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Colloquium Series: Dr. Christopher Hendon, University of Oregon
Tuesday, October 1 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Dr. Christopher Hendon
Associate Professor of Computational Material Chemistry
University of Oregon
Tuesday October 1, 2024, 4pm Chapman Hall Rm. 125
Title: Electrochemical measurement and modification of coffee
Abstract:
The coffee industry composes 1.8% of the US GDP and is predicated on a complex mixture of thousands of compounds, many of which contribute to its flavor and aroma. Minor fluctuations in their ratios can result in major differences in the beverages perception. However, to date the industry is only able to measure the average total solvated mass (%TDS) or use cost prohibitive and slow chromatography methods and loosely relate those data to a sensory experience. Electrochemistry offers one route to measuring coffee components in real time and provides both qualitative and quantitative insights into coffee qualities. This talk canvases four years of work to develop an approach to glean unparalleled insights into what is solvated in the cup. The talk will cover some fundamentals of electrochemistry, a demonstration of its utility, and a real-time demonstration that you can drink!
Bio:
Prof. Christopher H. Hendon is a computational chemist studying energy storage and, separately, electrochemical processes in coffee. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Monash University (2011, Melbourne, Australia) and PhD from the University of Bath (2015, United Kingdom). After a two-year postdoc at Massachusetts Institute of Technology he joined the University of Oregon in 2017 and is now an Associate Professor of Chemistry where his research group focuses on materials with useful defects. He has published over 125 papers, was named a Cottrell Scholar in 2021, a Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar in 2022, the Samuel R. Scholes Jnr. Lecture for excellence in scientific communication and has been awarded the Rippey Award for Innovative Teaching twice. In coffee, he authored, “Water For Coffee”, and has written numerous peer-reviewed articles on the topic.