Banquets: two big ones coming

We have two special events coming up that we celebrate with colleagues, honorees, and of course, food. Don’t miss the opportunity to attend one or both.

(1) Recognition Night

The big announcement was in last month’s Chemical Bond, but there are still a few days before the reservation deadline. The event is March 9th, 5:30–9 pm, at Sapore Italian Café, 451 S Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122; you can reserve your place at a table until March 3rd.

You can reserve on-line (preferred) or send the information below to:

Ziad Ramadan
Nestlé Research Center–St Louis
One Checkerboard Square
St Louis, MO 63164
email: Ziad.Ramadan@rd.nestle.com

Name(s) ______________________________________________________
Number attending ______ × $25 each = amount remitted $_______._____
Choice of entrée (number of each): tilapia ____ pasta ____ chicken ____

Make checks payable to St Louis Section–ACS, and mail to:

Vic Lewchenko
354 Larkhill Ct
Webster Groves, MO 63119

(2) Awards Night

This year, Awards Night is Monday, April 15th, at Maggiano’s on The Boulevard (across Brentwood Blvd from the Galleria, map).

Agenda:
5:30 – Reception/social hour
6:30 – Dinner
7:15 – Awards program

Student winners and their teachers receive a complimentary dinner; others may attend for $20 each. RSVP by Wednesday, April 9, to the Awards Night coordinator, Leah O’Brien at lobrien@siue.edu or 618.650.3562. Reception/check-in at 5:30 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm, awards program at 7:15 pm. Winners of the High School Chemistry Contest, the High School Chemistry Teacher-of-the-Year, and the Outstanding Junior Chemistry Students at area colleges and universities are all recognized.

And then there’s the picnic

The ninth annual St Louis Section Picnic will be at Tilles Park in the Skow Shelter on June 15 from 11:30 am–4 pm. That’s the county Tilles Park, not the city one: confusing, right!?

Bring the family! Just $5 per person, kids under 12 free. Please register by June 10th.

If you have questions please email Eric Bruton.

Highlights:
— lunch at 12:00 PM
— games
— networking
— of course great people!

Location: Tilles Park, 9551 Litzsinger Road (at McKnight Road), Saint Louis, MO 63124

Make checks payable to St Louis Section-ACS. Mail checks to:

Vic Lewchenko
354 Larkhill Ct
Webster Groves, MO 63119

Rita Levi-Montalcini: What a Life!

On December 30, 2012, Rita Levi-Montalcini died at the age of 103. A Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Levi-Montalcini also led a life of distinction in politics, women’s rights, and education. She was on the faculty of Washington University in St Louis from 1946 until her retirement in 1977.

The St Louis Section Women Chemists Committee and SIU–Edwardsville will jointly host a celebration the life of Rita Levi-Montalcini and International Women’s Day on March 16th at 10 am in the SIUE Engineering Building 1033.

Rita Levi-Montalcini grew up Jewish in Italy under fascism. Her passion for education and science gave her the strength to challenge her society’s norms, where being a woman meant to be illiterate, and being Jewish meant to be deported and most likely killed. She overcame these odds to earn her medical degree summa cum laude from the University of Turin. After living with her family in hiding for the last year and a half of the war, she was recruited by Viktor Hamburger to Washington University in St Louis, where she accomplished her Nobel-winning work on nerve growth factor, and stayed until her retirement in 1977. She won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986 with Stanley Cohen for their discovery of nerve growth factor. In 1987, she was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Ronald Reagan.

Later in her life, she created a foundation that every year provides financial support for education of women in Africa. At age 92, she was appointed “Senator-for-Life” by the President of Italy.

SIUE chancellor Julie A Furst-Bowe will host this event. Susan Tyler-Hitchcock, who wrote her biography (Amazon, B&N) will describe her inspirational life.

This event is open to the community, so please share with friends, colleagues, and neighbors. The event is free, but please register. Readers of the Chemical Bond (that would be you, yes) have a special extended registration deadline: March 8th. Don’t miss it.

Science Fairs: one down and two up

It’s almost All-Star break for area science fairs. Volunteers are still needed for the two upcoming fairs. If you’d like to judge at either (or both) (no experience necessary!) (if you’re reading this, you’re qualified), call or email Sheryl J Loux at 636.237.5149 or sjloux@gmail.com.

