The Magazine for ACS Student Affiliates

February/March 2009

Build
Career Skills

Follow Your Passions

and Get Involved

o n

t h e

w e b

Interesting Articles
Tooling Up: Defying Gravity
David Jensen writes about scientist getting jobs in an imperfect
world. Science Careers, August 22, 2008 [Link]
caredit.a0800124
Behavioral Interviewing Strategies for Job-Seekers
Katharine Hansen writes about how to succeed in a behavioral
interview. [Link]

Interesting Web Sites

[Link]
This site has many tips and suggestions on job searches,
interviewing, and proper attire.

[Link]
This site presents tips on proper attire for different occupations
and interviews.

Graduate School Web Links

Research M.S. and Ph.D. Programs
Boston College: [Link]/chemistry
Duquesne University: [Link]/chemistry/[Link]
Florida Atlantic University: [Link]/chemistry
Florida International University: [Link]/orgs/chemistry
George Washington University: [Link]/~gwchem
Marshall University Forensic Science: [Link]
Old Dominion University: [Link]/chemistry
Oklahoma State University: [Link]
Rice University: [Link]
SUNYEnvironmental Sciences and Forestry: [Link]/chemistry
Temple University: [Link]
Texas A&M University: [Link]
University of Central Florida: [Link]/chemistry/
University of Cincinnati: [Link]
University of Idaho: [Link]/[Link]
University of Nebraska at Lincoln: [Link]
University of San Francisco: [Link]/mschemistry
University of South Dakota: [Link]/chemistry
University of Tennessee: [Link]

Professional Masters Degree Programs

Arizona State University: [Link]/~cbs
Keck Graduate Institute: [Link]
Rice University: [Link]
Temple University: [Link]/psm
Towson University Forensic Science: [Link]/[Link]

Published for Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Editor Nancy Bakowski

Associate Editor Lori Betsock
Audley S.V. Burke
Design & Production Cornithia A. Harris
Editorial Assistant Robin Y. Lindsey
Copy Editor Eric R. Stewart
Director, Education Division, ACS
Mary M. Kirchhoff
Assistant Director for
Higher Education, ACS
Jodi L. Wesemann
20082009 Advisors
Ludivina Avila, South Texas College
Charles Baldwin, Union University
Eric Borguet, Temple University
Simon Bott, University of Houston
Mary Carroll, Union College
Anna Cavinato, Eastern Oregon University
Ping Furlan, University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
Beth Jensen, Aquinas College
Pam Kerrigan, College of Mount Saint Vincent
Meredith Storms, University of North Carolina
at Pembroke
Scott Tremain, Eastern Illinois University
Louise Wrensford, Albany State University

Published by the American

Chemical Society Education Division
at 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20036.
Copyright 2009 American
Chemical Society. All rights
reserved. None of the contents of
this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any
means without prior written permission of the publisher.
Canadian GST Reg. No. 127571347

The Magazine for ACS Student Affiliates

Volume 18 Number 3
February/March 2009

EDITORIAL

You Can Make a Difference

By Thomas H. Lane

SAACS CHAPTER
SPOTLIGHT

Compiled by Audley S.V. Burke

CHAPTERS

Chapter Activity Ideas

By Robin Y. Lindsey

FEATURES
Margareta Squin

Learn to Become a Leader by
Following Your Passions

By Lynne Friedmann

Deciphering the Code

How to Attract Attention (of the Right Kind!) at Scientific Meetings

By Raychelle Burks

Henry Eyring: His Science and Legacy

By Janan M. Hayes and Patricia L. Perez

12

CAREERS

in Chemistry is available free to

Student Affiliates of the American
Chemical Society and the faculty
chapters. For an application, call
the Undergraduate Programs Office
at 800-227-5558, ext. 4480. The

Rxns and Slns

Blogging about Building Career Skills

Compiled by Lori Betsock

Become a Voice of National Influence

The ACS Younger Chemists Committee

ISTOCK

MEETINGS

thereof, are not to be considered

ACS National and Regional Meetings

Celebrating Chemistry Under the NeON
Lights of Sin City

unprotected by law.

By Hanna Angelica M. Magno

contributors. Registered names and

trademarks, etc., used in this publication, even without specific indication

14
17
19

By Burt Hollandsworth

American Chemical Society assumes

ments and opinions advanced by

How to Ace a Behavioral Interview

ACS RESOURCES

advisors to Student Affiliates

no responsibility for the state-

Tell Me About a Time

By Samina Azad
Clemson University

Cover: JupiterImages.
Inset photo courtesy of
University of Nebraska at Kearney.

This Is How We Roll Midwest Style

By Anna Barber and Danielle Policarpio

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

20
24
26

e d i t o r i a l

You Can Make a Difference

peter cutts photography

By Thomas H. Lane

in chemistry
2

omeday,
you may be
president of
the American Chemical Society
and if you are, youll have many
opportunities to talk with people about
the importance of chemistry and how
it contributes to their health, well-being,
and quality of life.
As an undergraduate chemistry student
at Purdue University, I never imagined
that I would ever have the honor of
being a spokesperson for the worlds
largest scientific society of chemists. This
underscores a point I always strive to
make to students: You can be anything
you want to be!
I firmly believe this holds true for all
students. Anything is possible. Of course,
it requires a lot of hard work and it may
not be a straight-line evolution, but if you
really want to do something, its possible
to achieve it. I encourage you to be daring and brave enough to set your goals
high, and then do everything in your
power to reach them.
As ACS president, I wish to advance
three goals: promoting education; building relationships; and measuring outcomes.
All three goals are critically important
to the future of the ACS and to furthering the quality and effectiveness of our
science and its practitioners. We need
new ideas and initiatives that will help
advance these goals. I hope you will get
involved and share your thoughts about
how we might reach out to community
groups, youngsters, and others.
The ACS Education Division offers
many programs for students, from kindergarten through graduate school. Many
of the programs designed for elementary
students involve hands-on activities that
require adult supervision. If your Student

Affiliates chapter isnt already doing so,

consider using these resources and helping teachers with these activities. Its a
great opportunity for some one-on-one
interaction with youngsters. You can help
pique childrens curiosity about chemistry, especially among those who are in
the early grades.
U.S. high school students are on an
academic decline in math and science
when compared to other industrialized countries. The National Center for
Education Statistics published a 2006
international academic assessment of
15-year-old students from 30 countries
showing that, on average, we trail 16 of
these countries in science literacy, and
lag behind 23 in math literacy.
I urge you to volunteer to help stop
this slide. To do so, we need to start
early in a childs academic development.
This is where you can make a difference,
by talking to elementary students about
what chemists do and sparking their
imaginations about the possibilities that
science offers.
I also encourage you to begin building relationships. It is critically important
that as we reach out to non-chemists, we
help them understand the important role
chemistry plays in their lives. If you arent
already, please make a concentrated
effort to develop partnerships with civic
organizations, including Big Brothers and
Sisters, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Girl
Scouts and Boy Scouts.
These organizations are experts at
mentoring young people. Perhaps your
Student Affiliates chapter could reach
out to some of these service organizations and arrange to do chemistry
demonstrations for the children or help
them earn science-related badges. And
while youre at it, let them know that as
chemists, we create things that improve
lives. We help people!
Metrics are central to everything we
do as scientists and engineers. It is imper-

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

ative that we measure the outcomes and

perceptions of our work, no matter how
hard it might be to do so. If we hope to
have a positive influence we must understand the attitudes of people especially
students toward science, technology,
engineering, and math. Of course, this
will require a personal commitment
and an investment of time and money.
However, I firmly believe our collective
efforts will pay off for all of society in the
long run.
It can be especially difficult to volunteer and get involved in outreach efforts
while you are pursuing your education.
For many of you studying for mid-term
exams, finding a job after college, or
preparing to attend graduate school are
probably your highest priorities. Even so,
I know from experience of the good that
can come from giving a few hours of
ones time whenever possible.
Undergraduate students are the foundation of our future. You will inherit, and
hopefully improve upon, current efforts
to develop new energy sources, clean up
the environment, feed the world, and
teach subsequent generations about the
transforming power of chemistry.
No matter which path you take in
life, I hope you will do one important
thing: Believe in kids. Give them respect.
Listen to what they have to say about
science. Treat them as you would like to
be treated. Help them understand the
importance of staying in school. If you do
that, you will make a difference. iC

Tom Lane is currently the President of ACS and

Director, Global Science and Technology Outreach
and Senior Research Scientist, Dow Corning
Corporation.

S A A C S

s p o t l i g h t

Share whats going on in your chapter! If your chapter would like

to be featured in the Chapter Spotlight, please contact Audley Burke
at 800-227-5558, ext. 4565 or e-mail a_burke@[Link].
Compiled

Chapter president: Jeff Martell

Number of chapter members:
173
Number of ACS Student
Affiliates: 11
Institution environment/
composition: Large, private,
suburban, 4-year institution
Chapter website: [Link]
Q What is your most successful
recruiting method?
A Most people learn about our
chapter, called the Undergraduate
Chemistry Council (UCC), by word
of mouth, such as through friends
in their chemistry classes. Most
of our members are chemistry
majors, so weve found it very
effective to recruit by making
announcements about UCC events
in chemistry classes, bringing
friends to events, and getting
them interested in the organization.

