Hello readers,
As a student in the Five College Consortium, you have a fantastic opportunity to sit in on research seminars from renowned scientists! The chemistry departments of Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, and UMass sponsor The Five College Chemistry Series. This annual seminar takes place in the spring, allowing students to learn about research and meet distinguished professors/researchers. Different times, locations, and dates are offered for the seminars, allowing students to find the time out of their busy schedules to participate.
I attended the Spring 2025 seminar with my friends from UMass Amherst this week. The seminar took place at Smith College; I took the PVTA, a free public transportation system, from Amherst College to Smith. The guest speaker was Professor Daniel Nocera from Harvard University’s Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department. His Addressing the Global Energy Challenge Using Only Sunlight, Air and Water presentation centered around sustainable chemistry. Outlined below are my takeaways from the presentation:
- 1.4 billion people in the world have never seen any electricity.
- Sunlight, air, and water are energy sources that are available to all (Urine can act as water!)
- “When you are eating, you are literally chewing protons from the sun. You are eating the sun” -Professor Nocera.
- Bionic Leaf-C is a scientific device that mimics photosynthesis by using sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which is more efficient than natural photosynthesis.
The presentation was fascinating because I learned about the relevance of topics I had learned in my chemistry course. Who knew the Haber Bosch Process was so revolutionary, both a blessing and a challenge for sustainability? Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to attend this seminar. The lectures provided valuable insights into how chemistry intersects with environmental science, which are two research fields I am interested in. It was also great to meet students at the seminar with similar interests! There was a great turnout–students from different colleges were highly engaged with the presentation and asked lots of questions. If you want to learn about Professor Nocera’s research, check this out: https://www.chemistry.harvard.edu/people/daniel-g-nocera
When you’re an Amherst student, I hope you take advantage of seminars such as these offered by the Five College Consortium! Last year, Nobel Prize winner Professor Moungi Bawendi was the speaker. Their seminar was titled, From a synthesis for quantum dots to a novel quantum emitter: a journey of nano-explorations. I am excited to attend next year’s seminar, and I’m sure you’ll be there too.
If you have questions about the seminar, want to learn more about other offerings from the Five College Consortium, or anything else, contact me at ipatel28@amherst.edu!