ISU Department of Chemistry to Host Expert in Nanomaterials for Public Discussion Jan. 25

Idaho State University’s Department of Chemistry will host Jesús M. Velázquez, associate professor at UC Davis, for a cafecito lecture on turning carbon dioxide into methanol on Thursday, January 25, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The College Market, 604 South 8th Avenue. Velázquez is an expert in materials synthesis and characterization and their applications towards energy storage and environmental remediation. The public is invited to attend and learn more, and free refreshments will be provided. 

“I am honored to share my journey and the vision guiding our research program at UC Davis, which is dedicated to the design of materials for cutting-edge energy science,” said Velázquez. “I hope to convey the extraordinary nature of being a scientist in this era, emphasizing that materials chemistry plays a crucial role at the forefront in tackling significant challenges linked to climate change.”

“We are very grateful and excited to have Prof. Velázquez visit ISU and share his expertise in nanomaterial science with us,” said Leslie Nickerson, assistant professor of chemistry at Idaho State University. “This visit will introduce our students to a branch of chemistry that is not as well-represented by our faculty at ISU but is becoming a high-impact branch of chemistry, particularly in the energy industry. Additionally, we are excited to build connections with our students to an influential mentor in the field."

Velázquez’s visit to Pocatello and ISU is made possible by The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. Idaho State was one of just eight institutions nationwide to receive the 2023 Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions. The lectureship provides a “$18,500 grant to bring a leading researcher to a primarily undergraduate institution to give at least two lectures in the chemical sciences.” In addition to the event on Thursday, ISU students are invited to an informal discussion and lunch with Velázquez at noon on Friday, January 26, in Physical Science Complex Room 246. At 1 p.m., he will hold a seminar for ISU faculty and students in Physical Science Complex Room 144.  

On top of funding the lectures, the award will also support the summer research projects of two undergraduate students, including stipends for their work.

"The ISU Department of Chemistry would like to thank The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation for this opportunity and funding,” Nickerson said. “As a public university in Eastern Idaho, it can be difficult to have funding available to invite influential speakers to our department. This funding will also support undergraduate research in the department, allowing students to gain valuable experience that will prepare them for their future careers in chemistry or graduate school."

For more information on ISU’s Department of Chemistry, visit isu.edu/chem.

To schedule a campus tour, visit isu.edu/visit.