Register for the 2024 Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting at Penn State

The Central Pennsylvania Section of the American Chemical Society is hosting the 52nd Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting (MARM) June 5–8 at the Pennsylvania State University. The meeting’s theme is “Celebrating Discovery,” honoring and celebrating the quarter-millennial anniversary of the groundbreaking work of Joseph Priestley that resulted in his discovery of oxygen in 1774. The hosts of MARM 2024 hope it will inspire new discoveries and foster professional connections with scientists from all over the mid-Atlantic region.

Technical program. This year’s MARM will feature three renowned plenary speakers: on Wednesday, Nobel laureate Roald Hoffmann will give a talk titled “More About Mme. Lavoisier Than M. Lavoisier”; on Thursday, Teri Quinn Gray, former vice president of quality and sustainability at Provivi, will speak; and on Friday, entrepreneur John Warner will discuss green chemistry, policy, and education. The meeting will also feature nearly 30 oral symposia, spanning all areas and subdisciplines of chemistry.

Poster sessions. Two poster sessions will take place. The first will focus on polymer materials and engineering, and the second will be an interdisciplinary session encompassing all fields of chemistry. Posters will highlight the discoveries of chemists at all career stages, from undergraduates to postdoctoral fellows and beyond.

Workshops. Five workshops are scheduled to be held during this year’s MARM. The ACS career workshop “Acing the Interview: Outshine the Competition” is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students as well as recent graduates and experienced professionals considering a career change. For instructors, the workshop “Hands-on Computational Activities for the Chemistry Classroom” will be offered. Those interested in chromatography can attend a workshop on virtual liquid chromatography using the Pro EZLC modeler. The meeting will also feature a science outreach workshop and a chemistry demonstration show.

K–12 programming. On Saturday, the regional Chemagination competition will take place. For this event, high school students are asked to imagine that they are living 25 years in the future and that they have been invited to write an article for ChemMatters and to design the magazine’s cover. Local ACS sections can send teams to compete in the 2024 MARM Chemagination competition. More details can be found at sites.psu.edu/marm2024/chemagination.

Undergraduate programming. An expo will give students a chance to explore potential career opportunities, perhaps in fields they hadn’t previously considered. MARM will also include a graduate-school fair and ACS Careers will be offering résumé reviews for scientists at all career levels, including undergraduates.

Exposition. An exposition will be held on Thursday and Friday. This gives industries and academic institutions an opportunity to advertise, recruit, and connect with conference participants. Interested partners can learn more at sites.psu.edu/marm2024/sponsor.

Awards. Five major awards will be presented on Thursday evening: the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences, the E. Emmett Reid Award for Teaching at Small Colleges in the ACS Middle Atlantic Region, the ACS Division of Chemical Education Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching, the William “Bill” Suits Undergraduate Middle Atlantic Region Award for Outstanding Student Volunteer Service to ACS, and the E. Ann Nalley Middle Atlantic Region Award for Volunteer Service to ACS.

Social events. Events will kick off on Wednesday with an ice cream social featuring Penn State’s world-famous Berkey Creamery ice cream. The Pattee and Paterno Libraries at Penn State will feature a pop-up exhibit with artifacts from the Joseph Priestley Collection. The stage play Oxygen by Carl Djerassi and Roald Hoffmann will screen on Wednesday evening. Throughout the conference, the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor facility will be offering guided tours. Conference attendees will have a chance to relax and unwind during Friday’s midmorning yoga session, and networking opportunities for women chemists and senior chemists are on the calendar.

Lodging. Penn State is offering affordable on-campus housing options in single-occupancy dorm rooms with a private bath. A few nearby hotels are offering discounted rates until May 6. Visit the “Accommodations” tab on the MARM website to learn more.

Registration. Participants can register online or on-site from now through the end of the meeting. Register by May 6 to get the best rates. Conference registration is discounted for ACS members. Rates and a registration link can be found at sites.psu.edu/marm2024/register.

Katheryn A. Penrod is an assistant teaching professor at the Pennsylvania State University.