STEM in Action - a podcast by STEM Ascent

Welcome to a new era for our podcast—STEM in Action!

As our nonprofit ChemTalk evolves into STEM Ascent, our podcast is also growing alongside it. We're excited to bring you conversations from a wide range of STEM fields and continue exploring where your own interests can take you. While our name is changing, our mission remains the same: to explore the people, discoveries, and stories shaping STEM today.

Thank you for listening to STEM in Action, a podcast by STEM Ascent. For more information on today’s episode and countless STEM resources, please visit our website at www.stemascent.org.

For a chemist such as Dr. Matthew Hartings, 3D printing isn’t just about making inert products like plastic models or prototypes. Instead, he explores novel starting materials with specific chemical properties in order to 3D print products with the ability to store gases such as hydrogen. Dr. Hartings also bridges the world of chemistry to everyday life through food, exploring the science behind cooking and sharing some surprising yet simple ways to elevate a meal. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Poorvi Iyer, Michael Steitz, and Elizabeth Li talk with Dr. Hartings, Professor of Chemistry at American University, from everything from materials chemistry to the chemistry of cooking. We hope you enjoy!

With 8 billion imaginations in the world, Dr. Martin Burke calculates that the number of specialists who are able to create molecules can fit into a single building. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Nina Deng and Poorvi Iyer talk with Dr. Burke, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Champaign and Founding Director of the Molecule Maker Lab. Dr. Burke is known for pioneering BLOCC chemistry, a modular approach to synthesis that opens up molecule building to non-specialists, robotics, and AI. This has paved the way to creating new treatments and digital platforms where making molecules become easily programmable and accessible to anyone. We hope you enjoy!

Drug discovery is already an incredibly difficult and tedious process, but what happens when there’s little financial incentive to develop the medicine at all? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Poorvi Iyer and Nina Deng talk with Dr. Michael Pollastri, senior vice provost and academic lead of the Roux Institute at Northeastern University. From his time as a bench chemist at Pfizer to his current role leading academic research on diseases affecting some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, Dr. Pollastri discusses the realities of neglected diseases and the role academic labs play in addressing gaps in global healthcare research. We hope you enjoy!

Have you ever wondered why new medicines can take decades to be developed and why the process is so costly? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Amber Bakkum, Poorvi Iyer, and Nina Deng go behind-the-scenes of the pharmaceutical industry with Dr. John LaMattina, former president of Pfizer Global Research and Development and current biotech advisor. Dr. LaMattina shares his experience first as a bench scientist to becoming the head of global Research and Development at Pfizer Inc. He talks about the important skills needed for chemists to work their way to leadership positions and dispels common myths about the pharmaceutical industry. We hope you enjoy!

Organic chemistry has a reputation for being one of the most challenging college courses—but what if it could also be interactive, accessible, and even fun? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Jasmine Winter, hosts Jasmine Winter and Elizabeth Li share the story of Dr. Neil Garg, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Garg discusses his journey from discovering his passion for organic chemistry as an undergraduate to earning his PhD at Caltech and building a career that bridges both research and education. Dr. Garg’s career is built on challenging the status quo, from breaking a 100 year-old rule in chemistry known as Bredt’s rule, to developing innovative tools to help students better visualize and understand molecular structures. Dr. Garg emphasizes teamwork, intellectual curiosity, and making science approachable for learners of all ages. We hope you enjoy!

Dr. Frank Leibfarth is the 2025 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists Laureate in Chemical Sciences, recognized for his work in upcycling plastics and removing “forever chemicals” (PFAS) from water. In this episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry, edited by Presley Vu, hosts Nina Deng and Diya Garrepally dive into our interview with Dr. Frank Leibfarth, the Royce Murray Distinguished Term Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Dr. Leibfarth discusses how his research tackles the challenges of plastic recycling and PFAS contamination, and he shares all about his incredible journey to get here—from being a kicker on the University of South Dakota’s football team to testing PFAS-absorbing materials in municipal water treatment plants, hard hat and all! He also offers thoughtful advice and encouragement for other aspiring young scientists seeking to make an impact in their own paths. We hope you enjoy!

On the surface, food science may sound simple. But once you dive deeper, you’ll discover a world of innovation, challenges, and incredible scientists behind the food you find on grocery store shelves. On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by David Alvia, hosts Elizabeth Li and Poorvi Iyer discuss our interview with Dr. David Julian McClements, Distinguished Professor at the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts and most cited author in food science. Dr. McClements talks about how next generation plant based foods are being developed to be more sustainable and healthy, while being able to successfully replicate meat products using reverse engineering. He then goes on to discuss his thoughts on highly processed foods, how to eat mindfully, as well as a few books of his that are all about the fascinating science behind food we eat everyday. We hope you enjoy!

How did life start on Earth and could life exist elsewhere? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by David Alvia, hosts Erin Suh, Elizabeth Li, and Aanya Santosh discuss our interview with Dr. Aaron Burton, a Program Scientist in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters. Dr. Burton tackles these two questions head-on in his studies of meteorites and other astromaterial samples. By analyzing the organic molecules in these extraterrestrial samples, Dr. Burton is able to piece together what the origins of life on Earth could have looked like. In addition, Dr. Burton shares the special techniques used by astrobiologists to handle and examine extraterrestrial samples, as well as his thoughts on popular sci-fi films! We hope you enjoy!

Often in crime shows and movies, we usually skip to the result of forensic testing. But have you ever wondered how investigators get those results? On this exciting episode of Let’s Talk Chemistry edited by Presley Vu, hosts Amber Bakkum and Mehreen discuss our interview with Dr. Bruce McCord, Analytical and Forensic Chemistry Professor at Florida International University and deputy editor for the journal ELECTROPHORESIS. Dr. McCord talks all about his work on drug analysis, explosive detection, and DNA analysis, including a new way of identifying forensic DNA by capillary electrophoresis and detecting dangerous substances like fentanyl using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. We hope you enjoy!