Organizers pick key presentations at ACS 241st National Meeting & Exposition

(Press-News.org) Contact: Michael Bernstein
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714-765-2012 (Meeting, March 27-31)
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714-765-2012 (Meeting, March 27-31)
202-872-6293 (Before March 27) American Chemical Society
Organizers pick key presentations at ACS 241st National Meeting & Exposition ANAHEIM, March 27, 2011 — Organizers of the technical program at the American Chemical Society's 241st National Meeting & Exposition have identified these highlights from their own division or committee's presentations. The technical program is a journalistic treasure trove for spot news, features, story ideas, background, and sources for future coverage. It includes almost 9,400 papers that span scientific topics from astronomy to zoology. Journalists can access abstracts of all the presentations, with time and location, via the technical program or on a disc available from the ACS Office of Public Affairs contacts.

Agricultural & Food Chemistry (AGFD)

Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry Highlights for Anaheim

AGFD is sponsoring several exciting symposia for the 241st ACS National Meeting. Topics highlight the multidisciplinary nature of AGFD, and include nanotechnology, vitamins, bioactives in natural sweeteners, cereal grains, tree nuts, influence of agricultural practices on bioactives, utilization of waste and co-product material, and special International Year of Chemistry (IYC) symposia on public appreciation of agricultural, food chemistry, and bioactive compounds for human health. AGFD will host several special events, including the AGFD Graduate Student Award Symposium, the 2010 Sterling B. Hendricks Memorial Lectureship Award Address and Reception, the AGFD Poster Session and Social Hour, and the AGFD Chair's Reception. Please check the ACS online technical program for times and locations.

IYC Contribution of Women to Agricultural and Food Chemistry

This symposium is being held as part of ACS's activities to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry and highlights the many contributions of women in the science of agriculture and food. Notable speakers from the government, academic, and industry sectors will present research highlighting their participation in the development of a range of topics including innovative food processing, biofortification, sensory science, and foods for improved human health. Speakers will share their unique insights and perspectives of the role of women in advancing the science of food and agriculture.

Kenneth A. Spencer Award for Outstanding Achievement in Agricultural and Food Chemistry

An award symposium will be held to honor Dr. C. Henrick as a recipient of the 2010 Kenneth Spencer Award. He will speak on the discovery and applications of (S)-methoprene and related commercially useful juvenile hormone analogs, and applications of some insect sex pheromones and kairomones for enhanced insect control with low environmental impact. The Kenneth A. Spencer Award is sponsored by the Kansas City Local Section of ACS.

Analytical Chemistry (ANYL)

Analytical Program in Anaheim

A full week of analytical sessions is planned for the spring 2011 ACS National Meeting. Twenty half-day sessions will be held at the Sheraton Park Hotel, with special subjects to include analytical chemistry and art, nano-analytical chemistry, chemical sensors, separations and supra-molecular assembly, and analytical industrial problem solving. General sessions in spectroscopy, biological mass spectrometry, and analytical separations are also planned. In addition, analytical poster sessions and a Sunday poster reception will be held. Please plan to attend the spring Anaheim meeting this year, where a full and complete roster of analytical sessions will be part of the ACS program. The complete program will be available on January 31.

Innovative Problem Solving in Industry: Trends and Emerging Practices

The objectives of the symposium are to share learning in industrial problem solving and to build links among problem solvers. Success is to attract some of the top industrial problem solvers to this session. The most expensive industrial problems frequently do not have a single root cause but are multi effect in nature. Techniques have evolved in industry that combine the scientific method with the use of multiple disciplines to find and implement solutions quickly. Teams often include engineers, analytical chemists, organic chemists, process chemists, and manufacturing experts. Speakers will share their best practices as well as examples of significant problems that have been solved through the application of these tools. Attendees will learn how to apply these concepts to their own organizations and build their individual problem-solving skills.

Biochemical Technology (BIOT)

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

New technologies will be required to harness the vast potential of stem cells and regenerative medicine strategies. Programming in the BIOT division this year will include sessions titled "Cell-Based Therapeutics," "Stem Cell Engineering," "Stem Cell Applications," "Novel Therapeutic Modalities," and "Novel Biomaterials for Cell and Tissue Engineering." Two keynote talks will be given in this area, including "Synthetic stem cell niche engineering in vitro and in vivo" by Peter Zandstra, University of Toronto, and "Of newts and niches: Regenerating tissues by mimicking natural processes" by Helen Blau, Stanford University.

Biofuels

Innovative new biotechnology approaches to address increasing global energy demands will be featured in the BIOT Biofuels programming. Sessions in this area will include "Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering for Next Generation Biofuels," "Photobiological Production of Energy and Fuels," "Electrochemically Active Biofilms and Enzymes for Biofuels and Bioproducts," "Advances in Biomass Pretreatment and Hydrolysis," and "Utilization of Nontraditional Renewable Feedstocks for Biofuels Production." A keynote talk will be given by Jay Keasling, University of California, Berkeley, titled "Sustainable production of advanced biofuels."

BIOT Award Lectures

On Sunday, March 27, the Alan S. Michaels Award for Recovery of Biological Products will be given to Georges Belfort, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the David Perlman Lecture will be given by Roger Perlmutter, Amgen. On Monday, March 28, Yi Tang, University of California Los Angeles, will receive the BIOT Young Investigator Award. Abraham Lenhoff, University of Delaware, will receive the Marvin J. Johnson Award in Microbial and Biochemical Technology on Tuesday, March 29. And, on Wednesday, March 30, Vassily Hatzimanikatis, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) will receive the Elmer Gaden Award.

Chemical Health & Safety (CHAS)

Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: The New Edition Arrives!

"Prudent Practices in the Laboratory," the seminal reference book for safe practices in the laboratory, is being released this spring. This symposium will discuss the newest edition, give attendees an opportunity to interact with some of the editors of the new edition, and find out what's new and improved.

Chemical Education (CHED)

75 Years of the Committee on Professional Training (CPT): It's Not Just About Approval

This Presidential Symposium celebrates the 75th anniversary of the ACS Committee on Professional Training, CPT. Presentations will highlight the history of the committee and the impact of CPT's various activities on undergraduate chemistry education. Topics covered will include excellence and rigor in undergraduate chemistry programs, the importance of diversity to the future of chemistry, chemistry's role in interdisciplinary science, a global perspective on the future of chemistry and CPT's interactions with the chemistry community through the approval process. The symposium will be followed by a celebratory reception.

Unleashing Electrochemistry's Potential: Resistance Is Futile

This Presidential Symposium on electrochemistry is fundamental to many industries, including the development of synthetic processes, energy storage materials, and several other practical applications. Such applications impact our everyday quality of life, for example, through the use of cell phone batteries and medical testing supplies. The goal of this symposium is to connect a broad audience with distinguished speakers who have been pushing the limits of electrochemistry in order to enhance the understanding of a research area that possesses unlimited potential. This symposium is organized by the University of Texas at Austin Graduate Student Symposium Planning Committee (GSSPC) and is co-sponsored by the ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry.

The Ethics of Publishing

This symposium is co-sponsored by the ACS Committee on Ethics and the Joint Board-Council Committee on Publications to examine ethical issues associated with the publication of scholarly papers or books and monographs. It will probe mechanisms publishers use to handle issues such as potential cases of plagiarism, falsification or fabrication of data, or unethical manipulation of figures submitted for publication. It will also address issues such as the development of policies to handle questions of appropriate attribution among lists of a paper's authors and criteria for retraction of papers before or after they appear.

Chemical Information (CNIF)

Fifty years of Computers in Organic Chemistry: A Symposium in Honor of James B. Hendrickson

Dr. Hendrikson, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Brandeis University, was a pioneer in the field of computer-aided organic synthesis design and was one of the early visionaries in this field. The designer of the programs SYNGEN and WebReactions, much current work in the field is built on the early work of his research group. Many of the very successful students who trained with Dr. Hendrickson over his long career, or those whose work was built on ideas and concepts originating from Dr. Hendrickson's work, will be speaking in this symposium including Dr. Paul A. Wender, Bergstom Professor in Chemistry, Stanford University; Dr. Phil S. Baran, Professor, Scripps Research Institute; Dr. Valentina Eigner-Pitto, InfoChem GmbH and Dr. Orr Ravitz, SimBioSys Inc.

