In this episode, we discuss the award-winning book "The Story of CO2: Big Ideas for a Small Molecule" with its co-author Dr. Mireille Ghoussoub, manager for Process Development at Heirloom, USA. We debate how to turn the challenges associated with CO2 into opportunities for a sustainable future. From stability of CO2 molecule, catalysts' role and energy requirements to achieving carbon neutrality and the costs of scaling up the process, Dr. Ghoussoub highlights the qualities that make CO2 a valuable molecule for the production of fuels and chemicals. Check in to discover how we can embrace CO2 as a valuable resource.
Meet our guest
Meet Dr. Mireille Ghoussoub, a multi-talented researcher with a keen interest in all things related to carbon dioxide. Dr. Ghoussoub holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics from the University of British Columbia, a Masters in Materials Science from the University of Toronto, and a PhD in materials chemistry, also from the University of Toronto. During her doctoral studies, she focused on the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide to valuable chemicals using in situ spectroscopy and computational chemistry techniques. She co-authored the book, The Story of CO2: Big Ideas for a Small Molecule, with her PhD advisor, Professor Geoffrey Ozin. This engaging and accessible science book, published by the University of Toronto Press in 2020, explores the latest carbon utilization technologies and how they fit into broader carbon mitigation strategies. The book was honoured as a 2020 Forward Indies winner in the Ecology & Environment category.
Additional information
Heirloom - -a California-based direct air capture startup
The Story of CO2: Big Ideas for a Small Molecule - The book explores all aspects of carbon dioxide, from the atomic to the universal perspective, and takes the reader on an epic journey into our physical world, starting from the moment of the Big Bang, all the way to the present world in which atmospheric CO2 concentrations continue to grow.