Is Spring finally here?  I hope so!  At least for those of us attending the National Meeting in New Orleans this month there is the promise of a few warm (and snow-free) days in April.  I trust that some of you are also planning on attending and I would love to hear your talk, look at your poster, or just chat with you about chemistry in general.

Speaking of talking chemistry, I had a wonderful visit with the president of a local small company that is engaged in some really interesting chemistry.  I met Berl Stein, president of NiCoForm (http://www.nicoform.com/)  at the annual dinner and he later invited me out to visit his production facility in downtown Rochester.  I spent an informative morning learning about the really fascinating electrochemical work they do as well as meeting a fantastic group of people committed to making great products right here in Rochester.  As I spend much of my time around students, its refreshing for me to get out into the "real world" to see everyday applications of the things I teach and I would welcome similar invitations from any of you in the future.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Pat Holland (University of Rochester) and the Harrison Howe committee for putting on an excellent event.  The talks, poster session, and desert reception were extremely well attended and well received by all in attendance.  On a final note, I want to give all of you a heads up regarding an upcoming  "Science Cafe "that we are planning.  If you attended the annual dinner you may have had a chance to meet Ron Netsky, printmaker extraordinaire.  I asked him about opening his studio to give a demonstration discussion about the work that he does and the chemistry involved.  He has graciously agreed to do this, so stay tuned for details!

Thanks for reading, and feel free to drop me a note anytime,

Rich
rhartma0@naz.edu

Friday, April 4, 3:00 to 5:30 PM
Saturday, April 5, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Hubbell Auditorium in Hutchison Hall,
University of Rochester

The University of Rochester's Virtual Institute for Energy is hosting a Sustainable Energy Symposium this Friday and Saturday (April 4 & 5) in Hutchison Hall on the UR River Campus.

Friday's program is focused on New York State and its funding for renewable energy. Paul D. Tonko, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, will speak from 3 to 3:40 p.m., followed by a panel discussion on state energy issues and economic development.

Saturday's keynote address will be delivered at 9 a.m. by Joseph Tainter, an anthropologist and historian who has studied ancient civilizations and their collapse. Following Tainter's talk, a panel of experts will discuss global energy challenges and solutions. Included on the panel will be biofuels expert David Pimentel, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Agriculture at Cornell University, and Nabil Nasr, Director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Pimentel is the author of more than 600 scientific papers and two dozen books on such subjects as soil, water, energy, and biodiversity and he was recently featured in the Dec. 17th 2007 issue of the Chemical and Engineering News.

For Saturday's afternoon session starting at 1:15 p.m., chemists John Turner from the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, Colo. and Bradley Bockrath from the National Energy Technology Lab in Pittsburgh will discuss technical solutions to the energy challenge. Turner is director of fuel cells research at NREL and will describe his vision of a "hydrogen economy." Bockrath is director of the Chemistry and Surface Science Division at NETL and has worked extensively on next-generation materials for hydrogen storage and carbon dioxide capture.

This symposium is being organized by UR undergraduates working on a Kauffman Foundation-funded year of entrepreneurial thinking and activities. Mario Dal Col of Heidelberg, Germany, Kenneth Lotito of Bayside, N.Y., and Patrick McLaughlin of Lodi, Calif., developed URVIE (University of Rochester Virtual Institute for Energy) to encourage research in renewable energy at the University. Symposium sponsors include URVIE, the Center for Entrepreneurship, the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Symposium Program (PDF)

Symposium Poster (PDF)

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.rochester.edu/entrepreneurship/events.html#urvie

April 6th - 10th are the dates for the next ACS National Meeting, which will be held in New Orleans

      This is a very important meeting for me, as your Councilor, as this is where I begin my new role as Chair of the ACS Membership Affairs Committee. As we near this meeting, I thought I would give you a bit of insight into this Committee, what we do, what our charge is and what business we have coming up before the ACS Council.

      The Membership Affairs Committee (MAC) is a Standing Committee of the Council. The other Committees under this umbrella include:

    * Constitution and Bylaws (C&B)
    * Divisional Activities (DAC)
    * Economic and Professional Affairs (CEPA)
    * Local Section Activities (LSAC)
    * Meetings and Expositions (M&E)

MAC does what its name implies: it focuses on the needs of the membership of the whole Society....

