39th Midwest Regional Meeting

Kansas State University will host the 39th Midwest Regional Meeting (MWRM 2004) from Wednesday, Oct. 20, through Friday, Oct. 22, at the Holiday Inn Holidome, Manhattan, Kan. Special symposia will feature crystal engineering, drug discovery and biochemistry, environmental chemistry, methods of electronic structure theory, nanostructured materials and air quality, sol-gel chemistry, and undergraduate research. General sessions and poster sessions will focus on contributed papers in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry.

MWRM 2004 symposia sessions will begin at 1 PM on Wednesday. On Wednesday evening, from 7 to 10 PM, a welcoming mixer and opening poster session will be held in conjunction with the opening of the vendor exhibition in Regency Ballroom A.

For more details and evolving program information, visit the meeting website at http://www.dce.ksu.edu/chem/acs/index. html.

SYMPOSIA HIGHLIGHTS

A symposium on crystal engineering and supramolecular chemistry, funded by the Petroleum Research Fund and Kluwer Academic Publishers, will consist of four half-day sessions highlighting recent efforts in supramolecular synthesis, design of functional materials, organic and inorganic structural chemistry, polymorphism, and construction of biologically relevant mimics. Invited participants include Jerry Atwood, University of Missouri; Joel Bernstein, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Eric Bosch, Southwest Missouri State University; Kristin Bowman-James, University of Kansas; Makoto Fujita, University of Tokyo; George Gokel, Washington University, St. Louis; Wais Hosseini, Université Louis Pasteur; Bart Kahr, University of Washington; Len MacGillivray, University of Iowa; and Jesus Valdes-Martinez, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.

MWRM 2004 AT A GLANCE Dates: Oct. 20­22
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Website

Information contacts:

Dan Higgins, general chair
(785) 532-6371
Higgins@ ksu.edu

Vince Ortiz, program chair
(785) 532-6071
Ortiz@ksu.edu

Earline Dikeman, exhibits chair
(785) 532-6213
edikeman@ksu.edu

The ACS Office of Regional Meetings (800) 227-5558 ext. 6129
reglmtgs@acs.org.

The symposium "Description of Drug Design & Biochemistry," supported by matching funds from the Division of Medicinal Chemistry and ACS President Charles P. Casey, features design of vasopressin receptor antagonists; discovery of BMS-509744, a selective Itk inhibitor of T-cell activation for the treatment of lung inflammation; design, synthesis, and evaluation of inhibitors of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes; enzyme-crystal structure-directed inhibitor design, construction of transient peptide-induced transport of drugs across barrier membranes; and others. Speakers include David Berkowitz, University of Nebraska; Michael J. Chen, Pfizer; Jagabandhu Das, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Kazumi Kondo, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Tokushima, Japan; Fusao Takusagawa, University of Kansas; and John Tomich, Kansas State University.

Electronic structure theory encompasses many techniques for the study of isolated molecules, condensed matter, large clusters, and molecules embedded in solvents. Associated computational tools are applied in a variety of subdisciplines in chemistry, physics, and materials science. This year's winner of the Midwest Award, Mark Gordon of Iowa State University, will be honored by a session on this topic, in addition to regular presentations, featuring two of his Iowa State colleagues, Michael Schmidt and Klaus Ruedenberg. Other invited speakers include Ralph Wheeler, University of Oklahoma; John Mintmire, Oklahoma State University; and Jan Jensen, University of Iowa.

A symposium titled "Sol-Gel Chemistry" will feature new advances in this area, particularly as it pertains to the fabrication and characterization of inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrid materials for optical, electronic, and sensing applications. Fundamental studies on reaction mechanisms, diffusion of entrapped reagents, local chemical environments, local matrix acidity, and matrix-dopant interactions will be featured, as will applications in the areas of chemical sensing, molecular templating, and optics. Speakers include Wai Tak Yip, University of Oklahoma; Nenad Kostic, Iowa State University; Lev Gelb, Washington University, St. Louis; Dave Bakul, Southern Illinois University; Nick Leventis, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland; Sheng Dai, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; John DiCesare, University of Tulsa; Dave McCurdy, Truman State University; Dan Higgins, Kansas State University; and Maryanne Collinson, Kansas State University.

