Have you wondered how something like luminescent materials can be used to diagnose diseases through your mobile? How is a discovery like this even possible? Through analytical chemistry- the branch of chemistry that focuses on experimentation! In this episode, ChemTalk hosts Isabella, Riya and Siya meet Dr. Russ Algar and discuss the spectroscopy research that he and his team are conducting at UBC. We discuss how he's able to apply various concepts in chemistry to solve problems one would've...

We have seen how gas stations have changed the way humans can travel. So what if there was a gas station on the moon? On today’s episode, hosts Olivia Lambertson and Riya Jain interview Dr. George Whitesides, a Woodford L. and Ann A. Flowers University Research Professor at Harvard University. Hosts Bella Liguori and Olivia unpack the contents of the interview including discussion on the Lorenz effect, why we should follow our curiosity, and how high costs cause problems in industry. We hope...

Chemistry is involved in everything around us, including the clothes we wear and the device we listen to podcasts on! So why is chemistry not taught as a fundamental science? On this episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, hosts Olivia Lambertson Siya and Riya interview Dr. Sourav Pal, Head of the Department, Chemistry and Professor of Chemistry at Ashoka University. We talk about the benefits of taking interest in chemistry, computational chemistry, and the differences surrounding universities in...

There’s got to be some good science in cooking because this scientist changed career paths from chef to chemist! On today’s episode of the ChemTalk podcast, Olivia Lambertson and Nafeesa Mamhood interview Dr. Laura Bickerton, who at the time of the interview was a grad student at the University of Oxford. We talk about what it is like to be a grad student, standardized tests, and how anion transport can respond to stimuli. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Laura...

There’s got to be some good science in cooking because this scientist changed career paths from chef to chemist! On today’s episode of the ChemTalk podcast, Olivia Lambertson and Nafeesa Mamhood interview Dr. Laura Bickerton, who at the time of the interview was a grad student at the University of Oxford. We talk about what it is like to be a grad student and how anion transport can respond to stimuli. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Laura Bickerton, you can reach...

Have you ever seen a tweet saying two of your favorite celebrities are dating, only to find out that it was misinformation? We’ve been there too. Even worse, this happens all the time in science! On this episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, host Olivia Lambertson interviews Dave Farina, otherwise known as “Professor Dave Explains” on YouTube to his 2.3 million subscribers. We discuss what it is like to have your own YouTube channel, how to combat misinformation, and the importance of science...

Have you ever stepped on a sea urchin? If you have, you were probably too busy thinking about the pain in your foot rather than how these unique creatures get to be so sturdy and sharp. Would you ever imagine that these creatures could have insight into creating almost indestructible buildings? On this episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, host Olivia Lambertson interviews Dr. Helmut Cölfen, Professor of Physical Chemistry at University Konstanz. We discuss how physical chemistry can create more...

Have you ever thought about your DNA as something other than your genetic material? What if we told you that you could fold DNA to make a smiley face? What about a map of the United States? On this week's episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, host Roxanne Salkeld interviews Dr. Devleena Samanta, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and an associate member of the Livestrong Cancer Institutes at The University of Texas at Austin. We discuss Dr. Samanta's research regarding the use of DNA as a material...

This week's interviewee's advice you may ask? Think about the questions that are not answered in existing projects. On this week's episode of the ChemTalk Podcast, host Olivia Lambertson interviews Dr. Kayunta Johnson-Winters, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Johnson-Winters discusses her work involving enzymology and its clinical applications for diseases like tuberculosis. Additionally, Dr. Johnson-Winters shares her experience...

How can we use chemistry to make an impact on climate change? Can we reduce carbon dioxide and make it a new fuel? You can find out on today's episode, where Roxanne and Olivia talk to Dr. Joaquín Rodríguez-López, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Illinois. Dr. Rodríguez-López speaks about the broad applications of electrochemistry (including reduction of carbon dioxide), diversity, and pushing the boundaries of chemistry. We hope you enjoy! About us: ChemTalk is a...

Did you know that lasers have more uses than as a unique toy for your cat? On this week's podcast episode, Roxanne and Claris interview Dr. Scott Cushing, an assistant professor at Caltech who specializes in research with lasers and their uses. Dr. Cushing talks about how to make a tabletop chemical instrument, being a professor, and the importance of mental health in all professions. Dr. Cushing's enthusiasm for lasers will leave you wanting to learn more. We hope you enjoy! About us:...

How many microbial cells do you think you have in your body? A million? A billion? Would you guess that you have as many microbial cells in your body as cells that make up your body (which is approximately 30 trillion)? We didn't! On this episode of the Chem Talk Podcast Roxanne and Claris interview Dr. Elizabeth Bess, a professor at UC Irvine who specializes in studying the human microbiome and the chemical reactions that bacteria perform. Dr. Bess talks about how gut bacteria can affect...

