February 10, 2026 Marcel Schreier wins Vilas Associates Competition award Written By: Jason Daley Departments: Chemical & Biological Engineering Categories: Awards|Faculty Marcel Schreier, the Richard H. Soit Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a winner of the 2026-27 Vilas Associates Competition. Schreier is one of 24 UW-Madison faculty selected for the competitive award by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. Schreier investigates fundamental questions in electrochemistry and electrocatalysis including how the electric field drives chemical conversion as well as how and when energy is transferred during the catalytic cycle. Understanding these questions could lead to the development of new types of sustainable chemistry, including the electrification of the chemical industry and the interconversion of electrical and chemical energy, leading to new types of energy storage. The Vilas Associate Competition recognizes new and ongoing research of the highest quality and significance and is available to tenure-track assistant professors and tenured faculty within 20 years of their tenure date. The award is funded by the William F. Vilas Estate Trust.