Internet and Chemistry: Social Networking

The Division of Chemical Information was ahead of the Golden Globe awards this year when planning its symposium "Internet and Chemistry: Social Networking." Use of the Internet is pervasive and so how it can be effectively used to promote the exchange of chemical ideas and chemical information is of great interest. This symposium will feature presentations by Dr. Peter Murray-Rust on "Collaborative Agile Internet Projects: The Green Chain Reaction" and Anthony Williams, the developer of the successful and useful ChemSpider, as well as presentations on the CAS Registry by Dr. Roger Schenck, "Publishing and Consuming Scientific Literature in a Digital, Device Agnostic World" by David Martinsen (ACS) and OpenTox by Dr. D.A. Gallagher.

Natural Products and Drug Discovery

This symposium will feature some interesting talks on screening traditional Indonesian herbs by Dr. D. Barlow and identifying antiviral leads from nature for common cold and flu treatment by Dr. J. M. Rollinger, as well as presentations on cheminformatic analysis of natural product data by Dr. Jose Medina-Franco's group and data mining by Dr. Baker and Fourches with Dr. Alex Tropsha. Discoveries in the area of natural product cancer treatment will be presented by Dr. Lawrence Hurley, and natural product 5Ht-1A inhibitors will by discussed by Dr. X. Simon Wang. A discussion on patenting traditional medicines from natural products will be presented also by Drs. Zabliski and Schenck.

Colloid & Surface Chemistry (COLL)

Reactivity, Transformations and Detection of Natural and Engineering Nanomaterials in the Environment

Amid scrutiny of the potentially adverse environmental impacts associated with the production, commercial and industrial use, and disposal of engineered nanomaterials, there is growing interest in the responsible application of nanomaterials in processes that harness their unique properties for environmental quality control. Likewise, there is increasing need to study the properties and behavior of naturally occurring nanomaterials, many of which are reactive entities in the atmosphere and hydrosphere. Ultimately, these issues are inter-related, as understanding the environmental implications and applications of engineered nanomaterials requires a detailed knowledge of the origin, fate and effects of natural nanomaterials in the environment. This symposium will highlight recent advances in the fields of environmental nanotechnology and nanoscience, including the environmental applications and implications of engineered or manufactured nanomaterials. New frontiers in these areas will be addressed via innovative research focused in the following areas:

Environmental transformations and processing of nanomaterials Detection and analysis of nanomaterials in complex environmental matrices Fate of nanomaterials in natural and engineered systems Beneficial applications of nanomaterials for environmental quality control

Environmental Chemistry (ENVR)

Emerging Contaminants

Every year new chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), oil dispersants, etc., are being introduced and released into the natural and built environment both intentionally and inadvertently. Nowhere was this more vividly illustrated in 2010 than by the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and its subsequent clean-up efforts. Potential associated risks and adverse effects on human and ecosystem health are often poorly defined for these contaminants of emerging concern. Acceptable, reproducible, and sensitive analytical chemistry techniques are necessary to better quantify and support environmental exposure and human-health risk assessments. The Analytical Methods for Detecting Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Natural and Built Environment symposium sponsored by the Division of Environmental Chemistry on Sunday, March 27, to Monday, March 28, will highlight new analytical methods and the latest environmental exposure data for contaminants of emerging concern in the natural and built environment.

Energy

Tremendous attention is being paid to energy-efficient wastewater treatment technologies, as energy security becomes our societal issue. Microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based technologies open up a new platform of bioenergy from biomass, as well as the development of new tools for understanding microbial catalysis. The goal of this ENVR session Microbial Fuel/Electrolysis Cells held on Thursday, March 31, will be to share recent advances and new developments in MFC-based technologies, ranging from fundamental understanding of biological/electrochemical processes to the development of new MFC technologies that can be implemented in large scale.

