Dr. Paul Chirik, the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Chemistry and the Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Princeton University, researches something he calls “modern alchemy.” As many of the world's most effective chemical catalysts are made from rare and precious metals, Dr. Chirik pioneers methods to create high-performing catalysts from common, earth-abundant metals—esseintially transforming common materials into “gold.” On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Mehreen and Elizabeth Li dive deeper into this concept and its exciting applications in our interview with Dr. Chirik. Dr. Chirik goes on to explain how his group has used their research in collaborations with companies such as Merck and Exxon Mobile, and shares fascinating insights into the dynamics between academia and industry. We hope you enjoy!