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 Kristala L. Jones Prather, Ph.D.:

• Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation New Faculty Award
• Office of Naval Research Young Investigator grant
• Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award
• Technology Review "TR35" Young Innovator