Q What are some of the interesting ways your chapter

recruits members?
A Every week we host a lunch seminar in which a professor presents
his or her research highlighting
opportunities for undergraduates.
We provide pizza and soda with
money generated by our fundraising events. We publicize these
events heavily, and chemistry
students attend the seminars
because they are interested in
hearing about the professors
research. In the process, many
students become interested in our
organization and ultimately end
up as members.

Q What are some ways your

chapter encourages transitions from ACS Student

Affiliation to New Graduate

Membership?

A Most of our members end up

going to graduate school for

chemistry, and since we make our
members aware of the advantages of being affiliated with
ACS as undergraduates, they usually decide to continue their ACS
membership.

Q What is your most popular

chapter activity?
A Our chapters most popular
activity is our end-of-the-year
barbecue/demonstration outreach
event. Chemistry department
demonstration lecturer Eberhard
Zwergel holds a light/explosionfilled chemistry show at dusk on
Northwesterns property on the
shore of Lake Michigan, and the
event is very well-attended. Last
spring, more than 400 people
showed up.

Q Does your chapter participate in National Chemistry

Week? What types of activities do you sponsor?
A The UCC combined our recognition of National Chemistry Week
with our celebration of Halloween
by setting up a booth at Project
Pumpkin, a major philanthropic
event at Northwestern, where
we teach children how to make
Silly Putty using Borax. Project
Pumpkin is a Halloween carnival held for children who are
underprivileged or live in parts of
Evanston and Chicago that are
unsafe for trick-or-treating.

Q How did your chapter

develop its Web page?
A UCC member Brian Radak, a
senior, served as our technology
coordinator for the last two years.
He is skilled in computer programming, so he developed and programmed our website within the

framework of the Northwestern

chemistry webpage.

Q What methods of communication are used to inform

students of chapter activities?
A To advertise events, members
of the executive board write
announcements on chalkboards
in all the large science lecture
halls. This method has boosted
attendance to record levels for our
faculty research lunch seminars.

Faculty Advisor

SonBinh T. Nguyen,
10 years

Q Why did you become a

faculty advisor?
A I became a Faculty Advisor
because I enjoy teaching and
working with students outside of
the classroom. I also wanted to
bring together a group of enthusi-

astic chemistry talents who want

to popularize science and spread
the positive attributes of the
chemical sciences to the general
public.

Q What is your role as a

faculty advisor?
A My role is to facilitate activities
of the chapter and provide advice
to its executive board. I also
serve as a bridge between the
faculty and the students.

Q What has been the most

rewarding aspect of your
service as a faculty advisor?
A Seeing students grow in their
confidence as leaders, chemists,
and future educators.

Q What advice can you offer

those new to the advisor
position?
A Be positive and encouraging.

CORRECTION
In the November/December issue (Volume 18,
Number 2), in the chapter award listings, the
faculty advisor for Samford University should
have been Denise J. Gregory.
Samford University was recognized with an
Honorable Mention award.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

Evanston, Illinois

Audley S.V. Burke

northwestern university

Northwestern
University

by

s p o t l i g h t

Pennsylvania State
University
University Park, PA

Chapter president: Leah Giaccotto

Number of chapter members: 45
Number of ACS Student
Affiliates: 10
Institution environment/
composition: Large, public,
rural, 4-year institution
Chapter website: [Link]
[Link]/up/nittanychemsoc
Q What are some of the interesting ways your chapter
recruits its members?
A At the start of the fall semester,
the chapter matches up new
chemistry students with chapter
members to introduce them to
the program, in hopes that they
will join the chapter. We also
have a booth at the recruitment
fairs held at the beginning of
each semester, and we display
our chapter poster at social and
outreach events for anyone who
is interested in joining.

Q What is your most popular

chapter activity?
A Every year, the chapter puts on a

in chemistry
4

Halloween Show, usually around

the end of National Chemistry
Week, as our main outreach event
in the fall; this years show was
Scooby Doo and the Case of
the Chemistry Crook. Last year,
we included a Haunted Lab Tour
that goes through the basements
of three connected laboratories
that we decorate with lights, cotton spider webs, and many other
props. We tell interesting stories
as we take the kids and their
parents through the tour, and at
the end, they get to watch several
professors do exciting demos.

Q What is the most unique

activity your chapter
sponsors?
A This year, as part of the annual
Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance
Marathon [a student-run philanthropic event whose website
claims is the largest event of
its kind in the country], we will
be making liquid nitrogen ice
cream for the kids, dancers, and
participating members. Over the
past three years, we have helped

children from the Make-a-Wish

Foundation to do exciting science
experiments.

Q Has your chapter presented

at a national meeting?
A Last year, at the ACS national
meeting in New Orleans, we
presented our chapter activities
at the Sci-Mix poster session, and
one of our members presented
research findings from a summer REU program. The spring
2009 meeting in Salt Lake City
will be attended by four chapter
members, who will present their
research and our chapter poster.

pennsylvania State university

S A A C S

participation, and try to provide

anything else they might need.

Q How did your chapter develop

its web page?
A Our chapters webpage was developed by our previous webmaster.
Over the past two years, it was
heavily updated with the names
of the officers, pictures from many
of our events, an extensive list of
chemistry courses, useful chemistry-related resources, and chapter
information.

Faculty Advisor

Jackie Bortiatynski,
6 years

Q What is your role as a

faculty advisor?
A I facilitate the activities of the
chapter and advise the students.
I also assist the officers and
other members, give insight and
guidance in event planning and

Q What challenges have you

faced in your position?
A I wish I had more time to spend

Q What advice can you offer

those new to the advisor
position?
A Listen to the students and be

with the students, because they

are all wonderful.

patient. Encourage them to continue with everything that they do

because they are all capable of
great things.

Q What has been the most

rewarding aspect of your
service as a faculty advisor?
A The most rewarding aspect has
been watching the students succeed.

Q What was your most memorable experience while

attending an ACS national
meeting?
A It was, by far, having the opportunity to watch the students present
their posters and interact with
other professionals.

Got Facebook?!
We have developed a Facebook page,
complete with group and fan pages. Student Affiliates can
access this page to learn about happenings at ACS, view
pictures from meeting events, and network with other Student
Affiliates nationwide.
Just look up Audley SAPROGRAM Burke in the search box
and send us a friend request.

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Why Wait? Join Now!

By Robin Y. Lindsey

Roanoke College, Salem,

Virginia

his year, the Roanoke College

Student Affiliates chapter prepared
and sold Exam Survival Kits. The
last weekend in September is Family
Weekend at Roanoke College, when parents and other family members are invited to visit their student and faculty members on campus. The chemistry department puts on a Chemistry Magic
Show on Saturday afternoon,
open to the entire campus. This
show, which has earned a reputation for being a dont miss activity,
usually starts with a Welcome to
Chemistry message written on a
large sheet with a sodium hydroxide
solution and dried. When sprayed
with phenolphthalein the hidden message appears.
At this event, the Student Affiliates
handed out forms that family members
or others could use to order an Exam
Survival Kit to be distributed during final
exams in the fall. Sold at a price of $10,
each kit consisted of a large graduated
plastic beaker stuffed with a pocketsized periodic table, pens, pencils, a
high-polymer eraser, Play-Doh, an ACS
mole, and packs of gum and candy
including Maroons M&Ms (Maroons
is the nickname for Roanoke Colleges
sports teams). The kit was wrapped with
colored plastic wrap and decorated with
glitter and a ribbon. The total cost to the
chapter per kit was about $8.

How long did it take to plan the activity and what was involved?
It took two planning meetings to organize the activity and prepare the order
forms. It took another meeting and a trip
to a discount store to figure out what we
could buy for under $10. Then it took
some time to purchase all the materials,
spread out among several people over
several weeks, and one meeting with a
group of chapter members to put the kits
together.

How many people attended the event?

The Massengill Auditorium, with
approximately 253 seats, was completely full, and people were even sitting
in the aisles.
What was the age range of the
audience?
The ages ranged from 6 to 66 years old.
How long did it last?
The Magic Show lasted for an hour.
We accepted order forms for two
months, although almost all of the kits
were ordered at the Magic Show.
What safety equipment was required?
No safety equipment was needed
for preparing or distributing the Exam
Survival Kits. At the Chemistry Magic
Show, protective goggles and lab coats
were used, and a fire extinguisher was
nearby, all arranged by the chemistry
department.

ege

oke coll

y of roan

courtes

How many SA participated?

The planning and research was done
by the Executive Committee (officers,
committee chairs, and faculty advisor),
about seven people altogether. The kits
were put together by a larger group of
chapter members. Two chapter members distributed and collected order
forms and gave receipts at the Magic
Show, and approximately 15 chapter
members helped with presentations at
the Magic Show.

Note: Exam Survival Kits is an activity that could be done by any Student
Affiliates Chapter group, scaled to their
own particular situation.
For more information contact Ben
Huddle, faculty advisor at Roanoke
College, at Huddle@[Link]. iC

Robin Y. Lindsey is
a lead program associate
in the ACS Undergraduate
Programs Office. To submit
your chapter activities,
contact Robin at r_lindsey@
[Link]

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

Departmental Service

Learn to

Become
a Leader by
Following Your
Passions

by

istock

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Arthur Haman, University of Detroit Mercy

in chemistry

he foundation for success in undergraduate studies and eventually in your chemistry

career requires both a high GPA and the intangible
quality known as leadership.
Leadership is the hidden curriculum of your college experience, says Matthew J. Mio, associate professor of chemistry
and biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. Beyond
grades, you need to learn how to successfully interact with
other people.
How do you go about developing the leadership skills
needed to reach your academic
and career goals? You do this by
pursuing your passions. When
it comes to science, an obvious place to start is the Student
Affiliates of the American
Chemical Society. But dont
overlook the arts, sports, political advocacy, and even hobbies
as additional avenues through
Professor Matt Mio advises stuwhich to become involved and dents to take ownership of their
degrees by becoming all-around
develop leadership skills.
students with solid academic creFor example, Matt Mio has
dentials, learning to network, and
a passion for Halloween, and
keeping up with whats going on in
so he took the initiative, when
the chemistry field.

