In 2001, the ACS Orlando Section established the Avogadro Award to be presented to an outstanding senior project at the State Science and Engineering Fair. Other Sections in Florida were encouraged to support the award, and it is presented yearly as a joint effort.
The 2026 award winner is Nicholas R. Stan (pictured right), a student at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. Nicholas’ project was entitled “Enhancing the Oncotoxic Effects of Mitochondrial-targeting D-(KLAKLAK)2 Peptide by Improving Cell Membrane Permeability via Chemical Conjugation with Imidazopyidinium.” The judges in the senior chemistry section unanimously chose this project because of its strong chemistry content and the obvious knowledge of the student.
The Orlando Section extends its gratitude to Darlene Slattery and DK Weerasinghe for judging the fair and awarding the Avogadro Award along with thanks to the Pensacola Section and the South Florida Section of ACS for contributing to the monetary award for the prize.
Abstract
Prior research has indicated that the synthetic peptide D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues (D-KLAKLAK and D-KLAK) exhibit potent cancer toxicity (oncotoxicity) and pro-apoptotic activity when internalized in mammalian cancer cells. The limitations of these peptides as therapeutic agents, however, are cancer specificity and membrane permeability. Research on tumor-homing peptides to attach to these kinds of peptides has had relative success in conferring specificity, but remain inefficient in promoting membrane permeability. Therefore, the only remaining problem is membrane permeability. The study conducted investigates chemical grafting of IP+ (imidazopyridinium) on to D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues, and its effect on cellular permeability. IP+ is a heterocycle designed to facilitate the diffusion of large peptides across the cell membrane, and this study tested if grafting IP+ onto D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues would improve its ability to diffuse across the cell membrane, which could aid in the development of a cancer therapeutic based on this peptide or others. Experimental methods included preparing D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues, and grafting IP+ and a chloroalkane tag onto them. The effects of IP+ grafting were evaluated by running Chloroalkane Penetration Assays (CAQPA) on HEK293 cells in order to assess to what degree the peptides with or without IP+ could access the cytosol of the cells. Results indicated that IP+ significantly enhanced the intracellular localization of D-(KLAKLAK)2 and D-KLAK compared to controls lacking IP+. These results support the hypothesis and suggest that combining D-(KLAKLAK)2, a tumor-targeting peptide, and IP+ may provide a promising approach for developing broad-spectrum cancer therapeutics in the future.
Greetings ACS Orlando Section, I wanted to send a brief newsletter with several updates and activities around our local section. The newsletter informs councilor report with updates on upcoming ACS National Election. You will also find details about the student travel awards and the Avogadro Award provided by our local section. This year we had generous donation from Dr. Darlene Slattery, the 2025 Gordon L. Nelson Award recipient, to boost the student travel awards. We will celebrate the 21st annual Central Florida Earth Day event at Lake Eola Park on April 25, 2026. Please attend the event, if you can. We are also planning a Summer Social event in June 2026. Please stay tuned for more details on the Summer Social. Please share with us your ideas for programming that you would like to see in the Central Florida area – our contact information is below! I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely Toufiq Reza
Councilor Talking Points: Summary of Governance Issues and Actions
This report captures key actions and decisions from the ACS Council meeting on March 25 and the Board of Directors meetings held March 20–22, 2026, offering an overview of developments impacting the Orlando Section. Prepared by Laura Sessions and Nicole Lapeyrouse, Orlando Section Councilors.
Election Results Council selected Laura Sremaniak and Lisa McElwee‑White as candidates for 2027 President‑Elect. They will appear on the ballot in the fall 2026 national election, along with any petition candidates. Four candidates were announced for Director‑at‑Large (2027–2029): Mick Hurrey, Beth Lorsbach, William Provine, and Carolyn Ribes. Two will be elected this fall.
Committee and governance updates Council approved renaming and updating duties for the Committee on Budget and Finance to the Committee on Fiscal Affairs, reflecting the growing complexity of ACS finances. The committee preference form is open to all members interested in serving on an ACS committee in 2026 through July 6: https://www.acs.org/about/governance/committees/committees/information/preferences.html
Membership and global growth Council approved creation of a new International Chemical Sciences Chapter in Sri Lanka. The 2027 dues and benefits were approved with no changes from 2026.
