[ACS AMA](file http://imgur.com/hoKm4RT) Hello Reddit! I am a chemical scientist and a designer. I combine PhD-level scientific knowledge with years of experience in graphic design to develop attractive design solutions with high scientific accuracy. I do this, because I think it is important to communicate research elegantly and efficiently. Here’s my background: I obtained my BS and MS in chemistry from the Technical University of Munich, Germany. I studied abroad at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia and worked as a research intern with the Schlumberger Research Centre Cambridge, United Kingdom. In 2012, I joined the group of Konrad Tiefenbacher at the chair of organic chemistry at TUM for my doctoral studies in the field of organic chemistry. In 2016, I was selected to participate in the SciFinder Future Leaders program as part of a diverse group of 26 researchers from across the globe. Here I realized that I would like to build my future by combining my two passions: chemistry and design. Following this route, I moved to Berlin to start an independent career as a graphic designer for scientists. Please find more information and examples of my work over here: www.jorichers.com and on twitter: @JoRichers Ask me anything about science visualization, cover designs, and illustrations. In particular, if you face a specific visualization challenge or want to improve a design, I am happy to give feedback and advice. I’ll be back at 11:00 a.m. EDT (3:00 p.m. UTC) to answer your questions. /edit (11:05 a.m. EDT): Hi reddit! I see a lot of great questions, thank you for you interest! I try to answer as many as I can… /edit (1:25 p.m. EDT): Taking a short break. I will be back soon to answer more questions.

ACS AMA Hi Reddit! My name is Mallory Hinks. I recently defended my Ph.D. in Atmospheric Chemistry at University of California, Irvine. For the last 5 years as a graduate student, I have worked for Professor Sergey Nizkorodov (http://aerosol.chem.uci.edu/). My work has been focused on understanding the effects of environmental conditions on the chemical and physical properties of atmospheric aerosols and how they interact with sunlight in the atmosphere. If you want a little more background, here is a video about aerosols and my research to give you a basic overview: https://youtu.be/F-UW8oMiNng While in graduate school, I developed a passion for science communication. I entered and won multiple science communication competitions including the UCI Grad Slam competition and the ACS ChemChamps competition. Following those experiences, I expanded my extracurricular activities to include more science communication opportunities. As a Science Communication Fellow for the Loh Down on Science radio show (http://www.lohdownonscience.org/), I wrote scripts for 90 second radio segments that aired on NPR. As a Communication Consultant for the UCI Graduate Resource Center, I advised students on their presentations in one-on-one meetings. I hope that I can help inspire scientists at all levels to develop an interest in science communication! I’m looking forward to answering your questions about atmospheric chemistry, science communication or about life as a graduate student! I will be back at 12:00p EDT (9a PDT, 4p UTC) to start answering your questions. EDIT: Thank you for all of your questions! This was harder than I thought it would be! I’ve got to sign off now!

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ACS AMA Hello, Reddit! I’m Prof. James E. Patterson of Brigham Young University. I completed my B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemistry at BYU, and my Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for Shock Physics at Washington State University, I began my appointment at BYU in 2007. Most of my work has focused on the use of nonlinear optics (sum-frequency generation and second harmonic generation) to the molecular-level investigation of materials and interfaces. A common theme has been to understand the molecular response of materials, such as polymers and metals, to mechanical, thermal and chemical stress. Hi Reddit! My name is Shawn Averett, and I am finishing a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at BYU. As a graduate student I use sum frequency generation spectroscopy to investigate the surface response of materials to mechanical deformation. I am also working to better understand the nature and origin of nonresonant sum frequency generation. Prior to graduate school I taught high school science and engineering for four years. Our team recently presented research about a new laser-based technique we’ve developed to reveal hidden damage in metals at the 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition. Non-destructive testing (or NDT) offers the ability to check the structural integrity of an airplane, ship, or bridge without having to dismantle it or remove any material for testing, which could further compromise the structure. Current NDT techniques include X-ray imaging, which can detect microscopic cracks in metals. This method is expensive, requires shielding from the X-rays, and is difficult to use in the field. Other NDT techniques give less precise results and require highly trained technicians. Our approach uses a spectroscopic method known as second harmonic generation (SHG), which alters the wavelength of the light. We start with shining green laser light onto a metal sample. Through SHG, the metal converts some of the incoming light into ultraviolet light, which bounces back from the metal along with the remaining green light. By measuring this conversion, we can detect if the metals have been changed by some form of stress. We’ve found this technique can distinguish between metal samples that are still sound and those that have been irreversibly damaged and require replacing. Our method can detect damage invisible to current NDT, and because SHG is extremely sensitive to material changes it may give earlier warning of danger for damage that current NDT can detect. You can learn more about this research in this video. Ask us anything about our new approach for non-destructive testing and its applications for detecting damage. We’ll be back at 11am EDT (8am PDT, 3pm UTC) to answer your questions! -acs edit

