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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO. 4 VOL. 101, NO. 4, PAGE 1 Next Meeting: Tuesday April 17, 2018 DeSales University In This Issue: April Meeting 1 Undergrad Poster Session 2 Spring Summer Events 3 Free Money! 4 Scholarships 5-9 Nano MARM 10 CCEW Contest 11-13 BCCE 14 Chemagination 15-17 2018 Officers 18 THE OCTAGON MEETING DETAILS: Poster Session: 5:00-6:00 PM DeSales University center breezeway Social: Concurrent with Poster Session, light refreshments Dinner: 6:00-7:00 PM, DeSales University Center - Italian themed with a vegetarian option Meeting: 7:00 PM, Priscilla Payne Hurd Science Center auditorium Cost: Members $30, Students, retirees and unemployed members $15 RSVP: Abstracts (see following page) by April 10; Dinner April 13 https://goo.gl/forms/DvchQGm6Q0wxaMJi2 Contact: Sara Hayik, [email protected] Directions: http://www.desales.edu/home/about/directions Parking: Available at the University Center, Hurd Science center, or the Gambet Center Theme: Undergraduate research. This meeting will begin with a poster session focusing on undergraduate research and ACS student aliates groups. The presentations will be by students of the research they have performed with their faculty mentor. Undergraduate Research Night

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Page 1: THE OCTAGON - American Chemical Society · Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS

NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO. 4

VOL. 101, NO. 4, PAGE 1

Next Meeting:

Tuesday April 17, 2018 DeSales University

In This Issue:

April Meeting 1 Undergrad Poster Session 2 Spring Summer Events 3 Free Money! 4 Scholarships 5-9 Nano MARM 10 CCEW Contest 11-13 BCCE 14 Chemagination 15-17 2018 Officers 18

THE OCTAGON

MEETING DETAILS:

Poster Session: 5:00-6:00 PM DeSales University center breezewaySocial: Concurrent with Poster Session, light refreshmentsDinner: 6:00-7:00 PM, DeSales University Center - Italian themed with a vegetarian optionMeeting: 7:00 PM, Priscilla Payne Hurd Science Center auditoriumCost: Members $30, Students, retirees and unemployed members $15RSVP: Abstracts (see following page) by April 10; Dinner April 13 https://goo.gl/forms/DvchQGm6Q0wxaMJi2Contact: Sara Hayik, [email protected]: http://www.desales.edu/home/about/directionsParking: Available at the University Center, Hurd Science center, or the Gambet Center

Theme: Undergraduate research. This meeting will begin with a poster session focusing on undergraduate research and ACS student affiliates groups. The presentations will be by students of the research they have performed with their faculty mentor.

Undergraduate Research Night

Page 2: THE OCTAGON - American Chemical Society · Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS

NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 4

Page 3: THE OCTAGON - American Chemical Society · Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS

NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 3

Spring/Summer 2018 Meetings and events - Mark your Calendars!

Thursday, May 17, 2018 Saucony Creek Brewing Co, Kutztown

Sunday, June 24, 2018 Summer Picnic

Lake Nockamixon

Thursday, July 26 Iron Pigs - CocaCola Field

Page 4: THE OCTAGON - American Chemical Society · Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS

NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO. 4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 3

Free Money!

As chair I am highlighting two items of note for the section this month. FREE MONEY! Ok not quite free, but close. The Lehigh Valley Section offers two scholarships for chemistry majors and we could use your help at spreading the word. Our Foundations in Chemistry Scholarship targets incoming college freshmen from local section high schools planning to major in Chemistry, Biochemistry or Chemical engineering at a college in the section. If you know a local high school senior heading to a local college or you know a local high school chemistry teacher point them to this month’s Octagon and the article that gives the details for the award. Also, if you know folks in the guidance office of a local college, they can also help Identify potential candidates. Our second scholarship is our section’s organic

chemistry award that targets students at the sophomore level finishing organic chemistry. Students must be majoring in chemical engineering, chemistry or biochemistry. If you teach organic chemistry or know a bright student taking organic chemistry, please direct them to the information in the Octagon.

Both scholarships have a base award of $1000. If we look at the hours you might put in for each award even if the student spent 100 hours to earn the award the student would net $10 an hour for their effort. Again please share the news about these awards to those who you know directly and to those that you know that might know someone. Details and applications for each scholarship are on the following pages of this issue. Thank you in advance for helping us give away "free" money.

