Author Archive: Duy Le

30 Year Anniversary of the Section

Posted on

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society. The celebration of this milestone will happen at our annual award banquet on December 4th, 2021 at the 310 Lakeside restaurant (301 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801).*

We will have moments to look back at the history of our section and to highlight “what-they-are-doing-now” of the award winners at the early days. Each participant will also receive a special and long-lasting souvenir (while supply lasts).

Reservation can be made online at https://forms.gle/okhyqWaqGSGLtTtw8, or by sending email to contact@orlandoacs.org or calling Darlene Slattery at 321-632-2535. Reservations must be made by November 22, 2021 (New deadline).   Please include names so that we can provide nametags.

The cost will be $25/person (after subsidy, tax and gratuity included). The Section will pay the bill with a single check. Please be prepared to pay at the door by check or cash—unfortunately we cannot accept credit cards.

Please join us to celebrate the history of our local section and recognize excellence in chemistry!

* All guests are expected to follow safety guidelines of the restaurant on the day of the event. For more information, please visit https://310restaurant.com.

Annual Election: Meet the Candidates for 2022 Executive Committee

Posted on

Dr. Christopher Chouinard
Candidate for Chair-Elect

Dr. Christopher Chouinard is currently an Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department at Florida Institute of Technology. His research involves novel ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) methods for the detection of illicit substances including performance-enhancing drugs. He received his BS degrees in Chemistry and Biology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Florida, and did post-doctorial studies in IM-MS instrument development at Pacific Northwest National Lab.

Dr. Chouinard has served on the ACS Orlando Section executive committee (Chair-Elect/Chair/Past Chair) continuously since 2019. Most recently, he spearheaded the Section’s successful bid to host the 2025 Southeastern Regional Meeting of the ACS (SERMACS), for which he will be serving as General Chair. This will be the first time the meeting is held in Florida since 1987.

Dr. Van Quach
Candidate for Treasurer

Dr. Van Quach has been the treasurer of the Orlando Section since 2019.  In addition, he is a professor of chemistry at Seminole State College.  He has been teaching there since Aug 2010.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Florida in 1999.  After taking some time off for travel, he made his way up to Tallahassee, FL to start graduate school.  At Florida State University, his research focused on better understanding of the theoretical and fundamental processes that occur during chemical separation.  Specifically, he investigated the temperature dependence of the phase ration in liquid chromatography systems.  He received his Ph.D. in 2009 and taught for two years at FSU before returning to the central Florida area to teach at Seminole State College.  In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, reading, and drinking good wines.

Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna
Candidate for Secretary

Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology.  She performed her undergraduate studies at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and her Ph.D. with Parastoo Hashemi in the Department of Chemistry at Wayne State University, MI, USA. Her postdoctoral work was at the University of Pittsburgh with Shigeru Amemiya. Pavithra’s interdisciplinary and translational research program centers on developing and optimizing electrochemical sensors for analyzing biologically and environmentally impactful metals and neurotransmitters with applications in point of care diagnostics.

Dr. Laura Sessions
Candidate for Alternate Councilor

Dr. Sessions was born and raised in Winter Park, FL. She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from University of Florida and Dartmouth College, respectively. She has taught at Valencia College for the past eleven years, also serving as Department Chair, on the Faculty Association Council, and in multiple endowed chair awards. Dr. Sessions has enjoyed volunteering with the ACS Orlando section since 2015 in several positions including Alternate Councilor, Awards Chair, and Chair and would look forward to continuing her service this year as Alternate Councilor

Fast or Slow…Chemistry Makes It Go

Posted on

Join the ACS Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society and Orlando Science Center for a community event for National Chemistry Week and celebrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life! Learn about this year’s theme, Fast or Slow…Chemistry Makes It Go, from UCF and FIT faculty and students with 15 exciting activities.

October 2021’s Newsletter

Posted on

Hello Orlando Section!

You may have recently received scattered emails from our Section about individual events, opportunities. This Newsletter includes compact information about them, highlighting the important deadlines.

