2024 Orlando Section Officers

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEOFFICERTELEPHONE
ChairStephen Smith 321-309-3037
Chair Elect      Brian Mosby
Immediate Past ChairNicole Lapeyrouse407-823-0386
TreasurerVan Quach
SecretaryPavithra Pathirathna321-674-7561
Councilor & Section HistorianDarlene Slattery321-632-2535
CouncilorLaura Sessions407-582-7138
Alternate CouncilorMichel Johnson
CCEW Coordinator
NCW CoordinatorDenisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Younger Chemists CommitteeMohammed Muzammil Nishar Ahmed (Mill)321-368-4129
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM  
Chair:Michel Johnson
Webmaster:Duy Le
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD CoordinatorMary C. Roslonowski 321-243-6198
AWARDS COMMITTEE ChairNasri Nesnas(321) 674 – 8902
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ChairTPA
SERMACS COMMITTEE 
General Co-ChairChristopher Chouinard321-674-8173
General Co-ChairChris Avery
Program ChairTPA
Exposition ChairMichel Johnson

2023 CCEW – Celebrating Chemistry

Celebrating Chemistry is designed to engage and educate children ages 9–12 (Grades 4–6) in the basic principles of chemistry. The publication is available in English and Spanish.

Download the issue in English (PDF)
Descargar en Español (PDF)

2023 Orlando Section Officers

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEOFFICERTELEPHONE
Chair:Nicole Lapeyrouse407-823-0386
Chair Elect:        Stephen Smith
Immediate Past Chair:Denisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Treasurer:Van Quach
Secretary:Pavithra Pathirathna321-674-7561
Councilor & Section Historian:Darlene Slattery321-632-2535
Alternate Council Member:Laura Sessions407-582-7138
CCEW CoordinatorDuy Le407-666-8198
NCW CoordinatorDenisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Younger Chemists CommitteeMohammed Muzammil Nishar Ahmed321-368-4129
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM  
Chair:Michel Johnson
Webmaster:Duy Le
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD CoordinatorMary C. Roslonowski 321-243-6198
AWARDS COMMITTEE ChairLaura Sessions407-582-7138
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ChairStephen Smith
SERMACS COMMITTEE 
General Co-ChairChristopher Chouinard321-674-8173
General Co-ChairChris Avery
Program ChairTitel Jurca
Exposition ChairMichel Johnson

2022 CCEW – Celebrating Chemistry

Celebrating Chemistry is designed to engage and educate children ages 9–12 (Grades 4–6) in the basic principles of chemistry. The publication is available in English and Spanish.

Download the issue in English (PDF)
Descargar en Español (PDF)
Word Search Solution (PDF)

2022 Orlando Section Officers

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEOFFICERTELEPHONE
Chair:Denisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Chair Elect:        Nicole Lapeyrouse407-823-0386
Immediate Past Chair:Duy Le407-666-8198
Treasurer:Van Quach
Secretary:Pavithra Pathirathna321-674-7561
Councilor & Section Historian:Darlene Slattery321-632-2535
Alternate Council Member:Laura Sessions407-582-7138
CCEW CoordinatorDuy Le407-666-8198
NCW CoordinatorDenisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Younger Chemists CommitteeMohammed Muzammil Nishar Ahmed321-368-4129
OUTREACH COMMITTEE  
Chair:
Co-chair:
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM  
Chair:Michel Johnson
Webmaster:Duy Le
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD CoordinatorMary C. Roslonowski  321-243-6198
AWARDS COMMITTEE ChairDarlene Slattery 321-632-2535
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ChairLaura Sessions 321-674-8173
SERMACS COMMITTEE 
General Co-ChairChristopher Chouinard321-674-8173
General Co-ChairChris Avery
Program ChairTitel Jurca
Exposition ChairMichel Johnson
*Click on name to send an officer an email

Programs Supporting High School Chemistry Educators

ACS-Hach Programs provide financial support for future and current high school chemistry teachers. Through these grants and scholarships, ACS carries on the work of the Hach Scientific Foundation Endowment, encouraging the development of high school chemistry teachers and improving the teaching and learning of chemistry in their classrooms.

ACS-Hach Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Scholarship – provides financial support (up to $6,000 for full-time study, up to $3,000 for part-time study) for chemistry graduates with limited work experience to obtain a master’s degree in education or teacher certification in chemistry. Apply by April 1.

ACS-Hach Second Career Teacher Scholarship – provides financial support (up to $6,000 for full-time study, up to $3,000 for part-time study) for chemistry professionals to obtain a master’s degree in education or teacher certification in chemistry. Apply by April 1.

