A Chemistry Departmental Seminar ft: Prof. Ariel Furst (MIT)

For decades, researchers have worked to replicate the efficiency of biological processes for applications ranging from carbon sequestration to resource recovery. We have found that combining materials with synthetic biology enables us to create novel technologies that outperform conventional cleantech. We have generated an inexpensive platform for rare earth element recovery, toxic pesticide remediation, and carcinogenic pollutant degradation. We have also improved electrochemical conversion of CO2 to valuable products, decreasing the energy required. We have also developed food-derived materials that enable the protection of beneficial microbes to enable their use in agriculture and human health. In all of our work, we consistently find that the combination of chemistry and biomolecular engineering affords advantages beyond the capabilities of either technology alone.