recent PhDs

Graduate Students at our annual holiday party

Image of the MS EGC students in their caps and gowns at their graduation

Introducing the MS EGC class of '24

Celebration after Ben Walusiak's successful Defense. Congratulations Dr. Walusiak

$Cahill group having fun with the new diffractometer$

Cahill group having fun with the new diffractometer

Graduating senior at the GW graduation and awards celebration

Drs. Cahill and Brager at the graduation and awards celebration

Professors Massiah and Wagner at a poster session

Caress Alumni Honoree Dr. Malika Jeffries-EL

Caress Alumni Honoree Dr. Malika Jeffries-EL and Dr. Christopher Cahill Department Chair

Graduate students discussing a poster

GW Chemistry Alumnus chatting with Dr. Cahill after her seminar

Drs. King and Vertes at Dr. Vertes retirement party

Dee Bague and Dr. Dowd at a presentation

Dr. Bague and her PI Dr. Dowd

Dr. Noble demonstrating experiments for take your child to work day

Dr. Noble wows the crowd with some cool science at Take Your Child to Work Day!

Graduate Students with their professors at the Capstone presentation

MS EGC Capstone 2025

MS EGC Graduate Students Present their Research to Faculty and Industry Leaders

Dr. Sadtchenko

Announcement of the awards bestowed upon Drs. Cahill and Hao

Congratulations to Drs. Cahill and Hao

Graduate Student Ayodeji Adedayo and Professor Massiah

Dr. Cahill at the GW Honors awards celebration

Dr. King, Professor Emeritus at Commencement

Image of our bakers and some of their baked goods

Chemists Make the Best Bakers

ACGS Bake Off 2025

Graduate students dressed up as their professors! Seeing double for Halloween

Graduate students around a filre at the holiday party

Graduate students at the holiday party

Faculty and Graduating Seniors at the Chemistry Department Graduation Celebration

MS EGC students presenting their Capstone project to external partners 2023

Graduate students get an opportunity for casual conversation with our Caress Speaker, Dr. Polly Arnold

Graduate Students enjoying casual conversation with Caress Speaker, Dr. Polly Arnold

Image of the published article when Undergraduate was first author of a published research paper

First Author, Undergraduate Researcher and Luther Rice Fellow Chloe Corning

Flyer for discussion where Dr. Dowd was a speaker

MS EGC Students Presenting their Capstone Project at ACS to External Partners

Drs. Vertes and Dowd having fun working the grill at a summer BBQ at GW

Drs Dowd and Vertes Grilling at a summer department lunch

Graduate student is leaning over a microscope

In the lab, conducting research is the favorite place for our Graduate Students

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Lauren Pincus standing knee-deep in a stream collecting samples

A LHR instrument constructed in place by GW and Mesa Photonics in an observatory installed at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center near Edgewater, Maryland.

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Christopher Hossack, Graduate Student, Cahill Lab, GW Department of Chemistry

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The Sadtchenko Lab with the FSC apparatus used in glass softening studies.

Dr. Vertes Lab

The Chemistry Exhibit Display Cabinet

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Attendees at a research conference walk around looking at research posters

Image of circular staircase and large tree with sun coming streaming in the window

GW Research Department of Chemsitry

REU researcher presenting to a professor

REU researcher presenting to GW Chemistry Professor, Dr. Wagner

REU researcher presenting to GW Chemistry Professor, Dr. Besson

Flyer: Let's talk about undergraduate research; details of events (click image for event details and RSVP)

graduate student looking through microscope in the lab in front of a window that has the city sky line with autumn trees

Graduate student conducting research in the lab during the fall season

Dr. Vanessa dos Reis Falcao standing at a whiteboard at office hours with a student

Cindy Dowd and students seated together on chairs arranged in a circle

Jordan Tanen in the Analytical Chemistry Lab with undergraduates (from left) Issa Samba, Isabelle Frazier and Jonathan Kurtz

Dean Paul Wahlbeck moderating a panel discussion with three faculty members and a GW alum seated behind a draped table on stage

Prof. Clements helping a student solve a problem

Professor Clements at Office Hours