Highlights

• Upcoming chemistry museum event
• Upcoming Bell's poster event
• International Year of the Periodic Table
• Nominations open for secretary
• Upcoming celebration at One Well Brewing
• WMU chem club update

Celebrate National Chemistry Week 2019 Chemistry Day at the Museum

33^rd Chemistry Day at the Museum

Hands-on activities and resources for all ages!

Saturday, October 12 | 12:00 – 16:00
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
230 N. Rose St., Kalamazoo
FREE!

Co-sponsored by the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum.

This year's Chemistry Day at the Museum is scheduled for Saturday, October 12^th, from noon to 4 pm at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. This is the Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society (KACS) community outreach event for National Chemistry Week (museum notice attached). This very popular public event typically attracts 600 to 1000 people and we need volunteers to run demos that are appropriate for young children (K through 8 th grade). Please let me or Lydia Hines know as soon as possible if you are willing to participate in this event. Visitors to the event are always excited to see new demos. We also have a list of activities that have been presented in the past if you are looking for ideas to present.

The 2019 National Chemistry Week theme is Marvelous Metals but all age and location appropriate activities which introduce children to science concepts are welcome. A major goal of events like these is to introduce our visitors to scientific concepts and therefore all presenters need to model appropriate lab safety (safety glasses and/or lab coats, shields, etc.) even if using commonly-available materials (chemicals) and visitors need to be alerted to the importance of safety even if materials being used in a hands-on demonstration may be items found in the kitchen; the one PPE item they MUST wear is safety goggles, which we provide on entry.

With enough advance notice the Kalamazoo Valley Museum assists with purchasing common supplies (things that can be bought at Walmart, Meijer’s, Amazon, etc.) for demos, but specialty items must be provided by the presenters (glassware, chemicals, etc.)

Please share this article with others that might have an interest in assisting or attending this very popular KACS outreach event. We appreciate your consideration to volunteer your time in support of this event. This event is free of charge and open to the public, so please consider attending even if you are not able to help with presenting a demo this year.

Save the Date: Bells Poster Event

The Kalamazoo Section of the American Chemical Society presents…

From Lipid Probes to Tuberculosis Drugs: Two Decades of Chemical Biology Research

Professor Benjamin Swarts

Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Central Michigan University

Bell's Eccentric Café (Back Room)
355 E Kalamazoo Ave
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

• Complimentary hors d’oeuvres
• Free and open to the public

Chemistry plays essential roles in understanding biology and creating new ways to combat human diseases. Ben Swarts, an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University, will discuss how chemical biology–the use of synthetic small molecules to study and manipulate biological systems–has been used in his research to explore novel approaches to diagnosing and treating the devastating bacterial disease tuberculosis. This story spans nearly two decades, ranging from Ben’s early experiences as an undergraduate chemistry major, through his time studying as a postdoc in South Africa, and to his current work as a chemistry professor and director of a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) tuberculosis research facility. It is hoped that this talk will illustrate how a passion for chemistry and a bit of serendipity can crystallize into an exciting, fruitful, and sometimes unpredictable career in the chemical sciences.

Current ACS members, poster presenters and Zoetis employees are eligible for two complimentary drink tickets (if 21 years and older)

Funding provided by a generous grant by

Celebrate IYPT!

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Mendeleev's development of the first periodic table of the elements, making 2019 the International Year of the Periodic Table. Visit the ACS periodic table page for a list of events and resources, including the World's Largest Periodic Table event on 19 October at Grand Valley State University.

Nominations for KACS Secretary

KACS is seeking nominations for the position of Secretary. Please send nominations to Dr. Kelly Teske at kelly[dot]teske[at]wmich[dot]edu.

Chemistry Night at One Well

October 21 – Mark Your Calendar to Celebrate IYPT at One Well Brewing!

KACS is collaborating with One Well Brewing (4213 Portage St., Kalamazoo, MI 49001) in the first of our events to celebrate the International Year of the Periodic Table (now 150 years old). Please mark your calendar for the evening of Monday, Oct 21. Times and program details will be coming in our next newsletter and Facebook page. This will be a dine to donate event in which a share of our food and drink purchases will be donated by One Well to support our local Project SEED fund. Thank you to One Well.

WMU Chem Club Update

This fall, we have big plans for the WMU Chem Club! We will be participating in Chemistry Day at the Museum in October and performing demonstrations for students from Portage Northern when they visit campus in October. We are also working to coordinate additional events including Science Night at Lake Center Elementary, a demo day at Prairie Ridge Elementary, and maybe an event with the Boy Scouts. In addition, we have several meetings planned to increase student exposure to research and industry. And of course, we'll have plenty of social events as well. We are off to a great start this year and are looking forward to an amazing semester!

Best,
Megan Callaghan
WMU Chem Club President