Financial health ACS reported strong financial performance in 2025, with $50.7 million in net revenue and continued long‑term growth. Over the past 25 years, revenue has more than doubled, with a fourfold increase in unrestricted net assets. ACS receives 58% of revenue from outside of North America and is active 56 different jurisdictions.
Meetings and programs Spring 2026 programming emphasized collaboration, with strong focus areas (more than 300 sessions) in the four community programming tracks of Pharma, Data Science/AI, Sustainability, and Startup. As of March 24, there were 13,521 registrations (12,475 in-person and 1,046 online). The ACS Fall 2026 meeting will be held in Chicago, IL, from August 23-27, 2026.
Actions of the Board of Directors Meeting Board highlights The ACS Board approved a new Advocacy Strategy to support science and scientists in a non‑partisan way. Key areas of focus for 2026 are available at https://www.acs.org/policy/memberadvocacy/issues.html. Student and trainee support This spring, ACS launched Catalyst Scholarships, that will provide $10,000 per year to 200 undergraduates. A $1.4M graduate student success grant supported 74 graduate students who lost funding near degree completion last year.
Your Orlando Section Councilors are here to support ACS members across our seven‑county region. Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions, concerns, or ideas – we’d love to hear from you. With kind regards, Laura and Nicole
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week 2026
Stop by to visit Orlando Section members at the 21st annual Central Florida Earth Day event at Lake Eola Park (east side), 512 E. Washington Street Orlando, FL on Saturday April 25th, 2026 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. If you are interested in volunteering, remember that you must register and complete a background check. Please contact the CCEW event coordinator with any questions (stephensmith@fit.edu).
Orlando Section students traveled to the Spring Meeting in Orlando
The Orlando Section of the ACS sponsored four students with Student Travel Awards, thanks in part to a generous donation from Dr. Darlene Slattery, retired long‑time Orlando Section Councilor and the 2025 Gordon L. Nelson Award recipient.
Moses Mayonu (pictured right), PhD Candidate in Chemistry at the Florida Institute of Technology, stated that, ‘This experience provided me with extensive networking opportunities with researchers across the United States and the broader international scientific community. Engaging with distinguished professors offered valuable academic perspectives, while connections with students from both academic and industrial backgrounds have since contributed meaningfully to my ongoing research. A key highlight was the metabolomics data analysis bootcamp on March 25, 2026, which equipped me with critical analytical skills that will enhance my research approach and support my career development.’
Macayla Marr Barnett, undergraduate researcher at UCF (pictured left with advisor Dr. Nicole Lapeyrouse), shared that ‘the award allowed me to present at the 2026 Spring ACS Conference and share me and my research team’s most recent updates on STEM Identity. I love sharing and learning more about chemistry research and am so privileged to be able to connect with others in the community.’
Allison Lloyd (pictured right), PhD candidate at UCF shared that, ‘This year was the 150th anniversary of the conference, which resulted in keynote speakers I’d never thought I’d get the opportunity to hear from. I attended the keynote given by Dr. Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Prize-winner and co-inventor of CRISPR technology, which was the kickoff keynote for the conference. From that point forward, I presented a poster during the evening general poster session and the Sci-Mix poster session, in which I was approached by other researchers working on quantum dots. It was great to explain to them my own work on quantum dots, to have my work challenged and questioned by them, and to receive advice regarding experts in the field I could consult to continue with my work. Later in the week, I attended another keynote given by the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Moungi Bawendi for his contributions to quantum dots – the same field I had been presenting research in!’
Preeti Maiti (pictured left), a doctoral student at UCF, shared that, ‘I was selected to present a poster in the Biomaterials and Biointerfaces session under the Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry. Presenting my poster provided an excellent opportunity for scientific exchange, allowing me to engage with researchers and gain valuable new ideas and perspectives.
In addition, I was selected to deliver an oral presentation in the Division of Biochemical Technology under the Product Formulation session. This experience offered significant insights and served as a valuable platform to effectively communicate my research to a broader scientific audience.’
Avogadro Award
In 2001, the Orlando Section established the Avogadro Award to be presented to an outstanding senior project at the State Science and Engineering Fair. Other Sections in Florida were encouraged to support the award and it is presented yearly as a joint effort.
