2013 Southwest Regional Meeting

The Heart O’ Texas Section will host the 69th Southwest Regional Meeting (SWRM 2013) of the American Chemical Society at the Waco Convention Center, in Texas, from Saturday, Nov. 16, through Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The convention center lies in the heart of downtown Waco—a vibrant area with hiking and biking trails, Frisbee golf, and a beautiful river walk, as well as diverse restaurants and pubs and an active nightlife.

Waco, the birthplace of the Dr Pepper soft drink, is home to Baylor University, McLennan Community College, and Texas State Technical College, as well as the Baylor Research & Innovation Collaborative. Local industry includes Allergan, SpaceX, L-3 Communications, and M&M Mars.

Please visit the SWRM 2013 website at swrm.org for meeting details, as well as registration and hotel information.

TECHNICAL PROGRAM. A high school program is planned for Saturday. The bulk of the meeting will kick off on Sunday.

Donald R. Blake, winner of the 2013 ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science & Technology and a professor of chemistry and of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine, will present the Gooch-Stephens Lecture early Sunday evening.

Stephen W. Fesik, the Orrin H. Ingram II Chair in Cancer Research and a professor of biochemistry, pharmacology, and chemistry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, will give the W. Dial Black Family Lecture early Monday evening.

The meeting will also feature a diverse technical program including the following symposia: “Advances in Computational & Theoretical Chemistry”; “Atmospheric Processing & Transport of Atmospheric Pollutants”; “Bioinorganic Chemistry”; “ChemEd Research”; “Chemical Biology in Texas”; “Chemical Neuroscience”; “Chemical Reactions on Surfaces & Interfaces”; “Chemical Safety & Hygiene”; “Chemical Structure & Reaction Dynamics”; “Frontiers in Nucleic Acids”; “Fundamental & Applied Electrochemistry”; “General Analytical Chemistry”; “General Biochemistry”; “General Inorganic Chemistry”; “General Organic Chemistry”; “General Physical Chemistry”; “Medicinal Chemistry”; “Molecular Imaging & Reporter Strategies”; “New Instrumentation, Trends & Methods in Mass Spectrometry”; “Organic Synthesis & Catalysis”; “Recent Advances in Bioanalytical Chemistry”; “Recent Advances in NMR Techniques in Chemistry”; “Spectroscopic Methods for Atmospheric & Combustion Reactions”; “The Stone Symposium—Synthetic & Structural Inorganic Chemistry”; “Symposium Honoring Professor Judith Walmsley”; “Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment”; and “Undergraduate Research Symposium.”

General poster sessions will be offered on Sunday and Monday evenings. And an undergraduate poster session will be offered on Sunday evening.

WORKSHOPS. The ACS Office of Career Management & Development will offer a workshop on “Engaging Colleagues in Dialogue” on Sunday afternoon.

On Monday morning, ACS will present a workshop on “Finding Your Pathway.” That afternoon, 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 beginning Sunday afternoon.

SOCIAL EVENTS. Several social events have been planned for SWRM 2013. Event tickets may be purchased through registration or on-site as available. Unless otherwise indicated, all events will be held at the convention center.

A high school luncheon (free for high school teachers, $10 for others) will be held on Saturday. Also, Dr Pepper floats will be served to all on Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday afternoon, guided bike rides, runs, and hikes will leave from the convention center to explore Waco and the city’s river walk and Cameron Park trails.

A free undergraduate reception will be held on Sunday afternoon. Come meet other chemists, enjoy the refreshments, and vote on the best demo videos. A welcome reception and a graduate school recruiting fair will be held Sunday evening after the Gooch-Stephens Lecture.

An undergraduate luncheon will take place on Monday, including video and poster awards (free for undergraduate students; $10 for others).

That afternoon will feature a free tour of the award-winning Balcones Distillery, with transportation provided from the convention center. Or for $15, you can go on a tour of Baylor’s Armstrong Browning Library, followed by lunch at Vitek’s BBQ. Transportation will be provided from the convention center.

An ACS governance reception will be held on Monday afternoon. Members of the ACS Board of Directors will be there to answer questions about ACS programs and to give a brief update on the state of the society.

An expo reception will be held that evening immediately after the W. Dial Black Family Lecture.

The SWRM 2013 awards reception and banquet will be held at lunchtime on Tuesday. Awards to be presented include the ACS Division of Chemical Education Southwest Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching; the E. Ann Nalley Southwest Region Award for Volunteer Service to ACS; the Southwest Regional Award; and the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences, sponsored by the ACS Committee on Minority Affairs. Tickets are $25. For a complete list of awards and awardees, see the SWRM 2013 website.

Another free tour of the Balcones Distillery will be offered Tuesday afternoon, with transportation provided from the convention center.

Tuesday evening will feature a free closing reception.

EXHIBITION & SPONSORSHIPS. The vendor exhibit will be held on Sunday evening and on Monday. The exhibition area will also serve as the site for the poster sessions and will be adjacent to the areas for technical sessions and symposia. Coffee breaks will be held on both days.

To reserve exhibit space or for further information, please visit the website at swrm.org/sponsors.

LODGING & TRAVEL. A block of rooms is being held for SWRM 2013 attendees at the Hilton Waco, which is connected to the convention center. You can book via swrm.org/meeting-location/hotels or by contacting the hotel directly and identifying yourself as an ACS member.

Waco is located on Interstate 35 in the heart of Texas, approximately 90 miles from Austin, Dallas, and College Station.

The Waco Regional Airport (ACT) is 7 miles from the Hilton and is served by American Airlines (American Eagle). Rental cars and taxis are available at the airport, and the Hilton offers a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel.

Major bus routes pass through Waco. The bus stop is located approximately 1 mile from the Hilton. Amtrak serves McGregor, which is 20 miles from Waco.

More information on directions, parking, and accommodations can be found on the meeting website.

REGISTRATION. Registration is available through the swrm.org website. Advance registration closes on Nov. 1. Online registration will remain open at on-site registration rates until Nov. 14. After that date, participants must register on-site. On-site registration will take place from noon to 6 PM on Sunday, Nov. 17, and from 7:30 AM to 6 PM on Monday, Nov. 18, and Tuesday, Nov. 19.