Organic chemistry: It’s among the most feared courses undergraduate science students take. Whether you call it “orgo” or “o-chem,” it has reduced many hopeful scholars to tears. One professor thinks he has a solution. William Dichtel, Ph.D., of Cornell University shares his thoughts on making organic chemistry classes more interesting and relevant to students.

Prized Science

Prized Science 2014: Ep. 2 “Making the world's most dreaded undergrad course fun"

Stephen J. Lippard is the winner of the 2014 American Chemical Society Priestley Medal, the highest honor given by ACS. Lippard helped create the field of bioinorganic chemistry, which explores the crucial role of metals in biology. His work also led to a better understanding of the mechanism of cisplatin — sometimes termed "the penicillin of cancer" for its wide-ranging effects — and opened the door to efforts to develop more effective anti-cancer medications.

Prized Science 2014: Ep. 1 “Stephen J. Lippard - Winner of the 2014 Priestley Medal"

The engineering feat that enables a device to jolt a dangerously misbehaving heart back to its normal rhythm and save millions of lives is featured in our last Prized Science episode of 2013. The video features renowned inventor Esther S. Takeuchi, Ph.D., this year's winner of the E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. The award recognizes Takeuchi's work on a battery that powers implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs). These devices monitor patients' heartbeats continuously. When the beats go haywire, it can deliver a life-saving shock to help the heart resume a normal rhythm.

Prized Science 2013: Episode 6 "Esther S. Takeuchi: Building life-saving batteries"

A group of nanoparticles called “GUMBOS” is as varied as their culinary namesake implies, with a wide range of potential applications from cancer therapy tosensors. Isiah Warner, Ph.D., won the ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry for his work on GUMBOS and other innovative research.

Prized Science 2013: Episode 5 "Isiah Warner: New Orleans Nanotech - "GUMBOS" promise new drugs and electronics"

One of Shirley O. Corriher’s first lessons on how chemistry meets cooking came in the form of scrambled eggs stuck to a frying pan. That experience set the former biochemist on a journey to become an award-winning food writer. For her success in bringing science in the home, Corriher was awarded this year's James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public.

Prized Science 2013: Episode 4 "Shirley O. Corriher: Chemistry and Cooking"

Imagine creating something completely new — something improbable and provocative that has never existed on Earth before. This kind of unconventional science is the focus of Gregory H. Robinson, Ph.D., winner of the 2013 F. Albert Cotton Award in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry. The Cotton Award recognizes Robinson’s success harnessing finicky, unstable elements.

Prized Science 2013: Episode 3 "Greg Robinson: Chemical Detectives - Preparing New Matter in the Universe"

Tim M. Swager is the 2013 winner of the ACS Award for Creative Invention for his work on the world’s most sensitive explosive detector to date. Known as FIDO, the handheld detector has been used to detect roadside bombs in Iraq, as well as homeland security operations and in airport security.

Prized Science 2013: Episode 2 - Tim Swager: The World's Most Sensitive Bomb Detector

Peter Stang is the winner of the 2013 American Chemical Society Priestley Medal, the highest honor given by ACS, for his work building new molecules via “self-assembly," an approach inspired by nature. The molecules created by Stang's group could being used in medicines that exclusively target cancer cells, in chemical sensors that detect explosives and other promising applications‪.‬ ‪

Prized Science 2013: Episode 1 - ‪Peter Stang: Building Molecules‬

‪Peter Wolynes, winner of the 2012 ACS Award in Theoretical Chemistry, spent his career untangling the process of protein folding and discovered a process through which these chain molecules tumble into shape. His discovery may help usher in new techniques for personalized medicine and reveal how protein mutations affect the body.

Prized Science 2012: Episode 5 - ‪Peter Wolynes: Untangling Protein Folding‬

‪This episode features celebrated chemistry professor Diane Bunce, winner of the ACS George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education. When Bunce isn't training a new generation of scientists in her classroom, she also makes chemistry more accessible to the general public through entertaining holiday lectures about the chemistry of Thanksgiving, St. Patrick’s Day and more.

Prized Science 2012: Episode 4 - ‪Diane Bunce: Training the Next Generation of Scientists‬

‪Did you know that storms can carry dust particles, or particulate matter, all the way around the globe? Particulate matter makes up a significant portion of the atmosphere and has wide-ranging effects on human health, solar radiation and greenhouse gases. Vicki Grassian, winner of the ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology, helps scientists better understand the complex and wide ranging behavior of dust particles. Vicki's work paints a clearer picture of atmospheric chemistry and the role particulate matter plays in the environment. Just like her subject, her research has global reach.

Prized Science 2012: Episode 3 - ‪Vicki Grassian: Making Sense of Atmospheric Dust‬

‪Chad Mirkin, Ph.D., the 2012 winner of the American Chemical Society's Award for Creative Invention, is well known for his work on the Verigene System, which can provide patient diagnostics at the point of care. Instead of sending tests or samples out to labs -- a potentially time consuming process -- this tool can diagnose diseases on site at hospitals or in the doctor's office. By improving the speed and accuracy of diagnostics, doctors able to treat diseases more quickly and effectively. Working in the nano scale, Mirkin uses gold particles to create promising new medical diagnostic tools that could lead to future cancer treatments and ways to track and treat diseases at earlier stages.

Prized Science 2012: Episode 2 - ‪Chad Mirkin: Gold Nanoparticles ‬and‪ The Future of Medical Diagnostics‬

‪The first episode of the 2012 season of Prized Science highlights the work of Robert Langer, Institute Professor at MIT. His influential research on tissue engineering and controlled drug release earned him the 2012 American Chemical Society Priestley Medal, the highest honor given by the world's largest scientific society.

Prized Science 2012: Episode 1 - ‪Robert Langer: A Founding Father of Tissue Engineering and Controlled Drug Release‬

‪This episode features a team of scientists at the Xerox Corporation, including Patricia Burns, Ph.D., Grazyna Kmiecik-Lawrynowicz, Ph.D., Chieh-Min Cheng, Ph.D., and Tie Hwee Ng, Ph.D. They invented a “super-toner,” a revolutionary new ink for copiers and laser printers that reduces emissions of carbon dioxide in toner production and produces higher-quality color images more economically. The American Chemical Society selected them as recipients of its 2011 ACS Award for Team Innovation, sponsored by ACS Corporation Associates.

Prized Science 2011: Episode 5 - ‪“A Revolutionary New “Dry Ink” for Laser Printers ‬and‪ Photocopy Machines”‬

‪This episode features Jeffery C. Bricker, Ph.D., winner of the 2011 ACS Award for Creative Invention sponsored by the ACS Corporation Associates. Bricker's pioneering work helped produce catalysts that are key ingredients in cleaner detergents and gasoline. One of Bricker's catalysts also significantly reduced the cost of producing styrene and polypropylene, two of the most widely used plastics in the world.

Prized Science 2011: Episode 4 - ‪Amazing Catalysts‬

The American Chemical Society (ACS) gives more than 60 national awards to honor accomplishments in chemistry and service to chemistry. Prized Science strives to give people who may have no special scientific knowledge, the opportunity to watch, listen, and discover how the chemistry behind ACS’ awards transforms life for the better.

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Prized Science

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