August 2023, Vol. 13(7)

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Chem Lab Mascot ‘Bippy’ Making K Famous

A Squishmallow named “Bippy,” the lab mascot of Kalamazoo College Assistant Professor of Chemistry Daniela Arias-Rotondo, is helping K to gain recognition and students to gain opportunities in their field. Read more here!

50- and 60-year Member-Recognition

On Saturday, June 3, Lydia Hines had a great “trip down memory lane” with Ron Gammill (former Upjohn colleague) when she delivered his 50-year certificate to him; and then on Saturday, June 10, Ben Maxey, KACS now past-chair, and Lydia Hines, councilor, visited with 4 of our remaining 6 recipients of 50- and 60- year recognition certificates (Peter Wuts, Sheryl Loux, Fred Antosz, Charles Hall).  What a wonderful day, and how delightful it was to see and hear that they are all well and were appreciative of being remembered; we [Ben and Lydia] visited with the wife of one of the recipients (Ed Thomas) because he was out on the golf course 😊 ; and the one with whom we were unable to meet at all on that day (Shri Valvani) wrote to thank us for delivering his certificate and reported that he, too, continues active in his retirement.

At our ZOOM Awards gathering in May Ed Thomas was named our section’s 2023 Meritorious Service Award recipient. In the picture he is shown receiving his recognition plaque from Lydia E. M. Hines at the June members’ meeting, which he helped to organize and execute on June 24.

Socializing, Information Gathering at June Picnic Meeting

By Ed Thomas

On June 24, the KACS member meeting was convened at Oshtemo Township Park. Over 20 members and guests enjoyed a social hour and picnic of pizza, hotdogs, and hamburgers under the shade of the pavilion.

Dibyendu Mondal, our new chair, called the meeting to order and provided introductory remarks. He then introduced Lydia Hines, Councilor; Ed Thomas, Past-Chair; and Doug Williams, Treasurer and Project SEED Coordinator. They spoke of their responsibilities and the enjoyment they receive from participating in the local section. Lydia then outlined the key accomplishments and planned activities for the Section in 2023 (more details can be found in this year’s newsletter articles which are found on our website, kalamazooacs.org). Doug spoke to the benefits of local and national membership. Some were surprised that ACS provides life insurance. Students were advised that National ACS has a wealth of informational resources for chemistry careers, both traditional and non-traditional, and that the local ACS section is a great place to practice leadership skills.

During the feedback session, Dibyendu learned that students are interested in networking with businesses and employers through KACS. They also desire ways to accrue volunteer hours through outreach opportunities. Attendees also mentioned they do not care for ZOOM meetings anymore.

The event hit the highpoints for in-person socializing and information gathering. We thank Mike Kiella and Bill Schinzer for being our expert grillmasters.

Tribute to a Local Chemistry Legend – Anna Mae Searcy

We are pleased to include in this issue of The KalChemist News the following tribute to a local “chemistry legend,” sent by former KACS chair (2018, 2019) Steve Secreast; as recently as 2019 Anna Mae Searcy made a significant contribution to our 2019 National Historical Chemical Landmark Program (for further information about the NHCL visit our archived May 2019 newsletter starting on page 61.

“On May 26, 2023, Kalamazoo chemist Anna Mae Searcy Miller, at 98 years old ‘made the quantum leap to the next orbital.’ We had the opportunity to work with Anna in 2019 on our KACS National Historical Chemical Landmark project. Anna contributed to the successful ACS Historical Landmark designation, providing photos, reference papers and stories from her 1950’s work as part of The Upjohn Company’s steroid chemistry program.

“Best of all Anna starred in a video we made as part of the Landmark project. The video is posted on YouTube here. Anna’s part of the video runs during 18:42-32:27 minutes. Watching (or re-watching) Anna’s video is highly recommended. She’s a very cool person and chemist who will be missed.”

Anna’s obituary is posted here; it presents an interesting historical narrative.

More on the Kalamazoo National Historical Chemistry Landmark project is available on the ACS webpage here.

Our Sincere Condolences – Roger G. Williams

We extend sincere condolences to the family of Roger G. Williams, a 57-year ACS member who retired after a full career as an Analytical Chemist at The Upjohn Company and Pfizer; quiet and unassuming, he enjoyed attending those KACS events where he could meet with former colleagues as well as where he could be an encourager to young aspiring chemists, such as our Awards gathering and the SEED poster sessions. His obituary is available here.

Project SEED Introductions and Poster Session Invitation

Project SEED fellows were treated to an R&D lab tour at Zoetis on July 19. From left to right: Dr. Tomasz Respondek (tour coordinator), Alejandro Alvarez, Jocelyn Suranyi, Benjamin Knight, Eddie Anderson, Sadaya Hamby, Reem Rasool.