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ACS AMA Hi Reddit! My name is Chris Yarosh, and I’m the Science Policy Fellow at the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Washington, D.C. I work with ACS’s External Affairs and Communications (EAC) team to promote policies that support science and address the concerns of the chemical community. Before coming to Washington, I earned my Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from the University of Pennsylvania. For my dissertation, I studied how cells regulate RNA-binding proteins (SFPQ and TRAP150, specifically) to influence pre-mRNA alternative splicing and other cellular processes. When I wasn’t in the lab, I could be found teaching high school students the basics of running experiments or imploding watermelons with rubber bands at the Franklin Institute. I also hold a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Scranton (yes, that Scranton) where I did some polymer chemistry research and ruined several expensive pieces of equipment. As the ACS Science Policy Fellow, I work with my EAC colleagues to cover a range of issues of interest to ACS members, including federal funding for scientific research, STEM education, innovation, green chemistry, and regulatory policy. Mostly, this means keeping tabs on the federal agencies that fund chemistry research, helping ACS members get involved in the policy process, and communicating ACS’s positions on critical issues to policymakers. As someone who recently made the jump from bench to desk, I understand how opaque the policy process can be; I also understand just how important it is for scientists to learn as much as they can and get involved. I’m excited to answer any of your questions! Ask me anything! Note: Views expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of ACS. I’ll be back at 12pm EDT (9am PDT, 5pm UTC) to answer your questions. 12:00 PM EDT: Alright, let’s do this… 1:40 PM EDT: Thanks for the questions, Reddit! I did my best to answer a representative swath, but my time is up. Hope it helped!

ACS AMA Hello Reddit! We are Sylvia Daunert, Suzana Hamdan, and Irena Pastar of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. In February 2017, we published our research in ACS Central Science, an open access journal, entitled “Nanotechnology-Driven Therapeutic Interventions in Wound Healing: Potential Uses and Applications” We look forward to answering your questions about this research today! To introduce ourselves, alphabetically by surname: I am Sylvia Daunert and I am the Lucille P. Markey Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, as well as the Associate Director of the Dr. JT Macdonald Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute at the University of Miami. My group’s research focuses on the development of bio-inspired nanotechnologies to solve biomedical and environmental problems. We genetically engineer living cells and proteins for environmental detection, molecular sensing, molecular diagnostics, point-of-care tests, biomarker identification, and targeted and responsive drug delivery. We recently developed a nanocarrier-based method for the targeted delivery of stem cells for wound healing. The technology, while widely applicable to a variety of wounds, was first demonstrated in diabetic wounds and in animal models of corneal and retinal injury. I was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Michigan, and awarded my Ph.D. in bioanalytical chemistry at the University of Barcelona in Spain. I am Suzana Hamdan and I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the Daunert Research Group at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. My current research interests focus on the biological studies of nanomaterials derived from pharmaceutical drugs. In fall 2007, I received a Master of Science degree from East Tennessee State University, and was awarded a Ph.D. degree in May 2015 from the chemistry department at Louisiana State University. During my graduate studies, I developed novel techniques for size-control of nanoparticles derived from organic salts, and designed molecularly imprinted polymeric nanoparticles for chiral recognition of biological targets. I am currently the author of eight published scientific papers, with a special focus on nanotechnology and analytical chemistry fields. I am Irena Pastar and I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. Our department has developed an unique wound healing research program focused on understanding the nature of non-healing wounds at the cellular and molecular levels. We have also been active in a variety of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials evaluating bioengineered products, drugs, dressings and devices important to wound repair. After receiving my Ph.D. in molecular microbiology and completing a postdoctoral fellowship in immunology at the Rockefeller University, I pursued translational research in cutaneous wound healing. My research focuses on the molecular pathophysiology of chronic wounds and cutaneous infections. I am a leading investigator and co-investigator on multiple federal and industry sponsored studies on novel wound healing therapeutics and chronic wound pathogenesis. Ask us anything about using nanotechnology to heal wounds! We will be back at 12pm ET (9am PT, 5pm UTC) to answer your questions. Hi Reddit! Sylvia, Irena, and I are online , and happy to answer your questions! Hello Reddit Users, We are logging off for a while, but will be back later to answer your questions. Thank you for your interest in our field! Irena, Suzana and Sylvia Hi Reddit! We are back online again and ready to answer more questions! We are logging off for now, we might answer few more questions later on. We would like to thank all who participated in our AMA Reddit today and apologize to those who did not get an answer due to a lack of time to get to all questions. Hope you continue your interest in nanotechnology and keep on supporting research. It is really important to us and our global scientific community! Thanks again, Suzana, Irena and Sylvia

