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These dozen scientists are taking on global challenges with their chemistry acumen
May 17, 2024 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 102, Issue 15

Details matter. Just ask the Talented 12 class of 2024. To tackle big global problems, this group of early-career researchers is digging into the details of nuclear fuel storage, battery electrolytes, nucleic acid function, and microplastics in the human body. And that’s just a sampling of the standout science you can read about in the profiles that follow.

C&EN’s readers submitted nearly 450 nominations for this year’s class. Picking just 12 to highlight from hundreds of nominees is always tough. But it reminds us how chemists are using their knowledge of the central science to change our world for the better. We think you’ll be impressed with what the members of this year’s class are doing, and we look forward to seeing where they’ll lead chemistry in the future.

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Meet

“Designing electrolytes to control electrochemical processes”

- Chibueze Amanchukwu

“Maximizing CO2 capture in photosynthetic organisms”

- Ahmed Badran
Ahmed Badran

“Using abundant materials to make safer batteries”

- Rachel Carter
Rachel Carter

“Driving enhanced tire sustainability and performance”

- Rob Dennis-Pelcher
Rob Dennis-Pelcher

“Developing electrochemical tools to understand corrosion”

- Samantha M. Gateman
Samantha M. Gateman

“Therapeutically targeting structurally dynamic RNAs”

- Alisha Jones
Alisha Jones

“Harnessing radiochemistry to investigate environmental pollutants”

- Outi Keinänen
Outi Keinänen

“Developing new approaches to oligonucleotide manufacturing”

- Sarah Lovelock
Sarah Lovelock

“A path toward drugging the ‘undruggable’ ”

- Jesus Moreno
Jesus Moreno

“Innovating nanoscale biosensors for human health”

- Nako Nakatsuka
Nako Nakatsuka

“Discovering unknown metabolites with chemical AI”

- Michael Skinnider
Michael Skinnider

“Radical catalysis for sustainable synthesis”

- Julian West
Julian West
Stats & Facts
34
Average age
Stats & Facts

Maps displaying the hometowns and current towns of the Talented 12 class of 2024. Chibueze Amanchukwu, hometown: Lagos, Nigeria, and current town: Chicago; Ahmed Badran, hometowns: Tanta, Egypt, and Tucson, Arizona, and current town: La Jolla, California; Rachel Carter, hometown: Nashville, Tennessee , and current town: Washington, DC; Rob Dennis-Pelcher, hometown: Lyndonville, New York, and current town: Green, Ohio; Samantha M. Gateman, hometown: Cambridge, Ontario, and current town: London, Ontario; Alisha Jones, hometowns: West Haven, Connecticut, and Toledo, Ohio, and current town: New York City; Outi Keinänen, hometown: Espoo, Finland, and current town: Birmingham, Alabama; Sarah Lovelock, hometown: Watford, England, and current town: Manchester, England: Jesus Moreno, hometown: San Diego, and current town, San Diego; Nako Nakatsuka, hometown: Tokyo, and current town: Geneva; Michael Skinnider, hometown: Victoria, British Columbia, and current town: Princeton, New Jersey; Julian West, hometown: Edmonton, Alberta, and current town: Houston.

Here are locations our T12 class of 2024 have called home then and now
Stats & Facts
353
Number of peer-reviewed papers published
Stats & Facts
9
Number of languages spoken

Arabic, English, Finnish, French, German, Igbo, Japanese, Norwegian, and Spanish

Stats & Facts

Bar graph showing when the Talented 12 class of 2024 say they are most productive. Fifty-eight percent say, “I’m an early bird”; 25% say, “I’m like Dolly—working ‘9 to 5’; 17% say, “I’m a night owl.”

