33rd ACS Northeast Regional Meeting

The 33rd ACS Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM 2005), hosted by the ACS Western Connecticut Section, will be held on the campus of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., from Thursday, July 14, through Sunday, July 17. Sacred Heart is located in southwestern Connecticut on the Long Island Sound, 50 miles from New York City.

The meeting will feature invited symposia in chemical consulting, combinatorial chemistry, cosmetic chemistry, flavors and fragrances, fuel-cell technology, microwave chemistry, nanomaterials, nutritional chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, organic electrochemistry, and surface chemistry.

Special events will include an ACS Presidential Address, an awards banquet, a Regional Industrial Innovation Awards Symposium & Wine Tasting, special student affiliate events, and chemical demonstrations. For detailed information and to submit an abstract, visit the NERM 2005 website at www.nerm2005.org.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM. Oral and poster presentations on current research will span organic electrochemistry, surface science, microwave-assisted synthesis, and nutritional chemistry. There will also be sessions on mentoring across the chemical profession and an ACS information session on member insurance.

ACS President William F. Carroll will deliver a presentation on his project, Enterprise 2015, a built-by-members look at the changing nature of the chemical enterprise in the U.S. in industry, education, and government, as it is being influenced by local and global events. More information about Enterprise 2015 can be found online at chemistry.org/chemistryenterprise2015.html. Carroll will also be conducting a workshop on Saturday afternoon titled "Everything I Needed To Know about Polymers I Learned in Kindergarten."

Chemical education will be a major focus in honor of the late Babu George, a leader in the field for many years. The Babu George Memorial Chemical Education Symposium will include sessions on applications-based teaching, chemical heritage, computers in chemistry labs, molecular modeling, project-based learning, teaching as a second career, research in high school, and rethinking organic chemistry.

Three chemical education workshops will be held at this meeting. On Friday afternoon, a three-hour workshop on nanotechnology will introduce participants to the world of atoms, their movements, and their "lifestyles." The workshop will feature Web-based material, live discussion, hands-on activities, and a "make-and-take" opportunity.

The second workshop, on Saturday morning, will feature chemical demonstrations and will provide teachers with a repertoire of demonstrations suitable for the classroom. Participants are encouraged to bring their ideas and projects to share. C. Marvin Lang and Donald L. Showalter of the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, will conduct both workshops. A cost of $25 for each workshop is to cover all materials.

At 2 PM on Saturday, Laura Slocum of University High School of Indiana, Carmel, Ind., will present a workshop titled "Using 3-D Models To Facilitate Student Learning about Macromolecules."

NERM will offer a unique opportunity for undergraduate students. Undergraduate research will be integrated throughout the technical programming, and undergraduate researchers are invited to give poster and oral presentations as part of the regular technical programming. Poster sessions will feature research presentations from undergraduate and graduate students and industrial chemists.

STUDENT AFFILIATES. A full student affiliate program has been planned, beginning with a premeeting poster session, dinner, and Chemistry Bowl Competition on Wednesday evening.

Thursday's activities include a roundtable discussion on careers, a student affiliate success story session, and a fund-raiser supper at Uno's Pizzeria. On Friday, there will be a panel discussion on the value of participating in research as an undergraduate. In addition to the special activities, all students are encouraged to participate fully in the rest of the meeting. Please visit the meeting website for the full student affiliate itinerary.

NERM 2005 will reimburse the registration fee of any undergraduate who signs up to work on the meeting operations team for either one full day or two half-days. For more information, contact Linda Farber at farberl@sacredheart.edu or (203) 365-7596.

CAREER SERVICES. The Chemjobs Regional Employment Center provides on-site interviews for current job openings. Additional features include career management workshops and one-on-one résumé critiques. ACS members and national and student affiliates interested in submitting their résumés to employers, as well as employers interested in submitting job openings, should go to chemistry.org/careers beginning June 14 and follow the instructions to sign up.

ACS members and national and student affiliates who wish to have their résumés reviewed by a career consultant should sign up for an appointment at the NERM 2005 registration desk. Résumé reviews will be conducted on Friday, July 15, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

Three one-hour professional development workshops will be held on Friday morning: "Résumé Preparation" at 9 AM, "Targeting the Job Market" at 10 AM, and "Interviewing Skills" at 11 AM.

SPECIAL EVENTS. On Thursday, at the Regional Industrial Innovation Awards symposium, awardees Arthur Nagel, John Lowe, and Harry Howard of Pfizer will present their research on the synthetic and medicinal chemistry leading to the discovery of Geodon, a novel atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia. Also, awardee Michael Gilbert of EIC Lab, Norwood, Mass., will discuss the invention of an electrically debonding, high-strength epoxy adhesive. A reception featuring a wine tasting will follow.

On Friday morning, all registered NERM 2005 attendees are invited to join District I Director Anne T. O'Brien and other ACS Board members for a continental breakfast and member open forum. Recent ACS Board of Directors actions and activities will be discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, questions, and concerns about ACS.

NERM 2005 AT A GLANCE

Dates: July 14-17
Location: Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn.
Website: www.nerm2005.org
Information contacts: Linda Farber, general meeting chair, (203) 365-7596, farberl@sacredheart.edu; Kraig Steffen, program cochair, (203) 254-4000 ext. 2254, lsteffen@mail.fairfield.edu; or Mat Freeman, program cochair, (203) 252-1064, freemanm@sacredheart.edu.

At noon on Friday, a special Salute to Excellence luncheon will honor the late Babu George, past-chair of the Sacred Heart chemistry department and original program chair for NERM 2005. The cost is $20; tickets may be purchased with advance registration. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the registration desk on-site.