• Illinois Junior Academy of Sciences Regional Science Fair, Saturday, March 23
  Morris University Center at SIU–Edwardsville (#8 on campus map, park in Lot E). This regional fair hosts over 200 5th through 12th grade student projects from a ten-county area. Meet at 9:30 am; judging from 10 am to 1 pm in divisions grades 5-8, 9-12, and honors 9-12.
  Light judges’ buffet available.
• Greater St Louis Elementary and Secondary Science Fairs, Wednesday, May 1
  Greensfelder Recreation Complex, Queeny Park, Weidman Rd, Ballwin, MO
  — Elementary (K-5): Participation Awards distributed to chemistry-related projects. Three people needed for about one hour each between 3 and 8 pm. No judging involved.
  — Secondary (6-12): Judging of chemistry-related projects 3–8:30 pm. Please volunteer for at least 2½ hours. Judges must be present at 8:30 to pick winners.
  Free dinner for judges between 5 and 6 pm).

Your participation as a judge would be greatly appreciated!

Results are in for the home opener: the 2013 Missouri Tri-County Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

• Honors Division, Grades 9–12
  First Place: John Vikman, Measurement of the Vaporization Enthalpy of L-Deprenyl by Means of Correlation Gas Chromatography, Grade 11, Wentzville Holt High School, Wentzville, MO.
  Second Place: Bryan Love, The Catalytic Activity of an Iron (II) Amine Based Complex in the Oxidation of Alcohols, Grade 12, Wentzville Holt High School, Wentzville, MO.
  No other chemistry entries.
• Grades 9–12
  There were no chemistry related entries and no place awards were given this year.
• Grades 5–8
  First Place: Amy Do, When Life Gives You Lemons, Conduct Electricity, Grade 7, Frontier Middle School, Wentzville, MO
  Second Place: Sharayu Shrinivas, The “Hydro-Chromatic” Detective!?, Grade 5, Lakeview Elementary, Wentzville, MO
  Third Place: Emily Woodruff, Does Temperature Impact Battery Life??, Grade 5, Sts Joachim and Ann School, Saint Charles, MO
• K–4th Grade: a congratulatory letter + a purple participation ribbon were given to 62 chemistry-related entrants this year.

Sorta swordplay at Battle of Burets 2013

On Wednesday, February 20th, twenty teams from 10 local high schools braved frigid temperatures and the oncoming snow/ice storm to participate in the Battle of the Burets competition sponsored by the St Louis Section–ACS and St Louis Community College–Florissant Valley.

Teams of two students competed to accurately determine the normality of an unknown acid solution within a six-minute time period. This year’s competition was fierce, with over half of the participating teams scoring within 0.5% of the known, secret value. How many of our readers could do this well?? As the phenolphthalein-pink hues diminished, teams from Parkway West High School, Villa Duchesne, and Westminster Christian Academy advanced to this year’s title round. Rachel Arnold and Mary Hogan from Villa Duchesne took top honors.

Place	Students	School	Teacher/sponsor
1st	Rachel Arnold and Mary Hogan	Villa Duchesne	Kathleen Danzo
2nd	Daniel Pollman and Nathan Cherian	Westminster Christian Academy	Andrew Shaw
3rd	Laura Santanagelo and Ryan Schlueter	Parkway West	Jan Keller

You can still nominate for these two awards

One of our most important activities is recognizing excellence in the professions of chemistry. And two of the most important ways we do it are our signature awards: the St Louis Award and the Midwest Award. If you know any chemists who meets the eligibility criteria, don’t hide them under a bushel basket. Nominate!

Nominate for the St Louis Award

Nominations are solicited for the St Louis Award, which is sponsored by the Monsanto Company and administered by the St Louis Section–ACS. Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the profession of chemistry and demonstrated potential to further the advancement of the chemical profession. The awardee is selected by a review committee constituted by the St Louis Section–ACS. The award, consisting of a $1,500 honorarium and a plaque, is presented at the St Louis Award Banquet held in October during National Chemistry Week.

At the time of the nomination, nominees must not have previously received the Midwest Award or any national ACS-sponsored award. Nominees must be members or affiliates of the St Louis Section of the ACS. Nomination packets received by April 30 are considered for award presentation in October.

Nominations can be sent at any time to:

Joseph J H Ackerman
Department of Chemistry
Campus Box 1134
Washington University
One Brookings Drive
Saint Louis, Missouri 63130

Nominations should include a nominating letter, two or more seconding letters from individuals who have had a close professional affiliation with the nominee, a brief biography, a description of the nominee’s accomplishments, and a list of publications and patents. Additional details can be found on the St Louis Award web page.

