Dr. Marion Emmert, Postdoctoral Researcher from the University of Michigan, will be conducting a seminar focusing on the variety of challenges scientists face in determining alternative fuel sources, reducing harmful industrial by-products, preventing future pollution, dealing with the causes of global warming, along with many others. Using catalysts for transforming chemicals can help to use inexpensive, abundant, and nontoxic starting materials, generate less waste, lower energy costs and to use fossil fuels in a cleaner and more efficient way. Furthermore, novel catalytic methods are needed to develop alternatives to petroleum as the feedstock for fuels, plastics, detergents, and medicines. Thus, catalysis is one of the most important technologies for the future.