When a positive reaction has double benefit

Carbon dioxide is often considered a by-product of fossil fuel consumption — and not a useful one, either. But what if carbon dioxide could be turned into something useful or even an energy source? Jocelyn Legere, a Bloomsburg University student, is working on a project at Yale University this summer to do just that.

Monday, June 9 - Today was the first group meeting. I had to present what I did in the lab last week, which wasn’t much. Mine was pretty much the only reaction that works! That’s not saying much since the two reactions that I did work almost all the time.
Tuesday, June 10 - I had a meeting with the director of the program to check in with how my project is working out. It went really well.

That evening a big group of us went to the planetarium to see a show, and it was really cool! It was a nice break from being in the lab.

Wednesday, June 11 - I learned how to set up the catalyst I will be running for the rest of my time here. It all went well. Fairly uneventful day.

Thursday, June 12 - Came into the lab this morning to find out that the lab was flooded over night! The water from my condenser had flooded the drain, my hood, our lab and the lab below us! NOT GOOD!

But it all cleaned up quickly and no damage was done to anyone’s reactions or equipment.
Did find out later that day that the reaction that I set up worked! Good news! I set up two more reactions to go over night.

Friday, June 13 - Thankfully this morning the lab was not flooded and the problem fixed! Also found out that my reactions worked again! Got to go home early since my reactions worked!

Saturday, June 15 - My boyfriend came to visit me this weekend, so we went to East Rock and saw an aerial view of New Haven.

— Jocelyn Legere is a junior chemistry major concentrating on nanotechnology.

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