We are getting ready to wrap up a busy summer of research with our 2023 class of Project SEED fellows. Special thanks to our research mentors at Kalamazoo College and Kalsec. These scientists donate time, supplies, expertise and lots of heart to our fellows. We are also grateful to Zoetis for hosting an inspiring tour of their R&D labs for organic synthesis, process chemistry, molecular modeling, parasitology and entomology (mosquitoes!). We learned that Zoetis is an exciting and friendly place to work.

You are invited to join us when our Project SEED fellows present their research at the Kalamazoo College Summer Research Symposium on Friday, August 25. Please watch your email for additional details later this month. Thank you as always to those who generously support our program. The Kalamazoo Local Section spends $2,000 for each student in our program. 100% of all member donations are used directly for student stipends. Please see our website for more information.

Doug Williams – KACS Project SEED Coordinator

Meet our 2023 Project SEED Fellows

Ben Knight

I’m excited to be a part of the ACS project SEED program. I am 17 years old and will be a senior at Portage Northern high school this year. I’ve been interested in chemistry ever since Pfizer made the covid vaccine. I was amazed when I saw the things that are possible with chemistry. This summer I am working under Dr. Drew Elder researching rosemary extract that was extracted with super critical CO2. We are trying to create a naturally extracted rosemary oleoresin to allow Kalsec to compete in the green market. Outside of chemistry I enjoy running cross-country, hanging out with friends, and listening to music. The Project SEED as been a very valuable experience for me, I’ve been able to work in an industry lab, see how a company runs, and gain knowledge in an aspect of chemistry that I’ve never given much thought. Everyone at Kalsec has been extremely helpful during my time here. They are always willing to answer questions and give advice. I would recommend that future Project SEED participants say yes to any opportunity that comes their way. Every experience that you have during your internship is a valuable one even if it might be something that doesn’t sound interesting to you. Experience leads to knowledge and knowledge is a powerful thing.

Jocelyn Suranyi

I will be going into my senior year at Bloomingdale High School. My chemistry teacher, Mr. Chris Bily, introduced me to and encouraged me to sign up for Project SEED, despite the distance. I’m forever thankful that he did, otherwise I wouldn’t have had this wonderful opportunity. I’ve always been interested in science, but I never really considered it a good career option for me until I took chemistry. Outside of chemistry, I also enjoy writing, reading, embroidery, playing music, and color guard. I am working with Dr. Blakely Tresca at Kalamazoo College. The goal of my project is to use computational data to find the most likely and stable structure of five different peptoids. I appreciate how patient and kind everyone is when answering questions, as well as how welcoming they are. Some advice that I would give to future Project SEED participants is to ask questions and don’t worry too much. You’re here to learn, and it’s alright if you have a bunch of questions on your first day. My current plan after high school is to get a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Kalamazoo College. I plan on going into forensic toxicology once I graduate. This opportunity has helped me learn and grow in so many different ways, and I’m thankful that I could be part of this program.

Alejandro Alvarez

I am a returning intern to Kalsec Inc. this year working with David Bolliet. I am working on a model to analyze GC-MS data and determine the essential oils that make up different blends. Outside of work and school, I play lots and lots of chess and garden. During my time at Project SEED these past few years I have learned a lot about all kinds of different analytical machines such as GC-MS, GC-FID, and GC-O, which people usually do not see until college. During my time at Kalsec, I have met and spoken to great people in a variety of professions including color chemistry and engineering. This fall, I will be attending Northwestern University to study Chemical or Electrical Engineering. My academic interests include robotics, computer programming, and nuclear physics. I also plan to attend some sort of graduate school in the future for a PhD.

Eddie Anderson

I am going into my senior year of high school. This is my second year with Project SEED. This year I am working at Kalsec on a project to purify an antimicrobial compound found in fungus. Being in Project SEED has been a transformative experience. It has not only provided a unique opportunity to understand the intriguing world of chemistry but has also been a platform for personal exploration and growth. Despite the challenges I have faced in life, this program has shown me that our background should not limit our potential. I encourage Project SEED students to take full advantage of the hands-on experiments and skilled mentorship from passionate scientists. You will gain valuable knowledge and skills that will motivate you for scientific exploration. The program can help open doors to higher education and career opportunities. As I pursue my dreams of using chemistry to mitigate our climate crisis, I am grateful to Project SEED and ACS for supporting my access to quality education in the scientific field. In my free time I play music, run track and practice graphic design.

