Robert Grubbs: Careers in Chemistry Discussion from “Applications of Olefin Metathesis Catalysts” at University of Minnesota, United States
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- 02.03.2010
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Supplimentary Materials
Chapter 5 of 34: Scaling Up the Catalyst
Are there ways to make the catalyst more easily recoverable? (1 minute, 17 seconds)
Chapter 1 of 34: Are There Cost-Effective Alternatives to Ruthenium?
Our discussion begins with a question from one of our webcast viewers: "Is it possible to run metathesis with other metals of the same column - iron, for example - which is non-toxic and much cheaper than ruthenium?" (2 minutes, 31 seconds)
Chapter 2 of 34: Powders and Crystals
The students are eager to know what form does Grubbs's Catalyst take? And what are its properties? (31 seconds)
Chapter 3 of 34: What's So Special About Ruthenium?
Why does ruthenium have such tolerance of functional groups? (55 seconds)
Chapter 4 of 34: Preserving the Catalyst
Are there any issues associated with the catalyst degrading over time? (27 seconds)
Chapter 5 of 34: Scaling Up the Catalyst
Are there ways to make the catalyst more easily recoverable? (1 minute, 17 seconds)
Chapter 6 of 34: Selecting the Functional Groups
What kind of processes did Prof. Grubbs go through in determining which functional groups he wanted in the catalyst? (41 seconds)
Chapter 7 of 34: Different Generations
What's the difference between the different generations of Grubbs's Catalyst? (46 seconds)
Chapter 8 of 34: Catalysts and Car Hoods
Prof. Grubbs reveals some of the applications he would not have predicted, such as the plastics used under the hood of a car. (1 minute, 4 seconds)
Chapter 9 of 34: Applications That Didn't Work Out
Were there any applications that didn't end up happening? "Hundreds of those!" replies Prof. Grubbs. (1 minute, 13 seconds)
Chapter 10 of 34: Space Ships and Self-Healing
On talk of using Grubbs's Catalyst in space ships and rocket engines. (1 minute, 45 seconds)
Chapter 11 of 34: The Advantages of Dicyclopentadiene
Which monomers work well with Grubbs's Catalyst? (1 minute, 45 seconds)
Chapter 12 of 34: Green Chemistry
Prof. Grubbs comments on the huge amount of research being conducted on polylactide and green chemistry at the University of Minnesota. (1 minute, 24 seconds)
Chapter 13 of 34: Advice To Prospective Graduate Students
What does Prof. Grubbs look for in a prospective graduate student? He notes that letters of recommendation are key and advises, "Demonstrate ahead of time that you're really interested." (2 minutes, 28 seconds)
Chapter 14 of 34: The Beauty of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration
Prof. Grubbs highlights one of his current research interests - in eye surgery - as an example of the joy of cross-disciplinary collaboration. (2 minutes, 8 seconds)
Chapter 15 of 34: Limitations
What are some of the limitations of Grubbs's Catalyst? What would be a situation where you wouldn't want to use it? (53 seconds)
Chapter 16 of 34: What Are the Trade-Offs Between Basic Science and Commercialisation?
For Prof. Grubbs, basic research and commercialisation are "not totally incompatible". He gives advice about how to identify the most promising research projects. (2 minutes, 57 seconds)
Chapter 17 of 34: Student Days
Was there anything Prof. Grubbs struggled with at school which he ended up using in his career? (46 seconds)
Chapter 18 of 34:
What sort of goals did Prof. Grubbs set for himself when he was an undergraduate student? (2 minutes, 6 seconds)
Chapter 19 of 34: Early Jobs in Agricultural Labs
Further recounting his student days, Prof. Grubbs reveals that he initially planned to specialize in agricultural chemistry. (2 minutes, 32 seconds)
Chapter 20 of 34: It's the Best Job in the World
Prof. Grubbs refers to his first jobs at Michigan State University and Caltech. He argues that while the US system is "brutal", it opens up many doors. (3 minutes, 11 seconds)
Chapter 21 of 34: On Sacrifices
Were there any sacrifices Prof. Grubbs had to make to pursue a career in academic research? (1 minute, 3 seconds)
Chapter 22 of 34: On Being a Supervisor
Prof. Grubbs is asked if he prefers being hands-on in the laboratory, or more of a guiding hand in the background. He talks about how he has evolved as a supervisor over the years. (1 minute, 7 seconds)
Chapter 23 of 34: Grubbs Googles
How does Prof. Grubbs approach the process of learning? He shares his views on how the internet has revolutionized education. (2 minutes, 3 seconds)
Chapter 24 of 34: Finding Good Mentors
Does Prof. Grubbs have any advice about finding good mentors? (1 minute, 26 seconds)
Chapter 25 of 34: Creativity Goes A Long Way
Prof. Grubbs is asked to share a story about former grad students who have stood out for him. He also refers to two of his former students who are now working at the University of Minnesota. (2 minutes, 48 seconds)
Chapter 26 of 34: Day-To-Day Practicalities
What are the day-to-day practicalities of Prof. Grubbs's current work? He describes fielding requests to review papers and proposals, as well as applying for research grants. (2 minutes, 18 seconds)
Chapter 27 of 34: On Being Awarded the Nobel Prize
Prof. Grubbs is asked how he felt about being awarded the Nobel Prize in 2005. He was in New Zealand when he received the phone call from Stockholm. (3 minutes, 21 seconds)
Chapter 28 of 34: On Becoming a Nobel Laureate
What's been the best thing about being awarded the Nobel Prize? (44 seconds)
Chapter 29 of 34: On Giving Lectures
What part of Prof. Grubbs's work does he find the most nerve-wracking? (1 minute, 8 seconds)
Chapter 30 of 34: Polymer Chemistry
What is Prof. Grubbs's favourite class to teach? He talks about polymer chemistry and comments, "The only way I've ever learnt anything is by teaching it." (33 seconds)
Chapter 31 of 34: Advice to Undergraduates, Graduates and Postdocs
Finding out whether chemistry is the right career for you is best done during your undergraduate years, Prof. Grubbs advises. He shares his joy of watching graduate students hone their skills. (3 minutes, 18 seconds)
Chapter 32 of 34: On Choosing Research Projects
Prof. Grubbs is asked to share his advice on narrowing down research interests. (48 seconds)
Chapter 33 of 34: Nobel Nudge
Prof. Grubbs takes the view that his job involves identifying what people are good at and nudging them in the right direction. (1 minute, 26 seconds)
Chapter 34 of 34: Chemical Industry
Prof. Grubbs is asked to comment on three companies he has helped to set up. (2 minutes, 57 seconds)
Description
Robert Grubbs gives practical advice to students at the University of Minnesota considering graduate and postdoctoral research as well as careers in chemical industry.
