"Creosote, Community and Consequences: Material Longevity in the Petro-Chemical Gulf South."

About the presentation: Creosote, Community and Consequences: Material Longevity in the Petro-Chemical Gulf South bridges the material, chemical and cultural dimensions of the US Gulf South region and the shared human experience of the Anthropocene through original research and musical composition. Creosote is a complex, naturally-derived carbonaceous material composed of a mixture of organic compounds (i.e. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenol, and creosols) distilled from coal tar and used as a wood preservative within the transportation and construction sectors, e.g. bridgework, railroad ties, marine pilings, utility poles, and other wooden infrastructure systems, due to its chemical properties that inhibit decay and insect infestation. Creosote has had wide-reaching unintended consequences as these small molecules are carcinogenic and pervasive environmental contaminants, posing risks to ecosystems, wildlife, and human health.
This presentation highlights collaborative research and features original musical performance by Les Cenelles (led by Dr. Frazier) which explores creosote as a point of inquiry to discuss materials, history and story-telling.
Featured collaborators: Dr. Denise Frazier (MIT MLK Visiting Professor and Scholars Fellow, DMSE) with Dr. Ellan Spero (Instructor, Historian of Science and Technology, DMSE) and Professor Christine Ortiz (Morris Cohen Professor in Materials Science and Engineering, DMSE) and Les Cenelles (Joseph Darensbourg, Peter J Bowling).