Lynne Friedmann

just starting his career, to found the Motor City Haunt Club
a group that lives, breathes, and dreams about everything
Halloween. Starting with four members (Mio, his father, and
two friends) the club now has recruited over 100 like-minded
individuals.
Chen Zhao, president of the Student Affiliates chapter at the
University of California San Diego (UCSD), entered college as a
pre-med student. By his second year, his interests turned to chemistry and led him to Student Affiliates. Over time, Zhaos involvement progressed from meeting planning to community outreach.
Taking on a leadership role, however, was new territory.
Zhao counts among his accomplishments getting UCSD chapter members to volunteer with the Sally Ride Science Festival.
Spearheaded by the first American woman astronaut in space,
this event brings together hundreds of students for a day of science and socializing to encourage young girls to pursue math
and science with an eye on future careers. We pursued this,
says Zhao, and its now one of our signature events.

Gain skills while making a difference

During her tenure as ACS president, Helen Free felt honored
when called upon to bestow Student Affiliates Chapter Awards
in recognition of outstanding chapter programs and activities.
Free, who also chaired the National Chemistry Week task force
for five years, has high praise for the leadership role of Student
Affiliates. They are the backbone of this outreach, she says.

f e a t u r e

Margareta Squin

Margareta Squin, a lecturer in the Department of

Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Francisco State University
(SF State), has watched students who are otherwise shy in the
classroom blossom through volunteer activities such as taking
part in Family Science Night. Standing before a group explaining chemistry to young people gives
them tremendous confidence,
Squin says.
Squin has seen other students
step up to leadership by suggesting which underserved, ethnicallydiverse schools to include in future
community outreach programs. In
some cases, students propose the
schools they attended before coming
to State. Some of my most sucChapter advisor Margareta
cessful students speakers are those
Squin, has watched students who acknowledge they werent
who are otherwise shy in the
convinced about the importance of
classroom,blossom through
education when they were younger,
volunteer activities.
says Squin.

Become involved for the right reasons

Dont be guilty of becoming a rsum builder who joins an
organization but then disappears after attending a few meetings.
You may think that going to another meeting is a bother versus
catching an extra nap or playing Xbox, says Mio. But time
invested in an organization pays dividends. I challenge students
to put on one or two new events a year, says Mio. If these
events flop, fine. We just wont do them again.
Getting involved is crucial,
says Colin Gilligan, past president
of the Student Affiliates chapter at
Armstrong Atlantic State University,
Savannah, GA. Any position in
leadership gives you a bigger sense
of responsibility and can be a
reward in itself. Once you have a
track record as a committee chair
or officer, dont rest on your laurels.
Innovation and risk taking are also
marks of a leader.

San Francisco State University

Master the
balancing act

San Francisco State University Student Affiliates chapter with advisor, Margareta Squin.

Colin Gilligan, a recent graduate from Armstrong Atlantic

State University, benefited
from the sense of responsibility
he gained as president of the
Student Affiliates chapter.

Students often find

balancing professional,
volunteer, and personal
life commitments challenging. While its exciting to be asked to join a club
or committee, do take the time to examine your
priorities before making a commitment. Otherwise,
theres a danger of being drawn into too many
student organizations. The downside of putting too
much on your plate is failing...or succeeding, but
being stressed out in the process. Both are no-win
situations. Taking on a leadership position should
enhance academic accomplishments not substitute
for whats missing.
[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

When she assumed the

presidency of ACS in 1993,
Helen Free pledged to
initiate and support activities that would improve
the publics awareness of
chemistrys contributions to
the quality of daily life.

Austin Peay State University, in Clarksville, TN, has won a

Student Affiliates Outstanding Chapter Award in five of the last
seven years. Contributing to the chapters success is an officersuccession plan that allows a smooth transition of leadership.
Students who aspire to chapter leadership shadow current
officers and learn by doing months before taking over the reins.
Among the skills stressed is communications. Communication
has to be through the ranks, says Kimberly Anderson, chapter
president. Everybody needs to know whats going on, or else
you cant have a successful group.
Anderson is a non-traditional student who served in the Navy
and then worked in industry before deciding to pursue a bachelors degree in chemistry. Shed been away from the classroom
for 20 years. Anderson credits Student Affiliates with giving her
the confidence to pursue her goals. The first year I got involved,
I didnt want to be an officer, she says. I just sat back and
observed. The next year, I thought OK, I can do this.

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Look for opportunities

to grow

Tap into support networks

american chemical society

We wouldnt have National Chemistry

Week if it werent for the efforts of
Student Affiliates.
Retired and now in her 80s, Free
remains active promoting science
education through programs around
the world. Nothing turns me on like
the boy who decided to be a chemist when he tested a sample from a
patient with diabetes and got a positive
for glucose, says Free. Or, the little
girl who upon seeing my medal from
the National Inventors Hall of Fame,
declared Im going to get one of these
when I grow up!

f e a t u r e

ACS Leadership Development System

american chemical society

[Balancing commitments] is
one thing I wish Id done better
in college, says Gloria Thomas
MaGee, assistant professor of
chemistry, Xavier University of
Louisiana. MaGee eventually
developed a no committee: a

Assistant professor Gloria MaGee

cautions students that professional
development skills dont make up for
a lack of core scientific knowledge.

in chemistry
8

group of trusted friends available

as a sounding board when too
many tantalizing opportunities
presented themselves. Theyd
bring her down to earth by saying:
Gloria, are you crazy? You cant
fit that into your schedule. Today
MaGee is a busy faculty member,
yet still finds time to work with
at-risk youth through groups
such as Court Appointed Special
Affiliates (for foster children),
The Girl Scouts of America, and
Masonic groups.
Stay on top of your academic
game, advises MaGee. Keep a
high GPA, obtain research experience, and cultivate technical
expertise. No amount of professional development will make up
for a lack of core knowledge.

btain practical leadership skills and tools in your volunteer leadership roles now and later,
when you enter the work force, with the new ACS Leadership Development System.
To find out which leadership skills you already have and which you need to develop,
complete the checklist of core ACS leadership competencies below.
Core Leadership Competencies

These Are My
Strengths

I Need to Develop
These Skills

Character
1. Integrity and honesty
Personal Capabilities
1. Innovation
2. Networking
3. Personal confidence
4. Technical expertise
Results Orientation
1. Taking initiative
2. Asking others to step up
3. Delegating/sharing responsibilities
4. Keeping projects moving forward
Interpersonal Skills
1. Involving others
2. Consensus building
3. Coaching and mentoring
4. Listening
5. Valuing differences
6. Dealing with conflict
7. Influencing others
Setting a Clear Direction
1. Planning and organizing
2. Clear vision of desired results
3. Setting priorities
4. Communicating a sense of purpose
5. Decisiveness
Are there leadership skills you need to develop? If so, the ACS Leadership Development System
can help you. Whether you want to conduct meetings more effectively, lead more challenging
efforts, or collaborate better with others, the skills you gain will be immediately applicable. The
Leadership Development System courses are available at national, regional, and local section
meetings and are also offered online.
The modules will help you gain core leadership skills to help you be more competitive in the
workplace and in your leadership roles.
For a list of courses, visit [Link]/leaderdevelopment.

Poise yourself for success

According to Mio, the easiest letters of recommendation
he writes are for those who have taken ownership of their
degrees. This means becoming an all-around student with solid
academic credentials in addition to knowing whats going on in
the chemistry field and how to network.
By following your passions, you can build a solid foundation for
success. Actively participating in chapter and scientific meetings
can help you develop networking and speaking skills. Learning to
give back through community service can foster your team building and other interpersonal skills. Taking field trips to local chemical companies and reading ACS publications, such as inChemistry
inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

and Chemical & Engineering News can increase knowledge about

the field of chemistry. If youre passionate about the sciences, Mio
says, ACS is a great place to start. iC

Lynne Friedmann is a freelance science writer

based in Solana Beach, CA. She is a Fellow of the

American Association for the Advancement of Science.