The 2006 award winner is Nicholas R. Stan (pictured right), a student at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. Nicholas’ project was entitled “Enhancing the Oncotoxic Effects of Mitochondrial-targeting D-(KLAKLAK)2 Peptide by Improving Cell Membrane Permeability via Chemical Conjugation with Imidazopyidinium.” The judges in the senior chemistry section unanimously chose this project because of its strong chemistry content and the obvious knowledge of the student.
The Orlando Section extends its gratitude to Darlene Slattery and DK Weerasinghe for judging the fair and awarding the Avogadro Award along with thanks to the Pensacola Section and the South Florida Section of ACS for contributing to the monetary award for the prize.
Abstract
Prior research has indicated that the synthetic peptide D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues (D-KLAKLAK and D-KLAK) exhibit potent cancer toxicity (oncotoxicity) and pro-apoptotic activity when internalized in mammalian cancer cells. The limitations of these peptides as therapeutic agents, however, are cancer specificity and membrane permeability. Research on tumor-homing peptides to attach to these kinds of peptides has had relative success in conferring specificity, but remain inefficient in promoting membrane permeability. Therefore, the only remaining problem is membrane permeability. The study conducted investigates chemical grafting of IP+ (imidazopyridinium) on to D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues, and its effect on cellular permeability. IP+ is a heterocycle designed to facilitate the diffusion of large peptides across the cell membrane, and this study tested if grafting IP+ onto D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues would improve its ability to diffuse across the cell membrane, which could aid in the development of a cancer therapeutic based on this peptide or others. Experimental methods included preparing D-(KLAKLAK)2 and its analogues, and grafting IP+ and a chloroalkane tag onto them. The effects of IP+ grafting were evaluated by running Chloroalkane Penetration Assays (CAQPA) on HEK293 cells in order to assess to what degree the peptides with or without IP+ could access the cytosol of the cells. Results indicated that IP+ significantly enhanced the intracellular localization of D-(KLAKLAK)2 and D-KLAK compared to controls lacking IP+. These results support the hypothesis and suggest that combining D-(KLAKLAK)2, a tumor-targeting peptide, and IP+ may provide a promising approach for developing broad-spectrum cancer therapeutics in the future.
SERMACS 2025: A Success
The 76th Southeastern and 81st Southwest Joint Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (SERMACS/SWRM 2025) themed “Chemistry in the Sunshine” was held from October 26-29th, 2025 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. 1710 attendees represented a diverse range of institutions and sectors, including academic institutions, industrial organizations, state/government agencies, undergraduate/graduate students and post-doctoral scholars, as well as high school teachers and students. SERMACS/SWRM 2025 featured 49 distinct technical symposia.
Many thanks to the many, many Orlando Section members who volunteered their time and talents to make the meeting a success!
The Executive Committee would like to extend special gratitude to Chris Chouinard for his dedication in serving as General Chair. Chris is pictured above issuing a welcome to the meeting.
Invite to Attend Executive Committee Meetings
All members are welcome to attend the Orlando Section Executive Committee Meetings that take place on the third Saturday of each month on Zoom. Please contact the Chair (Toufiq Reza) to obtain access to the meeting.
The ACS Orlando Section is partially sponsoring the 2025-2026 A.H. Blatt Distinguished Lecture by Professor John L. Wood, Robert A. Welch Distinguished Professor and Department Chair, Baylor University. The title of this lecture is “Recent Efforts in the Synthesis of Complex Natural Products”. This hybrid event is scheduled for March 12, 2026, from 5 p.m. in Bioengineering and Sciences Building (BES), Room 141 at Florida Institute of Technology. Please follow the link below to attend the lecture on zoom: https://fit.zoom.us/j/91608351838. The members of ACS Orlando Section are cordially invited to attend the lecture. A reception to follow in the lobby of BES immediately after lecture.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society held it’s annual awards banquet on Saturday, December 6th, 2025 at the At Helena Modern Riviera (ICON Park).