ACS-Hach High School Chemistry Classroom Grant – grants of up to $1,500 for high school chemistry teachers to use to cover basic classroom or laboratory needs, fund professional development experiences, or support innovative ideas in chemistry education. Apply by April 14.

Are you late for the above opportunities or do you want to find many other programs that support chemistry research and education at all levels, visit the ACS Funding Opportunities page.

Note: This post was reproduced from the ACS Newsletter about Grants & Scholarships for Educators on March 23rd 2021

CCEW 2021 – Celebrating Chemistry

Celebrating Chemistry is designed to engage and educate children ages 9–12 (Grades 4–6) in the basic principles of chemistry. The publication is available in English and Spanish.

Download the issue in English (PDF)
Descargar en Español (PDF)

2020 Orlando Section Officers

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEOFFICERTELEPHONE
Chair:Christopher Chouinard321-674-8173
Chair Elect:        Duy Le —
Immediate Past Chair:Joel Olson321-674-7350
Treasurer:Van Quach
Secretary:Mary C. Roslonowski 321-243-6198
Councilor & Section Historian:Darlene Slattery321-632-2535
Alternate Council Member:Laura B. Sessions407-582-7138
OUTREACH COMMITTEE  
Chair:
Co-chair:
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM COMMITTEE  
Chair:Michel Johnson
Newsletter Editor:
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD Chair Mary C. Roslonowski  321-243-6198
AWARDS COMMITTEE Chair Darlene Slattery 321-632-2535
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE Chair Duy Le 
*Click on name to send an officer an email

2021 Orlando Section Officers

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEOFFICERTELEPHONE
Chair:Duy Le407-666-8198
Chair Elect:        Denisia Popolan-Vaida407-823-1537
Immediate Past Chair:Christopher Chouinard321-674-8173
Treasurer:Van Quach
Secretary:Pavithra Pathirathna321-674-7561
Councilor & Section Historian:Darlene Slattery321-632-2535
Alternate Council Member:Laura Sessions407-582-7138
OUTREACH COMMITTEE  
Chair:
Co-chair:
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM COMMITTEE  
Chair:Michel Johnson
Newsletter Editor:
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD ChairMary C. Roslonowski  321-243-6198
AWARDS COMMITTEE ChairDarlene Slattery 321-632-2535
NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE ChairDenisia Popolan-Vaida 407-823-1537
SERMACS COMMITTEE  
Chair:Christopher Chouinard321-674-8173
*Click on name to send an officer an email

2021 Strategic Plan

Our MISSION

Advancing the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.

Our VISION

Central Florida chemists, chemical engineers, and those in training, improving people’s lives through the transforming power of chemistry.

Our PRIORITIES

  • Contribute to the public’s understanding of chemistry through the delivery of a compelling message at the annual Earth Day and during the National Chemistry week.
  • Encourage students and support members in their pursuit of a successful career in chemistry or chemical engineering by supporting the Chemistry Olympiads and granting achievement awards.
  • Support the career of our members and advancing their employers by organizing, supporting or promoting networking events, conferences or continuing education.
  • Attract a diverse group of volunteers by offering a menu of inspiring activities. Our CHALLENGES
  • Increasing engagement of members from industry or in a chemical engineering career.
  • Increasing representation of volunteers without an advanced degree.
  • Increasing the menu of opportunities to get involved.
  • Helping members lacking the time to volunteer.
  • Overcoming the geographic dispersion impeding in- person participation.

Who We Are

The Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society represents members in the Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and helps them remaining active and involved in their communities. Specifically, it is the local section’s role to offer its members a forum to 1) connect with other chemists and chemical engineers, 2) enhance their professional development, 3) build leadership skills, 4) affect change in the region through outreach, and 5) contribute to the public’s understanding of chemistry in our community.1

What We Do

Figure 2. Ranking of the reasons motivating members to get involved with the Orlando Local Section based on a non-scientific poll conducted in March 2020.

The ACS Orlando Local Section focuses most of its activities on educating the public on the benefits chemistry brings to society; supporting the education of future chemists and chemical engineers; hosting networking social events; and recognizing the achievements of members and students. The full list of recurring activities is summarized in Table 1.

What our members want

Our section must contribute to the fulfillment of the aspirations of its members to get them involved. According a non-scientific internal poll (Figure 2), chemists and chemical engineers would be more likely to get involved with the local section for the purpose of networking, build their resume, and satisfy their wish to give back to the community.

