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According to the second law of thermodynamics, the entropy of a system will always increase. For a layperson, this means that all things must come to pass and nothing lasts forever. Since no person or thing can evade the laws of physics, this also applies to Bringing Chemistry to Life.
In this final message from Paolo, the series’ creator and host, we hear about how the series started and how it’s been fueled by the passion of guests, host, and listeners, alike. It is with gratitude that we reflect on the 55 episodes of great science, and great people, that we’ve been able to capture and share. Many of the conversations are timeless, but for now we say, goodbye. Thank you for being part of the journey!
Related episodes:
Season 1, Ep.1: Human milk—it’s a matter of chemistry (aka The Start of it All) Season 4, Ep.2: Paul Anastas – The father of green chemistry (aka A Dream Come True) Season 4, Ep.10: Eric Scerri – The most famous unknow – the periodic tableSeason 5, Ep.5: Paolo Braiuca – Flip the script, meet your host, Paolo
The Archives:
Access all 5 seasons, 55 total episodes, by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast. View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirt.Use Podcast Code cHeMcas+ng in October, KemThrReDs in November.We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Join us for this look into materials chemistry, developed under the guiding principles of sustainability and a systems approach.
Dr. Zlatka Stoeva, Co-founder and Managing Director of DZP Technologies, discovered her love of chemistry out of boredom as a child. She then traveled to unknown lands to master her science and discover the value of mentors while doing amazing work on lithium-ion battery chemistry. A stint in the technology transfer office at Cambridge showed her how fundamental research can be translated into real-world solutions that can change lives, and this inspired her to start her own company.
In providing CRO services and developing IP to help companies address market needs using unique materials, Stoeva and her colleagues approach problems with a systems mindset that is common in engineering, but not always chemistry. We hear about their work in “plastic electronics” that leverage biological materials and consider sustainability aspects while delivering results. We also hear about their exciting work using graphene materials to produce digitized materials that can code information about how they’re made and their interactions with the environment.
Check out this great episode that balances a wonderful personal story, amazing science, and great bits of advice to guide your science and career development!
Related episodes:
Season 5, Ep.1: Batteries unplugged: past, present and the electrifying futureSeason 4, Ep.4: Women in chemistry: learnings from one of the greatestSeason 4, Ep.2: The father of green chemistrySeason 3, Ep.9: Energy harvesting and self-sustainable greenhousesSeason 2, Ep.8: Sustainability as an entrepreneurial choiceSeason 2, Ep.3: Rethinking catalysisBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website.Use code cHeMcas+ng in October and KemThrReDs in November.We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Some debate that synthetic organic chemistry strategies have become stale, but Dr. Todd Hyster of Princeton University's Hyster Lab disagrees.
Todd fell in love with organic chemistry early in his education, but it wasn’t until he got turned on to enzyme catalysis that he found his true calling. He’s built a career using engineered enzymes to facilitate chemical transformations that would otherwise not be possible. Specifically, he and his team focus on photo-enzymatic catalysis where they use a combination of light and engineered proteins to drive new chemical transformations.
Join us to learn about his work, the methods involved, and the types of transformations being accomplished, which is beyond enantioselective synthesis, by the way. This stimulating conversation delves into the tactical and philosophical aspects of the synthetic chemistry, enzyme catalysis, and even the realities of academic funding and industry collaboration.
Related episodes:
Season 3, Ep.2: Making impossible moleculesSeason 2, Ep.3: Rethinking catalysisBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website.Use code BCTLisn3R in September, and cHeMcas+ng in OctoberWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Early in her career, Dr. Jessica Reiner realized that she cared more about ensuring the accuracy of the measurements she was making than making the measurements themselves. This realization, combined with experience in working with PFAS, led to her current role as Research Chemist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Join us to hear an insider’s perspective on the PFAS topic, with a deep dive into the analytical methods used to detect, quantify, and identify PFAS species. Jessica and her team use LC-MS, anion exchange chromatography, and other orthogonal methods in their work and they focus on creating, validating, and maintaining reference materials (RM) and standard reference materials (SRM) that are used to help ensure that PFAS measurements are accurate and comparable with those made in other laboratories around the world. From challenges around defining a PFAS, to creating a stable, ultra-low concentration standard, to detecting ultra-high concentrations PFAS, Jessica provides an ace analytical chemist’s perspective grounded in the metrology of it all.
