Page 6 - CEMS Summer 2022 Newsletter

NEW FACULTY
CEMS welcomes new faculty members
Assistant Professors Chris Bartel and Natalie Boehnke started in CEMS on August 1.
Chris Bartel
Natalie Boehnke
Research in my group focuses on nanomedicine, using nanoscale materials to treat and prevent disease, such as cancer, in the human body. Specifically, we
are investigating the effects that different kinds of nanoparticles, used for drug delivery applications, have on therapeutic outcomes in the context of biological heterogeneity. Since every patient and biological system is unique, we use
Chris Bartel
My research is focused on the design and discovery
of new materials that may
be more efficient or more sustainable alternatives to the materials that currently make up the active components
of devices such as batteries and solar cells. We use computational chemistry and machine learning to predict which hypothetical materials can be made in the lab and how to tailor their properties
Natalie Boehnke
As a new faculty member, I hope to foster a sense of inclusivity and belonging, both in the classroom and the laboratory, and to provide students with the tools they need to reach their full potential. We all work at our best when
we feel a sense of belonging. Research in my group is very multidisciplinary, taking place at the interface of engineering, chemistry, and biology. We have a lot of unique opportunities for students to pursue their curiosities and attain their career goals while also advancing drug delivery research.
I’m really looking forward to engaging and working with everyone in CEMS, both for educational and research collaborations. The students, staff, and faculty in the department are fantastic, and it’ll be great to work together to find new areas of collaboration. I’m also looking forward to contributing to the sense of community within the department and continuing to advocate for inclusivity and accessibility. CEMS is a wonderful place to do science, and I’m excited about all the new directions my research will take here.
for optimal performance for our desired application. Ultimately, our goal is to leverage these predictions
in close collaboration with experimental groups to accelerate the discovery of the next generation of solid- state materials that will enable a clean energy future.
The excellent high-performance computing facilities available through the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute and the diverse array of potential collaborators in CEMS and throughout the College make Minnesota a great home for my research group. I’m especially excited about the prospects of working with interdisciplinary teams
on grand challenges in materials research through the MRSEC and engaging with companies through IPRIME to understand how the approaches we develop in my group can make an immediate impact in the technology sector.
I’m proud to be a faculty member in CEMS because this department has achieved so much by bringing people from different backgrounds together and fostering a sense of community. I’m also struck by the continued drive for the department to innovate as seen in the numerous student- and faculty-driven efforts to improve the diversity, equity, and inclusivity of the department
and the launch of a new Master’s program on Data Science. This department has played a tremendous role in shaping the disciplines of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and I am inspired and motivated by the opportunity to play a part in continuing this legacy.
tools like high throughput
screening and machine learning to understand how biological heterogeneity affects nanoparticle efficacy and accumulation. Our research will allow us to identify and tailor nanomaterials properties to most effectively target and treat specific diseases.
6 www.cems.umn.edu