37th Northeast Regional Meeting

The 37th Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM2008), hosted by the ACS Green Mountain Section, will be held at the Sheraton Conference Center in Burlington, Vt., from Sunday, June 29 through Wednesday, July 2. This meeting aims to have something for everyone, from cutting-edge technical symposia to an inspiring and fun-filled chemistry enthusiasts program, informative workshops, and stimulating discussions of chemistry and policy.

Visit nerm2008.org, the meeting website, for details and up-to-date information on the technical program, special events, and sponsors. Information on travel, lodging, and local attractions can also be found on the website.

ABSTRACTS. The deadline for all abstract submissions has been extended to May 18. Details are on the website.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM. NERM2008 will feature technical symposia in research areas including medicinal chemistry, environmental chemistry, 21st-century energy, responsive polymers and self-assembly, particles and composites, green chemistry and C???H bond activation, the organometallic chemistry of the group 15 elements, chemical biology, scanning probe microscopy in modern nanotechnology, synthetic organic methods for enantioselective and catalytic transformations, layered materials, industrial chemistry and innovation, analytical interfacial science, physical chemistry, the chemistry of foods and beverages, history of chemistry, computers in chemistry, analytical chemistry, chemistry education, and peptides as tools to study protein function. NERM2008 aims to enhance networking and cross-fertilization between different areas of research. Most symposia will include an introductory or overview presentation, lowering the barrier for those new to these fields.

Collaboration is the theme of the program called Synthetic Organic Methods Across the Border 2008 (SOMAB), which will be held in conjunction with NERM2008. The program is designed to highlight and enhance interactions among U.S. and Canadian chemists and will feature invited speakers from Canadian companies and universities.

For more information please contact Martin Case, NERM2008 technical program chair, at martin.case@uvm.edu.

ENTHUSIASTS PROGRAM. NERM2008 will feature programs for chemistry enthusiasts, including a light-hearted look at colonial chemistry; a nanocomposites magic show; a discussion of cheese chemistry; and revelations about love, pain, and chocolate. In addition, there will be presentations on AIDS pharmaceuticals in Africa and on the contributions of chemistry in combating diabetes. Rounding out the program will be presentations by Wikipedia editorial team member Martin Walker of the State University of New York, Potsdam, on the impact of the Internet on chemistry, and by John C. Warner of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, who is also one of the pioneers of green chemistry.

SPECIAL EVENTS. NERM2008 will offer many opportunities to socialize and network. The opening reception on Sunday evening will feature live music and a green and environmental chemistry theme. The poster session on Monday afternoon will provide an ideal opportunity for networking. On Monday evening, attendees will enjoy an evening of stand-up comedy with Pete Ludovice and Rusty DeWees.

All registered attendees are invited to a complimentary box lunch on Tuesday from noon to 1 PM hosted by ACS District I Director Anne T. O'Brien. Attendees are also encouraged to see the sights on one of the NERM2008 tours available on Tuesday afternoon. "Taste of Vermont"will take visitors up into the mountains near Stowe to tour Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. An IBM plant tour provides an opportunity to learn about the chemistry behind computer chip fabrication. Tickets for the ice cream factory and coffee tour are $20, and the plant tour tickets are $10.

On Wednesday evening, NERM2008 will conclude with an awards banquet and cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III. The ceremony will recognize award winners as well as 50- and 60-year ACS members. Tickets for the cruise are $35 and may be purchased when registering for the meeting.

WORKSHOPS. NERM2008 will be preceded on Saturday, June 28, by a free full-day workshop on the philosophy and methodology of "Process Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning." To register, visit nerm2008.org/pogil.html.

A workshop titled "Chemical Reactivity Hazards, Laboratory Scale, Recognition & Control" will be offered from 9 AM to 4 PM on Wednesday. The objective of the workshop is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to screen processes for potential hazards, recognize when reactive hazards are present, and implement appropriate controls to reduce the risk of an incident associated with hazards. There is a $50 fee to attend this workshop, and tickets can be purchased when registering.

The ACS Committee on Ethics is sponsoring an interactive chemistry ethics workshop on Tuesday from 7 to 9 PM to explore ethics issues related to the laboratory and classroom. There is no charge for this workshop, but preregistration is recommended.

On Tuesday from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, "Polymers: An Interactive Hands-On Workshop" will explore polymer properties and the impact of polymers on everyday life. On Wednesday from 10 AM to noon, "Adventures in Chemistry & Physics: An Interactive Hands-On Forensics Workshop" will explore several analytical techniques that can easily be duplicated in a classroom setting. Space is limited for both workshops, and priority will be given to teachers and home-school parents. Interested attendees may sign up on the meeting registration form.

CAREER PROGRAM. On Wednesday, ACS will offer career workshops, one-on-one résumé? reviews, and career assistance sessions. These services are open to ACS members, as well as to national and student affiliates.

The following one-hour workshops will be offered on Wednesday morning, beginning at 9 AM: "Job Searching Strategies, Résumé Preparation for the Chemical Professional, and Interviewing Skills for the Chemical Professional." There is no charge for these workshops; sign-up is available on the meeting registration form.

Individual 30-minute résumé reviews will also be offered. Interested individuals should bring a copy of their current résumé. Sign-up will be available at meeting registration.

EXPOSITION. The exposition will be held on Monday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Tuesday from 10 AM to 1:30 PM. It will provide an opportunity for attendees to learn about chemistry-related products and services throughout the region and Canada. Tabletop exhibit spaces are still available in the Emerald Promenade, which runs around the NERM2008 technical session rooms in the Sheraton Conference Center. Please contact Ralph Stuart, exhibits chair, at rstuart@uvm.edu, or visit the NERM2008 website for further information.

REGISTRATION. Advance registration closes on Monday, June 9. Online registration is available on the meeting website, nerm2008.org. Forms may also be printed and sent by fax or mail.

HOUSING AND TRAVEL. A special room rate of $99 per night is available for reservations made by May 30 at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center for NERM2008 attendees. Reservations can be made online via the NERM2008 website or by telephone at (800) 325-3535. Please mention NERM2008 or ACS when making phone reservations. The rate is available for dates through the July 4 holiday weekend.

The Sheraton Burlington Hotel & Conference Center is conveniently located off I-89 at exit 14W, adjacent to the University of Vermont, and is just a few minutes walk or a free bus ride from downtown Burlington. Attendees traveling from New York state can take the Lake Champlain ferry into Burlington.

Burlington International Airport is less than 5 miles away from the hotel. The Amtrak Vermonter service arrives in Essex Junction, Vt., every evening from Washington, D.C., via Philadelphia and New York City. ACS has negotiated discount rates for air travel and car rental for the three days before and after each regional meeting.

■ AIR: A discounted rate is available for flights on Delta. Go to www.acs.org, search for "Delta," and then use the link "Delta.com for Business Travel" (discounts cannot be accessed directly with Delta). Jet Blue, AirTran, Continental, NWA, United, and US Airways also serve Burlington International Airport, but there are no ACS discounts.

■ GROUND: Avis, (800) 331-1600, AWD Code: B120799; and Hertz, (800) 654-2240, CV# 02UZ0007.