Strategic Goals

1. Becoming the hub for students, professionals and retirees to connect and obtain information about regional chemical engineering and chemistry activities, employment opportunities and volunteering. Connecting members is core to our mission. Although local section’s leadership is well connected with the teaching community, this is less so with members in the government, in the private sector, and with our retirees. Our activities focusing on our students, public education, awards and recognition aligns with just a portion of the chemical enterprise. We will aim to improve our ties with the whole spectrum of the chemical enterprise while continuing existing activities.

Action 1: Staff a communication team2 responsible to maintain a distribution email; establish a network of news contributors; relay webpage content to the webmaster; and engage the membership on the local section Facebook page. We will aim to recruit a team member from each of the counties under our jurisdiction to maximize our reach. We hope minimizing the constraints created by our large geographical area by creating an active web presence. The number of views on our web page and Facebook engagements will serve as a measure of our success.

Action 2: Becoming better networked with the local chemical enterprise. As a first step, each member of the board will seek the views and recommendations from their supervisors and from the mover and shakes in their network about this strategy. This engagement should result in having their buy-in, solidify our network, and expand our list of prospective volunteers. This first step and the implementation of the other actions in this strategy should lead us to a satisfactory understanding of the local enterprise.

Action 3: Increase the number of networking opportunities by first allowing members to attend the monthly Executive Committee meetings. Members considering volunteering will benefit meeting the Board, and the Board will gain a new opportunity to receive comments from the membership.

Action 4: Maximize membership access to scientific and non-scientific presentations provided at nearby teaching institutions. Local institutions may be willing to grant access to students from nearby institutions and to ACS members to hear guest speakers but may not have time to publicize their events. The section can use its web presence and distribution list to publicize such events. The ACS Orlando Local Section will request that institutions hosting guest speakers funded by our organization to welcome local section members.

2. Attract, recruit and retain more volunteers: The ACS Orlando Local Section requires a “critical mass” to be effective in attracting and retaining talented members to execute its mission. Increasing the number of volunteers will bring better ideas, make new skill sets available, and contribute to the section’s networking capability in addition to help sharing the workload. Presumably, the recruitment of volunteers will become easier as we achieve the Strategic Goal #1.

Action 1: The Executive Committee will establish a project team for each of the activities listed in Table 1 with the aim of staffing them with at least two members. The local section will take the steps necessary to ensure each team has adequate time to prepare for their assigned events and enjoy the experience to support the same event in subsequent years. Every volunteer is encouraged to recruit fellow members they judge equipped to bring a positive contribution to our continuity of operation.

Action 2: The Executive Committee will include the recruitment of volunteers as an agenda item to its monthly meeting to reflect the importance of the issue.

3. Seek diversity and foster a sense of belonging: The Executive Committee encourages members from all ethnic, cultural, gender identity, and educational backgrounds to seek office, volunteer in one or more of its committees or teams, and to attend any one of the local section activities. The Executive Committee believes in the strength of diversity in all forms because inclusion of, and respect for, diverse people, experiences, and ideas leads to superior solutions. When successful, our undergraduate and graduate students, our professionals and retirees will share an equal sense of belonging and inclusion in our professional group.

Action 1: The Board and team members will support the recruitment of minority and underrepresented professionals by leveraging their personal and professional network. Our officers will invite their professional leadership to help identify potential volunteers from under represented communities.

Action 2: Create a laboratory professional award and an entrepreneur/employer award to increase recognition of professionals with an undergraduate degree and to celebrate the success of our membership’s employers.

4. Find a path to expand engagement: The ACS Orlando Local Section believes it can do more to advance the local chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people beyond student development, public education, recognition, and offering an opportunity for its members to volunteer. Expanding the scope of local activities will make the section more valuable to its members, have a greater impact on the local chemical enterprise and motivate more members to become active. At this time, the section is constrained in its capability to expand the menu of activities due to the limited availability of volunteers and funding. But, the successful execution of the three priorities just presented above will open an opportunity for the ACS Orlando Local Section to expand its reputation of being networked and delivering impact in our community which should increase the number of members interested in volunteering.

Action 1: Establish a task force to identify special events the local section could conduct or sponsor that is appealing to a wide segment of the membership or to their employers. Attention could be given to activities with the potential of improving the employment prospects in our region and to the success of their employers. The task force will also determine if the local section leverages the full support and services the ACS national office offers to its sections with an eye on better serving the local chemical enterprise and of its chemists or engineers.

Reference

[1]- https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/membership-and-networks/ls/whatare.html

[2]- Team vs committee, https://www.laurindaonleadership.com/2011/06/whats-the- difference-between-a-committee-and-a-team/

Note: This strategic plan was last updated on 08/22/2020