• K-College Hosting Family Science Night
• 2026 KACS Awards Celebration
• Spotlight on Excellence: Student Achievements in KACS Competitive Exam and U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
• Celebrating 150 Years of the ACS at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum
• ACS Seeks Applicants for Research Faculty Safety Workshop
• Watch the Celebration of ACS’ Anniversary at the Washington DC HQ
• KACS Calendar

K-College Hosting Family Science Night

On Tuesday, May 5, at the Dow Science Center, Kalamazoo College is hosting a Family Science Night from 6-8 p.m. As this event is open to the public and is great for kids of all ages, they look forward to community participation!

2026 KACS Awards Celebration

Our 53rd KACS Awards Celebration will be on Monday, May 11, at the WMED Innovation Center (WMEDIC), 4717 Campus Drive from 5:30-7:30 p.m. As has been our custom, we will be recognizing students who have shown an interest in chemistry in their HS studies, our 50-60-year ACS/KACS members, one outstanding graduating Senior from each of our 4-year institutions, one individual who has volunteered selflessly in our local section, an outstanding teacher, as well as those students who have performed well in our USNCO examination and students and mentors who have participated in our section’s ACS summer SEED research experience opportunity/program. An invitation was sent last week to each of you to attend this in-person event; we hope you plan to come and congratulate our honorees.

Spotlight on Excellence: Student Achievements in KACS Competitive Exam and U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad

By Dr. Carol Guerrero and Dr. Doug Williams

USNCO co-coordinators

The Kalamazoo American Chemical Society (KACS) successfully completed its competitive exam and participation in the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) competition. Both the KACS Competitive Exam and the USNCO competition are established academic competitions designed to identify and nurture outstanding achievement in chemistry among high school students. These competitions attract motivated students who demonstrate a passion for chemistry and seek to challenge themselves in a competitive setting. Participation in these competitions fosters a sense of camaraderie among like-minded peers and encourages continuous learning and growth.

Both programs aim to motivate high school students to pursue academic distinction through challenging assessments while recognizing outstanding achievement. In addition, the initiatives recognize the contributions of chemistry educators and foster collaboration between KACS and local high school chemistry teachers.

Between February 27 and March 16, 2026, a total of 110 students participated in the KACS Competitive Exam. This assessment served a dual purpose: it determined the recipients of the KACS scholarships and acted as the qualifying exam for the USNCO competition. All registered students who took the exam received a certificate of participation.

The top three scorers in the KACS Competitive Exam earned KACS scholarships in recognition of their outstanding academic performance on the local section exam. The top scorers were Justin Bergman, Brianna Zhang, and Janelle Yao. Scholarship recipients will receive a check and certificate of achievement.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) determines the number of USNCO finalists for each local section based on the number of ACS members in the local section, with a maximum of two students per home high school. The KACS was allotted 12 students for the competition. The 12 finalists and alternates, in alphabetical order, were Ellie Alleman, Ellena Apotheker, Justin Bergman, Isabella Grimes, Kingston Heaps, C. Elizabeth Holmes, Abigail Milliken, Anderson Pung, Savannah Scheffers, Emma Sinclair, Connor Sloan, Claire Tong, Will Valade, Addison Walden, and Janelle Yao.

On Saturday, April 11, 2026, the USNCO finalists gathered on the beautiful campus of Kalamazoo College to take the rigorous, three-part USNCO national exam. The competition included two written exams and a laboratory practical. During the event, students had the opportunity to engage with local chemists, college students, and faculty over lunch. Students who participated in the national exam received a commemorative lapel pin and received a certificate. Participating high school teachers whose students qualified for the USNCO were recognized with a certificate from the ACS for their role in supporting their students.

We are grateful to Kalamazoo College for hosting the USNCO competition and supplying the necessary materials for the lab practical. Special thanks go to the individuals who volunteered their time and talents to help make this event successful, including Dr. Blakely Tresca, Jarred Fitch, Brittany Miller, and Dr. Ceci Vollbrecht from Kalamazoo College, and Dr. Kristen Burns from Western Michigan University.

We also express our deep appreciation to the KACS Executive Committee for their continued leadership and support in advancing chemistry education. As the competitive exam program continues to evolve, it will no doubt continue to motivate students to further their interest and skills in the field of chemistry.

Celebrating 150 Years of the ACS at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

On Saturday, May 9 from 1 to 3 p.m., the Kalamazoo Local Section of the American Chemical Society (KACS) and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum will host a free community program in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the American Chemical Society (ACS) highlighting the theme of “Chemistry is Everything.” The event is supported by an ACS Innovative Project Grant.

Visitors may explore local contributions to science and history throughout the museum galleries and engage with KACS members on site, including KACS Chair Joe Chemler and KACS NCW Coordinator Hershel Jude. K-12 students, undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, and community members, will be able to learn opportunities available to them to get involved with the KACS. A number of science-themed giveaways and educational materials will be available.

The event will also include 2 showings at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. of an immersive planetarium show Elements in Orbit, which examines the unseen chemistry of space with a focus on planets and constellations visible this season. Planetarium tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit kalamazoomuseum.org for more information.

KACS members interested in volunteering for our 2 subsequent “ACS 150^th Celebration Days” at the KVM on August 8 and November 7 from 1-3 p.m. are encouraged to contact Carol Guerrero (cguerrero@kvcc.edu). We look forward to seeing you at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on May 9!

ACS Seeks Applicants for Research Faculty Safety Workshop

Faculty members who supervise research groups, mentor graduate students, or influence departmental safety expectations are invited to apply for the inaugural 2026 Research Faculty Safety Leadership Workshop. The workshop will take place in Chicago from 2 to 3 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 23, during ACS Fall 2026.

Participants of this selective professional development program will leave with grant-ready safety language, a lab safety plan, and other tools adapted from industry. Opportunities to network and strengthen mentorship skills will also be included in the workshop.

A $500 honorarium is available, and certificates of participation and/or recognition letters may be prepared upon request. Contact safety@acs.org with any questions. Apply by Monday, June 1 at this link.

Watch the Celebration of ACS’ Anniversary at the Washington DC HQ