The following is a roundup of the most downloaded episodes of the ECS Podcast in 2017.
1. Steven Chu talks climate and energy
Former U.S. Secretary of Energy and Nobel Laureate, Steven Chu, delivered the ECS Lecture at the year’s 232nd ECS Lecture. Before he gave the talk, he sat down with ECS Executive Director Roque Calvo for an episode of the ECS Podcast.
“I think as a scientist, you have to be optimistic because usually what you’re doing is trying to shoot for the moon,” Chu said during the podcast. “My optimism comes from the fact that you’ve got a whole bunch of very smart people who are focused on all of the technical problems in the world, including sustainability, energy, and climate change.”
2. Shirley Meng discusses power and sustainably
Shirley Meng, professor and the University of California, San Diego, joined us earlier in 2017 for an episode of the ECS Podcast. During the interview, she covered topics ranging to Meng refers to as the “energy problem” to women in STEM.
3. Doron Aurbach on battery technology
Doron Aurbach joined us in May 2017 to talk about his life in science, the future of batteries, and scientific legacy. Aurbach is a professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel and the recipient of the 2017 ECS Allen J. Bard Award in Electrochemical Science.
4. Kathy Ayers discusses the promise of hydrogen
Kathy Ayers, vice president of research and development for Proton OnSite, discussed her work in fuel cells, batteries, and PEM electrolysis earlier this year in an episode of the ECS Podcast.
“People have looked at hydrogen and PEM electrolysis, or electrolysis in general, for a few different avenues,” Ayers said in the podcast. “One is frequency regulation, so more on a short time scale, can you use an electrolyzer to balance out the frequency. Then for these longer storage times, where you have the excess at some point in the day and you want to capture that – for example in the middle of the day where you might have a lot of solar – and store it for later at night.”
5. Way Kuo looks at energy development risks
Way Kuo, president of the City University of Hong Kong, joined us for an episode of the ECS Podcast before his ECS Lecture during the 231st ECS Meeting. Kuo was the first foreign expert invited to discuss nuclear safety following the Fukushima incident. Listen as he discusses risks associated with nuclear energy and the future development of energy technology.
6. Alan Alda talks scientific communication
Many know Alana Alda from the hit TV show MASH, but he’s also been an advocate for scientific communication for years. From his year spent hosting Scientific American Frontiers to founding the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, he continues to be a proponent for scientific advancement.
“I think it’s very important for researchers to make their voices heard,” Alda said during the podcast. “Science isn’t done for the special interests of the scientists so that they can get rich. Most scientists are doing a public service by doing this; by following their curiosity. People need to hear what the science is about and why it’s important.”
7. EJ Taylor on small business and science
EJ Taylor is the chief technical officer and intellectual property director at Faraday Technology, which focuses on research and development services related to aerospace, energy, environmental, manufacturing, and medical markets. He sat down with us for an episode of the ECS Podcast to discuss small business, patents, and science.
8. Gerald Frankel on corrosion and infrastructure
We caught up with Gerald Frankel, professor of materials science and engineering at The Ohio State University, earlier this year to discuss topics ranging to corrosion prevention, open access, and the water crisis in Flint, MI.
9. Elizabeth Biddinger on green energy
Winner of the 2016-2017 ECS Toyota Young Investigator Fellowship, Elizabeth Biddinger, sat down for an episode of the ECS Podcast to discuss green chemistry, sustainable engineering, and the future of transportation.
10. Eric Wachsman on energy technology
Eric Wachsman, director and William L. Crentz Centennial Chair in Energy Research at the University of Maryland Energy Research Center, joined ECS’s Rob Gerth earlier this year to discuss the changing landscape of energy, covering everything from political implications to emerging research.
Listen to every episode of the ECS Podcast.