  • The deadline for applying for travel awards from our local section to attend SERMACS 2021 is October 15th, 2021. Details of the awards and how to apply can be found at our website.
  • Are you (or do you know someone who is) interested in serving in 2022 Executive Committee of our local section? All nominations (including name of nominee, contact information, and nominated position) must be notified to Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida (via email at Denisia.Popolan-Vaida@ucf.edu) by October 15th, 2021.
  • We will have a National Chemistry Week (NCW) event at the Orlando Science Center on Saturday October 23rd, 2021. Please come and join us to celebrate chemistry together.
  • Nominations for Annual Awards from our local section are due on November 5th, 2021. If you know someone or companies who should be recognized publicly by our local section, please consider nominating them. More details can be found at our website.
  • You are invited to join us at Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, December 4th, 2021, from 11:30AM to 2:00PM, at the 310 Lakeside restaurant (301 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801). Reservation can be made online at https://forms.gle/okhyqWaqGSGLtTtw8 and must be made on or before November 20th, 2021. Other reservation methods and details of the event can be found at our website.
  • Monthly Executive Meeting is open to members. The next meeting occurs at 10AM on Saturday 10/16/2021 via Zoom. If you are interested in joining, please do not hesitate to contact us for meeting link.

Subscribe to our community page, follow our facebook page, and check out our website for updated news, activities of our local section.

Annual Awards Banquet Invitation

Posted on

The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society will recognize 2021 awards winners in a traditional annual awards banquet on December 4th, 2021. You are invited to attend the banquet:

Saturday, December 4th, 2021
11:30AM to 2:00PM
At the 310 Lakeside restaurant
301 E Pine St, Orlando, FL 32801

MENU
Appetizers
Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Fried Green Tomato – pimento spread, bacon jam, chives
Signature Salad
Mixed Greens grape tomatoes, cucumbers, shaved onion, house made balsamic vinaigrette
Entrée choice of
Pasta Primavera seasonal vegetables, grana padano cheese
Chicken Piccata white wine, butter, capers, lemon sauce garlic mash, seasonal vegetable
Salmon tomato bruschetta, balsamic glaze garlic mash, seasonal vegetable
Dessert
Oreo Cream Trifle
Beverages
Iced tea, soft beverages, and Illy coffee
Cash bar is available

The cost will be $25/person (after subsidy, tax and gratuity included).  The Section will pay the bill with a single check. Please be prepared to pay at the door by check or cash—unfortunately we cannot accept credit cards.

Reservation can be made online at https://forms.gle/okhyqWaqGSGLtTtw8, or by sending email to contact@orlandoacs.org or calling Darlene Slattery at 321-632-2535. Reservations must be made by November 20, 2021.   Please include names so that we can provide nametags.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Annual Election: Call for 2022 Executive Board Candidates & Voting

Posted on

We are seeking interested individuals to join the Orlando Section Executive Committee in 2022! We have four positions up for election: Chair Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Alternate Councilor. A description of each position is included below. Please contact Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida (Denisia.Popolan-Vaida@ucf.edu), Nominating Committee Chair, with any additional questions.

All nominations (including name of nominee, contact information, and nominated position) must be notified to Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida (via email at Denisia.Popolan-Vaida@ucf.edu) by October 15th, 2021. Voting is expected to open on October 25th, when you will receive a separate email with the instructions on how to cast your votes electronically. Please let us know before October 15th if you would like to be mailed a paper copy ballot.

OFFICER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Chair Elect (one-year term; three-year term total). The main responsibilities are:
• To vote/participate in exec decisions
• Succeed to office of Chair for the next year
• Serve as chair for meetings which the Chair cannot attend

Treasurer (one-year term). The main responsibilities are:
• Prepare the annual budget/expenditures report for Nationals
• Maintain the Section bank account
• Maintain a budget, disbursements, expenditures, and accounting for the Section activities
• To vote/participate in exec decisions

Secretary (one-year term). The main responsibilities are:
• To take notes at exec meetings
• To set-up and distribute ballots for elections (mostly electronic now)
• Oversee website and social media communications
• To vote/participate in exec decisions

Alternate Councilor (three-year term). The main responsibilities are:
• To attend national meeting annually (if Councilor is not able), represent the Section, and report back activities
• Assist in preparing and submitting the annual report to the national office
• To vote/participate in exec decisions

Councilor’s Report: 262nd National Meeting, Fall 2021

Posted on

The Fall 2021 Meeting was held live from August 22-26, and on-demand from August 30 – September 30. As of August 25th, there were 8,205 registrations (1,895 hybrid and 6,310 virtual). Of the approximately 1,200 oral sessions held, 71 were only in-person, 244 were hybrid, and 855 were held virtually. The Fall Council meeting was again held virtually on August 25.

