Leadership Development Forum

reports on 2/3 of a successful kickoff

by May Paing

We can’t wait until it’s over to tell you how the debut of the newest professional development program is going: the series of Leadership Development Forum events. Each thematic program will typically consist of three sessions focusing on different aspects of the theme. The Fall, 2012, program titled Management vs Leadership has progressed through its first two sessions, with great success so far.

Don’t let two bygones become three. Even if you skipped the first two, feel free to join the third session, a “magical” (we can’t say more, but you don’t want to miss it) leadership workshop on November 29. The details are here. And watch for announcements of future programs.

Seminar, Sep 27

The seminar on Management vs Leadership was held in Connor Auditorium on Washington University Medical School campus. Daniel Coombes of Monsanto and Cindy Buhse of the FDA spoke. Dan focused on defining leadership, some of its aspects and traits; Cindy shared her experiences as both a manager and a leader and how they were different. During over 50 minutes of vigorous discussion, more of the differences between leadership and management were brought up by the audience. Delicious dinner was catered by Pasta House.

Cindy Buhse and Daniel Coombes provided personal anecdotes as fodder for a lively discussion

The great turnout for the first-ever LDF event ... were not disappointed

Book Discussion, Oct 18

The book discussion on The Extraordinary Leader took place at the St Louis College of Pharmacy. We started the event with dinner from Saint Louis Bread Company and networking. Then Lisa Balbes of Balbes Consulting facilitated the discussion that lasted two hours. The fully engaged participants—from seasoned professionals to graduate students—played off the themes of the book to describe their own experiences of leadership.

Lisa Balbes facilitated the book discussion for a fully engaged group of participants

A segment of the audience/participants at the book club discussion

Please say you didn’t miss Mole Day

and the National Chemistry Week events that came with it

Greg Wall, NCW coordinator for the St Louis Section, reports:

We led the community in celebrating the 25th year of National Chemistry Week Saturday, October 27, 2012, at the Saint Louis Science Center. The Chemistry Expo featured groups from Maryville University, St Louis Community College, Saint Louis University, Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville, Neuman Medical, the Saint Louis Science Center, and Kids & Chemistry. Thanks to the 68 volunteers who brought our joy of chemistry to the community with over a dozen hands-on activities—from crushing cans to CO₂ soap bubbles—more than 500 visitors explored how chemistry is part of everyday life.

Sheryl Loux, coordinator of the Kids & Chemistry program for NCW and the rest of the year, had this (and some photos, below) to add:

Kids & Chemistry had three tables at the Science Center for NCW: Enzymes for Digestion and Cleaning, which I led; Starch Scavenger Hunt testing which foods and materials contain starch, led by Chris Glass; and the Crushing Cans exploration of states of matter, led by Don Sartor. There was also a display with models of DNA. About 600 parents and kids joined us at our tables. I would like to thank our volunteers, Mike Stuckmeyer, Pegah Jalili, Aimee Clements, Jeff Cornelius, May Paing, Justin Perry, Don Sartor, and Chris Glass.

Continuity Dinner: y’all come!

The December Board of Directors meeting is also our Continuity Dinner, a fancier than usual affair to celebrate the year’s achievements, recognize certain members, announce the Distinguished Service Award (conferred in March), and pass the gavel to the incoming section officers. And then there is the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture, lightly and briefly recapping the past year, which is given by a surprise speaker.

There will be a General Meeting of the Section to vote on ... well, come and find out. And there are almost always some new and old members whom we see only at this event. So come!

Please join us: Thursday, December 13
(Edited 24 Nov 12 to note venue change) Branica-Frontenac, 10411 Clayton Rd, St Louis, MO 63131 (map), in the Plaza Frontenac complex at Clayton Road and Lindbergh Blvd
5:30 pm social hour with cash bar
6:30 pm dinner, meeting, and Continuity events

Cost of dinner is $24. Please register by Dec 10 at bit.ly/2012ACSContinuityDinner and mail your check to:

Vic Lewchenko
354 Larkhill Ct
Webster Groves, MO 63119

Scouts Merit Badges, Again

Jost Chemical Company played host to the 8th Chemistry Merit Badge Clinic, with over 50 scouts registered and over 20 volunteers conducting the clinic, learning stations, tours, and traffic.

The scouts participated in an introduction to the four classical fields of chemistry (presented by Dr Eric Bruton, 2012 St Louis Section ACS Chair) and a safety presentation (by Aimee Clements of Jost Chemical). They then rotated through four 45-minute stations, each run by two professional chemists, during which they made a cartesian diver; learned about separations, MSDSs, abrasives, emulsions and mixtures; and took a tour of a working chemical manufacturing plant. During lunch, the boys took part in interactive demos put on by the SLU Chemistry Club and met individually with approved merit badge counselors.

