September 11, 2026 Loo receives Vilas early career award Written By: Claire Massey Departments: Chemical & Biological Engineering Categories: Awards | Faculty Whitney Loo, the Conway Assistant Professor in chemical and biological engineering, is one of 18 recipients of the 2026 Vilas Faculty Early-Career Investigator award, which honors University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty who are still relatively early in their careers. Loo studies and designs polymers, which are materials with long chains of many repeating units, and include things like plastics, rubber and proteins. Her work includes the synthesis and characterization of sustainable polymers as well as advanced development of polymer-based materials and devices, such as fuel cell membranes, powerful next-gen computer chips, and safer, cheaper and more energy-dense batteries. The Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator Award recognizes research and teaching excellence and provides flexible research funding for three years. Vilas awards receive support from the estate of professor, U.S. Senator and UW Regent William F. Vilas. See the full list of recipients.