As always, and in addition to the great science, you’ll get to learn about Jessica’s personal career path, the ups and downs of her work, and hear her advice for career development.
Related episodes:
Season 4, Ep.2: The father of green chemistrySeason 2, Ep.7: Fresh urban waterSeason 1, Ep.3: There’s chemistry in the air!Bonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website.Use code 0chemRcks in August, and BCTLisn3R in September.We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Bioconjugation of antibodies to drugs via chemical linkers is how antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are made. We’re joined by Matt Giese, Senior Scientist at Vector Laboratories, who talks us through the complex chemistry options and biodesign considerations that have to be considered and balanced when making a successful ADC.
How does one build the skillset to work in biodesign of ADCs you might ask? Well, Matt’s career path might not provide a clearcut roadmap like you might hope. That’s because Matt started his career as an auto mechanic, moved into art, went back to auto mechanics, worked as baggage handler and as a construction worker, all before ever finding chemistry. If you think that’s a convoluted path, just wait to hear about his academic and professional work journeys.
You’ll revel in following this journey, and in the lessons and diverse skills learned along the way. Join us to hear it yourself, from who might just be the most interesting man in chemistry!
Related episodes:
Season 5, Ep.7: The life-altering impact of one chemist’s sabbaticalSeason 2, Ep.1: Chemistry: a modern American dreamSeason 3, Ep.5: On the COVID pill and other process chemistry talesBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website.Use Podcast Code: LabRatsRul3 in July or OchemRcks in August.We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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We're diving into an important topic: the representation of women in STEM careers. Despite making up about 50% of the population, women hold only around 34% of STEM positions, with even fewer—approximately 25%—in the chemicals industry. Why is this the case, and what can be done to change it?
Kylie Wittle (Co-Founder & Operations Director of Women in Chemicals) and Amelia Greene (Co-Founder and Executive Director of Women in Chemicals), join us to explore this issue. Kylie and Amelia founded Women in Chemicals (WIC) to create opportunities and empower women in the chemicals industry. Initially driven by their personal experiences, over time, WIC has grown into a global resource supporting women and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within industry companies.
Join us as we explore the history of the chemicals industry, the current state of women's representation, and the ongoing efforts to ensure unbiased opportunities for women. Don't miss this insightful conversation!
Related episodes:
S4E4 – Women in chemistry: learnings from of the greatestS3E9 – Energy harvesting and self-sustainable greenhousesS2E10 – Bioorthogonal chemistry, tuberculosis, and making the best of opportunitiesS2E9 – Materials of tomorrow to recycle materials of todayS4E9 Cate – C.R.E.A.M. – Chemistry rules everything around meBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website.Use Podcast Code: LabRatsRul3 in July or S4_BCTL in AugustWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Strap in for this charged up conversation. Battery chemistry is a topic we’ve touched on before and is one we’ve committed to exploring further in this season. This conversation with Dr. Heather Platt, Co-Founder and Chief Battery Scientist at Platt Engineering Solutions, takes us on an expert-guided tour of battery chemistry.
This conversation quickly moves us through battery chemistries like lead/acid and metal sulfides and into more modern mixed metal oxides with reversible chemistry. Our discussion of the pros and cons of various chemistries, including lithium-ion, touches on complex considerations including power density, voltage, global material sourcing, safety, and more. Manufacturing methods and the micro and nanostructures of battery materials are also discussed.
If you’re excited about the future of the battery field you’ll be sure to enjoy Heather’s views on up-and-coming battery technologies, including solid state and sodium-ion chemistries.
Related episodes:
Season 5, Ep. 1: Batteries unplugged: past, present and the electrifying futureBonus content:
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt on our episode website. Use Podcast Code: laBcheM in June orLabRatsRul3 in JulyWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Join our host, Dr. Paolo Braiuca, as he chats with some of the most fascinating scientists around the globe doing trailblazing work in a variety of fields and industries. Learn about their personal stories, notable contributions, and the enthusiasm for discovery that unites them all. This is a podcast for anyone who wants to learn more about science and the brilliant minds advancing it.