D3c1fr1ng th3 C0d3

Deciphering the
Code

istock

How to Attract Attention

(of the Right Kind!) at Scientific
Meetings and Conferences

Treat your conference experience as an extended job interview, advises Yolanda Zepeda, associatedirector of academic
and international programs for the Committee on Institutional
Cooperation (CIC). From attitude to appearance, Zepeda
advises students to keep it strictly professional. The national
community in your desired field is surprisingly small, and people
talk, says Zepeda. You dont want to be remembered for social
gaffes, she explains but rather, for your research.
Presenting your research, after all, is likely one of the main
benefits you can get from attending a conference. You get to
present your hard work to other scholars who appreciate it,
says University of NebraskaLincoln (UNL) student Morrel
Wax, who recently attended the McNair Berkeley Research
of etiquette
Conference. Fellow UNL student Martin Diaz agrees, adding, sharing information with others is an
opportunity to receive information and
et i quette [et-i-kit, -ket]
feedback on your research area and can
also help others with their research.
1. Conventional requirements as to social behav-

ouve done the research, analyzed

the data, submitted an abstract, and had it
accepted. You have painstakingly planned and
practiced your talk or poster, and are prepared
to answer just about any research question that
comes your way. Travel and accommodations are complete.
Soon you will be on your way to your first conference.
Youve taken care of practically everything. But have you
thought about your conference etiquette? Yes, etiquette. If you
havent deciphered the accepted codes of social behavior at
a professional meeting or conference, all your hard work and
planning could go to waste.

The mysterious element

You may be surprised to learn
that etiquette isnt just for social
events. Etiquette is for any occasion that requires social interaction, including conferences.
Unlike social events where you
are probably very familiar with
those in attendance, conferences bring together close colleagues and total strangers in a
professional setting. This setting
combines the professional and
the social, often leaving first-time
conference attendees wondering
how to behave.

ior; proprieties of conduct as established in any

class or community or for any occasion.
2. A prescribed or accepted code of usage in matters of ceremony, as at a court or in official or
other formal observances.
3. The code of ethical behavior regarding professional practice or action among the members of
a profession in their dealings with each other:
medical etiquette.

[Link]

Making networking work

Research may be the main reason youre
attending a conference, but its not the only
reason. Diaz says that another key reason
to attend a conference is to network with
people from potential employers and with
students and faculty from other schools.
Mark Hill, University of WisconsinMadison
professor, agrees: A lot of people who go
to their first conference think theyre not

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

By Raychelle Burks

f e a t u r e

getting their advisors money worth unless they go to all the

talks. But a conference is more than that.
A conference is where you present your past and current
research while planning for your future. Gaining information
on internships, co-ops, as well as employment and graduate
school, notes Cyndi Freeman, director ofgraduate student
recruitment and diversity initiatives at Ohio State University, are
common extracurricular reasons students attend conferences.
Treating a conference like an extended job interview is more
than good advice your graduate school or job interview may
actually be scheduled during the conference, or you may even
attend a career or graduate school fair while there.
Networking is more than investigating new careers or graduate programs. Think of networking as socializing for professionals.

With networking, forget the old adage, never talk to strangers.

Networking is new-working: meeting new colleagues and collaborators. Networking often means making the first move and breaking away from the pack. I see a lot of students who walk around
with the same people all of the time, which inhibits new interactions, says James Alfano, a professor at UNL. Dont just hang
out with your lab mates, he advises. A conference is no time to
impersonate an ostrich either, according to UNL student Diaz.
Students should not just keep to themselves and only come out
for their presentation, says Diaz, but rather, network.
Networking may be socializing, but job interview behavior
still applies. Think about networking this way: fellow conference
attendees are interviewing you to be their colleague/collaborator, and youre likewise interviewing them. These interviews tend

How to

Dress for
Success
By Austa Marie Parker

in chemistry
10

Wear shirts that are ironed, and

a simple color or pattern. The shirt
should fit well: neither too tight, too

Clemson University

ts a fact of life that people judge

us by the way we dress. Making a great
first impression that exudes credibility
and professionalism at a conference or
meeting is critically important. In addition
to your student peers, youll be surrounded
by potential employers, graduate school
advisors, and mentors. The way you present
yourself can be just as important as the
way you present your research.
Mary K. Moore, a senior technologist
at Eastman, points out, Many employers
use poster presentations as a first step in
screening potential applicants. Students
should always present themselves in a professional manner. It will make a difference
in the future. John Engleman, a scientist at
SC Johnson, adds, First impressions really
do count and may well be the swing factor in the interview process of two equally
qualified candidates.
When you are attending poster sessions and oral presentations, the business
casual look is suitable. When you are
presenting a poster or paper at a scientific
meeting, a more polished and professional
look is necessary. It is important to always
be well-groomed and polished. Jewelry
should be kept to a minimum.

Students displaying a range of business attire, from appropriate business casual attire (left), to more
formal business attire suitable for making poster presentations (center), to inappropriate business
casual attire (right).

loose, nor too revealing. Men should

wear dress shirts.
Select skirts of an appropriate length
two inches above or below the
knee that fit comfortably along the
wasteline.
Choose slacks that are neatly
pressed and professional in
appearance. If you are a woman, you
should avoid Capris and similar styles
of slacks. Men should wear khakis,
cotton twill trousers, or dress pants
when presenting a poster. Jeans are
never an appropriate element in the
business casual regime. Even if they
look nice to you, they do not come
across as professional.
Wear shoes that are polished and
complement your attire. Sandals,
and especially flip-flops, are not
appropriate. It is important is to
make sure the shoes are comfortable
enough to wear for an entire poster
session or a full day at the conference.

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Add a jacket to your attire,

especially if you are presenting a
poster or paper. Black, navy, or gray
is best, in either a solid color or
pinstripe.

If you stick within these guidelines, you

will look professional and poised to your
colleagues. If you look professional, then
you will feel more confident and your
research will be more highly regarded.
Dressing appropriately doesnt have to
be complicated; look your best and dress
for success! iC

Austa Marie
Parker is a senior

chemistry major at
Clemson University and
plans to attend graduate
school in environmental
engineering in the fall of
this year.

f e a t u r e

Wrong*

Right

Attending Talks & Poster Sessions

Go to every talk/poster session.
Why waste any time with idle chit-chat, vendor exhibits,
grad school or career fairs?
Ask questions as soon as the speaker puts up their
outline slide.
Why wait for the speaker to explain their research?
Point out every error youve found while reading
someones poster.
Theyll appreciate the feedback.
Skip the questions, just make statements.
This will let others know you already know the answer.
Never consider anothers feelings when asking questions.
Say something like, Why did you waste time using that
method? People will remember you as a zealous truth
seeker.
Dont turn off your cell phone.
Receiving lots of calls and text messages just makes you
look important.

Attending Talks & Poster Sessions

Be selective.
Consult the conference proceedings in advance and plan
to attend talks that interest you both in and out of your
area.
Listen carefully and take notes.
This will help you draft thoughtful questions.
Engage a poster presenter in conversation.
Theyll appreciate talking about their work rather than
standing next to it.
Always be diplomatic.
Disagreements are no reason to make disparaging remarks.
Professionalism is always appreciated.
Hand-out compliments.
Let a presenter know you enjoyed their talk/poster one-onone. This is a great way to start a conversation and make
new contacts.
Forget your cell phone.
Giving your undivided attention lets people know youre
fully engaged in the meeting.

Networking
Dont go out of your way to meet new people.
Why meet new colleagues/collaborators?
Always wait for people to introduce themselves.
All will be naturally drawn to you, particularly if you stand
against a wall.
Only talk about your research.
People will be impressed by your expertise and you wont
be bothered with new information.
Drink and eat as much as you can at receptions.
Its free and youre on vacation, right?
*Based

on Conference Etiquette by University of Wisconsin Madison

Professors Mark D. Hill and David A. Wood. Please visit [Link]
[Link]/~markhill/[Link]

to be fairly casual, occurring in hallways, at receptions, and over

shared meals but even so, you shouldnt treat them too casually.
Remember you are always on stage and not just representing yourself, but also your mentor and institution, warns Jason
Kautz, UNL professor and coordinator of undergraduate education. Keep in mind the words of CICs Zepeda: your field is
small, and people talk. Just ask a faculty advisor from a small
private school, who took undergraduate researchers to last years
ACS meeting in New Orleans. My students were flashing people on Bourbon Street, shares the advisor, continuing, I heard
about it later from my post-doc advisors.
These students were off duty but they were still on
stage. Such behavior can mean more than just an embarrassing
conversation with your advisor. Ohio States Freeman recalls
that a student had a great time on Friday night and slept right

Networking
Make time for non-academic events.
These are excellent places to make professional contacts.
Talk to strangers.
Conferences are great places to meet new colleagues/collaborators, future graduate school advisors, or employers.
Ask people about their research.
Theyre just as excited to talk about their research as
you are.
There is no such thing as a social event.
Youre at a conference representing your institution, and
your behavior at all times reflects on both you and your
school.
through his presentation on Saturday morning. Social gaffes can
have serious professional consequences. CICs Zepeda warns
students to avoid silliness that can close doors of opportunity
that might otherwise have been opened for them.
Open doors and keep them open by carefully preparing for your
conference. Preparation isnt just for your talk or poster, but also
for your behavior. A conference can be a stormy sea to navigate
but with proper preparation, it will be smooth sailing. iC

Raychelle Burks is a graduate student at the

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, defending her dissertation in spring 2009. She is an analytical chemist
focused on the detection of explosives.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

Looking for More Advice?