On Friday evening, participants will be treated to a chemistry demonstration show featuring Bob Becker, a nationally recognized chemical educator and the author of books and videos on chemical demonstrations. An ice-cream social on the lawn will follow the show.

NERM 2005 will culminate with the awards banquet on Saturday evening. The New England Lobster Bake banquet will feature the Northeast Regional Award for Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching and remarks by Carroll and other governance members in attendance. The price is $40 ($20 for undergraduates). Tickets may be purchased with advance registration; a limited number of tickets will also be available at the registration desk on-site.

EXHIBITION. A vendor exposition will be held on Thursday and Friday in conjunction with the poster sessions from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM on Thursday and Friday and from 4:30 to 6:30 PM on Friday. The Thursday and Friday morning sessions include complimentary box lunches for all NERM attendees, and the Friday afternoon session will include a happy hour.

To encourage attendance, no technical sessions will be held during these time periods. Vendors interested in participating should visit www.nerm2005.org for the exhibitor registration form.

HOUSING & TRAVEL. NERM 2005 has reserved space in the Sacred Heart residence halls. The residence halls are air-conditioned, and the rooms are supplied with bedding and towels. Rooms will be available from Wednesday, July 13, to Sunday, July 17. The rates are $44 per night for a single room and $36 for a double. For a double room, identify your roommate on the reservation form. A separate reservation form must be submitted for each attendee. Residence hall reservations must be made no later than Monday, June 27. Residence halls will not be available after that date. The residence hall reservation form is online at www.nerm2005.org.

A block of rooms has also been reserved at the nearby AmeriSuites, 695 Bridgeport Ave., Shelton, Conn. The AmeriSuites is an easy 10-min. drive to the campus, and NERM 2005 will provide shuttle-bus service to and from the hotel. The rate is $104 per night plus applicable taxes. All rooms are equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, and galley kitchen. Reservations must be made no later than Friday, June 24, by calling (203) 925-5900; refer to NERM 2005 to receive these rates. Parking at both the campus and the hotel is free.

Sacred Heart University is easily accessed via either the Merritt Parkway or I-95. From the Merritt Parkway (Route 15), north or south, use exit 47. At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Park Avenue and proceed one block to Sacred Heart University Avenue. From the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95), north or south, use exit 27A. Continue straight ahead on combined Routes 8 and 25, and then bear left at the fork onto Route 25. Take exit 7, Merritt Parkway South, to exit 47. At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Park Avenue and proceed one block to Sacred Heart University.

REGISTRATION. Meeting attendees are encouraged to register in advance. The advance registration deadline is midnight eastern time on June 24. Online registration is now available through the website www.nerm2005.org or the ACS website, chemistry.org/meetings/regional. On-site registration and distribution of program books and badges will take place in the lobby area of the Commons from 7:30 AM to 5 PM on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Registration will be held on Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 PM for student affiliates only.

The advance registration fee for ACS members is $100. Other fees are for nonmembers, $130; for graduate and undergraduate students and precollege teachers, $35; and for retired, emeritus, or unemployed members, $25. There is no charge for high school students or ACS 50-year members. Guests may register for $20; guests are defined as the spouse or a family member of the registrant.

Requests for refunds must be made in writing to the ACS Office of Society Services, 1155--16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036, or e-mail oss@acs.org. Full refunds will be issued through June 24; between June 25 and July 14, a $20 processing fee will be assessed. No refunds will be issued after July 14. All registration questions, including requests for registration forms from those who do not have Internet access, should be directed to the ACS Office of Society Services at (800) 227-5558.

GENERAL SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13

5-7 PM--Registration

6:30-9:30 PM--Student Affiliate Kickoff

THURSDAY, JULY 14

7:30 AM-5 PM--Registration

11:30 AM-1:30 PM--Box lunch with exhibitors and poster session

5-7 PM--Industrial Innovation Awards Symposium & Reception

FRIDAY, JULY 15

7:30 AM- 5 PM--Registration

7:30-8:30 AM--Continental Breakfast & Member Open Forum with ACS District I Director Anne T. O'Brien

9-10 AM--Career Services Workshop: Résumé Preparation

10-11 AM--Career Services Workshop: Targeting the Job Market

11 AM-noon--Career Services Workshop: Interviewing Skills

11:30 AM-1:30 PM--Box lunch with exhibitors and poster session

Noon-1:30 PM--Salute to Excellence Luncheon honoring Babu George

2-5 PM--Chemical Education Workshop I: Nanotechnology

4:30-6:30 PM--Happy hour with exhibitors and poster session

7-9 PM--Chemistry Demonstration Show with Bob Becker and Ice-Cream Social

SATURDAY, JULY 16

7:30 AM-5 PM--Registration

8-11 AM--Chemical Education Workshop II: Chemical Demonstrations: Some Old, Some New

11 AM-noon--Plenary Address by ACS President William F. Carroll, Enterprise 2015

1:30-3 PM--Workshop: Everything I Needed To Know about Polymers I Learned in Kindergarten

2 PM-Workshop: Using 3-D Models To Facilitate Student Learning about Macromolecules

6:30-8:30 PM--Awards banquet

SUNDAY, JULY 17

10:30 AM-12:30 PM--NERM Board Meeting

GETTING THERE

ACS has negotiated discounted rates for air and ground travel for five days before and after each meeting.

Air: United, (800) 521-4041, Meeting Plus Code 517SM, and US Airways, (877) 874-7687, Gold File No. 97692959. Both airlines offer discounts off published domestic fares and unrestricted coach fares and do not require a Saturday-night stay. United offers 5% off fares booked 30 days in advance. US Airways offers 5% off fares booked 60 days in advance.

Ground: Avis, (800) 331-1600, ID Code B120799, or Hertz, (800) 654-2240, ID Code CV 02UZ0005.