The University of Chicago experienced a significant year in 2024, marked by achievements across various domains. The institution launched new centers and institutes, celebrated its faculty, students, and alumni's accomplishments, and reinforced its commitment to free expression.
In terms of academic advancements, UChicago scholars made numerous discoveries and created original works. These included strategies to reverse learning loss from the pandemic, innovations like an ultra-thin pacemaker powered by light, and groundbreaking measurements related to the universe's expansion rate.
The university marked several anniversaries this year. The Smart Museum of Art celebrated 50 years with a collection of 17,000 artworks. The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics commemorated two decades of discovery. UChicago Presents observed its 80th anniversary while the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures looked back at a century of research in Egypt. Additionally, UChicago celebrated ten years since establishing the Center in Delhi.
Several individuals from UChicago received prestigious awards in 2024. President Paul Alivisatos was honored with the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience and the Enrico Fermi Presidential Award for his work on nanomaterials. Ling Ma was named a MacArthur Fellow, while Profs. Sianne Ngai and Robyn Schiff received Guggenheim Fellowships. Prof. James A. Robinson earned the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on global inequality.
UChicago's athletic teams also excelled this year; both men's and women's tennis teams won NCAA national championships.
On infrastructure development, PsiQuantum announced a quantum science park on Chicago's South Side with UChicago as a partner. The university celebrated upgrades at Argonne National Laboratory and completed excavations for DUNE at Fermilab.
A $100 million gift supported UChicago's commitment to free expression through initiatives like expanding education beyond academia.
The AbbVie Foundation donated $75 million towards constructing a new cancer pavilion at UChicago Medicine set to open in 2027.
UChicago launched the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth in October focusing on climate change solutions through research in economics, policy, and energy technologies.
New master's programs were introduced at Booth School of Business alongside plans for an environmental science program starting autumn 2025.
Renovations improved campus spaces including Main Quadrangles' sustainability features while Botany Pond reopened after restoration efforts ensuring its longevity.
In November John W Boyer Center opened as part of expanding educational collaboration across Europe Middle East Africa regions increasing capacity significantly since previous center establishment back in 2003
Prestigious scholarships were awarded to students such as Rhodes Scholars Francesco Rahe Anqi Qu Marshall Scholar Mónica Ruiz House Knight-Hennessy Scholar Umar Siddiqi among others earning Goldwater Scholarships
Notable alumni achievements included Pulitzer Prize winner Trina Reynolds-Tyler Olympic competitors from Paris games John Jumper youngest Nobel Chemistry laureate over past seventy-five years
These highlights reflect only some stories emerging throughout past year visit UChicago News website explore further details