Chemical Bond: Be Sure to Keep Up

Last month, we announced in this space that the Chemical Bond would be going all-electronic starting with the January, 2010, issue. We’ve already started down that road with print and web renditions in parallel starting last May. All the content of the print version is in the web version, plus

• full color photos and artwork where available
• easy navigation from the Table of Contents and between articles
• internet citations as links for convenient follow-up
• searchable content with your browser’s Find function
• and all the other advantages we mentioned last month: more timely content ... searchable archive ... environmental benefits ... saving money for other programs

We know, though, that if the Bond doesn’t arrive proactively in your postal mailbox every month, you can easily lose your connection to the Section and the local chemistry scene. So ...

• if you would like to receive a reminder each month when the web edition is posted, you can subscribe at www.stlacs.org/mailman/listinfo/bond.remind (we’re a little new at this listserv admin thing, so if you don’t get a confirmation email shortly after subscribing, please send your subscription request to webmaster@stlacs.org, and we’ll handle it manually).
• if you don’t have a computer at home, remember that most public libraries offer free internet access. Go to www.stlacs.org and find the link to the current edition in the QuickLinks column on the left.
• if you simply can’t access the webBond, send a postcard or letter to

  St Louis Section–ACS
  P.O. Box 220291
  Saint Louis, MO 63122-0291

  and ask to have the webBond printed and mailed to you every month (Jan-May, Sep-Dec) at no charge. Be sure to include your full mailing address and your ACS member number. (You can just copy or cut out the printed address on the back cover of this issue. See here for instructions.) We will ask you to renew this request every year to be sure we have up-to-date information.

Success Again—Chemistry Merit Badge 2009

On September 19th, 47 Boy Scouts from all over St Louis and part of Illinois came to Jost Chemical Company to learn about chemistry and earn a merit badge. They learned about the four main fields of chemistry, made Cartesian divers, separated solutions, got oil and water to mix, and took a tour of a working chemical manufacturing plant.

The 25 professional chemists and chemistry students who helped at the event found the boys to be “interested, polite, cooperative, and generally a lot of fun.” The event was sponsored by the St Louis Section–ACS and Jost Chemical Company. Door prizes were furnished by Monsanto and AmerenUE Pure Power.

The Scouts need your help!

The ACS–St Louis Section sponsors chemistry clinics for local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The Boy Scouts earn their Chemistry Merit Badge in a half-day event. The target age group is 11–13 or so. Approximately 40 boys learn about the scientific method, laboratory safety, industrial chemistry, and some fundamental chemical principles. The boys have a great time, and there is always a waiting list. Numerous section members and college student affili ates assist with this event, providing supervision, lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. The event starts early in the morning and finishes with lunch and merit badge counselor review in the early afternoon. The past two years, it has been held on a Saturday in September at Jost Chemi cal Company.

The Girl Scout Chemistry Interest Project is geared toward high school girls. This event has been held at Saint Louis University, and can accommodate 10 participants. College student affiliates assist with this nearly day-long event that has taken place on a Saturday in October or November. The girls learn about UV-vis spectroscopy and apply it to analyze sunscreen; they discuss scientific ethics; they learn about some hot topics in chemistry; and they take an experiment in pH testing into the community to satisfy their service requirement. The event starts in the morning—lunch is provided—and concludes late in the afternoon.

In the past, these clinics have been supported by a grant from national ACS. The grant has expired. These events are enormously popular, but we are unable support them fully without additional funding, either donations or a participant fee (definitely not our preference). About $800 will cover the expenses of the two programs at the current level of participation. More funding would allow us to accomodate more kids.

If you would like to make a donation to sup port these programs, please contact the Section Chair. No donation is too small, and your support is greatly appreciated.

William Doub, Section Chair
US FDA
1114 Market Street
St Louis, MO 63101-2045
phone: (314) 539-3816
fax: (314) 539-2113
email: william.doub@fda.hhs.gov and ucr1975@sigmaxi.net
(please send to both addresses)

Will you be needing ... ?

Will you be needing the webBond printed and mailed to you?

Note: this item is pertinent only for the paper Chemical Bond. Besides, if you’re reading this, you can get to the internet, so your answer is “no.” —Ed.

