Moving the chemical and energy industries away from fossil fuel consumption is going to require effective and sustainable energy solutions. Northwestern University’s Dayne Swearer says nanotechnology is positioned to help make such solutions a reality. An assistant professor of Chemistry and a member of the IIN, Swearer’s lab is actively engaged in pioneering efforts in plasmonic nanoparticles and groundbreaking applications in renewable energy. In this episode, he talks about projects underway in his lab and how climate change issues help motivate him to make a contribution to science that will help make the world a better place for tomorrow.

Northwestern University nanoscientist Nathan Gianneschi, PhD, has been fascinated by the interaction of the organic and the synthetic since the start of his career. His lab’s discoveries have led to the development of synthetic melanin and polymers that can mimic cells. In this episode, he shares more about the potential biomedical applications of his research, the interdisciplinary partnerships that make his work possible and where to look for the future of nanotechnology.

Omar Farha is a top chemist whose pioneering work in metal-organic frameworks, known as MOFs, is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in nanotechnology in critical industrial sectors such energy, environmental sustainability and national defense. In this episode, Farha, the new chair of the Northwestern University Department of Chemistry, talks about MOFs vast applications in nanotechnology and how he has been able to successfully transition research on MOFs to commercial markets. He also discusses how members of the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University are leading “what science can do for humanity.”

Guest: Omar Farha, Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor in Chemistry, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering (Courtesy Appointment)

Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicator