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Bright ideas, brilliant metal: How palladium shines across disciplines

mainimageAlt-Palladium Science Webinar Marketing Image Date for 26th June
Register NOWRemaining time:
Francis VerpoortSpeaker
Michael S. WongSpeaker
Richard LiuSpeaker
Emma SchofieldSpeaker
Erika Gebel Berg, Ph.D.Moderator
This webinar is brought to you by the Science/AAAS Custom Publishing Office.

Palladium is at the heart of breakthrough research shaping a more sustainable and technologically advanced future. This panel brings together leading scientists at the forefront of palladium science to explore its transformative role in catalysis, clean energy, electronic information technologies, environmental protection, and health care. From driving efficient chemical reactions to enabling green energy solutions and medical advancements, palladium’s versatility is unlocking powerful tools for addressing global challenges. Join us as we discuss the latest discoveries, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and real-world applications propelling palladium into the center of tomorrow’s solutions.

Participants will:

  • Hear from leading researchers from multiple disciplines who are using palladium to solve global challenges
  • Explore palladium-driven advancements in diverse fields, from catalysis to environmental remediation
  • Learn about the unique qualities that make palladium an element for innovation.

The webinar is expected to run for about 60 minutes.

SPEAKER BIOS

Francis Verpoort

Francis Verpoort

Wuhan University of Technology
Wuhan, China

Professor Francis Verpoort is a distinguished expert in organometallic chemistry and functional materials. He leads the Laboratory of Functional Hybrid Materials at Wuhan University of Technology and is the founder and CEO of SAIS Ltd, a company specializing in chemistry, materials, and engineering solutions.

In addition to his research, Prof. Verpoort plays an active role in scientific publishing. He serves as the editor of Applied Organometallic Chemistry, editor-in-chief of Chemistry Africa and Nanocatalysis, and as a member of the editorial boards of several other prestigious journals.

His research focuses on organometallic chemistry, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and porous-organic polymers, with applications in catalysis, clean energy, and CO2 capture. He has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Dr. Basudev Banerjee Memorial Award and the Chime Bell Award from Hubei Province, China. He also holds fellowships from the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Indian Chemical Society, and the International Engineering and Technology Institute.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to science and technology, Prof. Verpoort has been elected as a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Mexican Academy of Sciences. Additionally, he has been designated a “National Distinguished Expert” in the People’s Republic of China.

Michael S. Wong

Michael S. Wong

Rice University
Houston, Texas

Michael S. Wong, Ph.D., is professor and chair of the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas. He also serves as professor of chemistry, of civil and environmental Engineering, and of materials science and nano engineering. He holds the Tina and Sunit Patel Chair in Molecular Nanotechnology. He is the research thrust leader in the NEWT (Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment) Center and in the Rice Water Institute. His research team has authored over 200 publications, cited over 18,000 times. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the American Chemical Society, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He received the 2023 Lawrence K. Cecil Award, the highest environmental honor in chemical engineering from AIChE, and the 2025 Henry J. Albert Award from the International Precious Metals Institute. His research program tackles water, sustainability, and energy issues through chemical engineering, materials chemistry, and heterogeneous catalysis approaches.

Richard Liu

Richard Liu

Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Richard earned an A.B. summa cum laude in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College (2015), where he conducted research with Theodore A. Betley and Eric N. Jacobsen. During his graduate studies atthe Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Richard worked with Stephen L. Buchwald on the development of copper-hydride catalysts for olefin hydrofunctionalization processes, as well as palladium- and nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. After earning his Ph.D. in 2019, he joined the laboratory of Timothy M. Swager at MIT and the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) as a postdoctoral associate, during which he demonstrated new applications of photochemistry performed on and by organic polymers. Richard returned to Harvard University to join the faculty in July2022. His independent research focuses on discovering new concepts at the interface of organic, inorganic, materials, and theoretical chemistry, with the goal of addressing global challenges in sustainability, energy, and human health.

