Hi, my name is Toby Ziemke!
I am a senior writer and editor for ChemTalk. Currently, I’m an undergraduate student at Middlebury College, where I’m pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. I also work in an undergraduate research lab on campus that studies the pharmacology and chemical ecology of insects and their pheromones. My most recent lab project concerns isolating and identifying the mating pheromone of Lucidota atra, a species of daytime firefly native to the US Northeast.
Chemistry has always been a passion for me, but I’ve noticed that it can be rather inaccessible and difficult to learn, depending on the quality of your teacher and your available resources. I joined ChemTalk because I want to help students learn this fascinating science who didn’t get the best experience in school.
Favorite articles I’ve worked on: