In this Newsletter, we would like to bring your attention to a few important and exciting news.
On Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM) at the Orlando Science Center, the ACS Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society organizes a community event for National Chemistry Week to celebrate the importance of chemistry in everyday life! Learn about this year’s theme, Picture Perfect Chemistry, with exciting hands-on activities. Stop by to see the fun!
To celebrate National Chemistry Week, the Orlando Section is also organizing the 2024 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest: Picture Perfect Chemistry for K-12 students. We ask you to spread the word to K-12 teachers and students to encourage their participation. The deadline for submission is Sunday, October 27th, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
The Orlando Section is also calling for Annual Awards Nominations. To be considered, nominations must be received by 5pm Wednesday November 13, 2024. Questions can be directed to Dr. Nasri Nesnas, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at nesnas@fit.edu. More information about the annual awards and nomination process can be found on our website.
The American Chemical Society is offering a 30% discount on the cost of ACS membership. Members may simply enter the discount code when joining or renewing their membership and enjoy the benefits. Share this discount code to encourage your colleagues to renew or join! Visit https://www.acs.org/membership.html and use this code Local Sections: LSGROW24 for renewing or joining ACS.
On Saturday, September 21st 2024, the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society hosted a Membership Meet-Up with guest speaker Bill Easter, a subject matter expert in the area of Semiconductor Chemical Mechanical Polishing and Material Development and local serial entrepreneur who founded Semplastics, X-MAT, X-BATT and DioQuest. Bill, who was recognized as the Section’s Outstanding Entrepreneur in 2023, presented an informative talk entitled The Accidental Entrepreneur – A Perspective on Material Systems, Chemistry and Innovation. After the talk, attendees enjoyed a light lunch and networking opportunities. The event concluded with a brief Executive Meeting, during which six undergraduate attendees were awarded complimentary one-year memberships to ACS.
The Orlando Section of the ACS is seeking individuals interested in joining our 2025 Executive Board. We have five positions up for election: Chair Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Alternate Councilor. A description of each position is included below. Please contact the nomination committee chair, Brian Mosby (bmosby@rollins.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 Brian Mosby (bmosby@rollins.edu). All nominations must be submitted by November 1st, 2024. 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
Alternate Councilor (three-year term). The main responsibilities are:
In the absence of the Councilor’s ability to attend, attend national meetings, 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 7th, 2024. Student nominees need not be currently enrolled in chemistry but can be nominated for achievements for the spring 2024 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 by completing the digital form (link below) and uploading PDF letters in the appropriate places on the form. Questions can be directed to Dr. Nasri Nesnas, Chair of the Orlando Section Awards Committee at nesnas@fit.edu. To be considered, nominations must be received by 5pm WednesdayNovember 13, 2024.
Nominators of awardees are expected to participate in the Orlando Section’s annual banquet to introduce the awardees.
* Point of contact for nominated company must be included in the letter. ** Nominees for awards need not be members of the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society.
Chemistry & Community: A Membership Meet-Up Date: Saturday, September 21 Time: 10:00 AM Location: Valencia College Lake Nona Campus room 148 12350 Narcoossee Rd., Orlando, FL 32832
Join us for an engaging and informative morning with Bill Easter, a subject matter expert in the area of Semiconductor Chemical Mechanical Polishing and Material Development and local serial entrepreneur who founded Semplastics, X-MAT, X-BATT and DioQuest. The title of the presentation is: The Accidental Entrepreneur – A Perspective on Material Systems, Chemistry, and Innovation
How does one become an entrepreneur using chemical/materials expertise? Innovation is the intersection between invention and societal needs using a multi-disciplinary approach. As society advances, how can chemists and material scientists participate in innovation? This talk will highlight both the challenges and opportunities of being an entrepreneur by highlighting the life journey of a particular scientist/engineer.
After Bill’s presentation, stay for the ACS Orlando Section’s Executive Committee meeting. This is a great opportunity to learn about our section’s activities this fall and get involved with planning for the upcoming SERMACS 2025 conference.
Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow members, gain valuable knowledge, and contribute to our local chemistry community! Students and prospective members are welcome! Light lunch will be served.
The ACS Committee on Public Relations and Communications (CPRC) will sponsor a symposium at SERMACS 2024 in Atlanta October 23-26, 2024, titled “Innovative methods of communicating the value of chemistry to the public.” Please forward this email to your constituency and/or place on your local section or division web site.
We are particularly interested in hearing from students (undergraduate or graduate) who are involved in outreach or other communication avenues; the best student presentations will receive cash awards.
The abstract submission begins April 29, 2024; in the past the hard deadline was in the summer, about 6 weeks later. Students are not easy to contact during the summer, so if you know of any student groups that communicate the value of chemistry to the public, please ask them to write an abstract and submit through the ACS MAPS portal.
Hello Orlando Section! We would like to bring to your attention to the following two announcements:
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW): To promote the positive role that chemistry plays in the world, ACS established the Chemists Celebrate Earth Week public awareness campaign. This year, CCEW occurs on April 21–27 with the theme “Get a Charge out of Chemistry”. The Section will participate in Central Florida Earth day at Lake Eola (on April 20th, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM). At this event, we will distribute educational merchandise and hosting activities. Dr. Stephen Smith (FIT, stephensmith@fit.edu) will lead this event. Please contact him if you are interested in volunteering for this event.
Student Travel awards for FAME participation: The Orlando Local Section of the American Chemical Society offers travel awards to students who are in need of financial supplement for their participation in local, regional, and national conferences organized by of the American Chemical Society and its affiliates. At least two students will receive awards of up to $150 for their participation in FAME (Florida Annual Meeting and Exposition). More details about the application procedure can be found on our website.
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 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.
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
To vote/participate in exec decisions
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