Welcome to the collection of stories created in CHEM 123: Fall 2025
Here, we explore how course concepts connect to real-world impact through topics ranging from steroids to skincare, oily foods to molecular chirality, and even questions as fundamental as why trees grow tall. Students also dive into ideas with Nobel-level significance, such as how metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) actually work and why they matter.
Each story reflects a unique
intersection between chemistry
and curiosity, showing how the
principles discussed in class
manifest in everyday materials,
global challenges and cutting-
edge research.
Click below to read some of the incredible contributions from this year's class!
The Earth’s Secret History Written and What it Can Tell us About Climate Change
The Consequences of a Chiral Clone
Gen-Z has an Obsession with Skin Products. What's the Actual Science Behind it?
When Small Changes Have Big Effects: The Role of Deuteration in Modern Drug Discovery
What can we do with Oily Foods?
How Sunscreen Works
The Molecular Orchestra: A Musical Story of Block Copolymer Self-Assembly
Braydin Clostio and Isabelle V. Peña
Function-Driven Strategies for the Total Synthesis of Ibogaine and Related Indole Alkaloids for Neurotherapeutic Development
Your Glasses are Smarter Than You Think
From CBD Gummies to Gray-Market Highs: Exploring the Chemistry of Semi-Synthetic Cannabinoids
Jaden Elliston and Owen Vaughn
Explained: Anabolic Steroids
Application and Chemistry of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)
The Elegant Chemistry of A Simple Pill:
Decoding the Molecular Machinery of Common Painkillers
How do Trees Stand Tall?
GABA Synthesis