Now in the fifth season of our podcast, in store are more inspiring conversations about trending topics with influential guest that chemists, students and science enthusiasts will undoubtedly find captivating. In the mid-season checkpoint, Paolo reflects on the evolution of the series and gives a glimpse of what’s to come. Diversity remains a priority but, there will be deeper looks at topics like battery technology, PFAS chemistry, chemical biology, and sustainability in organic chemistry.
If you’re new to the podcast, now is the time to catch up and get ready for what’s to come. If you’re a loyal listener, Paolo has a special message for you and a humble request Regardless, we’re happy you found us and we’re looking forward to sharing more with you soon!
Bonus content!
Access bonus content curated by each episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of each episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt.Use Podcast Code: Bi0catalys1sin June or LabRatsRul3 in JulyWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Anyone that’s followed this podcast will know that Paolo’s final question to each guest is, “What advice would you like to share with younger scientists just starting their career?” Here, our guest, Dr. Monte Helm, professor of chemistry at Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City, shares advice that he clearly lives by, which is, “… be flexible ii your career and follow what you think you’ll be passionate about.”
While Monte’s academic training is in inorganic chemistry, he’ll tell you he’s always cared about teaching as much as the subject itself. Join us to meet this lifelong learner and teacher, that’s parlayed his passion for phosphine chemistry and teaching into roles as a postdoctoral researcher, a professor at an undergraduate research institution, a deputy director at a national laboratory, and now a teaching-focused role at a community college. A set of roles that definitely demonstrates flexibility!
In addition to learning about the fundamental research Dr. Helm has done in crown-phosphine and phosphine ligand synthesis, we learn about his unconventional career path and the key role that mentors and sabbatical opportunities played in its development. He talks openly about the joys and challenges of each role, about his motivations for each career change, and his current love of teaching at a community college where he’s able to focus solely on teaching to students that may not have had positive primary educational experiences in science.
Related episodes:
Season 2, Ep. 3: Rethinking CatalysisSeason 2, Ep. 6: The charm of the forgotten elementsSeason 3, Ep. 3: Imagination and the chemistry of the things around usSeason 5, Ep. 4: Shining a photochemical light on undergraduate researchBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt.Use Podcast Code: laBcheM in March or sc13nc3 in AprilWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Most of us don’t grow up across the street from a chemistry building or know from an early age that we want to be a scientist, but Alan Dyke, VP of Business Development for ProChem, Inc. (CTO of Boulder Scientific Company at the time of the interview) did and became a chemist. Dr. Alan Dyke, former colleague, and friend of Paolo’s, shares his career path and discusses the history and current state of the field of catalysis.
With a father that taught university-level chemistry, and a brother in the field, it may not be surprising that Alan Dyke became a chemist, but it is surprising is that he’s considered to be the outcast of the family for choosing a commercial career instead of taking an academic route. But, as he’ll passionately reveal, there are upsides to choosing a non-academic career.
Join us for a wonderful conversation where Paolo and Alan recount their shared history and the evolution of the catalysis field over recent decades. They discuss the evolution of homogeneous cross-coupling, biocatalysis, metathesis, and metallocene chemistry. Application of catalysis to fields as varied as pharmaceuticals and polymers is discussed, along with sustainability and other trends and dynamics in the field. Overcome your activation energy and join us!
Related episodes:
Season 1, Ep.2: Reinventing plastics, one reaction at a time Season 2, Ep.1: Chemistry: a modern American dreamSeason 2, Ep.6: The charm of the forgotten elementsBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t-shirt.Use Podcast Code: laBcheM in March or sc13nc3 in AprilWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Bringing Chemistry to Life is as much about the people behind the science as it is about the science itself. We’ve been remiss in sharing a bit more about the creator and host! In this unique episode we flip the script and move Paolo from the host chair to the guest chair to hear his story.
From Paolo’s childhood memories watching his father fix electronics and his dreams of being in the NBA, he chats about developing into a skilled bioorganic chemist, working in biocatalysis and his contributions to international study programs. He describes the “God-like” powers that organic chemistry gave him, manipulating matter and creating things that didn’t exist before and how this led to becoming an R&D leader in a startup.
Our protagonist’s story takes a turn when he discovers and becomes enamored with the “dark side” of science finding success in sales, product management, and product marketing roles, where we find him today. The origin story of Bringing Chemistry to Life is uncovered, fulfilling his aspiration of being a podcast host while keeping him connected to great science and market trends. Join us to meet Paolo, your host, learn what he gets from hosting the podcast, and what he hopes listeners get from it!
