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Trees: The Ultimate Chemists. How Trees Inspire Me to Do Better Chemistry
When I talk to people about my research, I have found that it is not usually very helpful to say that I am an organometallic chemist or (worse) to say that I synthesize carbon dioxide complexes of molybdenum and tungsten. Instead, I usually start by talking about trees. Most people know about photosynthesis and that a tree, like all plants, harnesses the energy from light to grow. Some people even know that the whole body of the tree: its leaves, trunk, roots and all its branches are made primarily of carbon. Where does the tree get all of this carbon? From the air. The tree uses the energy it collects…
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The Chemist: To Sabbatical or Not to Sabbatical, That is the Question
One of the perks of being a college professor is having the opportunity to take a sabbatical. At SJU you get a one-semester sabbatical every 6 years. If you wait 12 years, you get a full year. Thus, I decided to save up my sabbatical for the one-year option. In July 2019 with my year-long sabbatical approaching, I knew wanted to find a research opportunity overseas. I thought I would swing for the fences– try to find someone doing carbon dioxide activation research, my sub-area of organometallic chemistry. I made a short list of top research groups working around the world whose research was most interesting to me. Right at…
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