Jared Anderson to present Fall ’25 Dean’s Distinguished Lecture

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series highlights faculty excellence in learning, discovery, and engagement in Iowa State’s most academically diverse college. Each spring and fall semester, the dean invites LAS faculty of distinction to present lectures from their areas of expertise on topics of interest to the general public. The lectures are designed to stimulate high-quality, intellectual discussion among faculty, staff, students, and community members.

Jared Anderson, Alice Hudson Professor in the Department of Chemistry, was selected by Dean Benjamin Withers to deliver the Fall 2025 LAS Dean’s Distinguished Lecture on Monday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. The lecture, “From Atoms to Innovation: The Science and Impact of Separating Rare Earth Materials,” will be presented in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union and will also be available virtually.

Anderson’s lecture will trace the evolution of rare earth separation science, beginning with Ames National Laboratory’s historic contributions during World War II and extending to current advances that address today’s pressing needs. Rare earth element separations have a distinguished history at Ames National Laboratory, where pioneering work during the Manhattan Project first established methods for isolating strategic materials. That legacy continues to resonate today, as rare earths once again occupy a central role in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and national security. From the magnets in wind turbines and electric vehicles to advanced electronics and defense applications, these elements underpin the transition to clean energy and the functioning of high-tech society.

In his research, Anderson applies methods from his training in separation chemistry to tackle critical challenges in a broad range of areas. As the head of the Anderson Research Group, he addresses problems as diverse as detecting pathogens in food, separating and purifying nucleic acids from biological samples and plant materials, identifying trace-level impurities in pharmaceuticals, and developing efficient methods of extracting rare earth elements for mining and recycling. Recent efforts by collaborative teams at Ames Lab and Iowa State University are creating new strategies that integrate molecular-level insight with innovative separation techniques. These approaches aim to improve selectivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

Anderson has won numerous awards, and in 2019 and 2024, he received the Special Creativity Award from the National Science Foundation.

A live Q&A session with Anderson will follow the lecture.

This event is free and open to the public.