• KACS and ACS Election Season is Now!
• Exciting Experiments, Captivating Demonstrations Coming at Chemistry Day
• Sustainable Science—Recycle-a-Poster Event at Bell’s
• (Part 2) July 12 Visit to the GVSU Research Vessel D.J. Angus
• KACS Calendar
KACS and ACS Election Season is Now!
*Please remember to submit your name or the name of another member (who agrees to do so) for the position of chair-elect for our KACS for 2026 (see description of duties at https://kalamazooacs.org/operations-manual/). The election will be happening in mid-October and we still do not have any candidates. Anyone on the executive committee (see masthead) would be happy to hear a recommendation from you!
*Each ACS Member eligible to vote should have received a ballot, either by e-mail or on paper, for election of the 2026 President-Elect of the Society. The candidates are Christina Bodurow and Dawn Mason. If you have not yet voted, biographical information and election platforms may be found in C&EN (cen.acs.org September 2025 pp. 94-97) or online at www.acs.org/elections).
Exciting Experiments, Captivating Demonstrations Coming at Chemistry Day
Chemistry Day is back at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum! The Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society present “The Hidden Life of Spices” on Saturday, October 18, from noon to 4 p.m. Exciting hands-on experiments and captivating demonstrations will educate and entertain learners of all ages and abilities. The program is free.
Join chemistry enthusiasts from the area, including those from the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, Kalsec, Pfizer and Perrigo to explore the role of chemistry in our everyday lives. This year’s program will also feature the Kalamazoo Seed Collaborative, which will be distributing free seeds to grow your own plants, and continue exploring the science of spices in your own garden.
Sustainable Science—Recycle-a-Poster Event at Bell’s
The Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society presents the popular “Sustainable Science – Recycle a Poster” event on Thursday, November 6, from 5-9 p.m. at Bell’s Eccentric Café, 355 E. Kalamazoo Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007. The event is free and open to the public, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres provided.
The keynote presentation will be “Advancing Solutions for Reliable Access to Cyanotoxins and Cyanopeptides in Environmental and Biomedical Research” by Professor Jeremy J. Kodanko from Wayne State University. Dr. Kodanko is Professor of Chemistry and Associate Chair at Wayne State University in Detroit, where he also serves as Director of Graduate Studies.
He has authored numerous papers spanning inorganic, organic, and medicinal chemistry, including pioneering studies on photocaging strategies, and cyanobacterial peptide natural products. He is also founder of AnchorChem LLC, a company focused on environmental health and monitoring.
Funding for this event has been provided through a generous grant from Zoetis. Current ACS members, poster presenters, and Zoetis employees are eligible for two complimentary drink tickets (alcoholic beverages for 21 years and older)
For questions please email symposium@kalamazooacs.org.
(Part 2) July 12 Visit to the GVSU Research Vessel D.J. Angus
By Michael Kiella, PhD
Local Section Affiliate and Past Chair of the KACS
On July 12th participants visited Grand Haven for a trip aboard the Grand Valley State University, Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute’s 45 foot diesel powered Research Ship, the Donald J. Angus. The research vessel serves as both a floating research laboratory conducting bona-fide research into water quality in both Lake Michigan and Spring Lake, and an educational outreach programs for students and adult learners, alike. Twenty-two participants gathered shore-side of the docks on Harbor Island and were given sailing instructions and requirements for the trip out onto the water. The ship was captained by a Great Lakes Master, while two educational resource instructors led the participants in safety, history, and objectives of the day’s trip. Emphasis was given to past industrial uses of the waterway, and the deleterious effect of those uses on water quality which are now being remediated and monitored.
On deck, participants volunteered to conduct subjective multi-observer corroborating assessment of water and “bottoms” samples. Samples were obtained out in Lake Michigan and in Spring Lake. Questions were encouraged, and many science conversations arose from the answers to those questions. Visual tests such as the Secchi Disc depth, Column Turbidity, and Clarity test were completed and logged. Emphasis was placed on the food-chain, oxygen content, and trophic status of the water as a conclusion drawn from the data collected.
The inside of the ship contained a laboratory, where volunteers conducted objective instrumental analysis of the water sample taken that day. Tests such as pH, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, were assessed by multiple participants and logged for the day’s data. In addition to instrumental chemical analysis, samples were examined for living organisms in the sample water. There was a protocol where the organisms were isolated and magnified. The magnified images were able to be compared to a visual species-specific reference library. One member’s daughter was not only excited to isolate these organisms, but was also very good at correctly identifying the species. It was joyous to watch her excitement as she isolated each organism: Stentor, Bloodworms, and others; and then search the reference images for a match!
Returning to the dock, the instructors provided an overview of the day’s activities, the conclusions, and the trajectory of the Great Lakes. The conclusion: water quality is demonstrably improving over time! Participants gathered for a group photo before being dismissed to return shore-side.
A BIG thank you goes out to Carter Tomko for his efforts in organizing and hosting this event (as well as the one on June 20, to Founders Brewery, described in the article on page 4 in the September issue of The KalChemist News). Again, this reporter recommends we keep our eyes peeled for other activities with the Western Michigan Section….as already mentioned in my report in September, from my place in the scheme of things, it was time well spent!
