CEE 60th Anniversary Periodic Table Playlist

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18260/2-1-370.660-142659

Abstract

Chemistry has always found its way into popular culture, even if we don't always notice it. Elements appear in song titles, lyrics, metaphors, punchlines, and stories, sometimes as scientific references and sometimes simply because they sound cool. From hydrogen to plutonium, artists across decades and genres have been borrowing the language of the periodic table to tell their stories.

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Chemical Engineering Education, we assembled our own "periodic table" of songs, one musical example for as many elements as we could find, focusing on those released in the past 60 years (the “CEE era”).

Author Biographies

Matthew E. Cooper, North Carolina State University, United States

Matthew E. Cooper is an Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State. After receiving a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Ohio University, he served as a researcher at RTI International before joining the NC State faculty in 2011. Dr. Cooper’s research interests include effective teaching, process safety decision-making skills, and best practices for online education.

Corresponding author: mecoope3@ncsu.edu

Jason E. Bara, The University of Alabama, United States

Jason E. Bara is a University Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at The University of Alabama. He received a PhD from the University of Colorado – Boulder in 2007. Dr. Bara’s research interests include chemical separations, green chemistry, polymers, and 3D printing. ORCID: 0000-0002-8351-2145

William Visco, The University of Akron, United States

William Visco is an Associate Professor of Education and Director of the Akron Professional Pop-culture Library and Education Studio (APPLES) at The University of Akron. Prior to joining the faculty at Akron, he taught high school English in Florida and Texas before earning his PhD from the University of North Texas in 2020. Dr. Visco’s research interests include the use of popular culture in education, innovative pedagogical practices that connect classroom learning to students’ lived experiences, and the long-term impact of short-term study abroad experiences. In Fall 2026 he will launch a podcast exploring the use of popular culture in the classroom.

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Published

2026-09-21

Issue

Ahead of Print (Articles ASAP)

Section

60th Anniversary Special Section