Spy Report: Nobel Laureate Speaks at Final WC “International Year of Chemistry” Celebration

Mario J. Molina, Ph.D, 1995 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree at Washington College on November 3rd, and was feted at a luncheon sponsored by LaMotte Company at Washington College on Friday, November 4. The luncheon/talk was the last event of Washington College’s celebration of the International Year of Chemistry 2011. UNESCO and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry partnered to create the worldwide initiative to celebrate the achievements of chemistry.

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Dr. Molina received the Nobel Prize for his work on chlorofluorocarbons and their ability to destroy the atmosphere’s protective ozone layer. He became interested in chemistry at the age of ten, when he began doing experiments. In graduate school he wondered “what happens to industrial chemicals which are not natural,” and that became the focus of his research, the most rewarding part of which was “discovering something that hadn’t been discovered before.”

Professor Anne Marteel-Parrish, Ph.D, the inaugural recipient of the Frank J. Creegan Chair in Green Chemistry at Washington College, noted that this final event was not an ending point or “the last checkmark on the checklist,” but rather a new beginning, and a “springboard to more collaborations and outreach activities with the students and teachers in our community.” She then introduced the first speaker, Mary M. Kirchhoff, Ph.D., Director of the Education Division of the American Chemical Society, where her role is to make the general public aware of the many benefits of chemistry. To that end, the American Chemical Society will be providing, free of charge, thousands of chemistry kits to middle schools, in an effort to try to raise awareness of the importance of chemistry. Dr. Kirchhoff introduced the main speaker, Dr. Molina, who has devoted his research to atmospheric chemistry and climate change.

Climate change is “perhaps the largest threat that humanity has faced,” asserted Dr. Molina. He stated that 97% of scientists who actively work in the field agree that climate change is due to human activity, and that scientists who disagree with this consensus are not “active” scientists, and are just voicing their opinion. The drought in Texas and the floods in Thailand are recent examples of climate-related activities that are happening with more frequency and intensity. He noted that when the media covers climate change “both sides” of the story need to be covered, and this includes the 10-15% of the population who believe that climate change is a hoax. Dr. Molina stated that misinformation is the main stumbling block to creating international agreements. There are also powerful interest groups with huge resources that are able to influence policy. Dr. Molina stressed that the arctic is melting, the sea level is rising, and economic decisions need to be made to avoid future climate related catastrophes. With policy changes, he said that the climate could change by three degrees. Without policy changes the planet could warm by as much as seven degrees, creating a “tipping point for nearly irreversible change in the climate system.” Along with policy changes, he noted the need for new technologies, to reduce the use of harmful energy sources like coal.

The luncheon was attended by Washington College students and professors, members of the community, and teachers and students from the Kent County public school S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program. Frank Creegan, former Chair of the Washington College chemistry department was wearing, appropriately, a tie with all of the chemical elements on it. When asked about it, he quipped, “I wear it periodically.” Two of the Kent County High School students in attendance were freshmen Joseph Kirkpatrick and Alexa Jones. They have both been in the S.T.E.M. program since middle school. Joseph said that one of the advantages of the program is that he has been able to take accelerated math courses; he will be taking college classes in his Junior year of high school. After high school, Joseph plans on attending the Air Force Academy and studying nuclear physics. Alexa, also in the S.T.E.M. program since middle school, described the essay she wrote to get into the program, describing why she should qualify for the program, and said that parents of potential students in the program are also required to write an essay. Alexa is interested in becoming a veterinarian. Washington College sophomore, Emily Sahadeo, is a chemistry major. Working in a laboratory has become her main interest, and she wants to focus on research when she goes to graduate school.

Dr. Molina emphasized that the atmosphere is “as thin as the skin of an apple.” Energy is emmited from the planet, but some of it comes back to the surface, and the net result is that the surface of the earth is getting hotter. “If we do nothing, we might double or triple the amount of greenhouse gases,” he said. He believes we are dealing with a societal problem, and need to go beyond research and also deal with policy, in order to protect the planet. “The bottom line,” he continued, is that it is “more expensive to live with the damage than to prevent it.”