2012 Southwest Regional Meeting Of The American Chemical Society

The Baton Rouge Section will host the 68th Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (SWRM 2012) at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center in Baton Rouge, La., from Sunday, Nov. 4, through Wednesday, Nov. 7.

The Hilton lies in the heart of the city and overlooks the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge, which is the capitol of Louisiana, is home to Louisiana State University (LSU), Southern University, and Baton Rouge Community College. The prestigious Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Center for Advanced Microstructures & Devices are also located in the city. In addition, Baton Rouge is the center of a thriving petrochemical industry and is located near the plantation country of southern Louisiana and the swamps of Acadiana.

The general chair of the meeting is Harold Young of Lion Copolymer, and the program chair is George Stanley of LSU.

Please visit the SWRM 2012 website, www.swrm2012.org, for evolving program details as well as registration and hotel information.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM. The diverse technical program will encompass more than 500 presentations. Symposia will include “Advances in Polymer Chemistry”; “Bioinorganic Chemistry”; “Catalysis for Clean Energy Technologies”; “Chemical & Structural Biology: New Frontiers in Therapeutic Development”; “Clean Energy, Materials Science & the Materials Genome Initiative”; “Conjugated-Carbon Nanostructures: Molecular Topology, Tunable Properties & Applications”; “Current Advances in the Chemistry of Boron & Related Systems”; “Dispersants for Deep-Sea Oil Spill Remediation Applications”; “Resources for Entrepreneurs & the Road to Success”; “Environmental Health: Intersection of Chemistry & Biology”; “Fluorescence Spectroscopy in the 21st Century: Single Molecules, Superresolution & Nanomaterials”; “Functional Materials Based on Complex Macromolecular Architectures”; “Glycochemistry”; “Increasing Engagement & Learning among Millennial Students in Chemistry”; “Industrial Roundtable: Future of Chemical Industry in the LA/TX Region”; “Measurements & Imaging of Surfaces & Nanomaterials”; “Memorial Symposium in Honor of Professor Dennis Shelly (Texas Tech)”; “Plant Problem Solving—Ramping Up Plant Performance with Good Science & Engineering”; “Spectroscopy & Applications of Nanoparticles”; and “Women Chemists as Leaders & Mentors.”

A gala grand opening reception will launch the special undergraduate poster session and graduate recruiting fair on Sunday evening. The meeting will include general oral sessions in analytical, education, inorganic, macromolecular, organic, and physical topics, along with general poster sessions on Monday and Tuesday afternoon and evening.

A chemical industry roundtable event will be held on Monday afternoon. Top executives from Albemarle, Dow Chemical, ExxonMobil, and Sasol will present their companies’ views on the future of the chemical industry in the Gulf Coast region for the next five to 10 years. Louisiana Chemical Association President Dan Borné will moderate and will lead discussions and question-and-answer sessions.

WORKSHOPS. On Monday, CEM Corp. will present a workshop on “Microwave Technology: One Tool, Limitless Possibilities.” Also on Monday, PerkinElmer will present a series of workshops on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/MS called “Advanced Applications with LC/MS and GC/MS.”

Agilent will offer workshops on Tuesday covering topics in analytical chemistry, including atomic spectroscopy, gas chromatography, GC/MS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, LC/MS, and ultra-high-pressure LC.

Also on Tuesday, the ACS Office of Career Management & Development will offer three career workshops on “Planning Your Job Search,” “Preparing a Résumé,” and “Effective Interviewing.” And ACS members will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with an ACS Career Consultant for an individual résumé review. Sign-up for these 30-minute sessions will take place at the on-site registration table.

SOCIAL EVENTS. A variety of social events have been planned for SWRM 2012. Event tickets can be purchased through registration or on-site as available.

On Sunday, Cajun Pride Tours, a local company, will provide a plantation and swamp tour, including transportation from and to the Hilton. Also on Sunday, a high school teacher and student event will feature the use of chemical demonstrations in the classroom. The event will be held in the Louisiana Art & Science Museum across the street from the Hilton. Afterward, a gala welcoming mixer and undergraduate student poster session will be held in the Hilton.

Monday will begin with a student breakfast at the Hilton, organized by the LSU Student Affiliates Chapter of ACS. Tickets are just $1.00, thanks to the event sponsors. An ACS governance luncheon will also be held at the Hilton on Monday. Members of the ACS Board of Directors will be available to answer attendees’ questions about ACS programs and to give a brief update on the state of the society.

The industry roundtable will take place on Monday afternoon at the Manship Theatre, located in the Shaw Center, just one block from the Hilton. A reception will follow.

On Monday evening, a Louisiana craft beer tasting with beers from independent brewers will be held at the Hilton. Tickets are $10.

On Tuesday, a women chemists luncheon will be held at the Hilton and will feature ACS President-Elect Marinda Li Wu as the main speaker. Tickets are $25 for members and $15 for students. The luncheon will be followed by a symposium on “Women Chemists as Leaders & Mentors.”

The SWRM 2012 awards reception and banquet will be held Tuesday evening at the Hilton. Awards to be presented at the banquet include the ACS Division of Chemical Education Southwest Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching, the Southwest Regional ACS Science Award, and the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences, sponsored by the ACS Office of Diversity Programs. Tickets are $40. For a complete list of awards and awardees, please see the meeting website.

EXHIBITION & SPONSORSHIPS. The vendor exhibit will be in the Main Ballroom of the Hilton on Monday and Tuesday. The exhibition area, which will also serve as the site for the poster sessions, will be adjacent to the areas for technical sessions and symposia. Coffee breaks will be held twice per day.

Drawings for items donated by vendors will be held each day. Winners will be chosen from entries placed by registered conference attendees in a drawing box in the exhibit area.

To reserve exhibit space or for further information, please visit the SWRM website.

LODGING & TRAVEL. Baton Rouge is located in southeastern Louisiana, approximately 70 miles from New Orleans. Interstate 10 and Interstate 12 both pass through the city. More information on directions, parking, and accommodations can be found on the SWRM website.

The Baton Rouge Airport is 7 miles from the Hilton. Major carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, serve this airport. Rental cars and taxis are available at the airport. The Hilton offers a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel.

Major bus routes pass through Baton Rouge. The bus stop is located downtown, approximately 2 miles from the Hilton.

Driving from New Orleans takes 90 minutes; from Houston, approximately five hours; and from Shreveport, La., six hours.

Amtrak serves New Orleans and Hammond, La. Hammond is 40 miles from Baton Rouge.

A block of rooms is being held for SWRM 2012 conference attendees at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center. Please identify yourself as an ACS member if you contact the hotel directly.

REGISTRATION. Registration is available through the SWRM 2012 website at www.swrm2012.org. Advance registration closes on Oct. 15; however, online registration will remain open at the on-site registration rates until Nov. 2. After that date, participants must register on-site.

On-site registration will take place in the Hilton from noon to 6 PM on Sunday, Nov. 4, and from 7:30 AM to 6 PM on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 5 and 6.