Tell me something- before you took a literature class, did you enjoy reading just for the sake of it? And now, do you find yourself identifying motifs, classifying steps in the hero’s journey, or internally (or externally, we don’t judge) commenting on how the color of the rug elevates the mood of a certain scene? Well, we’re about to do that to you, only in this case, we’re gonna tell you everything you need to know about maize, and, maybe, strawberries. Have you heard of Terpenoids?...

If you’re wondering what on earth MALDI MSI is, you’re not alone. We were right there with you. On this podcast episode, Roxanne interviews Dr. Elizabeth Neumann of UC Davis, who uses matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging in her research to identify neurological disease elements without causing disorder in the sample. We also talk about starting a lab from scratch (sort of), and how to get what you want as someone in academia. We hope you enjoy! About us:...

Pop quiz! What biological agent is most abundant on all of planet Earth? Hint: it’s a type of virus with hyper-specificity, allowing infection of different bacterial species. If you guessed bacteriophages, you’re correct! These phages are viruses that target bacterial cells and subsequently kill their host as they use parts of the bacterial cells to replicate. In this podcast episode, Claris and Roxanne interview Dr. Irene Chen of UCLA biochemistry. We discuss what these viruses are, how they...

Ever had a bad case of food poisoning? And while you were curled up in the fetal position waiting for it to be over, have you ever googled what might have caused it? This podcast episode might answer all you questions. On this episode of the ChemTalk podcast, hosts Roxanne Salkeld and Claris Chan speak with Jennifer Lillig from the chemistry faculty of Sonoma State University. She studies Listeria monocytogenes, a pathogenic bacteria capable of causing severe food-borne illness. Watch to...

In this episode, Roxanne interviews Chem-Talk Co-founders Sam and Bo about the ChemTalk organization and the newly released periodic table. To see a video demo of how to use the table, search “ChemTalk” on YouTube and follow along to see all of the exciting features.

In this episode, Roxanne interviews Dr. Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute. We discuss his research journey to produce a vaccine to combat the opioid crisis, how he became interested in chemistry, and his proudest moment in the lab with one of his students.

In this episode, Lawton will be interviewing Dr. Carl Denard and a Ph.D. candidate from his lab, Sam Martinusen. We talk about the research conducted in professor Denard's lab at the University of Florida as well as speculate as to what the field of synthetic biology may look like in the near future. In addition to talking about the research conducted in the Denard Lab, we talk about the pressing issues affecting underprivileged communities in regard to their exposure to the STEM field. 

This week, Scott Gietler from ChemTalk spoke with Dr. Eric Scerri, a professor at UCLA and an expert on the periodic table.  Dr. Scerri has written many books on the periodic table and is specifically interested in philosophical chemistry. With his knowledge of the periodic table, he discusses important figures involved in its development, what happens when an element is disproved, how he became interested in chemistry, and his love for blues guitar. We hope you enjoy! More information about...

This week, Nafeesa Mahmood from ChemTalk spoke with Dr. Dino Spagnoli, a Lecturer and Coordinator of First-Year Studies in Chemistry at the University of Western Australia. Dr. Spagnoli spoke about his experiences as a research assistant at UC Berkeley in California, the process in which he developed his own app, what it was like working in the tobacco industry, and more. We hope you enjoy! More information about Dr. Dino Spagnoli: Website:...

This week, Scott Gietler and Nafeesa Mahmood from ChemTalk spoke with Dr. Fun Man Fung, an instructor at the National Univerity of Singapore. Dr. Fung spoke of the passion involved in being a professor, how online learning can change the world for the better, and the importance of honest feedback. We hope you enjoy! More information about Dr. Fun Man Fung: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nathatable Website: https://chemistry.nus.edu.sg/people/fung-fun-man/ Email:...

This week, Nafeesa and Scott from ChemTalk interviewed Dr. Jen Heemstra, a professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Heemstra spoke of her research group, how she got to where she is in academia, coping with failure in the STEM world, and much more. We hope you enjoy! More information about Dr. Jen Heemstra: Website: https://www.heemstralab.com/ Email: [email protected] Twitter: @jenheemstra Don't forget to check out ChemTalk on all of our social media...

This week, Nafeesa, Shreya, and Melissa from ChemTalk interviewed Dr. Timothy Dore, an associate professor at New York University's campus in Abu Dhabi. Professor Dore spoke of his experience with medicinal chemistry research, his time as a visiting professor in Kyoto, how COVID-19 changed the direction of his research, and how to travel as a chemist. We hope you enjoy! More information about Dr. Timothy Dore: Website:...

This week, Nafeesa and Olivia interviewed Dr. Lauren Zarzar, an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University whose research focuses on material chemistry. Tune into the riveting interview to hear about how science and art overlap, the importance of creativity in research, and how we can work as a community to change the perception of chemistry. ChemTalk is excited to announce that Dr. Lauren Zarzar has joined the ChemTalk team as a member of the board of advisors! We cannot wait to...