John Freeman Chair Lehigh Valley section ACS

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 4

2018 Foundation in Chemistry Award The Lehigh Valley Section of the American Chemical Society (LVACS) is delighted to announce the 2018 Foundation in Chemistry Award. The award, designed to promote the chemical sciences at the college level, will be given to a high school senior who will be majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical engineering and attending a college or university in the Lehigh Valley Section. This scholarship award consists of $1000 and a plaque, which will be presented to the winner at the September meeting of the Lehigh Valley Section of the American Chemical Society. We have enclosed the guidelines for the award and the application materials. Please post the flyer and feel free to make additional copies as needed.

As an ACS member please share this information with parents students and guidance counselors. The four-part application should be completed and submitted by May 1, 2018. We appreciate your help and thank you for publicizing the 2016 Foundation in Chemistry Award. We look forward to many worthy applications.

Instructions: The Foundation in Chemistry Award is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Section of the American Chemical Society (LVACS) to promote the chemical sciences at the college level. This award, consisting of $1000 and a plaque, will be awarded annually to a high school senior within the membership boundaries of the LVACS (Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Monroe, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties in PA, and Warren County in NJ) to attend a college in the Lehigh Valley area (eligible colleges are listed below) and intending to major in chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical engineering. The $1000 check will be given to the student for defraying college expenses.

The applicant for this award must have completed one year of college preparatory chemistry, four years of mathematics, and one semester of college preparatory physics by high school graduation.

The application, which is attached to these instructions, will be evaluated on merit by the LVACS HS Scholarship Committee. The completed four-part application (nomination letter from your chemistry teacher, the application form, transcript, and your essay) must be postmarked by May 1, 2018 and mailed to: John Freeman, Chair of the LVACS HS Scholarship Committee 220 W Pierce, Easton, PA 18042 Please direct any questions about this award to: John Freeman [email protected]

Eligible Colleges for Awardees:Albright College Alvernia College Cedar Crest CollegeDeSales UniversityEast Stroudsburg University Kutztown University

Lafayette College Lehigh Carbon CC Lehigh University Moravian College Muhlenberg College Northampton County CC Penn State-Berks

Penn State-Lehigh Valley Penn State-Schuylkill Valley Reading Area CC Warren County CC

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 4

Lehigh Valley Section

2018 Foundation in Chemistry Award Nomination Form

(To be filled out by the student)

Student’s Name: _______________________________

Chemistry Teacher’s Name: _________________________________ e-mail address: _________________________________

School Address: ___________________________________ ___________________________________

I hereby ____ waive my right of access to this recommendation ____ do not waive my right of access to this recommendation

(To be filled out by the teacher) Please submit a letter of recommendation (as an attached letter) addressing such issues as the above student’s knowledge of chemistry and the sciences, initiative, leadership potential, and potential as a student in the chemical sciences at college. Any additional information about the student’s financial need would be appreciated; we will consider financial need in the event we judge more than one student to be equivalent on the basis of merit.

Deadline: May 1, 2018 (postmarked)

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

VOL. 101, NO.4, PAGE 4

Lehigh Valley Section

2018 Foundation in Chemistry Award Application Form

(To be filled out by the student) Full Name: _________________________________ Home Address: _________________________________

_________________________________ _________________________________

Home Phone #: __________________ e-mail address: ___________________ High School: _____________________________________ Names and addresses of your legal guardians: ____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ College you will attend: ___________________________________________ Proposed major degree program: ____________________________________ Please attach an official transcript with your most recent grades.

Pleasewriteandattachanessay(250wordsmaximum)onwhyyouhavechosentostudythechemicalsciencesincollege.

Deadline: May 1, 2018 (postmarked)

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

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LV-ACS Scholarship for Organic Chemistry

The Lehigh Valley Section of the American Chemical Society will award its annual Scholarship for Organic Chemistry this May. To be eligible, students should be below the junior level, currently enrolled in organic chemistry at an institution in the section, and a chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical engineering major. The competition entails taking the ACS Organic Chemistry Examination (45%), a letter of recommendation from the student’s organic chemistry professor (10%), and an essay on a topic in organic chemistry (45%). The value of the scholarship is $1000. Additionally, the top essay will receive $100. Details about the exam, letter, and essay follow below. Students should indicate their interest in the scholarship in advance of 28 April 2018 to Dr John Freeman, [email protected]

ACS Organic Chemistry Examination:  The exam will be administered on Saturday, 28 April 2018, at Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA from 9:00-11:00 AM.  Students should report to the entry foyer of the Collier Hall of Science,  which is on the Main Street Campus.   For driving directions and campus map see  http://www.moravian.edu/about/campus/main-street/2. Juice and bagels will be available at 8:45 AM.  

Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS Scholarship should speak to the student’s skills in lecture and laboratory in Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II. Please provide the course grade for Organic Chemistry I and comment on performance on written exams, proficiency in organic lab, and participation in recitations, problem sessions or course-related group work. If possible, address the student’s quantitative skills by commenting on her or his performance in quantitative analysis or its local equivalent. The letter of recommendation must be submitted in a sealed plain envelope and signed by the professor over the seal. The student will be required to bring the sealed letter to the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam at Moravian College on 28 April 2018

Essays: The student should choose a molecule, a group of molecules, or a process in organic chemistry to write about. The essay should be written at a level to interest and educate a general chemist who has completed sophomore-level organic chemistry. Synthesis, mechanism and structural elucidation should be covered for the chosen molecule (or representative examples of a chosen group). If a process is chosen, the physical and chemical basis for its success should be explained. Appropriate use of structures to facilitate understanding of the chemistry is expected. The essay should address the impact of the molecule or process on society and the student’s personal interest in it. The essay should run from 1600 to no more than 1800 words in Times New Roman 12 point font with one-inch margins on all sides. This does not include figures. Each page should have a header with the student’s last name, brief essay title and page number. An additional page with references must be included. References should follow the style of The Journal of the American Chemical Society (an article from a recent issue can serve as a model). The winning essay after editing may be published on the section website with a link in the Octagon. Continued on Following Page

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

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Organic Scholarship Continued The essay will be rated on: • 30% - Appropriate depth of coverage of the molecule(s) or process. • 30% - Appropriate depth of coverage on the impact on society and student’s interest. • 20% - Ease of reading, including grammar, spelling, and logical flow of the material. 10% - Appropriate use of structures and figures. • 10% - Appropriate use of references. • 5% - Penalty for failure to adhere to the formatting rules provided. The student should bring the essay to the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam at Moravian College

25th Biennial Conference On Chemical Education (BCCE) High School Teacher Travel Grant

High school teachers interested in obtaining a travel grant to attend the 25th BCCE at the University of Notre Dame (July 29 – August 2, 2018) need to complete an application by April 1, 2018 and submitted it to: John Freeman 220 W Pierce St, Easton PA 18042:

1) Name and contact information including email and phone number. You will be notified of your award status by March 1, 2018. Please submit contact information based on where you will be during that time. 2) School information. School location, and type. 3) Statement of Support.  Submit a 25th BCCE High School Teacher Travel Grant Administrative Statement of Support completed and signed by your school administrator (e.g., principal or superintendent). 4) Proposal. The proposal consists of three sections:

a. Professional Summary & Goals.  Briefly summarize your goals for attending the conference. How will you apply or incorporate your experiences within the classroom? How will you share your experiences with your colleagues? Limit your response to approximately 250-300 words or one page .  b. Outcomes. How will your attendance improve student learning in chemistry? What learning objectives do you hope to improve or achieve?  Limit your response to approximately 250-300 word or one page  c. Budget  (not to exceed $1,500). The budget should justify the amount requested.

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Travel Grant funds cannot be used to:  i. Pay indirect costs, administration fees, salaries, or stipends. ii. Support travel costs or conference fees for more than one person. Each person must apply separately.

The cost of the conference for secondary educators is: Registration $175 Up On-campus double occupancy housing $75 /night" Travel (Up to the IRS Auto Mileage Allowance from City Center Bethlehem to the University of Notre Dame Campus.

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NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION APRIL 2018 OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY VOL. 101, NO.4

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2018 MARM CHEMAGINATION DESCRIPTION AND RULES

CONTEST OVERVIEW

For this event, high school students are asked to imagine that they are living 25 years in the future and have been invited to write an article for ChemMatters, a magazine for high school students that focuses on the role of chemistry in everyday life. The subject of the article is: “Describe a recent breakthrough or innovation in chemistry (and/or its applications) that has improved the quality of people’s lives today.” To view a sample ChemMatters magazine visit acs.org, and look under Education: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters.html.