Actions of the Council

Election Results: Elected Committees of Council

  • By electronic ballot, the Council elected Donna G. Friedman, Matthew Grandbois, Fran K. Kravitz, and Louise M. Lawter for a three-year term (2022-2024) on the Council Policy Committee (CPC).
  • By electronic ballot, the Council elected Mary K. Engelman, Malika Jeffries-El, Brian M. Mathes, Susan V. Olesik, and Susan M. Schelble for a three-year term (2022-2024) on the Committee on Committees (ConC).
  • By electronic ballot, the Council elected Allison Aldridge, Holly L. Davis, Peter K. Dorhout, Silvia Ronco, and Martin D. Rudd for a three-year term (2022-2024) on the Committee on Nominations and Elections (N&E). The initial round produced a tie vote for fifth place and was resolved by a run-off in which Silvia Ronco was elected.

Other Council Actions

Committee on Committees Petition

  • On the recommendation of the Committee on Committees, and with the concurrence of the Council Policy Committee, Council approved the Petition to Amend the Duties of the Committee on Minority Affairs. The Petition was amended on the floor of Council to strike the word ‘minority’ in Standing Rule VIII, Sec. 1, b, (9). The Board added its approval in its meeting on August 28.
  • The Council (and then the Board) also approved the continuation of the Committee on Environmental Improvement.
  • On the recommendation of the Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs, and with the concurrence of the Council Policy Committee, Council (and then the Board) approved the 10th version of the Professional Employment Guidelines.

Council Special Discussion

President Cheng introduced and led a special discussion on ideas to increase involvement and membership from business and industry. For the last 5 years there has been a steady decrease in industry members. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, but there have been ongoing efforts to decrease the cost-related attrition while increasing member value.

To address value, ACS has a variety of offerings available to members to advance, discover, connect, and share. To address cost, actions were taken by the Council this past spring in the schedule of membership for 2022 that will provide industry members with flexibility as to membership options. Councilor input was then requested on the following two questions:

  • How can we improve the value that ACS provides to its industrial and business members?
  • How can we encourage academic inventors and entrepreneurs and support start-ups?

Actions of the Board of Directors – Executive Session

  • On recommendation of the Society Committee on Publications, the Board voted to approve the reappointments of Editors-in-Chief for several ACS journals. Those appointments will be announced in C&EN once the individuals have been notified and appropriate arrangements for their continued service have been made.
  • On recommendation of the Committee on Professional and Member Relations, the Board approved a Society nominee for the 2022 National Science Board Public Service Award.
  • On the recommendation of the Committee on Budget and Finance, the Board approved the ACS 2022 Spring and Fall Meetings in-person/hybrid member registration fee at $399 and the virtual member registration fee at $199, both within a range of +/- 15%.
  • On the recommendation of the Governing Board for the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT), the Board approved amendments to the Board Regulations concerning the membership, appointment, and terms for the Governing Board for AACT.
  • The Board received an extensive briefing and approved several recommendations from its Committee on Executive Compensation. The compensation of the Society’s executive staff continues to be reviewed regularly by the Board.

Confirmation of Council Actions

As required in the Standing Rules, the Board voted and confirmed the Council’s actions taken on August 25, 2021 to approve the Petition to Amend the Duties of the Committee on Minority Affairs; approved the continuation of the Committee on Environmental Improvement; and approved the ACS Professional Employment Guidelines (10th Edition).

If you have any comments or questions regarding membership or benefits, please contact your Councilor, Darlene Slattery at dslattery1@cfl.rr.com or call her at 321-632-2535.

Call for Annual Awards

Posted on

Since 1991, the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society has recognized individuals who live, work, or study in the seven-county region of the Orlando Section and excel in chemistry. Continuing this tradition, this year, the Orlando Section will give the following awards:

  • Eileen Tulley Award for Outstanding High School Student
  • Outstanding High School Teacher
  • Outstanding Undergraduate at a Primarily Teaching Institution
  • Outstanding Undergraduate at a Primarily Research Institution
  • Outstanding Graduate at a Primarily Research Institution
  • Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Teaching Institution
  • Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Research Institution
  • Outstanding Chemist
  • Outstanding Chemistry Professional
  • Outstanding Entrepreneur/Employer Award
  • Outstanding Volunteer

Descriptions and criteria for each award can be found in our website at https://orlandoacs.org/annual-awards

If you know someone or companies who should be recognized publicly, please nominate them for an ACS Orlando Section award. Each Award consists of a plaque and a monetary award. Awardees will be honored at the local Section’s annual banquet held on December 4th, 2021.  Student nominees need not be currently enrolled in chemistry but can be nominated for achievements for the spring 2021 term.