When are you most productive? (number of responses)
I’m an early bird
I’m a night owl
I’m a night owl
I’m like Dolly
—working “9 to 5”
I’m like Dolly
—working “9 to 5”
Stats & Facts
What subject—that isn't your research area—could you give a talk about for 5 min with no preparation?
Chibueze Amanchukwu
Ahmed Badran
Rachel Carter
“History (especially African history) and African literature” “Astronomy. This was one of my passions growing up” “Making sourdough”
Rob Dennis-Pelcher
Samantha M. Gateman
Alisha Jones
“Sports, especially football and/or hockey” “Knitting patterns, knitting techniques, and differences between yarn compositions” “Does beer brewing count?”
Outi Keinänen
Sarah Lovelock
Jesus Moreno
“Why everyone should get vaccinated!” “Harry Potter” “Sports history, specifically soccer”
Nako Nakatsuka
Michael Skinnider
Julian West
“Weird animals or training plans for endurance sports” “Planning a hiking trip in southwestern British Columbia” “Cats!”
Chibueze Amanchukwu
Ahmed Badran
“History (especially African history) and African literature” “Astronomy. This was one of my passions growing up”
Rachel Carter
Rob Dennis-Pelcher
“Making sourdough” “Sports, especially football and/or hockey”
Samantha M. Gateman
Alisha Jones
“Knitting patterns, knitting techniques, and differences between yarn compositions” “Does beer brewing count?”
Outi Keinänen
Sarah Lovelock
“Why everyone should get vaccinated!” “Harry Potter”
Jesus Moreno
Nako Nakatsuka
“Sports history, specifically soccer” “Weird animals or training plans for endurance sports”
Michael Skinnider
Julian West
“Planning a hiking trip in southwestern British Columbia” “Cats!”
Stats & Facts

Bar graph showing how the Talented 12 class of 2024 like to watch a series on a streaming platform. Fifty-eight percent say, “Marathon watching is the only way to go”; 33% say, “I like to pace my programming”; and 8% say, “Who has time to watch a whole series?” Percentages do not sum to 100% because of rounding.

How do you like to watch a series? (number of responses)
Marathon watching is the only way to go!
Who has time to watch a whole series?
I like to pace my programming
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Nominate for the

Profiles

C&EN’s Talented 12

These dozen scientists are taking on global challenges with their chemistry acumen

May 17, 2024 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 102, Issue 15
A logo that says "C&EN's Talented twelve."

Credit: Will Ludwig/C&EN

Talented 12 contributors

EDITORIAL LEAD: Bethany Halford

PROJECT MANAGER: Michael Sheehan

Editors: Bethany Halford, Mark Peplow, and Michael Torrice

WRITERS: Celia Henry Arnaud, Brianna Barbu, Matt Blois, Bethany Halford, Sam Lemonick, Prachi Patel, Mark Peplow, Fionna Samuels, Krystal Vasquez, and Rowan Walrath

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Robert Bryson

LEAD ART DIRECTOR: William A. Ludwig

ART DIRECTORS: Yang H. Ku and Madeline Monroe

UI/UX DIRECTOR: Kay Youn

WEB PRODUCERS: Luis A. Carrillo, Ty A. Finocchiaro, Jennifer Muller, and Seamus Murphy

COPYEDITORS: Michele Arboit and Sabrina J. Ashwell

PRODUCTION EDITORS: Jonathan Forney, Kim Habicht, David Padgham, Raadhia Patwary, Sydney Smith, and Marsha-Ann Watson

ENGAGEMENT EDITORs: Liam Conlon and Leeann Kirchner

Details matter. Just ask the Talented 12 class of 2024. To tackle big global problems, this group of early-career researchers is digging into the details of nuclear fuel storage, battery electrolytes, nucleic acid function, and microplastics in the human body. And that’s just a sampling of the standout science you can read about in the profiles that follow.

C&EN’s readers submitted nearly 450 nominations for this year’s class. Picking just 12 to highlight from hundreds of nominees is always tough. But it reminds us how chemists are using their knowledge of the central science to change our world for the better. We think you’ll be impressed with what the members of this year’s class are doing, and we look forward to seeing where they’ll lead chemistry in the future.

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