Related episodes:
Season 1, Ep.1: Human milk — its a matter of chemistry (aka The Start of it All) Season 4, Ep.2: Paul Anastas — The father of green chemistry (aka A Dream Come True)
Bonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirt.Use Podcast Code: liV4chem in February or laBcheM in MarchWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
With four seasons under our belt, we’ve heard some amazing stories about how our guests have found, or often “stumbled” into, their careers in science. We’ve also had many conversations where past guests have passionately discussed the importance of their early career teachers as well as what teaching does for them in their current careers. This conversation is squarely centered on these two topics, with a good dose of photochemistry mixed in too.
We meet Dr. Izzy Lamb, Assistant Professor at Fort Lewis College, which is a small liberal arts school in Colorado with a primarily undergraduate student population. Izzy is entertainingly forthright in admitting that he’s often a bit surprised by his success in chemistry given that he was failing the topic in high school and was later accepted to only one of the six graduate programs he applied to. However, our conversation quickly uncovers why Izzy has been successful in what matters most to him—exploring photochemistry and training the next generation of chemists.
Join us for this engaging look at how Izzy has built a thriving career in chemistry through perseverance, passion, and knowing what matters most to him. We learn about his career in photocatalysis and how he’s now adapting his research to better fit the resources and undergraduate students where he’s now working. A passion for teaching students in a way that gets them thinking and equipped to solve real-world problems is his priority, and we learn how he’s using a passion for understanding quantum yields of photochemical reactions to help inform more sustainable ways of doing chemistry.
Related episodes:
Season 1, Ep.2: Reinventing plastics, one reaction at a time Season 3, Ep.1: Fuel the world with light - the wonders of nano-magnesiumSeason 3, Ep.9: Energy harvesting and self-sustainable greenhousesBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirt.Use Podcast Code: Ba++ery in January 2024 or liV4chem in FebruaryWe read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
After realizing at a young age that rock and roll might be a better hobby than a career, our guest chose chemistry and chromatography as his path, and he’s rocked that career choice!
In this fun and engaging conversation, you’ll meet Frank Steiner, PhD, Senior Manager of Product Applications, and Scientific Advisor at Thermo Fisher Scientific, who has earned much respect for his contributions to the field of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). He and his team are customer number one for new HPLC products and generate much of the data used to support product launches. Steeped in the theory and fundamentals of HPLC, they provide us with a very approachable summary of the technique and considerations that must be balanced across diverse applications.
Follow Frank and Paolo as they uncover insights on the evolutionary arc of HPLC, what challenges still exist, and why Frank believes it to be the technique that is most widespread and effective in affecting our lives. As always, we promise to let you get to know Frank, his personal story, and some bits of sage advice from a man that’s been there and done that.
Related episodes:
Season 1, Ep.3: There’s chemistry is in the air!Season 1, Ep.7: Stronger magnets, stronger scienceSeason 4, Ep.7: From an F in chemistry to 40 years in chemicalsBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video version of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirtUse Podcast Code: 2023wrap in December 2023 or Ba++ery in January 2024We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Protein biology has always been grounded in the relationship between structure and function but how we determine structure has changed dramatically. While it’s still common to crystallize a protein for X-ray diffraction and then back calculate its structure, supercomputing-powered, AI-driven tools have revolutionized approaches to getting a protein structure and engineer proteins for uses such as biocatalysis. Amazing right, but how? By using wet lab data to train and then compute, protein structure based on their sequence alone, which is why talking with this episode’s guest is so interesting.
In this episode, Dr. Ahir Pushpanath, Enzyme Technology Innovation Lead at Basecamp Research, explains his passion for gaming as the reason he got interested in this unique computational approach to chemical catalysis. He takes us through the field’s fascinating history, recent breakthroughs, and their immense potential. You’ll hear about the intersection of his personal mission to provoke a bio-revolution with his company’s mission to combine nature and AI.
Today at Basecamp Research, Ahir and his team are working to remove global bias from protein-specific AI training sets by collecting samples and data from diverse locations, but their primary focus is to understand the why of protein evolution. Ultimately, they hope to someday be able to help make a protein for every conceivable function by incorporating environmental pressure aspects into their sequence/structure/function AI models.