While the PPE was not strictly necessary for the clinic’s activities, the scout looked mahvelous in his.

Comments from scouts after the event: I really liked yesterday's clinic. Thank you! ... Will and his friend Jack both had a great time at the clinic. Aaron really enjoyed this event.

Career Management series passes the critical 13th event

One of our longest running and most successful member services is the Career Management Seminar series organized by our Younger Chemists Committee. Coming up on November 15 is the fourteenth event: this time not exactly a seminar but an interactive workshop on “The Behavioral Interview”.

Resources for Career Management for Chemists in a Challenging Market–XIV: Practicing the Interview—A Behavioral Based Interviewing Interactive Workshop
November 15, 6:30–8:30 pm at St Louis College of Pharmacy, Jones Hall Room 1303

Program:

• 6:30 pm: Networking, food and soda
• 7:00 pm: Interactive workshop facilitated by Lisa Balbes, ACS career consultant and principal of Balbes Consultants LLC
• 8:00 pm: Q & A and networking

RSVP by November 13 to bit.ly/YCC-CMS-Nov2012. For directions, visit bit.ly/StLCoP-Map. When you arrive, press the intercom and let them know you’re there for the YCC Career Event. No charge to attend, and food will be provided.

Download the flyer if you can use it to publicize the event to your colleagues.

Two Awards: nominations still being accepted

For a true professional, approbation is one of the strongest motivators. Both of the following awards recognize true professionals outside the traditional academic track (read university teaching and research). If you work with someone who sounds like a Chemical Science & Technology winner … or … if you know of a great high school chemistry teacher — a colleague or perhaps your child’s teacher — these are outstanding opportunities to let them know you noticed. Don’t hold back; nominate! Nominations will remain open through November, but holiday season is upon us: do it now!

Chemical Science & Technology Award

The St Louis Chemical Science and Technology Award is presented to a chemist in the St Louis area who has demonstrated a high degree of professionalism and scientific contribution. Criteria used to judge the award include technical proficiency, presentations, coaching/teamwork, and additional professional activities. The award will consist of a plaque, a $500 honorarium, and dinner for the awardee and a guest at Recognition Night in March, 2013.

For eligibility criteria and further information about the award, check the Awards page.

To submit a nomination, contact the Chemical Science and Technology Award coordinator, Adrienne Mazdra, 314.513.4035 or amazdra@stlcc.edu. Nominations are due by December 21.

High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year

Winners of the High School Chemistry ToY award have a habit of going on to greater accolades. Please make sure we know about all the great candidates out there, by nominating a teacher in the Greater St Louis Area who exemplifies excellence in the teaching of high school chemistry.

For eligibility criteria, further information about the award, and instructions for nominators, check the Awards page.

Please submit the nomination packet by December 1. The nomination packet may be submitted electronically or by snail mail to the ACS High School Teaching Award Chair:

Sandra Mueller
John Burroughs School
755 S Price Road
St Louis, Missouri 63124
314.993.4040 x362
smueller@jburroughs.org

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 the section Chair at least a week in advance. Usual cost of the dinner is $24 ($12 for post-docs and unemployed members). Members wishing to become active in section activities are welcomed for their first dinner as guests of the section.

Date: Nov 8
Social hour: 5:30 pm
Dinner: 6:30 pm
Business meeting: 7:15 pm
Future meetings: Dec 13 (Continuity Dinner), Jan 10

Saint Louis University

Seminars are on Fridays at 12 noon in Carlo Auditorium, Tegeler Hall, unless noted otherwise. Refreshments follow. For more information, contact Ryan McCulla, rmccull2@slu.edu.

Nov 2, rescheduled from Oct 5
Zhen Huang
Georgia State University
TBA

Nov 9
Mark Schoenfish
University of North Carolina
TBA

November 30
Frieder Jaekle
Rutgers University
TBA

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.

Nov 5
Gabriela Pérez-Alvarado
Southern Illinois University–Carbondale
Mechanisms of molecular assembly in the adaptor protein LM07

Nov 12
Paul Smith
Kansas State University
Preferential interactions in chemistry and biochemistry

Nov 26
Valerie Pierre
University of Minnesota
TBA

Dec 3
Nan Zheng
University of Arkansas
A photo touch on amines: New synthetic adventures of nitrogen radical cations

Washington University

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

Nov 1
Lei Li
Indiana University / Purdue University–Indianapolis
A radical transfer pathway in spore photoproduct lyase

Nov 8
Allan Canty
University of Tasmania, Australia
TBA

Nov 15
Michael Garwood
University of Minnesota
TBA

Nov 29
Mathias Weber
JILA / University of Colorado
Transition metal complexes in vacuo

Dec 4
Nan Zheng
University of Arkansas
A photo touch on amines: New synthetic adventures of nitrogen radical cations