The 2025 winners are:
Award
Recipient
Organization
The Eileen Tulley Award for Outstanding High School Student
SAlejandra Jaramillo Marin
Tohopekaliga High School
Outstanding Student at a primarily teaching institution
LeeAnn Andrews
Keiser University
Outstanding Student at a primarily research institution
Elisa Guerrero Supriya Bera
University of Central Florida Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Graduate Student
Pritha Sarkar
University of Central Florida
Outstanding High School Teacher
Kennan Wasinger
Lake Brantley High School
Outstanding Educator at a Primarily Research Institution
Alan B. Brown
Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Chemist
Rudolf J. Wehmschulte
Florida Institute of Technology
Outstanding Entrepreneur/Employer
University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program (Rafael Caamano)
The Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society is excited to announce the results from our 2026 Executive Committee election. The voting opened on November 8, 2025, and closed on November 15, 2025.
Congratulations to our 2026 officers:
Chair-Elect: Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna Secretary: Dr. Meghan McGreal Treasurer: Dr. Van Quach Councilor: Dr. Nicole Lapeyrouse
Electronic record of the results can be found here.
We would also like to thank the 2025 executive committee for their service and support of the local section. We hope to see you all at our annual awards banquet next month on December 6th.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to our LinkedIn, follow our Facebook page, and check out our website for updated news, and activities of our local section
We are excited to announce the candidates for 2026 Executive Committee of the Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society. Voting is expected to open on November 8th, 2025 and will close on November 15th, 2025. You will receive an email with instructions on how to cast your votes electronically.
Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna Candidate for Chair-Elect
Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry under the mentorship of Dr. Parastoo Hashemi at Wayne State University, Michigan. She then conducted her postdoctoral research with Dr. Shigeru Amemiya at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Pathirathna’s interdisciplinary and translational research focuses on developing and optimizing electrochemical sensors for the analysis of biologically and environmentally significant metals and neurotransmitters, with applications in point-of-care diagnostics. Her research has been supported by the Naval Research Laboratory and the National Science Foundation. Among her distinctions are the Outstanding Educator at a Research Institution Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the Educator of the Year Award from United Bridge Inc. In addition to her academic and research roles, she has led STEM clubs at Palm Bay Middle School and Pineapple Cove Classical Academy, promoting hands-on science education for young learners. Dr. Pathirathna served as Secretary of the ACS Orlando Section (2021–2024) and currently serves as a reviewer for several scientific journals and funding agencies. Her commitment to advancing chemical education, research, and community engagement continues to reflect the mission and values of the ACS.
Dr. Meghan McGreal Candidate for Secretary
Meghan McGreal is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Stetson University in DeLand. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. She is a computational chemist with a research focus on metalloenzyme catalysis and biomimetic modifications to the active sites of these enzymes. Dr. McGreal is the faculty adviser to the Stetson University ACS Student Chapter and is a founding member of the Stetson Inclusive Pedagogy Faculty Cohort. Dr. McGreal is very passionate about undergraduate chemistry education, as well as providing connections and outreach opportunities for the public to experience chemistry. With the newly formed ACS student chapter, she has been very involved in outreach, performing experiments with children at many events such as the Downtown DeLand Monsters on Main Street Halloween Event and the Orlando Science Center National Chemistry Week event with the local section. Dr. McGreal has been a member of the ACS since she was an undergraduate student as well as secretary for the local section for the past year. She also served as volunteer coordinator for SERMACS/SWRM 2025 here in Orlando. She very much appreciates the opportunity to connect with other chemists at conferences and events with the Orlando local section and is excited to continue developing these connections with other chemists in the area, to get more involved, and to start getting others at Stetson more involved in the local section.
Dr. Van Quach Candidate for Treasurer
Van Quach has proudly served as Treasurer of the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society since 2019. He is also a Professor of Chemistry at Seminole State College, where he has been inspiring students since 2010. Dr. Quach earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Florida in 1999. After taking time to travel and explore, he continued his academic journey at Florida State University, where his doctoral research focused on the theoretical and fundamental processes involved in chemical separations—specifically, the temperature dependence of phase ratios in liquid chromatography systems. He completed his Ph.D. in 2009 and spent two years teaching at FSU before returning to Central Florida to join Seminole State College. Outside the classroom, Dr. Quach enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, getting lost in a good book, and savoring a well-crafted glass of wine.