Related episodes:
S4 : E3 Chemistry, Computers, and HumansS2: E5 Questioning the limits of Moore’s lawOther episodes on catalysis:
S3:E2 Making impossible moleculesS2:E1 Chemistry: a modern American dreamS2: E3 Rethinking catalysisBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more.View the video version of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirt.Use Podcast Code: 2023wrap in December 2023 or Ba++ery in January 2024.We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Electricity undeniably changed the world and enabled countless other technologies. Now, via storage and mobile access to electrical energy, batteries are positioned to further enable us as a species. So, it is the perfect time to get to know battery technology innovator and entrepreneur, Dr. Simon Engelke, Founder and Chair of Battery Associates, as he shares his passion for sustainable battery innovation. Any battery enthusiast will feel recharged by this electrifying conversation about the past, present, and future of battery technology.
As a child, Simon was fascinated with energy sources and storage and recalls playing with the fuel cell toy car from his father. In his teens, he indulged his entrepreneurial spirit by starting his first small company. Fast forward through his globally sourced academic training, always focused on electrochemistry and battery-related research, to find Simon leading a company at the forefront of the battery community and technology.
In our conversation, Simon touches on battery fundamentals; how they work, how they’re produced, the various types, and the work involved in optimizing various components, as well as the geopolitical aspects of batteries. We got this insider to school us on how they’ve evolved, what’s next in battery technology and what’s needed from the global community to responsibly realize the potential that battery technology represents.
Season 5 of Bringing Chemistry to Life starts now!
Related episodes:
S1 : E6 One person’s waste is another's treasureS2 : E8 Sustainability as an entrepreneurial choiceS3 : E10 On solid state materials, electrochemistry and the importance of rootsS4 : E2 The Father of Green ChemistryS4 : E8 The electrifying chemistry of the nitrogen cycleBonus content!
Access bonus content curated by this episode’s guest by visiting www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast for links to recent publications, podcasts, books, videos and more. View the video version of this episode on www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast.A free thank you gift for our listeners!
Visit the episode website and request your free Bringing Chemistry to Life t shirt. Use Podcast Code: AlwysL3rning in November 2023, 2023wrap in December 2023.About Your Host
Paolo Braiuca grew up in the North-East of Italy and holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from nearby esteemed University of Trieste, Italy. He developed expertise in biocatalysis during his years of post-doctoral research in Italy and the UK, where he co-founded a startup company. With this new venture, Paolo’s career shifted from R&D to business development, taking on roles in commercial, product management, and marketing. He has worked in the specialty chemicals, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical markets in Germany and the UK, where he presently resides.
He is currently the Director of Global Market Development in the Laboratory Chemicals Division at Thermo Fisher Scientific™ which put him in the host chair of the Bringing Chemistry to Life podcast.
A busy father of four, in what little free time he has, you’ll find him inventing electronic devices with the help of his loyal 3D-printer and soldering iron. And if you ask him, he’ll call himself a “maker” at heart.
We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl and use the code S4_BCTL in August, StyTun3d in September, BrgChem2Lif in October, or AlwysL3rning in November, to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt.
Chemistry is often perceived as inaccessible and challenging, but there is one fundamental chemical construct that everybody knows – the periodic table of the elements. The periodic table is a chemical icon, that has transcended the boundaries of the chemical sciences to somehow become familiar, almost a staple in several aspects of everyday life. It is the foundation of every chemist’s knowledge, but not many understand its deeper meaning, let alone its history and philosophical significance.
This is an exciting and unusual episode with one of the biggest names in chemistry, Eric Scerri, historian and scientist and the biggest living expert of the periodic table of the elements.
The history and philosophy of chemistry are not common topics for Bringing Chemistry to Life, but this is an intriguing discussion that provides a deeper meaning and context to scientific research and chemistry in particular. In what may be our most thought-provoking episode yet we explore the relationship between chemistry and physics and revisit concepts that have been lost by modern scientists. We discuss what an element really is and the fundamental discoveries and progress that have been made over the years to influence chemical understanding and the periodic table. All this can explain how modern science really works and perhaps how we can teach it better.
Our greatest season finale yet!
We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
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Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl and use the code PaoloRKS in July, or S4_BCTL in August, to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt.
Some chemists just see the world around them in a different way. Where you see a pen, they see the polymer structure of its plastic body and the complex formulation of the ink. Where you see a building, they see the composite materials that make it and think about how the nano-scale structure of those materials define their macroscopic properties. Where you see a juicy burger, they see the proteins and complex chemicals that make its taste and texture so attractive.
In a nutshell, this is how Cate Levey sees the world around her. It’s a fascinating perspective that has taken her professional path down some paths less traveled. Engineered wood products, plant-based meat products, and carbon-negative aggregate for concrete have nothing to do with each other if you don’t look at things the way she does. To her they are they are all composite materials, where understanding and altering the chemistry at the nano, or sub-nano scale allows her to alter macroscopic functional properties to make amazing things happen. It’s where chemistry meets material science and where the science can really change the world around us.
Cate explains some of her groundbreaking work, but also offers a fresh perspective on how to pursue a career in science, following a true passion, and taking unbeaten paths.
We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl and use the code PaoloRKS in July to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt.
Moving from a linear economy, where things are made, used and discarded, to a circular one, based on recycling and reuse, is one of the most important and difficult challenges for our society. Cracking this problem and moving to a more sustainable way of living, while maintaining or even improving living standards, is key for the future of our planet.
With Matthew Liu, we go back to topics discussed in Episode 6 of Season 1 to look at one of the most important chemical elements, nitrogen. Reducing atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates is fundamental to our modern world. Nitrogen reduction makes possible to feed billions of people globally and it provides some of the most fundamental building blocks of modern chemistry. At the same time, it is one of the most energy-intense industrial processes, and its products, while essential and beneficial, eventually become environmental pollutants at the end of their lifecycle.
An old technology might be the key to change this landscape. Electrochemistry is going through a renaissance and it’s a very promising tool to recover nitrogen and put it back into the economic circle. In our discussion with Matthew we discuss some breakthrough and novel electrochemical approaches, electrocatalysis in particular, and how they can impact the economy of developed and under-developed countries.
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Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl and use the code CoolCh3mShirt in June to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt.
We embrace this rare opportunity to sit and chat freely with someone who has lived and breathed the technical and business sides of the chemicals market for the last 40 years. Simon Pearce is a Senior Product Manager in Thermo Fisher Scientific and a man of a thousand stories.
Join us for this entertaining and eye-opening journey into the origins of chemical diversity, a bit of history on the British chemicals market, and a first-hand account of changes and constants in the work over time. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, from the early days of compound screening libraries, to the mindset of managing a complex product portfolio. We speak about serendipity, the power of making the most of opportunities, and how chemistry looks different when framed by business requirements. As it’s often the case, it’s about humans interacting with each other, the people behind science, and the people behind the market. It doesn’t get more “Bringing Chemistry to Life” than that.
We read every email so please share your questions and feedback with us!
Email [email protected] -
Visit https://www.thermofisher.com/chemistry-podcast/ to access the extended video version of this episode and the episode summary sheet, which contains links to recent publications and additional content recommendations for our guest. You can also access the extended video version of this episode via our YouTube channel to hear, and see, more of the conversation!
Visit https://thermofisher.com/bctl and use the code Scienc3Fwd in May to register for your free Bringing Chemistry to Life T-shirt.
The modern revolutions of electronics and biotechnology are changing the world in dramatic ways. The incredible progress of electronics is changing the world external to our body, while biotechnology/genetics is promising to change it “internal” to our bodies. While these two revolutions have not quite met, chemistry is what could link them up.
Imagine completely novel materials for interfacing electronics and the human body in a harmonious way. Be bold and open to new ideas, such as organic electronics with little or no use of semiconductors. Bio-electronics that can self-assemble, biodegrade after use, and leave no toxic trace behind. Imagine what this could mean for new generations of medical devices, diagnostic medicine, as well as robotics and other applications.
Exploring these ideas takes an inquisitive, enthusiastic, and creative polymer chemist with ambition, vision, a passion for science communication, and an incredible drive to succeed. Helen Tran is all of this and more. She speaks about her science and her desire to give back as much, or more, than she has received. Hear her views on the importance of mentorship and how having fun doing meaningful work remains a simple, powerful way to achieve something meaningful in life.
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