71st Annual ISCC

Keynote Speaker

"Chemistry to the Rescue: Combating Global Challenges in the 21st Century"

Dr. Paul Chirik, Department of Chemistry, Cornell University

Abstract:  Rising global energy demands coupled with concerns about climate change have once again raised scientific awareness in most American media outlets. My talk will outline how many of these future problems are rooted in chemistry and will require future generations of chemists to rise to these challenges. My group's research in energy efficient nitrogen fixation and environmentally responsible synthetic methods will form the basis for the lecture.

Salisbury University is proud to present Professor Paul Chirik as Keynote Speaker for the 71st ISC Conference.  Prof. Chirik is Associate Professor of Chemistry at Cornell University.  He has designed metal catalysts for nitration fixation.   Nitrogen fixation is the process in which nitrogen gas is converted into ammonia, principally used to fertilize crops.  This process is energy demanding, and better catalysts have the potential to decrease worldwide energy consumption.  Significantly, Prof. Chirik has incorporated zirconium, an inexpensive metal, as a component of these catalysts.  He will describe his group's recent advances in the design of better nitrogen fixation catalysts.

You can read more about Prof. Chirik at his homepage.