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Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead: Daily Summaries Delivered
by International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University
In the field of nanotechnology, the future is small, and the possibilities are endless. From combating climate change to improving human health, "Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead," introduces you to leading experts in the field who are uncovering nano-sized solutions to some of the most pressing issues impacting our world today. This podcast is produced by the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University.
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- May 4, 202618 min
Bending Light at the Nanoscale with Matt Jones
In honor of Star Wars Day, this episode explores futuristic light technologies seen in science fiction—like invisibility cloaks or powerful directed energy— and how far away we are from such innovations. In this episode, Matt Jones, a chemist at Rice University and Northwestern alum, explains how scientists are learning to control light by engineering materials at the nanoscale and why when materials are reduced to billionths of a meter, they begin to exhibit entirely new optical properties—from color-changing nanoparticles to structures that interact with light in unexpected ways. The conversation explores the emerging field of metamaterials and how curiosity-driven, fundamental science lays the groundwork for innovations that may shape the future.
- Apr 14, 202635 min
Soft Robotics Inspired by Nature | Building Artificial Muscles that Move and Sense with Ryan Truby
The future of robotics isn't just smarter software, but smarter materials. In this episode, Northwestern University's Ryan Truby explains how his lab is designing soft, bio-inspired robots powered by artificial muscles and nanoscale engineering. From safer human-robot interaction to real-world applications like disaster response and health care, he shares how rethinking a robot's body could transform what machines can do. Guest: Ryan Truby, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, June and Donald Brewer Junior Professor, Northwestern University Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicator
- Mar 16, 202628 min
Can Nanoscience Build Better Clothes? with Cécile Chazot
Understanding polymers at the nanoscale is helping scientists design stronger, more sustainable materials. In this episode, Cécile Chazot, the Julia Weertman Professor in Materials Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, describes her lab's mission which includes designing next-generation textiles from naturally derived polymers that maintain high performance while improving recyclability and environmental impact. She also explains how lessons from nature and advances in nanoscience could reshape how we design, manufacture, and dispose of the materials that make up everyday products. Guest: Cécile Chazot, Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Julia Weertman Professor in Materials Science and Engineering Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicator
- Feb 9, 202632 min
The RNA Multiverse with Julius Lucks
In this episode, Julius Lucks, takes us into the nanoscale multiverse of RNA and explains how tiny, dynamic molecules are being engineered into tools to tackle global challenges in human health, water quality, and the environment. He also explains how he keeps real-world needs at the center of his breakthrough research.
- Jan 12, 202614 min
From Molecules to Metaphors: When Science Inspires Fiction with Julia Kalow
Sometimes nanotechnology sounds like science-fiction before it becomes science-fact. In this episode, Julia Kalow, a Northwestern University chemist, who is also trained in creative writing, helps us explore the overlap between fiction and fact in nanotechnology and the importance of creativity in scientific problem-solving. Guest: Julia Kalow, Dow Chemical Company Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicator
- Dec 15, 202524 min
Building the Future, Atom-by-Atom, in the Nano Workshop with Robert Macfarlane
What if the next industrial revolution is happening molecule-by-molecule? In this episode we explore this idea with Robert Macfarlane, PhD, a Northwestern alumni and MIT materials scientist who is pioneering programmable materials that self-assemble and respond to their environment. Macfarlane explains how his work moves beyond DNA-based assembly to create scalable nanomaterials with real-world potential—from flexible electronics and biomedical devices to photonic materials that manipulate light. Guest: Robert J. Macfarlane, Richard P. Simmons (1953) Professor in Metallurgy, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicator
- Nov 3, 202537 min
Can Bacteria Eat Our Plastic Problem? A Chat with Dr. Ludmilla Aristilde
Dr. Ludmilla Aristilde is an expert in environmental chemistry, environmental biochemistry, and bioengineering, but at the heart of it all is nanoscience. In this episode of Nanoscape Atistilde talks about her research, which includes discoveries in microplastics and nanoplastics and why nanoscience plays a key role in her research group's activities which aims to gain a fundamental understanding of the "why" and "how" of the environmental behavior of organics, with implications for nutrient cycling, ecosystem health, agricultural productivity, and environmental biotechnology. Guest: Ludmilla Aristilde, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University Hosts: Seth Zimmerman, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications, IIN and Erin Spain, MS, Podcaster and Science Communicat
- Oct 6, 202532 min
The Scientist Who Thinks Like a Musician: Nicholas Peppas
Professor Nicholas Peppas has spent five decades defining the field of medical nanotechnology and shaping the very foundations of modern drug delivery. He has been awarded the 2025 Kabiller Prize in nanoscience and nanomedicine by The International Institute for Nanotechnology. The $250,000 award — the world's largest monetary award in the field — recognizes his pioneering research, which has transformed how some of the world's most difficult diseases are treated. In this episode, Peppas talks about his influential career spanning over five decades and his journey from early polymer research to groundbreaking innovations like oral insulin delivery and his predictions for the future of nanomedicine.
About Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead
In the field of nanotechnology, the future is small, and the possibilities are endless. From combating climate change to improving human health, "Nanoscape: Exploring the Frontiers Ahead," introduces you to leading experts in the field who are uncovering nano-sized solutions to some of the most pressing issues impacting our world today. This podcast is produced by the International Institute for Nanotechnology at Northwestern University.
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