Sadaya Hamby

Sadaya begins her senior year at Kalamazoo Central High School this fall. Last year, she worked with Prof. Dwight Williams at Kalamazoo College on the synthesis of novel anti-microbial compounds. This year she returned to work with Dr. Williams to continue these studies and deepen her understanding of this research area. Sadaya would like to pursue studies after high school in medicine and/or scientific research. She is a member of Jeter’s Leaders.

Reem Rasool

Reem begins her senior year at Kalamazoo Central High School this fall. She is working in the group of Prof. Dwight Williams at Kalamazoo College on the synthesis of novel anti-microbial compounds. It is her first year in Project SEED. Reem is inspired by her parents who work in science and technology fields. She enjoys taking advanced classes in school and has a passion for helping others, potentially through her current interest in health-sciences.

Chemistry Day at the Museum—Call for Volunteers

By Hershel Jude

Though National Chemistry Week (NCW) each year is formally scheduled for the third full week in October (in 2023 that is October 15-21), our Chemistry Day at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum will be held in person on October 14, 2023, from noon to 4 p.m. Get ready to educate, entertain, and entice the next generation to the wonders of chemistry and watch the smiles form on the faces of children and adults alike! The 2023 NCW topic is Health and Medicine, and the theme is “The Healing Power of Chemistry.”

Do you have a great experiment you can share with an audience of any age from elementary through adults? Are you interested in demonstrating one of several experiments that are performed every year at this event? Do you have no idea what this event is about but are willing to contribute a few hours of your time on a Saturday in October to brighten the day of young scientists in our community? We need your help to make this event a success. If you are willing to lead a demonstration for Chemistry Day 2023, please email Hershel Jude and/or Carol Guerrero Kercher.

With Annette Hoppenworth’s retirement from the Kalamazoo Valley Museum I am fortunate to be working with a great team from KVM: Carol Guerrero Kercher, Lexie Schroeder Kobb, and Stephanie Willoughby. Carol is the STEM Program Coordinator at KVM. An active member of the ACS, she brings extensive experience in chemistry education and outreach to her new role. Lexie is the Assistant Director at KVM; her educational programming knowledge and demonstrated leadership helped shape the successful collaboration with the KACS for the 2022 Chemistry Day program. Stephanie is a Program Coordinator at KVM with experience working with children and volunteers and a proven track record of successful programs. The Chemistry Day program planning committee is excited about this year’s celebration of chemistry and is looking forward to working with the volunteers.

Speed Networking Returns

By Blakely Tresca

Speed Networking is returning for the 7th year on Monday, October 2, co-sponsored by Kalamazoo ACS and Kalamazoo College. Join us at 6 p.m. on ZOOM for five rounds of short discussions on careers and navigating life as a professional chemist. Registration for students and mentors is open now at http://bit.ly/KACSSpeedNet. Professional chemists from industry and academia are invited to sign up as mentors. We need your help, as this event can’t happen without you! Sign up early as space may be limited, and priority will be given to early registrants. Undergraduate students, this is your chance to meet with professionals from across the chemical enterprise and ask what it takes to get the positions you want. In addition to break-out sessions, we will hear from past attendees how mentorship has shaped their careers and a short keynote presentation on tips for a successful career in industrial chemistry. We will continue to use ZOOM for the event as students and mentors beyond the immediate Kalamazoo area are able to join in this way.

Mark Your Calendar for Bell’s Recycle a Poster Event

By Tomasz Respondek

On October 24, 2023, the Kalamazoo section of the American Chemical Society (KACS) will host its 11th annual poster session titled “Sustainable Science—Recycle a Poster” at Bell’s Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo.

The KACS is pleased to bring back the popular event thanks to a generous grant from Zoetis. This year the keynote speaker will be Kyle Schneider, Ph.D., Director of R&D at Vestaron. Vestaron is located in Kalamazoo, MI; it is a Peptide Company dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection. The title of Kyle’s talk will be provided at a later date. This event is open to the public, so we hope to see both ACS members and the general public.

Consider Attending a Regional Meeting!

Consider presenting, and/or register to attend the Joint Midwest-Great Lakes Regional Meeting (MWGLRM) in the St. Charles Convention Center (in St. Charles, MO) October 18-21 (Wednesday through Saturday) 2023 https://mwrm2023.org/

It is wise to consider attendance at a Regional meeting! Accommodations are less expensive, they are often at more accessible distances, and they offer good opportunities to network with chemists involved in a variety of careers, as well as seminars for development of leadership skills.

The abstract deadline for the Joint Midwest/Great Lakes Regional meeting is now Monday, August 14 (To submit an abstract please follow instructions at this link:

https://www.acs.org/meetings/regional/midwest/2023-mwrm-call-for-abstracts.html

[For information regarding the 10 Regions within ACS visit https://kalamazooacs.org/the-great-lakes-region/]