Rebecca Trager
Senior US correspondent, Chemistry World
I became the US Correspondent for Chemistry World in September 2014, based out of Washington, DC, after writing for the magazine on a freelance basis since 2007. With a background in policy, and a passion for journalism, I have found my niche covering the world of science policy since 1997. The interest was sparked after spending summers during college as a press intern for the National Institutes of Health. Before joining Chemistry World, I was the US Editor for Research Europe, covering the White House, as well as government departments and US agencies, and am also the former managing editor of The Blue Sheet, an Elsevier biomedical research and health policy publication. I studied philosophy and political theory at Haverford College in Pennsylvania.
NewsChina displaces US as top publisher of high-quality natural science studies
Contribution of researchers in China to Nature Index journals is ‘rapidly gaining ground’, and in 2021 they led in physical sciences and chemistry
- Business
US supreme court confirms Amgen’s cholesterol antibody patents invalid
Decision could mean patent descriptions need to be even more detailed, and hence expensive
- Careers
Meet the first deaf, Black woman to earn a Stem doctorate
Amie Fornah Sankoh has persevered from failing primary school in Sierra Leone to gaining a biochemistry PhD in the US
- Opinion
Margaret Faul: ‘Stand for what you think is right’
The pharmaceutical executive on why chemistry clicked for her, and life as a female organic chemist in the drug industry
- Research
Microbial degradation offers way to tackle chlorinated PFAS in wastewater
Findings shed light on the environmental fate of chlorinated PFAS compounds and how to design biodegradable, less toxic alternatives
- News
EU research commissioner resigns to head up new Bulgarian government
Mariya Gabriel’s duties will be temporarily overseen by two senior Commission staff
- Opinion
Lessons from Lieber
The prosecution of Charles Lieber has had a chilling effect on US researchers, leaving them uncertain about collaboration with overseas programmes
- News
New carbon dioxide pollution standards proposed for US power plants
US environment agency estimates its new regulation would avoid over 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by 2042
- Business
UN asked to investigate ‘human rights violations’ by Chemours
Local campaigners claim PFAS emissions from US plant violate various rights, including to clean water and a sustainable environment
- Business
DuPont and a senior employee plead guilty to criminal negligence
$16 million in fines and probation related to fatal methyl mercaptan leak at La Porte, US
- News
Harvard’s former chemistry head Charles Lieber avoids prison over undisclosed links to China
Prosecutors requested 90 days in prison for concealing ties to Chinese university and programmes, but he ended up with time served
- News
Explainer: who is Charles Lieber and why does his case matter for US research?
Three years after his arrest the former head of Harvard’s chemistry department has been sentenced for concealing links to a Chinese university
- Research
Graphene ‘tattoo’ pacemaker that wraps around the heart is thinnest yet
First cardiac implant made from graphene can sense arrythmias in rodents and deliver electrical stimulation to restore normal heartbeat
- News
EPA proposes ban on most uses of dichloromethane
New rules would prohibit all consumer uses and most industrial uses of the chemical, and to regulate its use in the lab
- News
The launch of a new field: precision microbiome editing
Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna is helping lead a new $70 million project combining metagenomics and CRISPR to solve health, climate problems
- News
Royal Society of Chemistry partners with ResearchGate to promote open access
Society hopes to reach a wide range of researchers, beyond the 1.5 million chemists worldwide who use the academic social networking site
- News
EPA proposes new rules to cut ethylene oxide exposure
US agency plans to tighten emissions standards and implement safeguards for exposed workers
- Business
J&J proposes to pay nearly $9 billion to settle talc lawsuits
Company re-files for bankruptcy of a subsidiary in the hopes of resolving tens of thousands of claims its products caused cancer
- News
Microplastic pollution purged from contaminated water using ultrasound
Prototype device concentrates plastic particles in flowing water with sound waves, removing over 70% of small plastic particles and 82% of larger ones
- News
Italian government considers banning lab-grown meat
Proposed law would prohibit the production or sale of cultivated meat in Italy, and other synthetic foods grown from cells
