January 2025, Vol. 15(1)

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National Chemistry Olympiad Offered

The KACS is now offering the National Chemistry Olympiad to those in the Section who qualify and are interested in applying.

Do you know a high school student with a passion for chemistry? Encourage them to challenge themselves by registering for the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) competition.

This prestigious competition provides students with an opportunity to showcase their chemistry knowledge and compete for a spot on the U.S. Chemistry Olympiad team.

The registration deadline is January 17, 2025. Students attending high schools in Kalamazoo, Allegan, and Van Buren Counties must register with the Kalamazoo Local Section.

For more details and to register, students can visit https://www.acs.org/education/olympiad.html. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the KACS USNCO co-coordinators, Dr. Carol Guerrero [cguerrero@kvcc.edu] or Dr. Doug Williams [williamskd@charter.net]. Don’t miss this opportunity to inspire the next generation of chemistry leaders!

Books Found a Home!

All the Reference Books offered in the December issue of The KalChemist News have found a “Happy Home.” Thank you!

WMU ChemClub Presents at Compass High School

The WMU ChemClub was involved in outreach to Compass High School in Comstock. During the Fall semester they paid four visits to the school and provided several hands-on activities for the students there; their teacher and the students expressed great enthusiasm for the opportunity they were given to learn a subject to which they are not routinely exposed. Thanks are due to presenters Andrew Kaczmar and John McClelland.

Yet Another Invitation to the Great Lakes Regional Meeting

The following is another reminder for you to check out the information about the Great Lakes Regional Meeting in Appleton, WI, June 4-6, 2025, https://greatlakesregion-acs.org/event-welcome/glrm-2025

Information is also available for universities/colleges/businesses in our KACS area (Allegan – Kalamazoo – Van Buren counties) to advertise their offerings by becoming sponsors for the Regional meeting or by signing up for a table as an academic or industrial exhibitor and sending one or more representatives to communicate your activities and possibly to recruit for employment https://greatlakesregion-acs.org/event-welcome/Expo

Finally, please consider nominating an outstanding HS teacher for the Great Lakes Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching.

· This award is offered by the Chemical Education (CHED) division to recognize a High School teacher within the region who excels in the classroom and beyond

· More information and a nomination form can be found at https://greatlakesregion-acs.org/Event-Awards(note – the nomination form for this award is extensive and we encourage you to begin completing it well in advance of the deadline)

Deadline: March 1, 2025

If you have any questions regarding this award, please contact Graeme Wyllie [wyllie@cord.edu], Great Lakes Region Awards Chair.

A Message from the 2025 Chair, Dr. Nicole Burke

I am excited and honored to serve as the 2025 Chair of the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society (KACS). In 2024, the Executive Committee of KACS focused on re-engagement with the community, particularly with regards to STEM teachers and students. These efforts culminated in many successful initiatives, including the re-instatement of the annual chemistry competitive exam for high school students as well as the continuation of long-standing activities like Project SEED, the annual awards ceremony, and the Fall poster session at Bell’s Brewery.

These efforts will continue into 2025 with plans to take part in the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad. Additionally, in 2025 we aim to boost engagement with the broader Kalamazoo community through the integration of KACS events with long-standing community events. This will enable us to communicate the positive impact of chemistry on society and the local community in direct support of both national and local ACS goals. We also fully intend to continue hosting our annual awards ceremony which recognizes long-term ACS members and exemplary students and teachers, support Project SEED engagement, participate in outreach activities during National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Week, host engaging and relevant speakers, and offer networking opportunities.

Our Local Section Was Busy in 2024!

For our members’ general awareness, events offered by KACS in 2024 are listed below:

Throughout the Year

· Monthly newsletter, The KalChemist News (Jan-June, Aug-Dec) 

· Executive Committee meetings monthly, except July

· MiSTEM for teachers: 4 ZOOM meetings

February

· Approved grants to 4 K-College students to attend ACS NOLA 3/17-21

March

· 11—In-person lecture by Ms. Martha Gammill, “Patents 101”

· 11-15—1st part of Competitive (HS) Exam

April

· 9—In-person lecture by Dr. Inna Popova, “Chemicals of Emerging Concerns Found in Soils”

· 20—2nd level of Competitive Exam

· 20-28—Chemists Celebrate Earth Week: distribution of Celebrating Chemistry “Getting a Charge Out of Chemistry”—Batteries

May

· 13—Awards Gathering at WMed Innovation Center

June

· Project SEED

July

· Project SEED

August

· Project SEED

· 23—Project SEED Poster Session

September

· 17—In-person lecture by Dr. Mary Virginia Orna, “The Chemistry of Color”

October

· 7—Speed-Networking Event on ZOOM

· 19—National Chemistry Week: Chemistry Day at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum—hands-on activities and distribution of Celebrating Chemistry “Picture-Perfect Chemistry”

November

· 6—Bell’s In-Person Event (“Recycle-A-Poster”) with Lecture by Dr. Carrie Graveel “Identifying causes and novel therapeutic strategies for treatment-resistant cancers”