You might know more about solid state chemistry than you think! Whilst you’re cooking with your favourite pots and pans, scrolling on your phone or driving to work, chemical reactions are occurring between all of your essential everyday items. We speak with Dr Anna Regoutz, lecturer at University College London, to understand more about the unique properties and chemical bonds of the materials around us, and how chemistry can contribute to making these materials more sustainable.

Intro [00:00]

Meet the Hosts [01:52]

Materials Background [03:13]

Meet the Guests [05:07]

Interview [08:08]

The Breakdown [29:54]

Expert Test [31:17]

Conclusion [36:01]

Dr Anna Regoutz

Dr Anna Regoutz is a Lecturer in Materials Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at University College London (UCL) and a Visiting Scientist at Diamond Light Source. Anna was awarded a D.Phil. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Oxford in 2014 and spent her post-doctoral years at the University of Southampton and Imperial College. She became a Research Fellow at the latter before joining UCL in 2019.

Anna’s research focuses on bulk, thin film, and nanomaterials for application in devices, including power electronics, photovoltaics, and biosensors. A significant focus of her work is the development of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods for bulk materials, surfaces, and interfaces. This includes using and developing both laboratory- and synchrotron-based spectroscopic methods to study, in particular, the electronic structure of device-relevant bulk materials and material heterostructures.

Anna received the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Joseph Black Award in 2020 and the element Praseodymium in the Periodic Table of Chemists by IUPAC in 2019. She has been featured in the Merck Next Great Impossible Campaign and the Leading Light series of Diamond Light Source. She is a Specialty Chief Editor in the Chemistry section of Frontiers for Young Minds, an open-access scientific journal written by scientists and reviewed by children.

Producer: Shazia Ur-Rehman (CTVC)

Content Producer: Stevie Strowman (CTVC)

Guest: Dr Anna Regoutz

Hosts: Mariama Ifode-Blease and Samuel Dada

Guest student: Nitola Islam

Writer: Alastair Collinson (CTVC)

Researchers: William Terry-Wright, Bairavee R T Ravindran

Sound mixer: Pat Pretorius (CTVC)

Cover Art: Sam Osbourne

The Salters’ Institute

From skincare to makeup, we can’t live without the products that make us look better and feel better about ourselves. As humans, we’ve been obsessed with cosmetics for thousands of years. But what does it really mean to put these personal care products on our skin, the largest organ of our bodies? How can chemistry contribute to responsible, sustainable, and body-friendly cosmetics? We speak with entrepreneur, Laura Rudoe, founder of Good Ventures and Evolve Beauty, about the modern ethics of cosmetics and how chemistry is changing the beauty industry.

Intro [00:00]

About the episode [01:41]

Background on cosmetics [03:03]

Meet the guests [08:09]

Interview [10:10]

The Breakdown [38:11]

Expert Test [39:47]

Conclusion [42:44]

Laura Rudoe

Laura Rudoe has dedicated her adult life to discovering natural ways to help people find balance and beauty in their skin. In her late teens, Laura experienced skin issues which she solved by turning to a more natural way of living. The result evoked a passion for creating effective products that complement an organic and natural lifestyle while also being better for both skin and the planet. In 2009, Laura Rudoe founded Evolve Organic Beauty with a mission to make products that deliver effective results and are healthier, greener and kinder for people and the planet, making it easier for everyone to live better. Laura is a passionate advocate of ethical and environmentally friendly business as well as natural and sustainable living. Her deep appreciation for nature is at the heart of everything she does. ​​Evolve Organic Beauty is the UK’s leading ethical, sustainable and certified organic beauty brand and one of the first 1000 certified B Corporations in the UK. Recognised for her entrepreneurship, Laura has been honoured with several awards including Management Today 35 under 35, the Green Mumpreneur of the Year, one of Natural Beauty Yearbook Top Personalities and LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Leaders of 2023.

Producer: Shazia Ur-Rehman (CTVC)

Content Producer: Stevie Strowman (CTVC)

Guest: Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Hosts: Mariama Ifode-Blease and Samuel Dada

Guest student: Nitola Islam

Writer: Alastair Collinson (CTVC)

Researchers: William Terry-Wright, Bairavee R T Ravindran

Sound mixer: Pat Pretorius (CTVC)

Cover Art: Sam Osbourne

The Salters’ Institute

Good Ventures

Whether you’re a sweet or savoury kind of person, or prefer something in between, we all have difference preferences when it comes to taste and smell. For example, why is it that some of us can’t get enough of the smell of petrol, but others despise it? We know that there are five basic tastes, but what’s the link between smell and taste? What makes different smells unique? This week we speak to Professor Jane Parker, researcher at the University of Reading, about flavours, aromas and the chemicals that cause them.

Intro [00:00]

Meet the hosts [01:58]

Chemistry of flavours background [03:20]

About the episode [06:31]

Meet the guests [07:55]

Interview [11:30]

The Breakdown: [37:21]

The Expert Test [39:04]

Conclusion [41:45]

Professor Jane Parker

Jane is Professor of Flavour Chemistry in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading, the Food Research Group Lead and founder of the Flavour Centre which provides consultancy, training and technical service to industry (>100 food companies). She has more than 20 years’ experience in flavour chemistry, and analysis of flavours, off-notes and precursors, with a particular interest in flavour formation pathways (Maillard and lipid derived) and how aroma compounds interact i) with each other, ii) with other sensory modalities and iii) with the other components of the food matrix. Jane’s current projects include designing flavour into plant-based meat analogues, extending the shelf-life of millet and a project which involves the study of sweet preference spanning 62labs worldwide. In conjunction withpartners in the US, she has recently published a “Principal Odour Map” of aromachemicals generated by machine learning, which predicts the aroma profile ofunknown molecules. Jane is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and chair of the RSC food Group, recipient of the British Society of Flavourists BillLittlejohn Medal for contribution to the art and science of flavour, andrepresents the UK on the EuroFoodChem committee.

Producer: Shazia Ur-Rehman (CTVC)

Content Producer: Stevie Strowman (CTVC)

Hosts: Mariama Ifode-Blease and Samuel Dada

Guest: Professor Jane Parker

Guest student: William Terry-Wright

Writer: Alastair Collinson (CTVC)

Researchers: William Terry-Wright, Bairavee R T Ravindran

Sound mixer: Pat Pretorius (CTVC)

Cover Art: Sam Osbourne

The Salters’ Institute

University of Reading Flavour Centre