The following offices need to be filled in this fall's Rochester ACS Section election:

CHAIR-ELECT
SECRETARY
COUNCILOR
THREE MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

You may nominate someone for an office or if you, yourself, are interested in serving in any of these positions, we are always happy to take a self-nomination! The deadline for nominations is September 8, 2008. Please send nominations to Richard Cobb (585-477-4903, d.richard.cobb@kodak.com).

We are also seeking people willing to serve on the Nominations and Elections Committee. If you would like to serve on the Committee, please contact Richard Cobb by Thursday, May 1st.

The duties involved for each position up for election are as follows:

Continue reading...

The 2008 Rochester ACS Undergraduate Research Symposium will take place Saturday, April 26 at SUNY Geneseo. For further information and to submit an abstract, please contact symposium organizer Dr. Kazushige Yokoyama (585 245-5320, yokoyama@geneseo.edu).

The Rochester Section has many opportunities for its members to volunteer their services. Let me take this opportunity to mention just a few.

Project SEED: Each year, Project SEED places economically disadvantaged high school students in academic, industrial, and government research laboratories for eight-to-ten weeks. The goal of this summer experience is to learn what it's like to work as part of a team doing hands-on research. Each student does a chemical research project under the direct supervision of a scientist/mentor (called a preceptor) and receives an educational award. While each Section only needs a few preceptors, the Rochester Section could use more so we can sponsor additional qualified students. As you might guess, we are already in the student selection process for this coming summer. If you might be interested in serving as a preceptor, or just want to learn more about the program or your duties, please contact Lew Allen (lallen10@rochester.rr.com).

Adopt-A-School: The Adopt-a-School Program is a volunteer group that teaches hands-on science to fourth graders once a month. The group has been a great mix of younger and older chemists, as well as chemical engineers, technicians, electrical engineers, retired teachers, college professors, students, and a few who are simply interested in teaching science. New members are encouraged to help out in a classroom with an experienced scientist. Once a month they create an hour of inquiry, creativity, teamwork, and ingenuity for a classroom full of children whose minds are eager to explore this new world of science. One hour a month helping the kids is a small contribution that can have a lifelong impact on a child. Contact Kathy O'Brien (Katherine.O'Brien@usa.xerox.com) to learn more about the program and get involved. You can make a difference!

Ken Schlecht
Rochester ACS Chair-Elect

Retired Chemists Meeting

Wednesday, MAY 14, 2008

THE WISHING WELL Restaurant
1190 Chili Avenue at I-390

Social Time 11:30
Luncheon at 12 noon

The luncheon will be a buffet at $14.   For reservations, contact Lew Allen (586-9983, lallen10@rochester.rr.com) by Monday, May 12.

Spouses, Guests and Friends are welcome.

Making Mountains out of Molars: What the geochemistry of fossil teeth can tell us about the uplift of the Bolivian Andes - Dr. Pennilyn (Penny) Higgins - University of Rochester

Abstract: Chemistry often plays an important role in interdisciplinary research.  Discussed here will be a juxtaposition of paleontology, geology, geography and climatology, all connected through chemistry. 

At SIREAL (Stable Isotope Ratios in the Environment Analytical Laboratory), we study ratios of light stable isotopes, especially carbon and oxygen, found in geological matrices to make inferences about climate and ecology in ancient environments.  Climate and ecology, in turn, may be strongly influenced by geological phenomena, volcanic eruption and mountain building.  Oxygen isotopes from water are especially powerful for the study of ancient environments, as they may vary by altitude, temperature, humidity and distance of a primary water source like a large lake or the ocean.  This oxygen signature is incorporated into carbonate minerals found in soils and in biominerals (bones and shells) of animals and then may be preserved for millions of years.

In this presentation we will discuss the chemical behavior of stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in the framework of climate, geography, and ecology.  We'll also talk about surprising results regarding the Andes that isotopes have provided.
 
About the Speaker:
Dr. Higgins is a Research Associate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Rochester. Her research interests include vertebrate paleontology and biostratigraphy, stable isotope geochemistry of biogenic apatite and of carbonate minerals, annual-scale studies of ancient climate, and dietary sources of fossil vertebrates using stable isotopes of tooth and bone apatite; the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum; atmospheric CO2 concentration and effects on plant metabolism through geologic time; uranium geochemistry and its relation to uranium ore deposition and fossil preservation; vertebrate taphonomy; application of GIS to problems in paleontology.