Carbon Sequestration and Climate

The Division of Environmental Chemistry is honored to sponsor a presentation by the recipient of the ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology on Tuesday, March 29 at 2:00 pm. The award address by Francois M.M. Morel, the Albert G. Blanke, Jr. Professor of Geosciences at Princeton University, will focus on carbon dioxide in the oceans and atmosphere and related global processes, molecular mechanisms and how these mechanisms will be affected by the ongoing increase in ocean acidification.

Geochemistry (GEOC)

Geochemistry Division Awards Symposium in Honor of Jack Tossell

This special symposium honors Dr. Tossell, who is being given the Division's highest honor this year, and will feature four invited speakers plus the award presentation performed by the current ACS president.

Frontiers in Computational Geochemistry

This is a related symposium to the Geochemistry Medal Award, on the subject of frontier applications of quantum methodology to problems in geochemistry, mineralogy, and environmental chemistry.

History of Chemistry (HIST)

What's in a Name? Histories of Units and Constants (C. Giunta, Organizer, Cosponsored by the Division of Chemical Education and NTS)

What's in a name? Units and constants named after people remind us of the fact that science is a human endeavor. The community of scientists has made the names of certain achievers part of the active vocabulary of education and research. The intent of this symposium is to showcase the lives and work of several scientists whose names live on as units and constants used by chemists. Avogadro, Faraday, Becquerel, and the Curies are among the scientists to be highlighted. The session will also include a presentation on the proposed redefinition of the mole and kilogram, which involves the constants of Avogadro and Planck. It will conclude with a presentation of scientists honored in postage stamps as well as in units and constants.

Pioneers of Quantum Chemistry

The symposium will cover leading figures and concepts in quantum chemistry from the '30s until near the present day. The international group of twelve presenters includes active and retired quantum chemists, chemical historians, and a Nobel Laureate.

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (I&EC)

Advances in Process Intensification

This symposium will highlight recent advances in both academic research and industrial practices related to process intensification. Included are talks related to both inorganic and organic syntheses.

I&EC and Undergraduates Collaborating for the Future

This symposium is designed to give undergraduate students an opportunity to present their research as talks instead of the usual poster. There is also a half-day workshop focused on the undergraduate about to start the job search process.

Ninth Symposium on Nanotechnology and the Environment: Green Nanotechnology

This symposium, as it does every spring national meeting, covers the spectrum of issues related to nanotechnology's environmental impacts.

Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (NUCL)

The Division of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology is hosting five symposia at the Anaheim meeting. The division is pleased to sponsor symposia for the Seaborg Award in honor of David J. Morrissey and co-sponsor the Garvin-Olin Medal, with the Women Chemists Committee, in honor of Sherry J. Yennello. The two symposia compliment each other well and will give a great synopsis of the nuclear chemistry field and its present direction. It will also point to the importance women have played in the field. A shorter symposium on heavy element Chemistry will add to what is presently happening in nuclear reactions. For those interested in the technological side of nuclear chemistry, the division has put together a very strong four day symposium on the chemistry of Actinide Materials as well as a symposium on the chemistry of Nuclear Fuels, co-sponsored with the FUEL division.

Physical Chemistry (PHYS)

Physical Chemistry Awards Symposium

This symposium will honor five recipients of National ACS Awards: Ahmed Zewail Award in Ultrafast Science and Technology, Charles B. Harris; E. Bright Wilson Award in Spectroscopy, Veronica Vaida; Joel Henry Hildebrand Award in the Theoretical and Experimental Chemistry of Liquids, Geraldine L. Richmond; Peter Debye Award in Physical Chemistry, Louis E. Brus; ACS Award in Theoretical Chemistry, Nicholas C. Handy.

Chemical Carbon Mitigation: A Physiochemical Approach

This symposium will focus on endoenergetic chemical processes that lead to the capture/storage and reductive transformation of CO2 to potential fuels. It will run Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

20 Years of Tunneling Pathways

This symposium will explore electron tunneling interactions mediated by chemical and biochemical scaffolds. Design principles derived from work in this field are finding use in molecular materials and bio-inspired energy harvesting systems. This symposium will run Sunday morning through Thursday morning.