11

Henry Eyring:
His Science and Legacy
and

Patricia L. Perez

in chemistry
12

n your general chemistry or physical

chemistry course, you probably studied absolute rate theory
(ART). This theory was developed from the wisdom and
imagination of Henry Eyring as he stepped outside the
box to explain many observations and theoretical predictions of molecular interaction.
ART holds that when atoms or molecules collide, they briefly
combine to enter a fourth dimension, forming a new and different high-energy combination that is unstable. This unstable
combination (called the activated complex or transition state)
must then collapse back into three dimensions. Whether the
resulting combination is the same as the initial atoms or
molecules (reactants) or is a new and different combination
(products) depends upon the energy difference between the
reactants and the transition state (activation energy) and the
energy difference between the reactants and the products
(enthalpy change).
This theory represented a unifying point of view whose
principles have been applied to areas of science ranging from
quantum mechanics to catalysis. The understanding of this
mechanism led to the development of rate theory based on
the energy factors discussed above. One focus of Eyrings later
work was the expansion and refinement of ART, but there
were other dimensions to his work as well. He applied his
expertise to such diverse areas as shock waves in explosives,
corrosion rates of metals, and protein structure and function.
But who was Henry Eyring, the man behind these seminal
theories with their applications? While he modestly thought of
himself as just a simple man, he was also a physical chemist, a family man, an outstanding scientist, and a Mormon. A
biographer has described him as having a fertile imagination,
unbounded curiosity, a warm and outgoing personality, a high
degree of intellectual talent, the ability to work hard, and a
determination to succeed. For him, people were key: he cherished his family, friends, and professional colleagues.
Henry Eyring was genuinely interested in anyone and everyinChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

one. He felt that he could learn something from each person he

met, whether a scientist or not. A review of his many scientific
papers and books shows that Eyring was interested in and made
contributions to a number of scientific topics. He had a unique
way of considering problems and questions: focus on the overall
big picture, not the minutiae, and learn from your life experiences.
From his early experiences at Berkley, Berlin, and Princeton,
where he met and/or worked with several eminent scientists,
e.g., G.N. Lewis, Michael Polyiani, and Albert Einstein, he
learned to think outside the box. Because physical chemistry
involves the study of chemical reactions and physical changes

Learn more about this unique chemist at a symposium offered

by the Division of the History of Chemistry.

Henry Eyring, His Science and Legacy

Tuesday, March 24, at the spring 2009 ACS meeting
in Salt Lake City, UT
A Model Life

Steven M Kuznicki, University of Alberta

Henry Eyrings Role in

Jack Simons, University of Utah
U. S. Theoretical Chemistry
Henry Eyring and
Quantum Chemistry

Gary D. Patterson, Carnegie Mellon University

Mentor Models of Research Dan W. Urry, University of Alabama at

and Emerging Protein
Birmingham
A Mentor and a Colleague Josef Michl, University of Colorado
Statistical Mechanics and Douglas J. Henderson, Brigham Young University
Dynamics Significant
Structure Theory
A Model for Young Chemists Janan M. Hayes, Project Inclusion

All photos from Special Collections Department, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah

By Janan M. Hayes

f e a t u r e
Biographical Information

yring was born in Colonia, Juarez, Mexico, where his grandparents migrated in
the late 1880s during the Mormon migration from Utah. Political unrest in 1910
necessitated the familys move to El Paso, TX. In the move, the family lost nearly
everything, but Henrys father was able to purchase a small farm in Arizona that
everyone worked hard to make a success.
He graduated from high school in 1919. By earning a state fellowship and also working, Eyring graduated in 1923 from the University of Arizona with a B.S. in mining engineering. The following year, he earned an M.S. in metallurgical engineering. A summer
job with exposure to burning sulfur (smelly sulfur dioxide) prompted Eyring to change
professions and become a chemistry instructor at the University of Arizona. There, he
was encouraged by several faculty members to study for his doctorate.
Two years later, in 1927, he earned a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley. He did a post doc at the
University of Wisconsin and was a National Research Foundation fellow at the Kaiser
Wilhelm Institute in Berlin before going to Princeton University (1931-46). In 1946 he
became a professor of chemistry at the University of Utah and founded its Graduate
School. His many honors include the ACS Priestley Medal, National Medal of Science,
Swedens Berzelius Medal, election to the National Academy of Sciences, and the presidency of the American Chemical Society (1963).

change the world. We must take nothing for granted, work hard,
and be humble. We should follow our passions. And finally, each
person must be dedicated to truth, wherever one finds it, and to
live in such a way as to make ones self comfortable in the company of good people.
More about Eyrings work and life is detailed in the June 9,
2008 issue of Chemical & Engineering News. Also, a symposium
in his honor will be presented at the upcoming spring 2009
ACS meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. iC

The Eyring Foot Race

References

ne thing Henry Eyring prided himself on was his

physical fitness. He was remembered for walking to and from his office, doing standing jumps
from the floor to the top of his desk, and challenging his graduate students to an annual foot race.
The tradition of the Eyring foot race began in
1958, when he challenged his secretary at the
Deans office at the University of Utah to a foot race.
Much to her surprise he won easily. Dean Eyring
then challenged two administrative colleagues,
G. Homer Durham and Sterling M. McMurrin, to another foot race. Much to the amusement of the crowd who had gathered to watch the race, both challengers fell while
running the race, leaving Henry Eyring with an undefeated record.
Thereafter, Eyring kept the foot race tradition alive by challenging his graduate
students to a 50-yard dash each year. Eyring did not win any of these races, but he did
award cash prizes to the first four winners in each years competition. Finally, in 1978,
Eyring retired from his foot racing career at age 78.
While the Eyring foot race is no longer run at the University of Utah, the event is
still fondly remembered within the chemistry community. According to Ted Eyring,
Henrys eldest son who is now a professor at the University of Utah, The key ingredients for these shenanigans were Henry Eyrings fleetness of foot, his prestige in the
international chemistry community, and his willingness to be humiliated annually in
public (including on national television one year) by his youthful graduate students.

Kauzmann, Walter, Biographical Memoirs Home Page,

Henry Eyring, February 20, 1901 December 26,
1981, National Academy of Sciences, Washington,
DC, [Link]/memoirs.
Simons, Jack, Remembering Henry Eyring, Chemical
& Engineering News, June 9, 2008, vol 26, no 23, pp.
46-49.
Eyring, Henry, Men, Mines and Molecules, Ann. Rev.
Phys. Chem. 28 (1977), p. 2.

Janan M. Hayes and

Patricia L. Perez are pro-

fessors emeriti of chemistry at

California Community College
with over 35 years in teaching and
co-directors of Project Inclusion,
a project that supports information on non-traditional people,
places, and times in the traditional
chemistry curriculum. Jan is also a
member of the American Chemical
Society Board of Directors.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

at the molecular and atomic level, it is relevant

across chemistry and other disciplines. Lewis
once said, physical chemistry is everything
that is interestingand Eyring probably agreed
with this statement, says Jack Simons, one of
Eyrings colleagues at the University of Utah. For
this reason, Simons has stated, Eyring was not
shy about using his skills to attack such diverse
problems as molecular electronic surfaces, rates
of chemical reactions, flames and explosions,
and biological processes associated with aging.
He liked to figure out how molecules worked,
and he would bring any and all tools at his disposal to the task.
All of Eyrings sons were encouraged to
study chemistry and physics in their youth. His
oldest son, Edward, is still a working chemist
at the University of Utah; but his second son,
Henry, switched from
physics to business. They
were both following the
advice of their father
that they pursue something for which they had
a passion.
What can we learn
from Henry Eyrings life?
Perhaps it is that simple
people can indeed

Henry Eyring (1901-1981)

13

c a r e e r s

in chemistry
14

How to Ace
a Behavioral
Interview
By Samina Azad

here is no denying that

ones analytical and technical skills
will be important factors in the
ability to land a position with an
employer. But as I learned in my own
job search following my career as a postdoc, there is an entirely different skill set
required to succeed in the crucial job
interview process: the ability to effectively answer seemingly simple questions
about how one behaves in various workplace scenarios.
Toward the end of my second post-doc
position, I began applying for industrial
jobs on [Link]. My rsum was
picked up by several recruiters. I passed
the phone screening interviews and was
invited to three on-site interviews, which
were a few days apart from each other.
At this point I was feeling very confident. The potential employers were
already convinced that my background
was a good match for the positions. The
next step would be to present a seminar
at each of these on-site interviews and
meet the employers in person. I thought
all that was left to do now was to dress
professionally and shake hands firmly
with my interviewers. Then I would be
left with the difficult task of deciding
which of these jobs to choose for my
next career move. It turned out, however, that I was wrong.

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Unexpected questions
I flew from Texas to the west coast for
my first interview. It was for a process
engineer position in a large semiconductor company. I arrived at 7:30 a.m. and
presented my seminar to a group of 12
people.
After that, I was scheduled to meet
with each person individually throughout the day. The hiring manager started
the interview, saying, We know you
are technically competent otherwise,
we wouldnt be talking to you today.
However, the purpose of todays interview is to gauge how well you will fit
into the group. We would like to know
how you handle stress, how you take
criticism, and how good you are at teamwork. For example, if your team members think that there is a problem in your
process, but you are convinced that there
is no problem, how would you react?
I was not really sure how to answer
this. Was he testing how confident I felt
about my technical ability and communication skills? I was fresh out of academia
and trained to defend my research. The
rest of the interviewers I talked with that
day discussed the same problem. They
said, Product development in the semiconductor industry is extremely stressful
and fast-paced. Managers need to make
fast decisions to move production for-

c a r e e r s

My third on-site interview was with a

chemical company in the Midwest. In an
effort to help me prepare for the interview,
the recruiting firm told me this would be a
behavioral interview. They e-mailed me a
list containing 40 or so questions that the
employers might ask and provided me with
some suggestions for answering behavioral
interview questions.
The recruiter
suggested that
I use storytelling to convince
the employer
that I would
be capable
of overcoming challenges
associated with
the position.
I should give examples from the past
where I encountered similar situations as described in each question. He
explained the SAR method, where
S is situation, A is action, and R
is result. To answer each question,
I should first describe a situation or
problem, then what action I took to
solve the problem, and lastly what the
outcome was. He also revealed why
he was eager to help me: the position
was still open after many on-site interviews, because none of the previous
candidates satisfactorily answered the
SAR questions. It also became clear
to me why the previous two on-site
interviews focused so heavily

behavioral skills in the past. I worked

hard to prepare answers for all the questions on the list. I was finally well prepared for an on-site interview and was
able to convince the interviewers that
I had the skill sets, both analytical and
behavioral, that were required for these
positions.

