Ryan Hayward hiking with his two dogs.

Chemical and Biological Engineering announces Professor Ryan Hayward as new chair

June 25, 2024

Professor Ryan Hayward has witnessed the continued advancement of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering since he joined CU Boulder four years ago. Now he’s looking forward to stepping into his new role as department chair.

Crystals lift and lower a ball 10,000 times their weight by alternating green and UV light.

CU Boulder researchers develop arrays of tiny crystals that deliver efficient wireless energy

Aug. 7, 2023

In a new study published in Nature Materials, the Hayward Research Group unveiled a resilient photomechanical material that can convert light energy into mechanical work without heat or electricity. Its potential applications include powering a drone with a laser beam, bypassing the need for a bulky on-board battery.

Michael ToneyandRyan Haywardreceive $699,000 award from the Office of Naval Research/DoD

Oct. 20, 2022

Ryan Hayward Michael Toney Professors Michael Toney and Ryan Hayward of chemical and biological engineering and the Materials Science Engineering Program received a one-year Office of Naval Research/DoD award for $699,000 for “Small- and Wide-angle X-ray Scattering to Probe Functional Organic Materials.”

single use plastics including straws, cup lids, utensils and more

Faculty collaboration earns $2M NSF award for post-consumer plastic waste research

Oct. 25, 2021

The proliferation of plastic products has created an environmental challenge: what should be done with unusable, discarded plastic waste that can harm the environment? Faculty from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering are working on a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, Hydrogenolysis for Upcycling of Polyesters and Mixed Plastics, to address this serious environmental issue.