Think about all the things you put on your to-do lists.
You need to set aside time for a significant other, family, maybe your pet. You need to go grocery shopping, pay some bills, and maybe you make sure you end your day in front of the TV or with a good book.
Do you ever put “Think about pollution” on your list of things to think about?
Chances are that you don’t have to. And chances are that you don’t have to think about what sort of chemistry occurs through-out your body on a molecular level. And chances are that you don’t have to think about how expensive and time-consuming blood tests can be, either.
But, my guest for this interview, Dr. Chuck Henry, does.
Chuck is the Department Chair of Chemistry as well as a joint faculty member of the School of Biomedical Engineering. He’s also my graduate advisor and I’ve known Chuck for about three years. In Chuck’s group, we develop fluid-based diagnostic systems.
The goal is that these systems could diagnose air-based pollution, the chemical activity in live tissue, and maybe even diseases found in a drop of blood. We even have a subdivision of these projects that take place on paper, a viable, cheap, and super cool alternative to typical mediums.
So I asked Chuck into the studio for my very first interview for “The Innovators with Laurelle Turner”. As I am discovering with each of my interviews, the work that a researcher does only tells part of their story. If you really want to understand the way a scientist sees the world and why they do what they do, it’s best to just ask.
Thus, the interview includes Dr. Henry and me discussing what sort of future Environmental Chemistry and Atmospheric Chemistry may have. But, you will also hear perspectives on Chuck’s life, how he balances his demanding work with being a father of six, and how he envisions the future of science education.
https://soundcloud.com/csucollegian/the-innovators-dr-chuck-henry
If you would like to know more about the work that Dr. Henry and his group does at Colorado State University, you can visit their website here.
Background music on this episode comes from:
“Fireflies”, Lights & Motion
“Shimmer”, Tracey Chattaway