Emma Schofield

Emma Schofield

Johnson Matthey
Royston, UK

Emma is based in the UK at the head office of Johnson Matthey in Royston. Having spent over a decade researching improvements to PGM recycling technologies, her focus over the past few years has been on circular economy of critical metals. She was a commissioner for the April 2021 UK Policy Commission on Securing Strategic Elements and Critical Materials, and as a member of the Critical Minerals Expert Group, supports the development of the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategies.

MODERATOR BIO

Erika Berg

Erika Gebel Berg, Ph.D.

Science/AAAS
Washington, DC

Erika Gebel Berg, Ph.D. is the Director and Senior Editor of the Science Custom Publishing group. Dr. Berg received her Ph.D. in Biophysics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She was awarded a AAAS mass media fellowship and spent that time working at the science desk of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Over the next decade, Dr. Berg spent time as a freelance journalist while also working at the American Diabetes Association, first as a science writer for a healthy living magazine and then as a medical editor for their flagship clinical practice recommendations. Most recently, Dr. Berg headed up the custom content studio C&EN BrandLab at the American Chemical Society.

Sponsored By:
Palladium Global Science Award

Webinars

Bright ideas, brilliant metal: How palladium shines across disciplines
Technology Sponsored by Palladium Global Science Award

Bright ideas, brilliant metal: How palladium shines across disciplines

Palladium is at the heart of breakthrough research shaping a more sustainable and technologically advanced future. This panel brings together leading scientists at the forefront of palladium science to explore its transformative role in catalysis, clean energy, electronic information technologies, environmental protection, and health care. From driving efficient chemical reactions to enabling green energy solutions and medical advancements, palladium’s versatility is unlocking powerful tools for addressing global challenges. Join us as we discuss the latest discoveries, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and real-world applications propelling palladium into the center of tomorrow’s solutions.

Participants will:

  • Hear from leading researchers from multiple disciplines who are using palladium to solve global challenges
  • Explore palladium-driven advancements in diverse fields, from catalysis to environmental remediation
  • Learn about the unique qualities that make palladium an element for innovation.

The webinar is expected to run for about 60 minutes.

26
Jun
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Science and Life (IPSEN Series) Sponsored by Fondation IPSEN

Bridging silos: How scientists studying rare disease are building cross-disease communities to advance research and innovation

In the realm of rare disease research, collaboration across disciplines, organization types, and disease types is essential to accelerating progress. Traditionally, scientists have focused on studying individual rare diseases within their specific silos, but as the understanding of genetic, molecular, and therapeutic commonalities across diseases deepens, researchers are increasingly looking to connect and share insights with those studying different rare conditions. By forming cross-disease communities, scientists can foster new ideas, discover shared mechanisms, and catalyze innovative treatments that might otherwise remain isolated within the boundaries of a single disease focus. This panel will explore how scientists are overcoming the challenges of working in rare disease research, how they’re using platforms, technologies, and other community-building strategies to collaborate across disease areas, and the unique benefits that arise from interdisciplinary cooperation. By sharing resources, knowledge, and expertise, scientists are building a collective force that drives more impactful research and quicker advancements toward new treatments.

 

Participants will:

  • Understand how cross-disease collaboration accelerates rare disease research and innovation
  • Identify tools and strategies that support interdisciplinary research communities
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The webinar is expected to run for about 60 minutes.

Redefining Connection: How young people are shaping the future of the rare disease community through technology and innovation
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In the age of digital connection, young people are building vibrant, supportive rare disease communities in ways that previous generations may not immediately recognize. Utilizing technology, social media, and innovative approaches, they are creating spaces for shared experiences, resources, scientific advancement, and advocacy that transcend geographical and generational barriers. These new forms of community are not only providing emotional support but are also driving research, awareness, funding, and policy change in the rare disease landscape. This panel will explore how young individuals are leveraging technology, digital platforms, and new methodologies to redefine what it means to connect, support, research, and advocate in the rare disease community.

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The webinar is expected to run for about 60 minutes.

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