Polymer Chemistry (POLY)

Excellence in Graduate Polymer Research

The purposes of this symposium are to provide recognition to outstanding graduate students in polymer science and engineering, to foster networking and exposure, and to help develop the careers of future leaders in our field. In our discussions with graduate students, they have indicated high levels of interest in scientific presentation, career development, and networking, both among members of POLY and with their peers. They wish to become more involved and integrated into the Division and the community of Polymer Chemistry as a whole. Our hope is that this symposium represents a step in this direction.

New Synthetic Developments in Polyolefins and Metathesis Based Materials

The objective of this symposium is to bring together leading researchers from academia and industry to discuss recent challenges and opportunities in synthetic methods for olefin polymers, encompassing both metathesis and insertion polymerization. Recent advances in the development of new catalysts, new insights into mechanisms of olefin transformations, and new polymerization processes will be highlighted. The symposium will encompass six half-day sessions and include a mix of invited and contributed papers.

Polymers for Energy Storage and Delivery

Polymeric materials have been and continue to be a focus of research in the development of materials for energy storage and delivery applications (batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, etc.). For these applications, the importance of chain microstructure, chain dynamics, and nanoscale morphology on the overall performance characteristics of these materials cannot be overstated. In addition, the characteristics of these materials in confined geometries and at interfaces has a significant impact on performance. As further advancements are made in polymer chemistry, control of nanostructure and characterization, there is a necessity for organized forums that foster cross-fertilization of knowledge and ideas between experts in polymer chemistry, chemical engineering, and polymer physics.

Undergraduate Research in Polymer Science

This meeting is intended to provide recognition to outstanding undergraduate students in polymer science and engineering, to foster networking and exposure, to introduce opportunities in graduate research and to help develop the careers of future leaders in both academia and industry. The top three preprints submitted will receive travel awards. Additionally, the top poster and oral presentation will receive monetary awards. If further funds become available, more travel awards will be distributed.

Professional Relations (PROF)

Aging: A Trend and an Opportunity for ACS

A symposium titled "Aging: A Trend and an Opportunity for ACS" will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at the Anaheim meeting. It is sponsored by PROF, cosponsored by SChB, BMGT, CEPA, and organized by the Senior Chemists Task Force (SCTF). The impetus for the symposium is that the average age of ACS members is around 50. In other words, one-half of the ACS members are 50 or older. However, age is not a bad thing. In fact, a lot of opportunities are available to older chemists and chemical engineers. The symposium will highlight some of these opportunities. The organizers are Eli Pearce, George Heinze, Cheryl Brown, and H. N. Cheng. Speakers include Mary Moore, John Sanders, Tom Beattie, Susan Fahrenholtz, Mukund Chorghade, and Jeff Allum. The key point is that many great achievements in mankind were made by people older than 50. The important thing is to stay active, stay involved, and (above all) to know where the opportunities are.

Small Chemical Businesses (SCHB)

Charles Lathrop Parsons Award: Symposium in Honor of Michael E. Strem

The Connections between Science Education, Entrepreneurship, and Community Service. Sunday a.m. and p.m., Convention Center; Sponsored by INOR, Co-sponsored by SCHB. Years ago, starting one's own business was the American dream, but rarely followed in the chemical sector. However, Mike Strem did it and Strem Chemicals, Inc. has prospered. But what are the elements necessary for success? Attend this symposium to learn how chemical education, entrepreneurship, and service to the broader community have helped many advance their position. The keys to success are available to anyone, whether as an employee or as a principal in one's own business.

Carbon Dioxide as a Natural Resource for Chemicals, Materials, and Environmental Remediation

Much debate occurs on whether the Earth's climate is changing, but no dispute exists that the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is rapidly increasing. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen, but why not take advantage of this abundant natural resource? Small businesses generally lead innovation and the use of CO2 as an input stream, as opposed to generating it as a waste stream, in making valuable products is no exception. Attend this symposium to learn about existing or about-to- be-launched technology that uses CO2 as a natural resource.

