Chemical Bond — January 2015

Vol. 66, No. 1, January 2015

Continuity Shindig Vets New Venue

The 2014 Continuity Dinner took a chance on a new host this year, and by all accounts, it was a good bet. Food and service were excellent. The long narrow room was a little challenging for the report-givers, but the festive street lighting helped distract from the difficulties. Oh, yes … Océano Bistro in Clayton, since you ask.

After a friendly social hour with continual new arrivals, the agenda kicked off with the Open Meeting of the Section. In the only official business for the Section at large, Leah O’Brien announced that she had nominated our section to host the 2022 Midwest Regional Meeting, a mere 11 years after the last time. That hosting experience was a great success for meeting attendees, exhibitors, and the Section itself, so it’s hard to understand why some in attendance who had been involved in 2011 half-jokingly spewed creative excuses to avoid the next one. A hosting committee of fresh faces up for a rewarding challenge would be a wonderful idea.

The Board of Directors meeting was mercifully short, essentially wrapping up just as dinner was served, and leaving the fun stuff for “dessert”:

• Myron Reese was recognized as the “St Louis Section Outreach Volunteer of the Year”.
  Before retaking his seat, Myron Reese was further recongized with the “St Louis Section Distinguished Service Award” which will be conferred at Recognition Night in March.


Myron Reese receiving award from Jim O’Brien

• Joe Ackerman gave the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture. Little back-story here: the original secret speaker cancelled sick on short notice, and Joe was the only one foolish enough to respond to Jim O’Brien’s whimpers. Joe’s talk was not the traditional lighthearted-year-in-review. It was instead a lighthearted-path-to-success involving three essential elements: talent, determination, and fun. Each element came with its own anecdote, and it was hard to tell who was enjoying it more: Joe or everyone else. For anyone who didn’t know him, this was an excellent introduction to the new Chair-elect.


Joe Ackerman giving the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture at the December 2014 Continuity Dinner

• With great relief, Jim O’Brien passed the book and gavel, sacred implements of the Chair, to Pegah Jalili for her year at the helm.


Pegah Jalili receiving the book and gavel from Jim O’Brien

Adjourned, we diffused into the night.

To view additional photos of the Continuity dinner, visit the Flickr site of member Vic Lewchenko.

SLU Chem Club feted

The ACS student chapter at Saint Louis University has been selected by the ACS to receive a “Commendable” award for its 2013-2014 academic year activities. Award criteria include outreach/service (community, university, and department), professional development (attending scientific meetings, presentations/speakers, and tours/field trips), and chapter development (social, business, and fundraising).

Lists of award winning chapters will be published in Chemical & Engineering News and in the November/December issue of inChemistry, and the club will officially receive the award at the ACS National Meeting in Denver in March, 2015. The Club has been recognized with an ACS award every year for the past 14 years. (The photo is of the four officers accepting the same award last year in Dallas.) Brent M Znosko serves as the Club’s faculty mentor.

Officers of the SLU Chem Club (from left): Dylan Vu (VP of Operations), Nick Schlarman (President), Ajay Chatrath (VP of Finance), Saketh Javvaji (VP of Demonstrations)

Seeking retirees eager to make an educational impact

One of the most popular outreach programs sponsored by the St Louis ACS section is Chemistry is pHun! Sheryl Loux, who runs this program unopposed (kind of like most of our elections) in West County school districts, is seeking a retiree to take over this rewarding program or to offer programs in far-flung school districts. If you are interested in early science education, you can make a huge difference; please contact Sheryl J Loux by email, sjloux@gmail.com or phone 636.237.5149 to discuss. Training is available.

2014 Program Impact

The twenty-four Chemistry is pHun programs in calendar year 2014 — all given by Sheryl — have impacted 822 students in 10 or more schools. Program activity for the 2014-2015 school year has started strongly this fall. The program modules offered by Sheryl are “States of Matter”, “Chemistry is pHun”, “What is Matter?”, “Using the Scientific Method for a Science Fair Project”, and “Polymers are Marvelous Molecules”. Sheryl thanks Don Sartor and Amy Kerkemeyer for helping with some programs.

The “States of Matter” program is designed for elementary students and is popular in 2nd- and 3rd-grade classes. States of matter are explored with solid, liquid, and gas states of mainly water, demonstrating the addition or release of energy in the form of heat when changing physical states. Examples of plasma are mentioned and “Gluep” is made to show a substance that has properties of both liquids and solids.

Simple equipment and simple setup serves up “States of Matter” to a large group of kids

Another program for grades K-3 is “What is Matter?” introduces the periodic table of elements and has kids constructing water molecules with marshmallows and toothpicks.

“Using the Scientific Method for a Science Fair Project” is designed for grades 5-8. “Polymers are Marvelous Molecules” includes DNA extraction from strawberries, and is suitable for grades 7-12.