Nominate for the Midwest Award

Your assistance is solicited in identifying candidates for the 2013 Midwest Award. The St Louis Section–ACS established the ACS Midwest Award in 1944. The award is conferred each year on a scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the advancement of pure or applied chemistry, chemical education, and the profession of chemistry. These contributions must have been made during a period of residence in the geographical area defined by the territories of the Local Sections that participate in the Midwest Regional Meeting of the ACS. Nominees can be from industry, academia, government, or those working in private practice, and they need not be members of the ACS.

The 2013 award will be presented at the 48th Midwest Regional ACS Meeting in Springfield, MO, October 16-19, 2013, hosted by the Ozark Section. Ceremonies, usually held on Thursday of the Meeting (October 17 this year), will feature a Midwest Award Symposium and the Midwest Award plenary lecture by the awardee. The award, consisting of a medallion and a cash honorarium, is presented by the St Louis Section Chair at the Midwest Awards Banquet. A condition of the award is that the recipient gives the Midwest Award Lecture and attends the Midwest Awards Banquet.

Nominations should consist of: a nominating letter and two or more seconding letters; a CV for the nominee; a brief biography for the nominee; and objective documentation regarding the outstanding achievements of the nominee. If the nominee is an academician, a list of persons who have received advanced degrees under her or his direction should be provided. Please submit nine copies of all nomination materials on or before April 1, 2013. Material postmarked by that day (April 1, 2013) or earlier will be accepted. If you have questions, or to submit a nomination, please contact:

Dr Jim O’Brien
Chair, 2013 ACS Midwest Award
ACS–St Louis Section
and
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Missouri–St Louis
One University Blvd
St Louis, MO 63121
email obrien@jinx.umsl.edu or phone 314.757.5717

Undergraduate Research Symposium: April 12th

Our traditional event featuring posters and oral presentations by undergraduate research students from any and all area colleges and universities: April 12, 5–7:30 pm, at the Sigma-Aldrich Research Center, 2909 Laclede Avenue, St Louis, MO 63103.

Certificates of Participation are awarded to all; awards presented for exceptional talks and posters. Everyone must register to attend, whether presenting or not. Registration details and venue map are here. For additional information, contact Pegah Jalili, Pegah.Jalili@sial.com.

Some upcoming meetings from sister scientific societies:

Society of Cosmetic Chemists

The St Louis Chapter of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists is hosting a chapter meeting on March 12th, featuring socialization, dinner, and a talk from Dr Koenig of Kimberley-Clark, Microbiology for Cosmetic Formulators. See the display ad elsewhere in this issue.

The same organization is hosting the annual scientific seminar in St Louis, June 6th and 7th at Union Station. There will be a cocktail reception on Wednesday, June 5, at the Missouri Botanical Garden. If you are interested in attending the reception or the seminar, check for details at the St Louis Chapter website).

Heading to Pittcon?

Chromatographers who are planning to attend Pittcon are invited to Chromatography Night at the Union League, 5:30–8:30 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, 140 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA. Admission by ticket only. Tickets may be requested at http://wcdg.squarespace.com/pittcon-2013.

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: Mar 14
Social hour: 5:30 pm
Business meeting: 6:30 pm (suspended for dinner when served)
Future meetings: Apr 11, May 9

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.

Mar 1
Travis Holman, Georgetown University
TBA

Mar 22
Daniel Falvey, University of Maryland
TBA

Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville

Mar 11
Probst Lecture
Christopher Cummins, MIT
10 am in Science Building room 3114
Coordination Chemistry and Molecular Recognition in a Supramolecular Container Molecule
7 pm in the Meridian Ballroom, Morris University Center
Nitrogen and Phosphorus: Fertilizer from the Atmosphere to the Oceans
Map shows both venues.

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.

Mar 4
Colin Combs, University of North Dakota School of Medicine
Does the Alzheimer’s amyloid precursor protein have a role in obesity?

Mar 15 at 1 pm in 104 Stadler
16th Annual Robert W Murray Lecture
David W C MacMillan, James S McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Merck Center for Catalysis, Princeton University
Photoredox catalysis in organic synthesis

Mar 18
Keith Pannell, University of Texas–El Paso
Fun-laden research on BODIPY dyes

April 1
Keith Woerpel, New York University
TBA

Washington University

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

Mar 1, 11 am in Rebstock 215
Leopold Marcus Lecture
Ad Bax, NIH
Weak alignment offers a new NMR view at protein structures

Mar 19, 20
Kennedy Lecture
Ernest J. Moniz, MIT
TBA

Mar 26
Jim Mayer, University of Washington
TBA

Mar 28
Edward Solomon, Stanford University
TBA

Mar 29, 2 pm in McMillen 311
Yuefei Shen, Washington University
TBA