Dave returns to his alma mater, CSU Chico, to find out about some of the research being done by Chemistry and Environmental Science students. First, he talks to Professor Monica So and two of her chemistry research students, Nicholas Barnett and Carlos Melchor, about their investigations into a fascinating class of compounds called Metal Organic Frameworks.
These amazing materials, which are synthesized in So's lab, can be used for a variety of purposes, notably acting as "sponges" to help clean up things like oceanic oil spills.
Then our host is joined by Environmental Science professor Sandrine Matiasek and her colleague Civil Engineering professor Jack Webster about their collaboration with students to look into the effects of wildfires (notably the 2018 Camp Fire that virtually destroyed the town of Paradise, CA) on soils and watersheds.