Amy Kerkenmeyer doing the pH testing during the Chemistry is pHun program for eighth graders

Of the 822 students participating this calendar year, 610 students enjoyed the “States of Matter” program, 160 students have enjoyed the “Chemistry is pHun” program, and 52 students extracted DNA in the “Polymers are Marvelous Molecules” activity.

Kids having fun and learning; is there a better way to spend a day—for them or for you?

YOU CAN BE A SCIENCE FAIR JUDGE

You can be a science fair judge for the St. Louis Section’s Science Fair Chemistry Awards!

Volunteer by contacting Sheryl J. Loux at sjloux@gmail.com (636-237-5149)

2015 Fairs the American Chemical Society (ACS) St. Louis Section are judging:

• 1.) MISSOURI TRI- COUNTY REGIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR

  St. Charles Community College,
  College Student Center
  on Saturday, February 21, 2015.
  Judging from 9 AM-Noon.
  K-4 participation awards distributed.
  Judging: 5-8 grades, 9-12 grades, Honors 9-12.
  Free Judges breakfast 8-9 AM.

• 2.) ILLINOIS JUNIOR ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIR

  SIUE Regional Science Fair! Saturday, March 28, 2015
  in the Morris University Center (#8 on campus map, park in lot E),
  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE),
  Edwardsville, IL 62026

  The SIUE regional fair hosts over 200 of the finest 5th through 12th grade student projects from a ten county area.
  Meet at 9:30 AM and judging from 10 AM to 1 PM
  Judging: 5-8 grades and 9-12 grades. 9-12.
  (Light judges buffet available.)

• 3.) GREATER ST LOUIS SCIENCE FAIR will be Wednesday April 29, 2015

  Greater St. Louis Elementary and Secondary Science Fairs
  located in West St. Louis County at
  Edgar M. Queeny Park Recreation Complex,
  550 Weidman Rd,
  Ballwin, MO 63011

  Elementary (K-5) Participation Awards distributed to chemistry-related projects.
  Three people needed for about 1 hour each between 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM Wednesday, April 29, 2015
  No Judging involved.

  Secondary (6-12) Judging of chemistry-related projects
  3:00 PM to 8:30 PM (Please come for at least 2.5 hours) Wednesday, April 29, 2015
  All secondary judges must be present at 8:30 PM to pick winners.
  Please allow about 1 additional hour for this process.
  Dinner for judges is free at site (5-6:00 PM).

Your Participation As a ACS Judge would be Greatly Appreciated!

Co-Coordinators Sheryl Loux (sjloux@gmail.com; 636-237-5149) and John Mihelcic (jmihelcic@stlcc.edu; 618-960-2488)

Chemistry Careers in St Louis

Did you know there is a group on LinkedIn.com that can help you with your career? “Chemistry Careers in St Louis” is free, open to anyone who wants to join, and contains the job openings (many exclusive to this list), career development opportunities, and other information to help chemists who have, or want to have, careers in the St Louis area. Traffic is low, and memberships must be approved to prevent spammers. Go to LinkedIn.com, search for the group “Chemistry Careers in St Louis”, and check it out.

Chemical Bond editors

This issue of The Chemical Bond newsletter has been a joint effort of Eric Ressner and Margaret Allen. Eric is the long-time editor of this newsletter and he has graciously and patiently taken-on the task of training the soon-to-be editor, Margaret. Because this is very much a joint effort, for this issue we are listed as co-editors.

Board of Directors

St Louis Section–ACS Board of Directors meets the second Thursday of each month, usually at the Glen Echo Country Club (map and driving directions). Meetings are open to all members, and all are encouraged to attend. Elected officers and chairs of major committees vote on questions put to the Board; others in attendance have voice but no vote.

If you want to attend for dinner, please contact the section Chair at least a week in advance. Usual cost of the dinner is $21 ($12 for post-docs and unemployed members). Bar service and dessert are optional extras. Members wishing to become active in section activities are welcomed for their first dinner as guests of the section.

Date: Jan 8
Social hour, cash bar: 5:30 pm
Business meeting: 6:30 pm (suspended for dinner when served)
Future meetings: Feb 12, Mar 12

Saint Louis University

Seminars are on Fridays at 12 noon in Carlo Auditorium, Tegeler Hall, unless noted otherwise. Refreshments follow. For more information, contact Jim Edwards, jedward5@slu.edu.

University of Missouri–St Louis

Mondays at 4 pm in 451 Benton Hall, unless otherwise specified. Refreshments 15 minutes prior to seminar time. For more information, contact the Chemistry Department, 314.516.5311.

Washington University

Seminars are in McMillen 311 at 4 pm unless otherwise noted. For information, contact: Liviu Mirica, mirica@wustl.edu.

As of publication time, no seminars were scheduled for this month.

The Chemical Bond is published at www.stlacs.org January through May and September through December by the St Louis Section–American Chemical Society. If you would like to receive email notification when each issue is posted, you can subscribe to our email list and join the “Chemical Bond reminders” group.