September, 2005: Welcome to our newest group member, Mari Titcombe. Mari is a Chemistry graduate student and will work on the nucleation of atmospheric particles. Mari will be co-advised by Dr. Peter McMurry, Mechanical Engineering Department.

August, 2005: Jeff begins as department chair of the Chemistry Department. His new office is in Smith 139. Congratulations, Jeff!

December, 2004: Congratulations to Jason for receiving the two year National Science Foundation - Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT)! Jason will receive yearly travel funds, equipment money, and a generous stipend. He will also be able to focus on his research project. Congratulations, Jason!

November, 2004: Welcome to our newest group member, Jason Holm. Jason is a Mechanical Engineering graduate student. He will be woking with silicon nanoparticle aerosols. Jason will be co-advised by Dr. Uwe Kortshagen, Mechanical Engineering Department.

October, 2004: Welcome to our newest group member, Ying-Chih Liao. Ying-Chih, a postdoctoral research assistant, will be working in the area of silicon nanoparticle aerosols. He obtained his Ph.D. from Purdue University in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

August, 2004: Through the RSEC program, Amanda will teach CHEM 103: Chemistry for the Allied Health Sciences at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin this fall. Enjoy your first teaching position, Amanda!

June, 2004: Amanda and Jeff are off to Germany to participate in the Joint Nanoparticle Workshop between the IGERT and Sonderforschungsbereich 445 at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Amanda will also be presenting a poster on her research at the 7th International Conference on Nanostructured Materials in Wiesbaden. Have fun!

June, 2004: Welcome back to RSEC researchers Kyle Backstrand and Garth Parham from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Kyle and Garth will be continuing the work they started last year on organic aerosol surface chemistry!

May, 2004: Amanda wins a “Best Presentation Prize” at the Chemistry Department’s 3rd Chemistry Graduate Student Research Symposium. Amanda’s presentation was on kinetics of soot particle oxidation as a function of oxygen partial pressure. This is two years in a row that a Roberts Group member has once this award. Amanda’s prize includes travel support to a scientific meeting of her choice. Congratulations, Amanda!

April, 2004: Amanda is awarded the Chemistry Department's teaching internship for the 2004-2005 academic year. The internship will involve assisting a chemistry faculty mentor in planning, organizing, and teaching a chemistry course. This award will help Amanda get the skills she will need to realize her career goal of being a professor. Well done, Amanda!

January, 2004: Welcome to our newest group member, Joe Rupnow. Joe is senior at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, majoring in Chemistry. Joe will be working with Henry Ajo on the soot surface chemistry project.

October, 2003: Henry Ajo, our newest group member, arrives. Henry is a post-doc, who will be working in the area of soot surface chemistry. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Washington, working under the direction of Charles Campbell. Welcome!

August, 2003: Jeff wins a Special Creativity Award from the National Science Foundation, providing two years of addition research support to the Roberts group for their work in aerosol surface chemistry.

June, 2003: Amanda and Aaron are married in a beautiful ceremony in Winona, Minnesota. Amanda’s last name changes from Wensmann to Nienow. Best wishes!

June, 2003: Kyle Backstrand and Garth Parham arrive from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They’ll be doing RSEC-supported research in our lab on the application of self-assembled thiolate monolayers as models for organic aerosols. Kyle is an assistant professor at Viterbo, and Garth just completed his sophomore year there. Welcome!

May, 2003: Curtiss wins a “Best Presentation Prize” at the Chemistry Department’s 2nd Chemistry Graduate Student Research Symposium. Curtiss gave a dynamite talk on the chemical vapor deposition of metal oxide films on silicon substrates. His prize includes travel support to a scientific meeting of his choice. Congratulations, Curtiss!

August, 2002: Amanda receives the National Science Foundation IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship). Her two year contract includes travel funds, equipment money, and a generous stipend. Congratulations, Amanda!