The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society will recognize 2023 awards winners in a traditional annual awards banquet on December 2nd, 2023. You are invited to attend the banquet:
Saturday, December 2nd, 2023 11:30AM to 2:00PM At the 310 Lakeside 301 East Pine Street, Orlando, FL 32801
MENU Appetizers Stuffed Mushroom – sausage, spinach, parmesan Fried Green Tomato – pimento spread, bacon jam, chives Tomato and Mozzarella Skewer – fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic glaze Entrée choice of Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Pasta Primavera seasonal vegetables, grana padano cheese Chicken Piccata white wine, butter, capers, lemon sauce Salmon tomato bruschetta, balsamic glaze Dessert Tiramisu 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.
We are excited to announce the candidates for 2024 Executive Committee of the Orlando Section. Voting is expected to open on November 6th, 2023, when you will receive a separate email with the instructions on how to cast your votes electronically and will close on November 20th, 2023.
Dr. Brian Mosby Candidate for Chair-Elect
Dr. Mosby is heavily invested in the development of students and participation in the scientific community. On campus he serves as the faculty advisor of the Rollins ACS student chapter and the coordinator for the general chemistry Peer Supplemental Instructor program. He is a longtime member of NOBCChE and has served on the national level as a member of the conference national planning committee (NPC) business development committee, technical sessions committee, and has served as the co-chair for the NPC on two occasions. Dr. Mosby is eager to continue his service through contributions to the Orlando Section as chair-elect.
Dr. Laura Sessions Candidate for Councilor
Dr. Sessions hails from Winter Park, FL, where she spent her formative years. She holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees, having earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her doctorate degree from Dartmouth College. Over the last thirteen years, she has been a dedicated educator at Valencia College, taking on various roles such as Department Chair and actively participating on the Faculty Association Council. Dr. Sessions has been recognized for her commitment to teaching with multiple endowed chair awards.
Notably, Dr. Sessions has been a devoted volunteer within the ACS Orlando section since 2015, contributing her expertise in various capacities, including Alternate Councilor, Awards Chair, and Chair. Her commitment to the organization extends to her appointment to the ACS Budget & Finance Committee for 2023-2024, where she plays a vital role in overseeing the organization’s financial strategies. Dr. Sessions has also demonstrated her interest in the new officer position by attending the recent council and caucus meetings in San Francisco to gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the organization and the role of councilor.
Leveraging her leadership experience and consistent dedication to the ACS, Dr. Sessions would be pleased to extend her service to the Orlando Section as a Councilor.
Dr. Pavithra Pathirathna Candidate for Secretary
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. Some of her prestigious distinctions include Honor Citation for Teaching Service and Esther and Stanley Kirschner General Chemistry Teaching Award. Besides her scholarly and teaching activities, Pavithra has been serving as the secretary of the ACS Orlando section since 2021 and a reviewer and a co-editor of several journals.
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.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.
Contest_Deadline:
Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes:
One winner will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories: Grades K-2 Grades 3-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 The teacher who guided the winner will receive a small funding ($100) for classroom supplies.
Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!
How to participate:
Write and illustrate a poem using the NCE theme, “The Healing Power of Chemistry.” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:
Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors
Contest rules:
· All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse. · Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation. · All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. · The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration. · No clipart or unoriginal images can be used. · Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form. · Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes. · Do not place participant names on the front of your poem.
We are seeking interested individuals to join the Orlando Section Executive Committee in 2024! We have four positions up for election: Chair Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Councilor. A description of each position is included below. Please contact Dr. Stephen Smith (stephensmith@fit.edu), Nominating Committee Chair, with any additional questions.
All nominations (including name of nominee, contact information, and nominated position) must be notified to Dr. Stephen Smith (via email at stephensmith@fit.edu) by October 13th, 2023. Voting is expected to open on October 24th, when you will receive a separate email with the instructions on how to cast your votes electronically. Please let us know before October 13th, 2023 if you would like to be mailed a paper copy ballot.
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
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 a company 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 annual banquet held on December 3, 2023. Student nominees need not be currently enrolled in chemistry but can be nominated for achievements for the spring 2023 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.
• Nominations must be received by 5pm Friday November 3, 2023. • Nominators of awardees are expected to participate in the Orlando Section’s annual banquet to introduce the awardees. • Please address any questions to Dr. Laura Sessions, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee, at lsessions@valenciacollege.edu. * Point of contact for nominated company must be included in the letter.
In this bulletin, we would like to bring to your attention a couple important opportunities for members and highlight some accomplishments:
Call for Volunteers for the Awards Committee: The Orlando Section is currently in search of individuals willing to contribute to the Awards Committee. Annually, our section grants awards totaling more than $3,000 to honor the outstanding contributions of chemists and chemistry students within our local community.
Orlando Section wins ChemLuminary Award: The Orlando Section received the ChemLuminary Award for Outstanding Community Involvement in National Chemistry Week at the ACS Fall 2023 Meeting in San Francisco. National Chemistry Week celebrates the importance of chemistry in everyday life. On October 22, 2022, about 400 attendees were able to participate in experiments related to the theme: Fabulous Fibers, The Chemistry of Fabrics.
