Register for the 2023 Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting

The Wyoming Local Section of the American Chemical Society is hosting the 2023 Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (RMRM) Sept. 14–17, at the University of Wyoming Conference Center, which is in the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie, Wyoming. The meeting theme is “Chemistry on the Frontier: Exploring New Horizons in the Cowboy State.” Whether you are in academia, industry, a nontraditional chemistry job, or you are in transition, RMRM has something for you. Details can be found at rocky mountain region.org.

Technical program. Speakers from industry, national laboratories, and universities across the globe will gather in Laramie to discuss a broad range of crosscutting scientific and engineering research. Topics to be covered in technical sessions include sustainability, renewable materials, clean energy, and carbon dioxide utilization. To highlight the natural resources located in and around Wyoming, there will be a symposium on rare earth and critical materials covering extraction, processing, and commercialization developments in the region. For those interested in starting a business, growing a business, or even selling a business, there will be a Small Business and Entrepreneurs symposium. In addition, the ACS Division of Small Chemical Business is sponsoring a Small Chemical Business Roundtable.

Undergraduate programming. The meeting has programming that may provide guidance for those considering what to do after completing an undergraduate degree. For members preparing to enter the workforce, the “Finding Yourself: Identifying a Career that Matches your Strengths and Values” workshop on Sunday will serve as an opportunity to learn about various career options and how to prepare for them. Undergraduates can also participate in the Young Chemists social on Saturday afternoon prior to the evening poster session.

Exposition. The exposition located throughout the conference center will run from Friday through Sunday. The expo will offer a great opportunity to learn about the latest products on the market. Applications for exhibitors are available on the meeting’s website.

Awards. Several awards will be presented at the meeting. These include the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences, the ACS Division of Chemical Education Rocky Mountain Region Award for Excellence in High School Teaching, the E. Ann Nalley Regional Award for Volunteer Service to ACS, and the Partners for Progress and Prosperity Regional Award. The awards banquet will take place on Friday.

Social events. RMRM will kick off with an opening reception on Thursday evening, this event will be an opportunity to mingle with fellow meeting attendees and enjoy a taste of the West. Participants are invited to attend the Senior Chemists Breakfast on Friday morning. A Women Chemists Panel and Luncheon will take place at noon on Friday. Events will conclude with a meeting-wide mixer and tours at Bond’s Brewing Company in historic downtown Laramie, co-sponsored by the Wyoming Local Section and the ACS Committee on Corporate Associates. In addition, there are many easily accessible local restaurants at which meeting attendees can network with one another.

Lodging and registration. Early-bird registration for the meeting ends at 11:59 p.m. (MST) Aug. 7, but you can register at the on-site rate through the end of the meeting. The opportunity to reserve a room at a reduced rate at the Hilton Garden Inn ends at 11:59 p.m. (MST) Aug. 24.

Nina Notman is a freelance writer based in Salisbury, England.