Finding flaws
After starting my work as an industrial
scientist I, too, have used behavioral
questions during interviews to gauge the
characteristics of candidates for positions
that opened up in our group. After all,
the cost of hiring the wrong person for

Typical Behavioral
Interview Questions
Questions on ability to handle stress, take
criticism, and take initiative:
Describe a situation in which you were required
to work under pressure and how you reacted.
Describe a time when you showed initiative.
Describe a time when you found yourself challenged. How did it work out?

Give an example of a time when you had to keep from speaking or making a
decision because you didnt have enough information.

in chemistry

Getting serious about

preparation

on behavioral questions. According to

the recruiter, behavioral questions can
predict an employees on-the-job performance five times more accurately than
traditional interview questions about the
candidates analytical and technical skills.
I also realized that the same SAR
example could be used to answer more
than one question. The SAR response
that describes the toughest group to get
cooperation from may also be an example of difficulty to get others to accept
my ideas. The employers would have a
list of desired behaviors that were critical for this position and they would try
to find out if I had demonstrated these

Discuss an example of a time when you had to make a quick decision.

15

Talk about a time when your work or idea was

criticized and how you handled it.
Questions on decision making and problem solving abilities:

What is the toughest group you have had to get cooperation from?
Did you ever have difficulty getting others to accept your ideas? What was your
approach? Did it work?
Questions on motivation, communication, interpersonal skills, and
prioritization:
Describe a situation when you were able to have a positive influence on the
action of others.
Talk about a situation when you had to speak up in order to make a point that
was important to you.
Have you ever had to sell an idea to your team members? How did you do it?
Did they buy it?
What have you done in the past to contribute toward a teamwork environment?
How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

all photos from istock

ward. There is not a lot of time for long

arguments. We follow an internal policy:
disagree and obey. How does this sound
to you?
My next interview was with another
semiconductor company in New York.
This was a small startup. I thought I
would have a lot of freedom with this
company and could design the process
the way I wanted. Again, I was wrong.
This interview went exactly the same
way as the first, and similar questions
were asked, such as: How good are
you at teamwork? What would be your
reaction if the team suggests that your
process has a problem, but you are convinced otherwise?

istock

c a r e e r s

jupiterimages

process, the employers will get a first

impression of you as a candidate.
Most employers like candidates who
appear confident, trusting, dependable,
and interested in the position. In addition to the behavioral questions, the
proper use of body language can show
confidence and dependability.
Be sure to smile when you meet your
potential employer. Shake hands firmly
and make eye contact. Be an active
and interested listener throughout the

these questions have little or nothing to

do with your knowledge of chemistry per
se. Examples of such questions include:
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself five
or ten years from now? Why are you
considering leaving the current position?
What is your biggest accomplishment so
far? What do you like the most about
your current job and what do you dislike
the most? What motivates you to keep
going when you face constant failures in
your project? How did you select your
graduate school? How did you choose
your Ph.D. topic and thesis advisor?
These questions are all meant to
gauge the personality and behavioral
skills of the candidate. During interviews, try to describe all your previous
experiences in a positive tone. If it is not
a story of success, mention the lessons
you learned from an experience. In the

interview. Take notes. Ask pertinent and

thoughtful questions that youve prepared ahead of time.
The most important lesson that I
learned from my job searches was that it
was easiest to get a job offer when I knew
why I wanted the job and why I should
get it and was able to express these
thoughts in the interview process. iC

An interviewer
is looking to see
whether the candidate demonstrates
mastery of behavioral skills and competencies that are
critical for the
position at hand.
an industrial chemist position is very high,
and could adversely affect the productivity and performance of the entire team.
Behavioral skills play a very important role in an employees performance.
Even the most competent
chemists may not have
successful careers if they
are incapable of aligning
their personal goals with
the overall goals and
objectives of the
team and the
corporation
or institution.
Behavioral
skills can also
be more difficult to learn
than laboratory analytical
techniques.

istock

in chemistry
16

Most people learn behavioral techniques

through personal experiences. The SAR
interview process assumes that past
performances are capable of predicting
future performances. An interviewer is
looking to see whether the candidate
demonstrates mastery of behavioral skills
and competencies that are critical for the
position at hand.
That being said, many employers ask
more general, behavioral-based questions
that are less involved than SAR. Often

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Samina Azad is a

senior scientist at STERIS

Corporation. She graduated from the University
of Wisconsin and worked
as a post doc at Pacific
Northwest National Lab
and Rice University.

Rxns and Slns

In this installment of Reactions and Solutions, bloggers describe how volunteer
efforts and experiences can reap professional benefits.
Compiled By Lori Betsock

BLOG

The courses and labs required for undergraduate programs provide opportunities to
show your potential as a professional chemist. Although these degree requirements
afford you chances to impress potential
employers (or graduate schools), getting
involved in outside organizations can create additional opportunities to succeed.
While a graduate student at the University of WisconsinMadison, I co-founded a student-organized research seminar
series. Following a campus recruiting visit, I invited a member
of Abbott Laboratories human resources department to give a
seminar and arranged meetings between the Abbott representative and undergraduate and graduate advisors. During the
course of preparing for and hosting the seminar, the presenter
from Abbott and I discussed my job search. As a result, she
recommended me for a position in Abbotts Diagnostics Division.
I had already submitted a general application and participated
in a behavioral-based screening interview, but I had not yet
received a response. However, after she recommended me, I
was promptly contacted by the hiring manager for an open position and began the interview process. This experience underscores the importance of networking.
Posted by Chris
The Ability to Influence without Authority
One of the most valuable things I have gained
from being a volunteer within the ACS has
been the refinement and expansion of my
leadership skills. I have found these skills to
be quite useful in my daily interactions with
others. An advantage of participating in a
volunteer organization is gaining experience leading other volunteers in a setting where you have limited ability to influence their
actions. If someone is unsatisfied with your leadership or their
role in the organization, they can choose to no longer participate.
This situation is distinctly different from a conventional workplace environment, where leadership roles are have well-defined
responsibilities and authority to deliver negative or positive consequences. This provides additional incentives for cooperation.
In contrast, it is more difficult to motivate and inspire individuals in a volunteer setting. In this context, it is essential to explain
why a particular course of action is in the best interests of either

the individual concerned or the organization (ideally both). One

attribute that can facilitate management of a volunteer group is
that those involved are, after all, volunteers. Thus, they already
have an intrinsic desire to participate at some level. To be an
effective leader in this setting, it is important to appeal to the
qualities and aspirations that originally motivated them to be
involved.
I have found that these abilities are directly relevant to achieving personal and professional goals. It is much easier to lead if
one can motivate people to perform of their own volition, even if
you do have authority over them. Moreover, learning to lead in
this way has parallels to common circumstances we encounter
daily. One often needs to convince someone else to act without
having the power to dictate their actions, including peers at work
or school, friends, and family members. Thus, the leadership
skills gained at volunteer organizations are applicable to many
facets of life.
Posted by Ian

New Town, New Opportunities

Since leaving graduate school Ive been
active in ACS at the local section level. I
recently moved to a new town and wanted
to become active in my new local section.
Knowing that National Chemistry Week was
on the horizon, I volunteered for the local
sections celebration. Chemistry Day was a great experience!
Not only did I help share a positive image of chemistry with the
public, I also met a lot of people with interests similar to mine.
One person I met was an undergraduate student who was a
second-year volunteer. We talked about our experiences, and
he told me that last year while volunteering at Chemistry Day,
he met the coordinator of the internship program at a local
chemical company. He had already applied for the very same
internship; however, after meeting the coordinator at Chemistry
Day, he got the internship had a great experience. He credits his
involvement with Chemistry Day for his success.
As a student, giving back to the community is a great way to
meet professionals and learn about their experiences. The desire
to be an active part of several groups or projects might be strong,
but limit your involvement based on the time you have available.
Focus on your career now so you can give back more later.
Posted by Emilio

in chemistry

Creating Opportunities to Succeed

17

 BLOG continued

Teaching Kids and Ourselves

in chemistry
18

One thing I have learned about chemists is

that they enjoy volunteering, especially when
it comes to working with kids and teaching
them about the world of science. For me
it started when I was a graduate student,
helping with outreach activities. After some
time in the food industry learning some good flavor chemistry
demonstrations, I joined the teaching faculty at Northwestern
University and worked with the Student Affiliates chapter. All the
community outreach activities were energizing and confirmed
what it means to be a chemist through exploration, observation,
and sharing of knowledge. My own children by then were school
age, so all the great demos were easy to share with their classrooms.
Now back in the corporate world, I am using the same demos
I learned from my Student Affiliates chapter outreach activities
in current educational programs at our site in Lean Six Sigma
[business management strategy] programs. Even though the
audience is adults whose experience with chemistry is minimal,
they have the same energy as a third-grade class, and ask just
as many questions during the Green Skittles Chromatography
experiment. Teaching through ourtreach is a great way to
celebrate being a chemist. Volunteering with ACS and in the
community builds continued positive energy for what we do as
chemists and how we think. It also gives you the opportunity to
plant a seed with a future scientist, and build bridges through
translation, which is an important skill to develop as a professional. Have you taught a kid today?

