Question: On your profile it says that you work with carbon compounds. It also says that you work with hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen (plus many more). The 4 elements named are the types of gasses in the atmosphere and that makes up air, so with there being a major carbon dioxide problem in the atmosphere, do you think that you can help with all the carbon dioxide peoblems like global warming and the greenhouse gasses?

Aimee Egglestone answered on 12 Nov 2019:

Hi Sophie, That’s a really great question.

I usually don’t work with any of these elements in the form that they are in as greenhouse gases. For example I am currently working with a material called Formamide which has all 4 of those elements but is a liquid.

I do, however, help to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being emitted by my own plant and the plants that I help design processes for because I edit the chemistry so that less harsh conditions are required, so less electricity and less burning of carbon compounds to make it. I also work with a company who make renewable car fuel, so I am doing my bit, even if it isn’t as directly as many scientists do!