242nd ACS National Meeting

THE MILE HIGH CITY is the location for the fall ACS national meeting, the second held during the International Year of Chemistry. American Chemical Society President Nancy B. Jackson once again has an agenda to celebrate IYC 2011. She will host 29 technical divisions and six committees in original programming over 694 half-day oral sessions and 131 poster sessions that include Sci-Mix. Nearly 7,300 papers will be presented.

Symposia supporting the meeting’s theme, “Chemistry of Air, Space & Water,” are organized by theme program chair Ronald C. Cohen, director of the Berkeley Atmospheric Science Center. The Kavli Foundation Innovations in Chemistry Lecture program will present Susan Solomon, adjunct professor at the University of Colorado department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, on Aug. 29 at 5:30 PM. She will discuss “The Enduring Challenges of Ozone Depletion & Climate Change: How Planetary Chemistry Is Changing Science & Society.”

A presidential outreach event, “Exploring Our World through Chemistry,” will be held at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on Sunday from 11 AM to 2 PM. Other events recommended by Jackson include the Gay & Transgender Chemists & Allies Reception, a symposium in honor of the 100th anniversary of Marie Curie’s Nobel Prize, and the “Jerry Bell & the Joy of Chemistry” symposium.

Since 1999, ACS has honored the efforts of our volunteer members through the ChemLuminary Awards. These awards recognize participants in ACS local sections, divisions, and regional meeting steering groups whose hard work has helped to achieve excellence. The 13th Annual ChemLuminary Awards event will be held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The free event begins with a poster session/social hour at 8 PM, followed by the awards presentation at 9 PM, and concludes with music and dancing from 10 PM to midnight.

Education-focused programs for high school teachers, undergrad and graduate students, postdocs, and chemical professionals who want to expand their options and manage their careers are offered as well. For undergrads, the program includes a symposium on nutritional chemistry and workshops on careers in chemistry and leadership, including an eminent scientist lecture by Thomas Beattie.

Workshops on laboratory safety and proteomics and ACS Leadership Development System courses, such as Collaborating across Boundaries, are part of the meeting that have a separate fee and registration.

For the first time, job seekers and employers alike can participate in the ACS Career Fair both on-site and online. This expands the opportunities for both networking and interviewing with employers in the chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology fields who have job openings. As usual, a range of professional development courses, known as ACS Short Courses, are available with a separate registration and fee. The popular exposition will feature more than 200 companies showcasing services, instruments, books, lab equipment, and much more in over 300 booths.

Perhaps the meeting at the crossroads of the West will be a crossroad in your chemistry career.