GETTING THEREACS has secured discounted rates for five days before and after each meeting.

Air:

Delta
(800) 241-6760
File No. 202142A

United
(800) 521-4041, Meeting Plus Code 517SM;

US Airways
(877) 874-7687,
Gold File No. 97692959.

All of these airlines offer 5% off the lowest applicable published domestic fares and 10% off unrestricted coach fares, with no Saturday night stay required. United offers an additional 5% off fares booked 30 days in advance.

Ground:

Avis
(800) 331-1600
ID Code B120799

Hertz
(800) 654-2240
ID Code CV No. 02UZ0004.

The ACS Kansas State University (KSU) Student Affiliates Chapter has planned a program titled "Chemistry on the Plains." The program kicks off on Wednesday with a social and a special presentation by Jerry Atwood from the University of Missouri. The opening night social also includes dinner followed by a poster session. Student affiliate chapters are welcome to bring materials displaying yearly activities and programs to share with other chapters. The program also includes a tour of the KSU campus and chemistry department on Wednesday afternoon, a dinner in Aggieville on Thursday evening, and the Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday morning. Travel grants are available for undergraduates at http://www.dce.ksu.edu/ chem/acs/program.html.

CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS

The ACS Career Resource Center will offer the following workshops on Thursday: Targeting the Job Market, Résumé Preparation, and Interviewing Skills. Résumé reviews will take place from 1 to 4 PM; candidates may sign up for an appointment at the MWRM registration desk on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call the ACS Office of Career Services at (800) 227-5558 ext. 6076.

SOCIAL EVENTS

The MWRM 2004 Awards Banquet will be held on Thursday evening at 6 PM with a reception, followed by dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The 2004 Midwest Regional Award, sponsored by the St. Louis Local Section, will be presented to Mark Gordon of the department of chemistry at Iowa State University. Gordon will give his award address Thursday afternoon from 4 to 5:30 PM. Tickets for the awards banquet are $30 and may be purchased through meeting registration. A limited number of tickets will be available for sale on-site.

On Friday morning, all registered attendees are invited to a continental breakfast and conversation with ACS District V Director Judith L. Benham and other ACS governance members. Recent ACS Board of Directors actions and activities will be discussed, and MWRM attendees will have a chance to voice any ideas, questions, or concerns.

EXHIBITS AND SPONSORSHIPS

A vendor exhibition will be held on Wednesday from 5 to 10 PM, on Thursday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and on Friday from 8 to 11 AM. Corporate sponsorship opportunities include general meeting sponsorship, specific symposia sponsorship, banquets, and coffee breaks. For further information on exhibiting at or becoming a sponsor of MWRM 2004, please contact the exhibits chair, Earline Dikeman, edikeman@ksu.edu or (785) 532-6213, or visit the MWRM 2004 website at http://www.dce.ksu.edu/ chem/acs/exposition.html.

LODGING

A block of rooms has been reserved for MWRM attendees at the Holiday Inn, Manhattan, Kan., at the rate of $79 per night plus applicable taxes. Reservations must be made by midnight CST, Monday, Sept. 27. To make reservations, call the Holiday Inn at (785) 539-5311 or (800) Holiday and ask for the American Chemical Society room block.

Manhattan is about two hours west of Kansas City via Interstate 70. For detailed driving directions, see the MWRM 2004 website.

REGISTRATION

Advance registration is available online through the ACS Regional Meetings website (http://chemistry.org/meetings/regional). Those without Internet access may request a registration form by calling the ACS Office of Society Services at (800) 227-5558. Attendees are urged to register by midnight Sept. 27 to take advantage of early registration discounts. On-site registration and distribution of program books and badges will take place in the main lobby of the Holiday Inn from 11:30 AM to 10 PM on Wednesday, 7:30 AM to 5 PM on Thursday, and 7:30 AM to 11 AM on Friday. Requests for refunds must be made in writing to Donna Davis, ACS Office of Society Services, 1155--16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036 or d_davis @acs.org. Full refunds will be issued until Sept. 27; a $20 processing fee will be assessed from Sept. 28 through Oct. 19. No refunds will be issued after Oct. 19.