Nomination package includes:
(1) A letter of nomination stating why this person/company* deserves the award.
(2) A letter of support from someone else who knows the nominee.

Each letter should include the name of the award, and the writer’s email address and daytime phone number. Electronic submissions are required. Email PDF letters to Dr. Darlene Slattery, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at dslattery1@cfl.rr.com. To be considered, nominations must be received by Friday November 5th, 2021 Monday November 8th, 2021 .

Nominators of awardees are expected to participate in the local Section’s annual banquet to introduce the awardees.

* Point of contact for nominated company must be included in the letter.

July 2021’s Newsletter

Posted on

Hello Orlando Section!

In this Newsletter, we want to bring your attention to a few exciting opportunities that are available to our members.

  • The Orlando Local Section offers travel awards to students to attend the Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition (FAME), the Southeastern Regional Meeting of The American Chemical Society (SERMACS 2021), and the 262nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition. For each conference, up to two students will receive awards of up to $150, $250, and $500, respectively. Details of the awards and how to apply can be found at our website and in the attached flyer.
  • There are student travel awards given by ACS and some of its technical divisions. Students should check with their divisions for availability. We have found the following:
    • The Catalysis Science and Technology (CATL) Division for CATL-ChemCatBio Graduate Student Travel Awards that will cover the registration fee of graduate students (ACS CATL Division Members) presenting at the Fall 2021 ACS National Meeting. More details can be found at our website.
  • Southern Chemist Award: The Memphis Local Section of the American Chemical Society seeks nominations for its 2021 Southern Chemist Award, which recognizes distinguished service to the chemical profession in the southern US. Nominees should be US citizens who have worked in the South for at least 10 years and have at least a 10-year record of accomplishment. More details can be found at our website.
  • The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society is seeking your help to identify outstanding chemists for the Theodore Richards Medal recognizing outstanding achievement in chemistry. Since 1932 the Northeastern Section has been honoring a member of the Society for “conspicuous achievement in any area of chemistry” with the Richards Medal. The deadline for 2021 nomination is October 31, 2021. More information about the Richards Medal, including a list of all previous recipients, can be found at the award’s website.
  • Dr. Nash and Dr. Blair (our member) will have a seminar, organized by the Royal Society of Chemistry, about “Driving Laboratory Innovation into Commercialization” on 07/22/2021. Details of the event and registration can be found at the event page.
  • Monthly Executive Meeting is open to members. The next meeting occurs at 10AM on Saturday 07/17/2021 via Zoom. If you are interested in joining, please do not hesitate to contact us for meeting link.

Subscribe to our community page, follow our facebook page, and check out our website for updated news, activities of our local section.

2021 Student Travel Awards

Posted on

To encourage participations of students in local, regional, and national conferences organized by of the American Chemical Society and its affiliates and to create opportunities for students to enhance their scientific experiences and networking, the Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society offers travel awards to students who are in need of financial supplement for their conference participations. This year, the awards will be given to selected students who participate in the Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition (FAME), the Southeastern Regional Meeting of The American Chemical Society (SERMACS 2021), and the 262nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition. For each conference, up to two students will receive awards of up to $150, $250, and $500, respectively.

To apply, student applicant needs to prepare an application package (a single PDF file) that includes the following:

  • Brief introduction of applicant
  • Proof of acceptance to conference and acceptance of abstract
  • Brief explanation of why travel award from the Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society is necessary (especially those whose research projects are federal/industrially/privately funded)
  • Contact information of advisor (The award committee will request a statement from advisor indicating appropriate use of the travel award to registration, lodging, and/or travel expenses).

Application package should be sent via email to Awards Committee Chair (Dr. Darlene Slattery, dslattery1@cfl.rr.com) by 08/13/2021 for FAME applications, 10/15/2021 for SERMAC applications, and 08/01/2021 for ACS National Meeting. The committee will select awardees mainly based on applicant’s synergistic activities and financial needs (novelty of research project is a bonus criterion).