AI + Sustainable Chemistry
AI's potential in meeting sustainability challenges include improving land and water management; building a circular economy; and mitigating wastes generated through industrial processes. Achieving these outcomes are crucial steps towards a greener future. In the webinar AI + Sustainable Chemistry we will dive into AI’s predictive abilities with some discussion around machine learning and large language models’ role in generating new chemistry and chemical engineering knowledge. We will explore use cases such as applying AI to discover new catalysts, detect oil reservoirs and track greenhouse gas emissions, and even touch on ways to circumvent waste in the R&D process of personal care products and agriculture. But the journey doesn't stop there! We'll also explore the ethical considerations of this powerful union between AI and sustainable chemistry. Join us as we navigate the exciting possibilities and tackle the technical challenges that lie ahead at this unique intersection!
Guest Contributors
Guest Moderator: Sara Cottle, Senior News Editor, Chemical & Engineering News
Sara has experience in journalism, science communication, science education, and environmental documentary filmmaking. She has spent time researching environmental history, with a focus on public lands and ecology in the Southern U.S. Additionally, she's covered topics like international climate change mitigation, and its local and global community impact. She has contributed to Netflix’s ‘Chasing Coral’ and 'The Social Dilemma’, created podcast curricula with the Smithsonian Science Education Center, and curated digital media for CU Boulder’s Environmental Center. She received an Honorable Mention at the Environmental Film Festival in our Nation's Capital for her first debut film, 'Connecting Congaree'.
Guest Commentator: Jake Grace, PhD, Head of High Throughput Experimentation (HTE), Clariant
Dr. Grace's chemical sciences expertise comes from his knowledge of organometallic chemistry and experience with laboratory automation strategies, digitalization solutions, and workflow design and implementation for R&D in the chemical industry. Currently, Jake and the HTE team focus on increasing Clariant's knowledge base through vast data generation in application areas such as oilfield, mining, industrial applications, crop solutions, personal & home care, and healthcare. The HTE team, in collaboration with Clariant's application specialists, data science team and IT department, are engaged in digitalization initiatives through building datasets to enable the use of artificial intelligence to help better serve Clariant’s customers and the planet.
Guest Commentator: Matthew (Matt) Sigman, PhD, Distinguished Professor Chemistry, University of Utah
Dr. Sigman's research integrates the study/development of new chemical reactions with the invention of new data science approaches to reaction interrogation. The Sigman Lab blends physical organic chemistry techniques and data science to develop new reactions with broad applications; from enantioselective synthesis, to energy-related topics, to biologically-inspired reactions. He has been recognized by the University of Utah for his teaching with the Distinguished Teaching Award (2022) and received recognition for his research efforts as well with the ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry (2017).