Through their informative and engaging learning resources, ChemTalk aims to make the field of chemistry more accessible and diverse. We spoke to ChemTalk about their efforts and what motivates them to keep creating content.

What does your organization do?

ChemTalk is a 501(c)(3) chemistry education nonprofit dedicated to making chemistry fun and easy, thereby improving engagement and creating long-term interest in science. We prioritize underrepresented and underserved populations through our diversity-focused approach to education.

What role does your organization play in science education?

ChemTalk revolutionizes the way chemistry is taught by offering barrier and cost-free resources to students in the form of 500+ article tutorials, 150+ application-based video tutorials, 30+ podcasts featuring Nobel and Kavli prize winners, dozens of colorful lab experiments, and more. We are in the beginning stages of implementing free tutoring and mentorship programs, and expanding content to include practice tests, worksheets, and student checkpoint questions.

What's one fun fact that LabXchange users should know about your organization?

We recently hit the 1 million club on TikTok with a Taylor Swift-inspired post about ionic bonding between metals and nonmetals! Follow our page here.

Who are/were your personal scientific idols or sources of inspiration?

ChemTalk pulls inspiration from a myriad of people in the scientific community. It is important to us that we recognize the contributions these people have made to the scientific community in order to provide motivation for the future generation of scientists.

A few chemists we’ve recently highlighted on our Instagram page include Percy Levon Julian who pioneered research for glaucoma treatments, Mary Engle Pennington who worked as a bacteriological chemist developing refrigeration standards for food safety, and Mary Sheriman Morgan, inventor of Hydyne fuel (rocket fuel) during the cold war as the only woman out of the 900 engineers hired.

We look up to all of these scientists who have made such incredible contributions to the world of chemistry even if their accomplishments were not recognized at the time of discovery.

What is the first science experiment you remember performing?

One of the first experiments we filmed for ChemTalk was the reaction between copper sulfate and aluminum! We later melted down the copper precipitate formed during this reaction for another experiment which produced a beautiful green flame that was quite a site to behold.

What motivates you to continue your work?

We are entirely committed to making chemistry accessible for ALL students. At least one semester of chemistry is required for most STEM careers jobs, but the lack of representation of women and non-white individuals creeps forward at an astonishingly minimal pace. By supporting diverse students in chemistry, the central science necessary to pursue nearly all STEM routes, we jointly support the next generation of chemists, biologists, physicians, environmental scientists, physicists, aerospace engineers, astronauts, nurses, and more.

Finally, what's your favorite science joke/pun?

Why are chemists excellent at solving problems?

They have all the solutions!

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• Check out more of ChemTalk's content on their website and their LabXchange collaborator page!