Welcome to C&EN’s annual Talented 12 issue, in which we highlight a dozen young rising stars who are using chemical know-how to change the world. Paging through the profiles of the Talented 12 class of 2020 will take you on a voyage to science’s frontiers. These researchers are hunting for compounds in interstellar space and mapping the molecular signatures of parasite-ravaged hearts. They’re figuring out better ways to diagnose tuberculosis and dreaming up blueprints for building the next generation of computer chips.

We say this every year, but it’s true—narrowing our pool of outstanding nominees to just 12 is an increasingly daunting task. Yet, each year we’re thrilled to learn how these scientists stand on the cutting edge of chemistry.

To assemble this list, we consulted our staff and Talented 12 alumni. But the overwhelming majority of our nominations came from an online form submitted by C&EN’s readers. The world has changed so much since we started considering these candidates in late 2019. But no matter how the world continues to evolve, we’re sure these bright minds will have a hand in shaping the future.