On May 6 and 7, 2024, members of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry convened for the annual Spring Symposium in honor of Prof. Mostafa El-Sayed. The symposium highlights the research and career accomplishments of postdoctoral researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, and alumni in the School. The event began with a historical retrospective by department chair M.G. Finn on the life and career of Prof. El-Sayed, who revitalized research in the School when he arrived in 1994.

Talks at the symposium were organized into four themes: Energy and Electrons, Mechanisms and Pathways, Synthesis by Design, and Signaling and Sensing. Several distinguished alumni spoke about their journeys since departing Georgia Tech, including Michael Chen, Madeline Vara, Kathy Woody, Sukrit Mukhopadhyay, and Bob Chen.

Awards were given for the best talks and posters and winners of graduate and postdoctoral research and teaching awards were also celebrated. A complete list of graduate student winners can be found here; awards for postdocs and research scientists can be found here.