Call for Volunteers for National Chemistry Week event at OSC: Look for us at the Orlando Science Center again for National Chemistry Week celebrations on Saturday, October 21, 2023. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Denisia.Popolan-Vaida@ucf.edu.
You can read more about these fantastic events and see pictures on our website and social media linked below.
Best wishes,
Dr. Nicole Lapeyrouse Chair of the Orlando Section of the ACS On behalf of the Orlando Section executive committee
Please don’t forget to subscribe to our community page, follow our facebook page, and check out our website for updated news, and activities of our local section.
The Orlando Section is currently in search of individuals willing to contribute to the Awards Committee. Annually, our section grants awards exceeding a total of $3,000 to honor the outstanding contributions of chemists and chemistry students within our local community.
The committee’s commitment involves a brief initial Zoom meeting, followed by asynchronous evaluation of nomination letters during the week of November 4-10. If this opportunity piques your interest, kindly send a brief statement of your intent to the Awards Chair no later than September 29, 2023: Dr. Laura Sessions lsessions@valenciacollege.edu.
Angelo Cinque, an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Nicole Lapyrouse’s group at UCF, attended the Fall 2023 National Meeting. He is evaluating the efficacy of the integration of an adaptive learning system, Mastery Paths, in a CHM 2045C classroom. The research team aims to code qualitative data to understand students’ perceptions and attitudes towards Mastery Path and look at relationships between students’ course performance and their use of the platform. He presented his research and discussed with participants from around the country studying similar topics. He enjoyed listening to other presenters including presentations expanding beyond his research topic. He writes, ‘Overall, it was an unforgettable experience and an important milestone in my academic journey. Thank you so much for the opportunity to go to Fall ACS.’.
About Student Travel Awards: The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society offers travel awards to students who are in need of financial supplement for their conference participations. Click here for more information about the awards and how to apply.
Travel awards from the Orlando Section of the ACS assisted two students in Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida’s research group at University of Central Florida to attend the 99th Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition (FAME) conference from June 1 – 3, 2023. Arden Floyd and Alec DeCecco received $150 each.
Arden Floyd gave a poster presentation on her research titled “Cloud Condensation Nuclei Activity of Fresh and Aged Maleic Acid Aerosol Particles”. She gained new perspective on her work thanks to the insightful questions of the FAME attendees. She was introduced to exciting fields of chemistry by the excellent and diverse presentations she attended and was able to forge new friendships and professional connections with like-minded chemists from across the state of Florida. She is a chemistry major at the University of Central Florida who will be graduating in Spring 2024. She looks forward to next year’s 100th anniversary of FAME.
Alec DeCecco, a Ph.D. student at the University of Central Florida, has just completed his first year of study on combustion research. He writes that his experience at ACS FAME was fantastic. He shared his research with others and received really interesting questions that lead to great conversations. Attending presentations gave him insight into some of the cutting-edge research going on in the field of chemistry and he was able to learn a lot. He found the conference attendees to be very friendly and had a lot of fun meeting people and hearing about their research. He gives his thanks to the section for granting him the travel award that made this whole experience possible.
Congratulations and good work, Arden and Alec!
About Student Travel Awards: The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society offers travel awards to students who are in need of financial supplement for their conference participations. Click here for more information about the awards and how to apply.
The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society is pleased to honor our 50-, 60-, and 70-year ACS members and present the Salutes to Excellence award to our partner, the Orlando Science Center. Additionally, Patrick Walsh and Chris Spence from Covanta will give a short talk on a Sustainable Systems Solution for Solid Waste.
Saturday July 8th, 2023 11:30AM to 2:00PM Macaroni Grill (12148 S Apopka Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32836)
MENU Appetizers Bruschetta Calamari, Caesar Salad Entrée choice of Fettuccine Alfredo w/Chicken, Spaghetti w/Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, Pasta Milano, or Truffle Mac & Cheese Dessert Vanilla Ice Cream Beverages Soda, Iced Tea, Lemonade Cash bar is available
The cost will be $25/person. Since the Orlando Section covers part of the meal, tax, and gratuity, 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 by July 6, 2023 – online at https://forms.gle/THwRVyRT9gTaBnV7A.
Sustainable Systems Solution for Solid Waste Patrick Walsh, Area Asset Manager, and Chris Spence, Facility Manager Covanta Waste-to-energy (WTE) is the conversion of non-recyclable waste to electricity. It has been touted as both good and bad for the environment – good for decreasing waste levels and bad for the creation of pollutants in the incineration process. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, WTE has grown from one plant in 1982 to 11 facilities in 2022, giving Florida one of the highest levels of WTE processing nationwide. Last year, Florida Senate Bill 1764 was passed to encourage more.
Come learn more about WTE from the experts at Covanta and enjoy a luncheon with fellow chemists. We look forward to seeing you all there!