Financial Aspects of Starting, Maintaining, and Exiting Your Business

Linus Pauling said, "To have a good idea, you must first have lots of ideas." We all have ideas, maybe even lots of ideas and a few good ones. But a business needs money. If you are responsible for your own business, you'll need start-up money (before sales), an income stream (for operating expenses), and hopefully some left over (profit!) Attend this symposium and learn about the available financing options, valuation techniques, and exit strategies.

International Activities Committee (IAC)

International Collaboration in the Chemical Sciences: Best Practices

International Collaboration in the Chemical Sciences: Best Practices." (Presidential Supported Symposium, two sessions, Mon. a.m. & p.m.): This highlights new innovative approaches to international collaboration, which will inform both professionals and general public. The goals are to address questions such as: How can international collaboration and exchange programs and experiences best be structured to establish and sustain opportunities for faculty and students? What do chemical practitioners have available to them to enable their participation in and training for competitiveness in the global economy? These initiatives presented could serve as models for international interactions by processionals worldwide.

Human Rights and Scientific Freedom

(Presidential Supported Symposium, one session, Tues. a.m.) This one-day symposium will address the questions, "What are the capacities, roles and responsibilities of a scientific professional society to monitor the welfare of scientists? What are the challenges to the human rights of scientists and scientific freedom?" The symposium will feature a Nobel laureate, as well as the ACS president and president elect. Speakers will share perspectives on the history, needs, and new strategies for addressing human rights and infringements to scientific freedom. They will also discuss how to extend the reach of the scientific community in the service of human rights. These presentations, due to their nontechnical nature, should be of general interest to the public and could serve to motivate ACS members to become engaged in issues of human rights.

Women Chemists Committee (WCC)

Women Chemists Committee Program

In Anaheim the Women Chemists Committee has some very interesting programs planned. We will start with a session for the ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Symposium in Honor of Mamie W. Moy to be held on Sunday afternoon. This will be a wonderful celebration of Mamie Moy's career, her work at the University of Houston, her contributions to the Greater Houston Local Section, and her support and mentoring to the Women Chemists Committee.

Recognizing and Preventing a Hostile Work Environment

Following the WCC Women in Industry Breakfast, we will be holding a panel discussion on the very important topic of Recognizing and Preventing a Hostile Work Environment. We will hear thoughts on the topic from an Academic Dean, a Distinguished Research Fellow from a Pharmaceutical Company, a Human Resource Representative from a National Laboratory, and two lawyers specializing in Employment Law. Following this informative panel discussion will be our International Reception, joint with "Just Cocktails", which is being sponsored by both WCC and Johnson and Johnson. This will be an opportunity for mid-career chemists to talk about Retention of Women in the Work Force: An International Problem.

International Women in Science: Challenges and Triumphs

In the spirit of the International Year of Chemistry and the 100 year anniversary of the Marie Curie Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1911), we will showcase a handful of amazing and successful international women chemists in our session, International Women in Science: Challenges and Triumphs. This Johnson and Johnson sponsored event will bring women together from all over the globe including Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, France, USA, Netherlands, Iran and Brazil. These women will share the different experiences they have had being women scientists in their perspective countries.

Younger Chemists Committee (YCC)

Globalizing Education: Graduate School Opportunities in North America and Europe

Globalization, Flexibility, Mobility – buzzwords that are known to everyone in the world of today; however, what these buzzwords really mean stays abstract until an employer sends someone overseas. Careers in the 21st century depend more than ever before on international mindedness and cross-cultural communications. In the course of those requirements, early considerations of going abroad are more and more advisable. Little information exists about the differences in the educational systems of North America and Europe, and their particular eligibility requirements are barely available for comparisons. Long term attendance abroad for graduate school is a decision that has to be carefully considered. In this symposium, experts from different countries will report live via web conferencing and in person about international chemistry graduate school opportunities for a globalized education in the 21st century.

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