who benefit most. By clearly projecting ourselves into another

reality, we expand our network to include those who bring about
the best in our nature. And when we work with and help those
who live in the 5th world (the world in which we currently reside
as human people, according to the Din), each action guides
the mind toward the meaning of Saah Naaghai Bikeh Hozho,
and the clockwise walk into empowerment begins.*
The time is at hand for chemists to move across boundaries
that undermine the strength of the human spirit and begin to
heal ourselves by healing our planet. You can put these experiences on your rsum and describe them in an interview, and it
will be evident you have grown within your profession to encompass the human condition. Namast (the light in me honors the
light in you) and Hagon (until next time),
Posted by Shanadeen
* The idea of Saah Naaghai is the heroic male (Sky Man) process of living into ripe old age through repeated spiritual renewal so as to attain everlasting life, and Bikeh Hozho is the female
(Earth Woman) energy of giving life and taking life. Maintaining
a unity of polarities is a fundamental meaning of Saah Naaghai
Bikeh Hozho and the Din way of life, where walking clockwise
is a way to maintain protection and abide in a state of beauty.

Posted by Angela
Maintaining Balance between Ourselves
and Others
As a chemist and Din (Navajo) woman,
I have been willing to apply my training
as a theoretical chemist to exploration of
the wholeness of our interactions with the
immortal universe. A central goal in my life is
to maintain balance between myself and others by putting my
energy into realities outside my existence.
Volunteering in Native American communities is a reflective experience that gives an identity to the cultural roots of
Turtle Island (a.k.a. North America). The time we spend getting
to know other people who cultivate the spirit of our continent
provides a chance to share a humanity and dignity surviving
beyond these past 500 years of barriers and loss. As each of us
applies our problem-solving skills to immediate issues facing the
indigenous inhabitants of the Americas, we find we are the ones
inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

Christopher J. Ciolli is a senior scientist in process chemistry at

Ricerca Biosciences, LLC, in Concord, Ohio and a member of the ACS Younger
Chemists Committee.

Ian Thorpe is a postdoctoral associate in the Center for Biophysical

Modeling and Simulation and the Department of Chemistry at the University

of Utah and a member of the ACS Younger Chemists Committee.

Emilio Xavier Esposito is an independent consultant who provides

scientific consulting services to academia and industry, and is a member of the
ACS Younger Chemists Committee.
Angela Ashton is a QC lab manager in the Drug Delivery Systems
Division of 3M in Northridge, California.

Shanadeen Begay is a fourth-year graduate student at Boston University.

She is an ACS diversity partner and member of the ACS Younger Chemists
Committee.

A C S

r e s o u r c e s

Become a Voice
of National Influence
The ACS Younger Chemists Committee
By Burt Hollandsworth

Sharing ideas
The primary mission of the YCC has
always been to facilitate the sharing of
ideas and opinions between the governing bodies of ACS and its younger
chemists. To understand why this dialog
is important, you may recall that legislation was recently proposed to change the
status of Student Affiliates to student
members. Before this change was adopted by ACS, the YCC was asked weigh in

YCC seeks opinions and participation in its events

from young chemists such as Katie Vaughan and
Taylor Hendrixson, undergraduates at Harding
University in Searcy, Arkansas.

on the possible impact that this change

could have on younger chemists.

Planning events
YCC also organizes and operates
activities of special interest to younger
chemists at the national, regional, and
local levels. For example, at the fall 2008
ACS national meeting in Philadelphia,
YCC organized a five-kilometer Fun
Run that was well-attended. A variety
of runners participated, both young
and old, but the event attracted mostly
chemists in their twenties and thirties.
Meanwhile, the committee co-sponsored
a graduate school information breakfast
at the Southwest Regional Meeting in
Little Rock, and Local Section Younger
Chemists Committees (LSYCCs) organized many more regional and local
events across the country.
One of the more time-intensive activities of YCC is providing programming
at national meetings dealing with topics
geared toward a younger audience. At
the national meeting in Philadelphia,

for example, YCC sponsored or cosponsored programs including, Getting

Your First Industrial Job, Opportunities
and Challenges for Non-Tenure Track
Faculty, and From Test Tube to Startup
Company. If you have any ideas for
symposium topics that would be of interest to younger chemists at future meetings, please e-mail them to ycc@[Link].

Learning new skills

YCC also serves as a training ground
for leaders within the ACS. Many committee members go on to serve on other
ACS committees or within their local
section after they age out of their YCC
appointment. In addition, YCC facilitates
and co-sponsors a program of Leadership
Development Workshops for younger
chemists at national and regional meetings where participants discuss characteristics and skills of effective leaders and
write personal leadership development
plans. Often these workshops provide the
foot in the door that younger chemists
need in order to start getting involved on
other ACS committees and task forces.
If YCC sounds interesting to you, please
stop by one of our open house events at
a national meeting, drop us a line at ycc@
[Link], or join our group on Facebook.
Use the YCC as a way to voice your concerns and opinions to your Society and
your fellow members. iC

Burt Hollandsworth

is assistant professor of chemistry at Harding University

and chair of YCCs Local
and Regional Activities
Subcommittee.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

Burt Hollandsworth

ccording to recent news reports,

two-thirds of voters aged 18 to 29
cast their ballots in the most recent
presidential election for Barack Obama.
In fact, the votes of younger citizens
helped Obama carry battleground states
like Indiana, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Regardless of your political leanings, you
have to admit that this is an impressive
display of the influence that younger
people can have on society.
The Younger Chemists Committee
(YCC) believes that the influence of
younger people in our society, the
American Chemical Society, can be just
as powerful! Established in 1974, YCC
is a joint Board-Council committee of
the ACS consisting of 33 members and
associates, all of whom are under the age
of 35. Each individual brings a unique
perspective to the committee. Members
are employed in all areas of the chemical
enterprise including academics, industry,
and government. The committee meets
in person twice a year at the ACS national meetings, but the members work
year-round to ensure that the voices of
younger chemists are heard throughout
the ACS. You can read more about the
history of the YCC at [Link]
org/committee/[Link].

19

in chemistry
20

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

in chemistry

m e e t i n g s

23

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

m e e t i n g s

jupiterimages

Celebrating Chemistry
Under the NeON Lights
of Sin City
By Hanna Angelica M. Magno

Getting the word out

To accomplish our goals,
we needed to do some
advertising. We worked on
our section of the conference website and consulted
a graphic designer to help
us create an eye-catching
logo. The logo branded our
program perfectly: the small

faces in different colors on

top of the bold, capitalized
letters WRM aptly depicted
the theme: Representing the
New Faces of Chemistry.
We sent e-mails that included a link to the conference
website to Student Affiliates
chapters and their advisors
in the western region. Our
website contained short
descriptions of the planned
events, a link to the meeting
registration page, the abstract
submission page, and some
information about Las Vegas.
To encourage attendance, we
also sent flyers to universities
announcing raffle prizes and
registration fee waivers for
those who qualified. Finally,
we sent multiple e-mail
reminders to Student Affiliates
to make sure they didnt forget to register.

The meeting

Tuesday. On Tuesday
night, Thomas H. Lane, the

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

president-elect of the ACS,

invited Chemical Interactions
to meet with him. We took
this opportunity to thank him
for the generous contribution
he made to our program and
to learn about his plans for
the ACS.
Friday. The Undergraduate
Program officially started with
an ice cream social on Friday
night. Our sundae bar provided a relaxed atmosphere

where everybody could

make new connections. To
encourage interaction, we
played an ice-breaker game.
As attendees walked in the
door, they received a name
tag with an element symbol.
Later on, everyone received
a list of 30 elemental puns.
Participants had to solve the
puns and then find and meet
the people who were wearing
the corresponding element
symbols and get their signatures. Attendees who finished
successfully with all the
correct answers were given
candy bars. Try solving a few
sample puns (shown below)
for yourself!
After enjoying the delicious

Match the pun with the corresponding element!

Puns
1. Half a dime
2. Not fat
3. Watered down gin
4. What torpedoed ships do
5. What to do with the dead
6. Mollys blue jeans
7. Frivolous prisoner
8. What many courses do
9. Holmium x 0.5
10. To spice

Elements
a. Er
b. Hf
c. H
d. B
e. Si
f.
Sn
g. Zn
h. Ni
i.
Ba
j.
Mo

Sample elemental puns.

