SPIn Lab

Guess the theme of this week’s coffee hour (open the thread for a hint😉)

New article just dropped! Check out our work in @RSCApplied (RSC Applied Polymers), where we demonstrate a new fiber finishing strategy to improve the recyclability of spandex-based blended textiles 🧶🦀 pubs.rsc.org/en/content/art…

new paper alert! here, we study how controlling the polymerization kinetics of ethyl cellulose-poly(acrylic acid) composites allows for tunable structural color. we envision our materials as a replacement for traditionally-colored plastics @SPInLabNU advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ad…

We’re so proud of Charmaine for presenting her work on tunable, structurally-colored films at the 2025 Undergraduate Research & Arts Exposition🪲🦋 As the spring quarter wraps up, we’d like to thank our wonderful undergrads for all of their hard work🫶 Have a great summer!

This week, SPIn Lab traveled to Italy to present our work on polysaccharide-based liquid crystals at the #EUPOC MacroLight conference🌈🔦 Thank you to the organizers and attendees for all of the great discussions!

Grazie mille for a wonderful time in Bertinoro, Italy at #EUPOC MacroLight! Thanks for making my first conference talk such a positive experience, and I hope to see everyone again soon 🇮🇹🍫

Congratulations to Sara on passing her qualifying exam and master’s defense🧪🧫 We’re so proud of you!

my first trip to Seattle for #S25MRS has been a blast so far and I'm thrilled to be presenting my work on structurally-colored alternatives to plastic tomorrow (9:15-9:30 am, SU02.08.03)

A quick update from the woman behind the curtain: I passed my qualifying exam and master’s defense! Happy pi day🥧

SPIn Lab featured in the new NU MSE department video😎 Oscars 2026, here we come youtu.be/MVEofdbSzdU?fe…

Earlier this week, Isabelle and Sara presented their exciting work at the @NUMRSEC Annual Meeting📈 Congrats on another successful year for NU-MRSEC!

Congratulations to Tianna (co-advised by @jeff_lopez12 in @LopezLabNU 🔋) on passing her qualifying exam and becoming a PhD Candidate!💐

Congratulations to Northwestern Engineering materials scientist Cécile Chazot, who received an @ArmyResearchLab Early Career Program Award. The honor recognizes "outstanding scientists beginning their independent careers." bit.ly/4gIlqfC

It was so much fun meeting these students and sharing our work with them. A huge thank you to all @TrubyLab members for their thoughtful demos, & Maddie Briggs, @NehaPKamat, @simonaf1ne and @SPInLabNU for partnering with us to show off awesome work from our NU MRSEC!

Baked goods on theme, of course

New group photo just dropped👻 Happy Halloween!

Happy Qualloween, Simona! (and shoutout to Cécile for the heavy pours🥂) Today, we’re celebrating our first student in the group passing her qualification exam, just in time for the holidays 🎃

With recruitment season coming up, here’s our pitch: come check out the ~sweetest~ lab group😋 * This statement has been peer reviewed by the MSSA Annual Paper Plate Awards