Produced for the 2011 International Year of Chemistry, the video series Spellbound, tells the story of scientists whose childhood curiosity about everyday things helped them launch careers in the lab, win Nobel Prizes and make other achievements. Their early childhood experiences may encourage young people into careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

This episode features Bassam Shakhashiri, Ph.D.:

• Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• 1986 ACS George Pimentel Award in Chemical Education
• 2005 ACS Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach
• 2011 President-Elect, American Chemical Society