Let's Talk Chemistry- a science podcast by ChemTalk

Dr. Gaurav “Gino” Giri, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia, is pioneering research in crystallization and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). On this exciting episode of Let's Talk Chemistry, hosts Erin and Aanya discuss their interview with Dr. Giri about his groundbreaking work in MOF-based air filtration masks, drug delivery systems, and carbon capture technology. From his innovative startup tackling air pollution to his insights on balancing academic research with entrepreneurship, Dr. Giri shares his journey and vision for using chemistry to solve global challenges. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Tashica Amirgholizadeh is a patent litigator at Gilead Sciences who combines her passion for chemistry with the law. She obtained her PhD in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology and her JD at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. She shares her unique career journey and her responsibilities at Gilead. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Benjamin Hsiao, Professor of Chemistry at Stony Brook University, is a renowned scientist in the fields of polymer science, materials chemistry, and nanotechnology. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Emma Stewart, hosts Erin Suh and Elizabeth Li discuss our interview with Dr. Benjamin Hsiao. He shares his career journey, passion for global energy solutions, and more. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Adina Paytan, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz, is an ocean chemist who works on various topics—including earth materials and biogeochemical processes. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts John Strojny and Jasmine Winter discuss our interview with Dr. Adina Paytan. She shares her career journey and passion for climate science. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Mark Tuckerman, Professor of Chemistry and Mathematics at New York University, is a theoretical chemist who works on various topics—including nuclear quantum effects, fuel cells, and crystal structure prediction. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Erin Suh and Elizabeth Li discuss our interview with Dr. Mark Tuckerman. He shares his current research interests, machine learning in chemistry, and more. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Tuckerman, you can reach him by email at mark.tuckerman@nyu.edu.

Dr. Christopher Hendon, Professor of Computational Materials Chemistry at the University of Oregon, is an expert in both computational chemistry and the science of coffee. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Jason Lu and Neel Youts discuss our interview with Dr. Christopher Hendon. He shares his tips on merging his diverse interests, in the art of espresso, and the electrical properties of coffee extracts. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Decker, you can reach him by email at chendon@uoregon.edu. 

Have you thought about the chemistry that goes into the food you eat? What are the scientific processes that govern our ingredients and delectable meals? Dr. Eric Decker, Professor of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is an expert in lipid oxidation and food chemistry. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Emma Stewart, hosts Yeongseo Son and Erin Suh talk about our interview with Dr. Eric Decker. He shares his tips on food preservation, the science behind lipid oxidations, and his exciting work with the FDA. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Decker, you can reach him by email at edecker@foodsci.umass.edu.

What are heavy elements? What is a neutron flux? Dr. Thomas Albrecht-Shoenzart, Professor of Chemistry at the Colorado School of Mines, is an expert in radiochemistry and transuranium elements. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Jason Lu and Neel Youts talk about our interview with Dr. Thomas Albrecht-Shoenzart. He tells us about the Valley of Death, applications of radiochemistry, and advice to future chemists. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Thomas Albrecht-Shoenzart, you can reach him by email at tschoenzart@mines.edu. 

Science should be an unbiased agent of good. It is rigorous, methodical, and systematic. Yet, it still brings controversy and mystery; Misinformation can spread like wildfire; Scientists can be ignored. Dr. Joe Schwarcz, the Director of McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, is an expert in separating sense from nonsense. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Emma Stewart, hosts Jasmine Winter and John Strojny talk about our interview with Dr. Schwarcz. He touches upon vaccine hesitancy, fact-checking, and effective scientific communication. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Joe Schwarcz, you can reach him by email at joe.schwarcz@mcgill.ca

With great powers comes great responsibility. Gene editing is a powerful tool in the realm of biomedical advances. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Erin Suh and Alexander Seo talk about their interview with Dr. Bomyi Lim, Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. Her lab studies the regulation of chemical kinetics in biological systems. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Bomyi Lim, you can check out her research here or reach her by email at bomyilim@seas.upenn.edu

Imagine being a detective in the world of molecules, uncovering secrets that could save lives. That’s what medicinal chemistry does—it helps us design drugs that target diseases like puzzle pieces fitting together. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Yeongseo Son and Jason Lu talk about their interview with Dr. Donna Huryn, Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Huryn is also a co-founder of Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry, and she gives us more insight about this initiative. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Donna Huryn, you can reach her by email at huryn@sas.upenn.edu

What does it mean to digitize chemistry? How can we create artificial life forms? What are the origins of life? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Emma Stewart, hosts Grace Go and Alexander Seo talk about their interview with Dr. Lee Cronin, the Regius Chair of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow. Dr. Cronin is celebrated for his groundbreaking work in creating artificial life, exploring chemical evolution, and pushing the boundaries of digital chemistry. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Steven Clarke, you can check out his research here or reach him by email at Lee.Cronin@glasgow.ac.uk

What makes a good scientist? What makes a good student? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Emma Stewart, hosts Jasmine Winter and John Strojny talk about their interview with Dr. Steven Clarke, UCLA’s Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Steven Clarke, you can check out his research here or reach him by email at clarke@mbi.ucla.edu

What if we could make bags out of the food we eat? On this electrifying episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Yeongseo Son and Alexander Seo talk about their interview with Dr. Karen Wooley, a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University. She shares her work with sustainability, sugars, and industry. We hope you enjoy! If you would like to know more about Dr. Karen Wooley, you can check out her research here or reach her by email at wooley@chem.tamu.edu

The most humble creatures on earth sometimes reveal incredible solutions and secrets. GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein), naturally found in jellyfish, is a marker used in almost all biological laboratories. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Yeongseo Son and John Strojny talk about their interview with Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Martin Chalfie, a University Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University. He was the first to succeed in transferring and expressing the Gfp gene in organisms other than jellyfish. He shares with us his humble, nonlinear journey as a scientist as well as his astounding discoveries. We hope you enjoy! If you like to know more about Dr. Martin Chalfie, you can check out his research here or reach him by email at mc21@columbia.edu.

