Questions to ask a Chemist in a an interview?

Sithxace

Sithxace

Well-known member
For my video interview, I will be interviewing a chemistry teacher at my college. Really smart old lady with a funny mexican accent. Im wondering what would be some creative interesting questions to ask her?
 
Global Warming

Lol. It's a pressing social issue. Unless you're looking for specific things you need, it should get you some great facts side by side with strong opinion's, which always get's people talking. As a chemist, she'll probably be more prone to wanting to talk about the makeup and effect of CFC's and other relevant pollutants. I just did a paper on this. Try reading Wikipedia under search words ,"Ozone Depletion," and come up with some good questions. See if that helps a little.
 
As a chemistry graduate (BSc, MRSC) I would have to disagree! Try to get her on the watering down of chemistry syabuses worldwide and the fundermental underpinnings of chemistry to life in general. Depletion of the ozone layer (Gas-phase photochemistry), Global warming, smog (Photochem again). Compare what she used to teach when she started to what she teaches now. Try browsing quality newspapers and flagging up "science stuff" almost certainly you'll finc chem related topics.
Good luck.
Dave
 
It's hard to give much direction without knowing the purpose of the video...but, if the video will be for a general audience ask her what she does when she goes to work everyday and have her explain it to you like you were a fifth grader. (This works in all professions and is good if you don't have time to do extensive research.) If you don't understand what she's saying there is a good chance your audience won't either.

When she reverts to a hard-to-understand technical answer remind her to give it to you in layman terms. She may get frustrated because you don't understand something that she thinks is basic and all you can do is smile a lot and keep trying to get her to simplify her answers.
 
Ask what her favorite chemical is, and what sort of bond might she have with it.
 
Last edited:
Scott W. Smith said:
It's hard to give much direction without knowing the purpose of the video...but, if the video will be for a general audience ask her what she does when she goes to work everyday and have her explain it to you like you were a fifth grader. (This works in all professions and is good if you don't have time to do extensive research.) If you don't understand what she's saying there is a good chance your audience won't either.

When she reverts to a hard-to-understand technical answer remind her to give it to you in layman terms. She may get frustrated because you don't understand something that she thinks is basic and all you can do is smile a lot and keep trying to get her to simplify her answers.
Click to expand...

Awesome feedback, Scott! Clearly you have great interviewing and production skills. Sithxace, if you're going to be doing much interviewing, I highly recommend you purchase "Creative Interviewing" and tune into NPR "Fresh Air" interviews by Terry Gross.

Good luck, Michael
 
And are you interviewing her because she is smart, or because she has a "funny Mexican accent" If the former, good luck, if the latter you'll deserve all the oprobrium you'll recieve.
Dave
 
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