Hi Reddit! I’m Allison Campbell, President of the American Chemical Society. Currently I am the Associate Laboratory Director of the Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). A physical chemist by academic training, my research has focused on biomaterials. My research focus is on the role of proteins in biomineralization. During my time in the Materials Science Department at PNNL, I have co-invented a process inspired by biology that allows us to grow bioactive calcium phosphate layers onto the surfaces of artificial joint implants. By mimicking bone, this innovation can extend the life of the implant and reduce implant rejection. I hold a PhD in physical chemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a BA from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA. I have been a member of the ACS since 1985 and in that time have become a member of the National Academy of Sciences Chemical Sciences Roundtable and was named an AAAS Fellow in 2013. One aspect of science I’m most passionate about is promoting science education and sharing scientific information. As often as I can, I share my personal enthusiasm for science with young students and participate in a number of hands-on education programs. As ACS President I feel it’s so important that all us chemists out there should share with the public what chemistry is and how it helps society. This means we need to get as good at science communication as we can. I also feel it is greatly important to foster common principles and practices among the global chemistry community. You can read about these and my priorities as ACS President in my Chemical & Engineering News statement “Pedaling the power of chemistry.” Ask me anything about my ACS priorities of sharing the value of chemistry and building its global principles and practices. You can also ask about my research in biomineralization. Note that as a scientist employed by a federal laboratory, I am bound by the Hatch Act and therefore may not engage in questions of a political nature. Unfortunately, I have to sign off at 9am PST. Thanks for all your questions.

Hi Reddit, and Happy National Chemistry Week! This year’s theme is “Solving Mysteries through Chemistry” so I’m here to answer your questions about forensic chemistry and how science plays a key role in criminal investigations. I’m Kevin Shanks, a Senior Forensic Toxicologist with Axis Forensic Toxicology, a forensic toxicology laboratory in the Midwest USA. My areas of expertise include liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS, LC/MS/MS, LC/ToF) and the analytical detection and toxicology of new psychoactive substances (NPS) such as substituted cathinones (bath salts), synthetic cannabinoids (spice/K2), NBOME hallucinogens, fentanyl analogs, and opioid research chemicals. I oversee all method development and validation of analytical methods for NPS at Axis and have provided fact and expert witness testimony in drug chemistry, human performance toxicology, and postmortem toxicology matters in numerous states. I hold a B.A in Biology from Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, an M.S. in Forensic Toxicology from the University of Florida, and am certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology in forensic toxicology. I also have published papers on the analytical detection and postmortem toxicology of synthetic cannabinoids (i.e. JWH-018, 5F-PB-22, ADB-FUBINACA, and 5F-AMB) as well as the detection of designer substances in pills, powders, and plant materials. I have presented research and casework at national meetings such as the Society of Forensic Toxicologists annual conference. My most recent projects include the analytical and forensic toxicology of fentanyl analogs, such as carfentanil and furanylfentanyl, and their emergence in the United States’ heroin supply. Ask me anything about drugs, poisons, newly emerging substances, life in a forensic laboratory, postmortem toxicology, and analytical chemistry. I’ll be back at 2:00 pm ET (11:00 am PT) to answer your questions. EDIT: I’m online now (came on early) and will begin answering questions soon. Just as a disclaimer, many of the answers are my opinions and do not reflect the thoughts and views of my company/lab. Also, because of the nature of the work, I cannot discuss active casework and also may not answer questions which could lead to illegal or criminal activity. -KGS EDIT: Thanks for all the awesome questions! I’m still answering questions. Going to try to get to as many of these as possible. -KGS EDIT: I have to log off for now. It’s been fun answering questions! I’ll be back around 6 pm ET (3 pm PT) to answer some more questions. -KGS EDIT: I’ve logged back on for a bit to answer some more questions. -KGS EDIT: I’m logging back off. This has been a lot of fun. And I’m happy that there have been many excellent questions. I’ll log in one more time later to try to answer more questions. Look for that around 8 pm ET (5 pm PT). EDIT: I’ve had fun. Hope I was able to answer some questions for you. I wish I could have answered all the questions. Thanks to the ACS for having me do this. -KGS

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A document by AmerChemSocietyAMA . Click on the document to view its contents.