Answers: 1. h; 2. f; 3. c; 4. g; 5. i; 6. j; 7. e; 8. d; 9. b; 10. a.

in chemistry
24

hen most people

think of Las Vegas,
images of bright
lights, showgirls, and gambling
come to mind. However,
Las Vegas is also a city thats
rich in culture, the arts, and
the sciences. In fact, last
September, the ACS Western
Regional (WRM) and the
Two Year College Chemistry
Consortium (2YC3) meetings
were both held in Las Vegas.
Our Student Affiliates chapter,
Chemical Interactions, from
the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, hosted the WRM
undergraduate session.
Wed never done anything
like this before, but we were
excited to tackle the challenge. From the beginning, we
set three goals: we wanted to
attract lots of people, provide
plenty of networking opportunities, and have fun!

jupiterimages

m e e t i n g s

WRM 2008 education program

poster session.

and Best Poster Presenter

in three categories: students
from a two-year college, students from a four-year college, and secondary teachers.
In the second hour, the roles
were reversed.
After the poster session,
Chemical Interactions hosted
an awards luncheon. While
the results of the poster
session judging were being
tallied, we held a raffle for
prizes including a periodic
table shower curtain (which
we hear is being used in a
dorm at the University of
Arizona!). After the raffle, we
gave each poster presenter
a certificate of appreciation,
and gift bags of goodies from
the ACS store to the six
poster presenters who were
chosen as winners.
In addition to the awards
for the poster session,
Morton Hoffman presented
Judith (Judie) Ann Flint
Baumwirt with a plaque
and a check for winning
the 2008 ACS Division of
Chemical Education Western
Region Award for Excellence
in High School Teaching.
Chemical Interactions pre-

sented this deserving teacher

with a framed picture that
said, Teachers are worth
their weight in Au!
Judie teaches at Granada
Hills Charter High School
in California and is passionate about chemistry and her
students, constantly devising innovative ways to help
young minds absorb chemistry concepts.

dates helped push the planning along. We delegated

tasks to spread the workload;
and for this, communication
and organization was key.
Everybody needed to know
what they were responsible
for. Our meetings kept everyone up to date, allowing us to
solve problems as they arose.

Little details

Attending the meeting

allowed us to network, meet
new people, and attend
talks to find out what is
going on in the chemistry
world. Planning the meeting
strengthened our leadership
skills by giving us responsibilities. On a personal note,
presenting at the meeting
gave me a chance to talk in
front of an interactive audience, something I thought I
could never do.
The meeting was a giant
success, and a great learning
experience for all involved.
And you thought all we do is
gamble over here! iC

In the course of the planning, it is easy to forget the

little details. It is important
not to forget thank-you
notes to those who helped
us present our program:
the speakers who came out
of their way to share what

Worth more than

megabucks

25

Education awards luncheon attendees (left to right) Hanna Magno,

Josu Dueas, Judie Baumwirt, and
Daniella Sandoval.

they know, the administrative assistants who provided

office supplies, the designer
who helped create the logo
that branded the event, and
the friend who printed the
flyers at a discount.

What helped us

The planning of this event

was a huge undertaking. One
thing that helped in the planning was setting deadlines. A
simple to do list with due

in chemistry

other poster presenters. In

the first hour of the poster
session, half of the participants presented while the
other half judged the posters
that were on display and
voted for the Best Poster
university of nevada, las vegas

ice cream and playing the

fun-filled game, everyone
settled in to listen to the
speaker of the night, Ken
Barr, director of medicinal chemistry at Amplyx
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and
an ACS volunteer career
consultant. He talked to us
about what to expect during
graduate school, introduced
us to a valuable networking
tool called [Link],
and gave us tips on how to
write a winning rsum. He
imparted some additional
important advice, which we
are taking to heart: scrub
your Myspace and Facebook
accounts! We learned,
believe it or not, that
employers do Google potential employees, and that we
must carefully scrutinize all
of the hits that are associated
with our names.
Saturday. Early Saturday
morning, Clemens Heske of
the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, gave a talk on
alternative energy sources,
focusing mainly on solar
power. This energy resource
is virtually inexhaustible, free,
and environmentally friendly
unlike oil. These make
great arguments why solar
energy should be explored,
according to Heske. He also
brought in a mini solar cell
as a visual aid and explained
how it worked.
At our poster session,
65 posters were presented
by secondary teachers and
students from two-year
and four-year colleges. We
designed the poster session
to allow the participants
to both present their own
research and to interact with

Hanna Angelica Magno

is a senior at the University of

Nevada, Las Vegas
majoring in preprofessional biology
and serves as the
secretary of the
UNLV ACS Student
Affiliates group.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

m e e t i n g s

This Is How We Roll

MIDWEST STYLE
jupiterimages

Hosting the Undergraduate

Program at MWRM

in chemistry
26

Getting the
ball rolling

We broke this enormous

project into smaller tasks. First
we organized a committee
within our chapter to help
plan the program and lead
the other members. Next we
wrote a grant proposal to
fund our undergraduate program and activities to provide
for an enjoyable experience
for all the undergraduates
attending. Our committee
met after our regular business
meetings to plan a program
and schedule of events that
would be fun, educational,
and beneficial to the students.
We began contacting possible speakers and experts in
various fields of chemistry,

Kicking into gear

As registration opened at

Danielle Policarpio

university of nebraska kearney

and brainstormed events that

would bring together the
diverse undergrads during the
meeting and give them an
opportunity to network. Our
proposal included a mix of
social events, eminent scientific
speakers, and a career question and answer panel discussion. Fortunately, our grant
proposal was funded, giving
us the resources we needed to
bring our vision to life.
As the meeting time drew
closer, we finalized the many
necessary details. We realized
that without the ongoing
help of each and every member, the meeting could not
succeed to its full potential.

and

A few undergraduates and ACS staff member Audley Burke hanging out in the
Undergrad Suite before bowling.

the local Ramada Inn, excitement rose among our chapter

members. We were finally
bringing to life all the plans
on which we had worked so
very hard.
Our opening night event

university of nebraska kearney

n the fall of 2007, when

our department chair at
the University of Nebraska
Kearney asked our Student
Affiliates chapter to plan
the undergraduate activities for the ACS Midwest
Regional Meeting (MWRM)
in Kearney, Nebraska the
coming year, we gladly
accepted. Little did we realize
the amount of work and the
many challenges that were to
follow. However, after a year
of planning, teamwork, and
innovation, we successfully
made it all come together.

By Anna Barber

MWRM committee members (left to right): Andrew Prososki, Whitney Clark,

Anna Barber, Danielle Policarpio, Bobbi Arnold, and Patrick Teten.

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

was a photo scavenger

hunt, which involved teams
composed of five undergraduate students each. All the
teams were given disposable
cameras, list of various items
that could be found only
at the meeting and one
hour in which to find and
photograph them. After the
photos were developed by a
local one-hour photo shop,
the teams met back at the
undergraduate suite. There,
we gave each team a sheet
of poster board, markers, and
tape, and the groups had 20
minutes to assemble collages
of their photos. To complete
the event, a panel consisting of the meetings general
manager, exhibit chair, and a
committee member selected
the winning collage. We then

m e e t i n g s

awarded prizes to the winning

team, which happened to be
named the Hungry, Hungry
Hydrogens.
The following evening we
had a symposium of eminent
scientists. The event included
a presentation entitled,
Chemistry of Chocolate, by
Howard Peters, a former ACS
Board of Directors member
and a retired chemical patent
attorney, and Carbohydrates
in Food Systems, by Randy
Wehling, professor of food
science at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. This event
attracted undergraduates
and many other

meeting attendees. Later

that evening, we invited
the undergraduates for
a night of bowling
at The Big Apple.
Everyone involved
enjoyed games of
bowling, sodas,
and delicious
pizza!
The last day
of the undergraduate program
ended
with a
very
beneficial
career
panel
symposium, which
included chemists from various
institutions. The panelists answered many
questions about
graduate school,
options after our
undergraduate
careers, and fellowship and
stipend opportunities.

Howard Peters presenting

the chemistry of chocolate.
american chemical society

university of nebraska kearney

Undergraduate students showing their scavenger hunt results poster.

work together as a group to

accomplish such an ambitious
program! Each member of
our chapter had an opportunity to act as a leader by providing their ideas and putting
them into action. This experience allowed our chapter to
broaden our capabilities for
even bigger projects. We have
also learned to work better
and more collaboratively as
a chapter. The importance
of volunteerism has become
very apparent to us and
has motivated all
of us to reach
out and help

Undergraduate students working on their photo scavenger

hunt poster.

to make our program run

smoothly, our meeting was a
huge success!

Learning and growing

from the experience
Planning, organizing,
and executing the MWRM
was both a challenging and
rewarding experience for our
chapter. We had to learn to

our community through more

involvement with different
groups of people.
In the end, the experience
also drew us together as a
family, and helped us better
appreciate the different contributions made by everyone
involved. This was definitely
a wonderful experience, and
one that we highly recommend to other chapters. iC

Danielle Policarpio, UNK

Student Affiliates chapter president, and Anna Barber, UNK
Student Affiliates chapter treasurer
are both junior chemistry majors.

[Link]/saprogram FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 inChemistry

in chemistry

american chemical society

The first 10 people

who arrived at the
program received
door prizes. In keeping with this years
National Chemistry
Week theme,
Having a Ball with
Chemistry, our prizes included a football
and a basketball.
Thanks to a great
group of volunteers
who worked

27

If your school would like to include a notice in an upcoming

issue of in Chemistry, contact Lori Betsock,
(800) 227-5558, ext. 6188 or e-mail l_betsock@[Link].

in chemistry
28

inChemistry FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009 [Link]/saprogram

NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

American Chemical Society

1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Washington, DC
PERMIT NO. 4119