Organic chemistry is art. Each chemical structure comes with a certain number of lines, a certain shape, a certain essence to it. How can we manipulate a chemical reaction to produce a useful product? How can we defy what chemistry claims to be incredibly hard and accomplish unique mechanisms? On this episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by KG Gude, hosts Olivia Lambertson and Jasmine Winter talk about their interview with Dr. Robert Bergman, the Gerald E. K. Branch Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley with an Emeritus status. Elaborating on his work with the Bergman Cyclization and more, Dr. Bergman tells us about the motivations, results, and beauty behind organic chemistry. If you like to know more about Dr. Robert Bergman, you can reach him by email at rbergman@berkeley.edu.

With curiosity and creativity, there are no limits. We can be scientists. We can be doctors. We can be authors. Our renowned guest today has done all three. On this riveting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Yeongseo Son and Grace Go talk about their interview with Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Robert Lefkowitz, a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University. He elaborates on his Nobel Prize winning work on G-protein coupled receptors. We hope you enjoy! If you like to know more about Dr. Robert Lefkowitz, you can check out his research here or reach him by email at lefko001@receptor-biol.duke.edu. Check out his book “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Stockholm: The Adrenaline-Fueled Adventures of an Accidental Scientist.”

A tool to help us study the structures of atoms and molecules, spectroscopy is used everywhere to solve big problems. From astronomers who are determining the distance of a distant star to chemists who are solving biochemical problems, spectroscopy has a unified purpose: to see better. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry (edited by Presley Vu), hosts Jasmine Winter and Nina Deng talk about their interview with Dr. Sarah King, a Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago. She elaborates on her work on interface dynamics, ultrafast spectroscopy, and studying abroad in Germany. We hope you enjoy! If you like to know more about Dr. Sarah King, you can check out her research here or reach her by email at sbking@uchicago.edu.

Superheroes don’t just exist in our comic books. We find them, here, in the real world. They protect the innocent. They fight injustice. They use their powers and skills for good. And we have interviewed one such superhero—working as both a global research scientist and serving as an elected government official. On this riveting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry (edited by Presley Vu), hosts Yeongseo Son and Nina Deng talk about their interview with Dr. Najat Saliba, a Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the American University of Beirut and a member of the Parliament of Lebanon. Elaborating on her work on smoking and air pollution, Dr. Saliba talks to us about the detrimental effects of hookas, e-cigarettes, and explosions. She weaves in her stories of cloud watching, of balancing politics and science, of enjoying the process rather than the success. We hope you enjoy! If you like to know more about Dr. Najat Saliba, you can reach her by email at ns30@aub.edu.lb.

What if our lab coats were more scientist-friendly? What if we transformed them to be safer? On this special episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry, hosts Yeongseo Son and Olivia Lambertson interview Derek Miller, the founder of Genius Lab Gear. He shares with us about the launch of their new product—the lab coat project, and how it will address the needs of scientists. If you like to know more about Genius Lab Gear, you can check out their site.  LAB COAT GIVEAWAY INFORMATION: Want to win a lab coat designed by 1000 scientists? The Lab Coat Project by @geniuslabgear crowdsourced the design of this new lab coat to solve the most common problems scientists face, with more than half the data coming from chemists like you! The crowdfunding campaign needs to hit 600 lab coats in 6 weeks, starting on August 31st. But we’re giving away one “Louis” or “Curie” lab coat following the rules below! What makes this lab coat different? Data-driven crowdsourced design on features AND fit. Every feature and size is thoroughly tested. 100% cotton, softened and stain-resistant fibers, compatible with most general chemistry labs. Men’s and Women’s fits, adjustable belt, and flexible back to fit more body types. 5 pockets, 3 tool loops, zippered side vents, and a convertible collar! Giveaway Prizes: One (1) "Louis" or “Curie” Lab Coat from Genius Lab Gear and One (1) Pocket Protector (+ free shipping) Check https://geniuslabgear.com/lcp  to see more details about the new lab coats! Rules: 1. Follow @geniuslabgear and @chemtalk on Instagram 2. Like, save, and comment on the Instagram giveaway post tagging one friend to spread the giveaway. Each comment represents one entry to the giveaway, so feel free to comment several times !!! 3. Share this post in your Stories tagging @geniuslabgear and @chemtalk to receive an additional entry on the giveaway. 4. The giveaway will close on August 30, 2023, at 12 PM EST. Winners will be randomly selected, announced on August 31, 2023, and contacted by Instagram DM. 5. The Lab Coat Project will open for crowdfunding pre-orders on August 31st at 2 PM EST. If the pre-order does not meet its goal of 600 lab coats by October 15th, winners will be contacted by Instagram DM and Genius Lab Gear will offer them a $50 (USD) voucher for their online shop (shipment cost is not included in the voucher). Lab coats will ship approximately 5 months after the pre-order goal is met (~February 2024). 6. No restrictions on the country of the winner. Shipping is free but you may have to pay import duties. About us: ChemTalk is a small student-led and ad-free non-profit working to become the top chemistry education platform in the country. Please support us by following our social media channels, sharing our content, and donating if possible. You can access our website for videos, articles, and tutorials on general, organic, and biochemistry. We also have a VERY cool interactive periodic table, articles about the elements and their properties, and experiment demos. ChemTalk is on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter which you can access here. Thank you for listening and see you next time!