Schneller Frontiers lecture features Paul Chirik from Princeton

The College of Sciences and Mathematics Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry hosted the 2025 Schneller Frontiers Lecture on October 2 featuring Paul Chirik, the Edwards S. Sanford Professor and chair of chemistry at Princeton. His lecture, Earth-Abundant Metal Catalysts for C–C Bond Formation: Gateway to Sustainable Chemistry, highlighted new approaches to building molecules with more sustainable elements.

The Schneller Frontiers Lectureship was established in 2015 by Professor Stewart Schneller and his wife, Anya, to bring leading chemists and biochemists to Auburn. Schneller served as dean of the college from 1994 to 2010, after which he continued teaching and conducting research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He authored more than 160 publications and mentored nearly 60 PhD students and postdoctoral associates over his 51-year academic career before his passing in 2024.

Assistant Professor Madison Sowden opened the lecture by sharing Schneller’s story and his impact on Auburn. “His legacy cannot be understated,” Sowden said.

Chirik described the role catalysis plays in everyday life and the environmental consequences of relying on rare elements like palladium and platinum. Catalysis drives about 80 percent of chemical synthesis and 35 percent of the global economy, he said, but current methods are not sustainable.

His research group is working to replace precious metals with more Earth-abundant ones such as iron and nickel. Chirik said this approach could reduce costs and expand access to life-saving drugs.

He pointed to the HIV treatment Lenacapavir, approved in 2022, where palladium-based steps account for nearly 30 percent of the raw material cost. These high costs limit global access, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. “Our goal is to make this molecule as cheaply as possible so it can be distributed freely around the world,” Chirik said.

Chirik also discussed work on Afimetoran, a molecule in development at Bristol Myers Squibb. Two palladium-catalyzed steps currently represent half of its production cost. His group is developing nickel- and iron-based methods that could lower expenses and reduce environmental impacts.

Chirik acknowledged the challenges of moving away from precious metals but said the opportunity to develop new reactions with Earth-abundant elements is too important to ignore.

“Whenever you look at how something is made and it relies on something rare on Earth, it would be nice to do it with something that’s more Earth-abundant,” Chirik said.

The Schneller Frontiers Lecture continues to honor the vision of Professor Stewart Schneller by bringing leaders in chemistry and biochemistry to Auburn to share discoveries that shape the future of science.