Dr. Nicole Lapeyrouse Candidate for Councilor
Nicole Lapeyrouse is an associate lecturer at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She performed her undergraduate studies at Florida International University and her graduate work at UCF. At UCF, her research focuses on chemistry education. Dr. Lapeyrouse’s current research has three main focuses with the overall goal of increasing student retention in STEM. This includes investigating student’ perception of teaching practices and their experience with unique multimedia. In addition, her research group looks at identifying factors that impact students’ STEM identity. Some of her prestigious distinctions include Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Affordable Instructional Materials High-Impact Individual Award Recipient for the use of Open Education Resources, and Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year.
Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida Candidate for Councilor
Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Central Florida and an active member of the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). She served as Chair of the section in 2022 and has coordinated the National Chemistry Week (NCW) events since 2021. In recognition of her outstanding outreach efforts, Dr. Popolan-Vaida was honored by the ACS as the 2024 Outreach Volunteer of the Year. Additionally, one of the NCW events she organized received the 2023 ChemLuminary Award for Outstanding Community Involvement in National Chemistry Week. Dr. Popolan-Vaida research focuses on combustion and atmospheric chemistry, contributing to a deeper understanding of chemical processes relevant to energy and the environment. Prior to joining UCF, she earned her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Ulm, Germany, and completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Dr. Popolan-Vaida is the co-author of over 35 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has received several notable awards, including the Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship, DAAD Scholarship (German Academic Exchange Program), Erasmus Scholarship, and the EMSPS Scholarship (European Mobility Scheme for Physics Students). In June 2022, she was awarded the DOE Early Career Research Award.
Join us for a traditional awards banquet as the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society honors our 2025 award recipients.
Saturday, December 6th, 2025 11:30AM to 2:00PM Location:Helena Modern Riviera 8441 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819 (ICON Park)
Lunch Menu Appetizers Beef or Veggie Empanadas Bruschetta Crostini
Iberian Caesar Salad
Entrée choice of Pasta Primavera Seasonal veggies tossed over pasta in an olive oil, garlic white wine sauce Lady and the Tramp Spaghetti with homemade meatballs with our Marinara Sauce Vegetarian Paella Valencia rice, mushrooms, broccolini, asparagus, peas, artichokes, veggie consommé Chicken Pinxhos Chicken skewers and a bed of garlic mashed potatoes
Beverages Fountain drinks Cash bar available
The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. The Section will cover the total bill with a single payment. You may pay in advance via the RSVP link or at the door using cash or check
The Orlando Section of the ACS is seeking individuals interested in joining our 2026 Executive Board. We have four positions up for election: Chair Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Councilor. A description of each position is included below. Please contact the nomination committee chair, Toufiq Reza (treza@fit.edu), with any additional questions.
To make a nomination, complete thenomination form or email nomination information (name of nominee, contact information, and nominated position) to Toufiq Reza (treza@fit.edu). All nominations must be submitted by November 1st, 2025. Voting will open on November 8th, instructions for voting by electronic ballot will be sent before the voting period opens.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Chair Elect (one-year term; three-year term total). The main responsibilities are:
To vote/participate in executive board decisions
Serve as chair for meetings which the Chair cannot attend
Succeed to office of Chair for the next year
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 executive board 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 executive board decisions
Councilor (three-year term). The main responsibilities are:
To attend national meeting annually, represent the Section, and report back activities
Assist in preparing and submitting the annual report to the national office
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
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 6th, 2025. Student nominees need not be currently enrolled in chemistry but can be nominated for achievements for the spring 2025 term. Nominees for awards need not be members.
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 by completing the google doc form (link below) and uploading PDF letters in the appropriate places on the form. Questions can be directed to Dr. Laura Sessions, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at lsessions@valenciacollege.edu. To be considered, nominations must be received by 5pm FridayNovember 7, 2025.
Celebrating Chemistry magazines displayed at a local library.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society is on a mission to spark a love for chemistry among children in Central Florida. For the past few years, we have distributed Celebrating Chemistry magazines to local library systems, providing resources that make chemistry accessible and exciting for young learners.
For 2025 National Chemistry Week (NCW), the Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) will distribute Celebrating Chemistry magazines to library systems of 7 counties around central Florida: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia.
Representative from each county library should submit this request form to request the magazines. We only ship the magazine to one address per county, preferably, to the main branch/office, from which the magazines will be distributed through county library system.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Duy Le (duy.le@ucf.edu).
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