• 2026 KACS Awards Ceremony Summary
• Southwest Michigan Chemistry Network Visits Pfizer
• Celebrating 150 Years of the American Chemical Society at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum
• KACS Retiree Makes Impact with Butterfly Research
• KACS Calendar
2026 KACS Awards Ceremony Summary
By Joe Chemler
This year, the 2026 KACS Awards Gathering was held on May 11th at WMED Innovation Center. The event was attended by members, students, awardees, and guests from across the Kalamazoo area.
The gathering once again provided an opportunity for the Kalamazoo Section to recognize excellence in chemistry and to celebrate the accomplishments of students, educators, and long-standing members of the American Chemical Society. A highlight of the evening was hearing directly from several 50- and 60-year members, who shared insights into their career paths. Their stories illustrated how their experiences have shaped their development and reinforced their commitment to the chemical sciences.
This year, we were pleased to recognize the following individuals:
· Three 50-year ACS members and five 60-year ACS members for their longstanding dedication to the Society
· The KACS Meritorious Service Award recipient, Dr. Dwight Williams, for outstanding and sustained contributions to the section
· Outstanding Chemistry Graduating Seniors in chemistry from Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University, nominated by their faculty
· Students participating in the Project SEED program, highlighting their summer research
· The Outstanding High School Chemistry Teacher Award recipient, Dustin Himebauch, recognized for excellence in teaching
· Outstanding High School Chemistry Students from Kalamazoo, Allegan, Van Buren counties, nominated by their teachers
· Students receiving scholarships for exceptional performance in the KACS Competitive Exam
· Dr. Nicole Burke as the Past Chair
Overall, the 2026 Awards Gathering was a successful event that reinforced the strength of our local scientific community and the importance of recognizing excellence at all levels. The section extends its congratulations to all awardees and appreciation to WMEDIC for the space provided and the KACS volunteers for their contributions in making the event possible.
Dr. Kenneth Abate
60-Year Member
Robert Alway
50-Year Member
Paul Rahn
50-Year Member
Dr. Dwight Williams, Meritorious Service Award winner, with Dr. Doug Williams
Dustin Himebauch
Outstanding HS Teacher
Dr. Nicole Burke, Past Chair, with Dr. Joe Chemler
Justin Bergman
Outstanding HS Chem Student
Competitive Exam Awardee
USNCO Qualifier
Brianna Zhang
Competitive Exam Awardee
Shailynn Jackson
Outstanding HS Chem Student
Elliana Oram
Outstanding HS Chem Student
Will Tocco
Outstanding Graduating College Senior
Southwest Michigan Chemistry Network Visits Pfizer
By Doug Williams
We give a hearty thank you to Carl Stachew and his colleagues for an exciting tour of the Pfizer lab facilities in Portage on May 13. Carl is a founding member and co-chair of our Southwest Michigan Chemistry Network (SWMCN) in partnership with Pfizer, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency (KRESA). Our tour included local high school instructors and was led by principal scientists Robert Ingalls and Dr. Viraj Thanthirige. These gentlemen presented their synthetic and analytical equipment to us with enlivening stories about solving industrial chemistry challenges in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). We also learned about their career paths and sometimes unpredictable transitions that led them to their current positions. We were impressed with their commitment to science and job/product safety. We left with renewed energy to teach and inspire our local youth. If you or your company/institution would like to join us or offer a tour or resources for local chemistry instructors, please send an email to one of us on our Contacts page.
Pfizer tour group (L-R): Dustin Himebauch (Climax-Scotts High School), Carl Stachew (Pfizer), Sean Lapekas (Pfizer), Lori Henrickson (WMU-MiSTEM), Joshua Willoughby (Schoolcraft High School), Jason Frink (Portage Central High School), Colin Killmer (Portage Northern High School), Michelle Mason (Portage Northern High School), Robert Ingalls (Pfizer), Viraj Thanthirige (Pfizer).
Celebrating 150 Years of the American Chemical Society at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum
By Carol Guerrero
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 hosted 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 was supported by an ACS Innovative Project Grant.
Visitors explored local contributions to science and history throughout the museum galleries and engaged with KACS members on site, Joe Chemler and Hershel Jude, who shared information about KACS opportunities available for students, teachers, and community members. They also distributed a number of science-themed giveaways and educational materials.
The event also included the free planetarium show Elements in Orbit, which examined the unseen chemistry of space with a focus on planets and constellations visible this season.
The event will return to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum on Saturday, August 8 with two showings of Elements in Orbit at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets for the shows are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit kalamazoomuseum.org for more information.
KACS members interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Carol Guerrero (cguerrero@kvcc.edu). We look forward to seeing you at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum in August!
The last opportunity for KACS members to volunteer for this celebration at the KVM will be on Saturday, November 7!
KACS Retiree Makes Impact with Butterfly Research
A shout-out to one of our long-time KACS members, Ilse Gebhard, who in her retirement has been making an impact with her research in the world of butterflies …
From the publisher:
For decades Ilse Gebhard’s columns in local newspapers and nonprofit publications have informed and inspired southwest Michigan conservationists. Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones has collected over eighty of these short essays in Without a Net: Adventures with Butterflies and Moths, an illustrated natural history of Michigan lepidoptera. Available as a PDF, the book features hundreds of photos that elegantly teach us how to see and understand the butterflies and moths we live with. Woven around these images are scientifically grounded yet witty and engaging stories of the author’s “adventures.” Without a Net will send you out to your garden and beyond in a spirit of curiosity, stewardship, and respect.
The book is available as a PDF for $10. All proceeds support the work of KAWO. https://kalamazoo.wildones.org/without-a-net-adventures-with-butterflies-and-moths/
About the author:
Ilse Gebhard was born in Berlin, Germany. At age eleven she immigrated with her family to Caracas, Venezuela, where she lived until going to college in the US. After receiving BS and MS degrees in Chemistry she worked for thirty years as a Medicinal Research Chemist. In retirement she pursued her interest in the natural world, with special emphasis on monarch butterfly conservation. She has volunteered extensively for the Audubon Society of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones, and the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy, and served as a Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist, and as a monitor and trainer for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. She lives with her husband in a retirement community in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she started and edits a nature newsletter for residents.
