Homemade bread.  Crispy bacon.  Roasted vegetables.  Seared steak.  Why is your mouth watering?  We invite emeriti faculty and D.C. area alumni to join Dean Peter Starr, College of Arts and Sciences, and Professor Matt Hartings, Department of Chemistry, for lunch and a lively discussion on the science of the Maillard reaction.  This is a luncheon for academics, scientists, and foodies alike!  There is no cost to attend.

Every time you step foot in the kitchen, you oversee one of the most important and most technically challenging chemical reactions: the Maillard reaction.  The Maillard reaction describes the chemistry that occurs when we brown or sear the food we eat.  The undeniable comfort and pleasure we derive from eating roasted foods is due, in no small part, to the chemistry and molecules of the Maillard reaction.  At this luncheon, we will discuss: flavor development through browning and searing techniques; the basic chemistry of browning and how we can control that in the kitchen; and the reasons why this chemistry was important for human evolution and what it means to us now.

This is a luncheon for academics, scientists, and foodies alike!

Professor Matthew Hartings is striving to develop new uses for metals in biological systems. He currently oversees two research projects—the first entails designing metal-based anti-cancer drugs, and the second involves creating artificial photosynthetic proteins transform harmful greenhouse gases into useful chemicals.  For a more detailed description, see the Hartings group website.   Professor Hartings has a BS in chemistry and physics from the University of Dayton, and a Ph.D in chemistry from Northwestern University.