If you won’t be able to access the webBond on the internet starting in January, we’ll print it and mail it to you on request. It won’t be as pretty as the booklet format you’re used to, but it will provide all the information you need to keep up with Section news and activities.

Please help us adhere to the spirit of our web-only Bond. Request mailing only if you can’t get to the internet. Cut this item out—your contact information will be on the other side—confirm your request below, and mail to:

St Louis Section–ACS
P.O. Box 220291
Saint Louis, MO 63122-0291

Yes, please mail a printed copy of the webBond to me at the address on the other side. This request is effective for all issues in 2010 or until I send you other instructions.

Printed name _________________________________________________

Signed ______________________________________________________

Come to the Continuity Dinner

Every December, the St Louis Section holds a fancier than average board meeting to celebrate the year’s achievements, recognize certain members, and pass the gavel to the new slate of section officers. There is also the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture, recapping the past year, which is given by a surprise speaker.

For many members, this is the only event they attend each year. Please join us on December 10 at Glen Echo Country Club: social hour and open bar (beer, wine, soft drinks) at 5:30 p.m; dinner at 6:30 and the meeting will begin during dinner. Cost is $30.00 per person. Please send the reservation form on page 6 with your payment by December 1.

Thursday, December 10, 2009 at Glen Echo Country Club,3401 Lucas and Hunt Rd St. Louis, MO 63121
5:30 pm Social hour, open bar (beer, wine, soft drinks)
6:30 pm Dinner and meeting

Please send reservations by December 1st to:

Dr. William Doub
US FDA
1114 Market St., Rm. 1002
Saint Louis, MO 63101
(314) 539-3816

Make checks payable to St. Louis Section–ACS
Name(s) _______________________________________________________
Number attending _____ × $30 each = amount remitted $____________
Choice of entrée (number of each): fish _____ or steak _____

 Meetings & Seminars

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). 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 Bill Doub (william.doub@fda.hhs.gov or 314.651.7514) at least a week in advance. Usual cost of the dinner is $20. Members wishing to become active in section activities are welcomed for their first dinner as guests of the section.

Date: Nov 12
Social hour: 5:30 pm
Dinner: 6:30 pm
Business meeting: 7:15 pm

Next month: Dec 10 Continuity Dinner (see here for reservation)

Saint Louis University

Seminars start at 12 noon in Room 12 Monsanto Hall, except as noted. For more information, contact the Chemistry Department, 314-977-2850.

November 6
Dr Dana Dattelbaum
Los Alamos National Laboratory
TBA

November 19
Sigma-Aldrich Seminar, 9:10 am, Busch Student Center 253B-C
Dr Ronald A Siegel
University of Minnesota
Top-down and Bottom-up Strategies for Sensors and Dynamic Hormone Delivery

University of Missouri–St Louis

Fridays 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. All topics were TBA at press time

November 9
Sophia Hayes
Washington University

November 16
Xumu Zhang
Rutgers University

November 30
Renee D Jiji
University of Missouri–Columbia

Washington University

Seminars are in McMillen 311 at 4 pm unless otherwise noted. For information, contact Lev Gelb, gelb@wustl.edu.

November 5
Walter D Loveland
Oregon State University
Synthetic paths to the heaviest elements

November 12
Steven M Holmes
University of Missouri–St Louis
TBA

November 19
Richard L Axelbaum
Washington University
TBA

Need event reminders?

Would you like an email reminder of upcoming ACS events and activities? Join the ACS reminders listserv. Email Alexa Serfis at barnoski@slu.edu and ask to be put on the list. You can also add or remove yourself at the website, stlacs.org, and click on Event reminders—subscribe or Event reminders—unsubscribe. Subscription comes with a money-back no-spam guarantee.

About the Chemical Bond

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, please send your request to editor@stlacs.org with “Bond subscribe” in the subject line. You can cancel reminders by sending email with “Bond unsubscribe” in the subject line.

Interim Editor	Eric Ressner	314.962.6415 editor@stlacs.org
Assistant Editor & Advertising Manager	Sue Saum	314.513.4808 ssaum@stlcc.edu
Business Manager	Donna Friedman	314.513.4388 dfriedman@stlcc.edu