In addition to the article, students are asked to design a cover for the magazine. The article must be written as if the student is living in the year 2042, looking back at innovations that have occurred since 2018. The innovation must fall into one of the following categories:

* Alternative Energy * Medicine/Health* Environment * New Materials

A few examples of areas where development is expected are: nanotechnology, energy efficiency, pollution prevention, green chemistry, sustainability, intelligent devices for sensing, proteomics, climate models, biopharmaceutical therapies, medical devices and/or implants and new energy sources.

Evaluation of the entry is based upon: (1) the written article which is submitted in advance, (2) the presentation of the innovation on a self-standing display and (3) knowledge of and soundness of the science as demonstrated in interviews with judges (much like science fair judging).

RULES

ARTICLES must:• be written by a team of two or three students; each student may be on only one team.• be about 1000 words (figure captions are not included in the limit).• present the chemistry/scientific concepts/ideas/principles behind the innovation.• describe the innovation and indicate how it has improved people’s lives.• present a “history” of the changes that had to occur over the prior 25 years to develop this innovation.• include drawings, diagrams, illustrations and descriptions of the chemistry and any technology involved

in all key aspects of the innovation.• cite a minimum of three technical references.• include a cover design for the magazine. The cover design can be an original computer graphic or a free-

hand drawing.

DISPLAYS must:• be not more than 24” deep, 40” wide or 48” tall, and be able to sit on a table, much like at a science

fair display.• include the cover of the magazine.• be a visual representation of the article’s content with a minimum of text. • include a list of references cited.

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ATTENDANCE:• At least one member of the team must attend the contest to present the display and interview with the

judges to be eligible for prizes.

SCORING:• Winners are selected by the judges based on the quality of the article and display, and the quality and

understanding of the science of the innovation. • Criteria for scoring include scientific thought, creativity, clarity, thoroughness and teamwork.

ELIGIBILITY/REQUIREMENTS:• Each local section can submit up to four entries (1 per category).• All students must be currently enrolled in an accredited high school or home school and be

taking or have recently completed a grade 9-12 science class.• Students and their parents are responsible for transportation to and from the meeting site.• All entries become the property of the ACS and will not be acknowledged or returned. • The ACS, its agents and contractors, are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, or postage-due

entries.• Acceptance of the prize constitutes consent to use the winners’ names, likeness and entries for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes. • Prizes are not transferable.• Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner.• Participants will be asked to provide a Photo Release Form signed by a parent or guardian prior to attending the contest.

KEY DEADLINES

February 6 Local sections notify 2018 MARM Chemagination contest co-chairs of their preliminary intent to participate in 2018 MARM Chemagination.

March 15 Local sections confirm their intent to participate in 2018 MARM Chemagination

May 1 Local Sections submit their estimate of the number of teams they will be sending to the 2018 MARM Chemagination.

May 15 Local sections confirm number of participating teams and submit article titles and contact information on each student.  (Submission process will be announced at a later date.)

May 22 Teams submit their articles for pre-judging.

June 3 The 2018 MARM Chemagination competition takes place at the Iacocca Center , on the campus of Lehigh University

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2018 LVACS OFFICERS

Chair: John Freeman [email protected]

Immediate Past Chair: Celia Williams Avantor Performance Materials, Inc. 1013 US Highway 202/206 Bridgewater, NJ 08807  [email protected]

Treasurer: Jonathan Fura Entrepreneurial Scientist Avantor Performance Materials, Inc [email protected]

Secretary: Seiji Inaoka Director Technology Process Research Products Ewing Township, NJ [email protected]

Chair Elect: Denise Beautreau General Chemistry Laboratory Manager Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA [email protected]

Councilor: Kelley Caflin Picatinny Arsenal Lead Analytical Chemist Energetics Research Branch Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

[email protected]

Councilor:Jeanne Berk Dept. of Chemical and Physical Sciences Cedar Crest CollegeAllentown, PA 18104 610-606-4666 ext 3507 [email protected]

Alternate Councilor: Greglynn Gibbs Penn State

[email protected]

Octagon Editor & Webmaster: T. Michelle Jones-Wilson East Stroudsburg University East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 [email protected]