Highlights

• KACS Summer Picnic—Canceled
• ChemLuminary Ceremony
• Speed Networking Returns – Volunteers Needed!
• Chemistry Day at the Museum Returns—Volunteers Needed!
• Project SEED Presentations
• MiSTEM Chemistry Network Update—Seeking Chemists
• Wayne State University Professor to Deliver Seminar
• Seeking Nominations for Chair-Elect, Treasurer
• ACS Fall 2022 Hybrid Meeting—Councilor’s Report
• KACS Calendar

KACS Summer Picnic—Canceled

The KACS proposed summer picnic has been canceled due to the low number of responses expressing interest, combined with the sites (with shelters) being considered not being available. We will try again next year. If anyone is willing to take the lead on planning a summer picnic please message the KACS chair or chair elect.

ChemLuminary Ceremony

By Ed Thomas

The hard work, innovative activities and participation by our members and executive committee led to our nomination. Our outreach, seminars, meetings and governance activities comprised a poster that was displayed with others before the awards ceremony. In a large Chicago Hyatt Regency Ballroom, ACS members gathered to hear the winners of over 45 special ACS awards. When our award category was called we learned that Brazoport had been selected. We compliment this local section and take pride in KACS being nominated as a finalist for this prestigious award.

Speed Networking Returns – Volunteers Needed!

By Blakely Tresca

Chemistry Day at the Museum Returns—Volunteers Needed!

Project SEED Presentations

By Doug Williams

Our 2022 Project SEED fellows joined K-College undergraduates from the chemistry and biology departments in presenting posters of their summer research at Kalamazoo College on August 26. We thank Prof. Dwight Williams (Chemistry, Kalamazoo College) for organizing the event. The SEED students return to their high schools this fall with renewed interest in science and greater awareness of how chemistry can lead to rewarding and meaningful careers.

All three of our students are eligible for one more Project SEED summer fellowship. We will also invite new applicants in 2023. Each project requires local research mentors and financial support. ACS provides partial financial support but our local section covers $1,250 for a first-year fellow or $1,500 for a second-year fellow. If you would like to help us support local projects directly as a mentor or by making a donation, please visit our Project SEED webpage or contact me directly at treasurer@kalamazooacs.org. We are very grateful to this year’s mentors and sponsors (Kalamazoo College & Kalsec) as well as those who have donated to our KACS Project SEED fund. We cannot do this without you.

MiSTEM Chemistry Network Update—Seeking Chemists

By Doug Williams, Carl Stachew, Blakely Tresca

In June, we described our new high school teacher outreach efforts through the SW MiSTEM network. As we begin the 2022/23 school year, we will continue these conversations with high school teachers in bimonthly online meetings (3-4 p.m. on September 20, November 1, January 17, March 7, and May 2). Our work this year will focus on assisting teachers with needs that they identified in our last meeting. We will initially focus on (1) activities to support MiSTEM chemistry concepts, (2) career stories/lab visits, (3) phenomenon- or project-based learning methods and (4) supporting teacher-scientist partnerships. Three teacher-scientist partnerships have begun to form over the summer. We would like to expand this number. If you have interest in helping with this outreach program, please contact Doug Williams (treasurer@kalamazooacs.org). We will see that you are included in the meeting invitations.

Wayne State University Professor to Deliver Seminar

Seeking Nominations for Chair-Elect, Treasurer

ACS Fall 2022 Hybrid Meeting—Councilor’s Report

August 21-25, 2022 • Chicago, Illinois

Summary of Governance Issues and Actions (edits and additions by KACS councilor Lydia E. M. Hines)

A more complete report can be found at the KACS website.

> Voting

· By electronic ballot, the Council elected Raychelle Burks, Anne M. Gaffney, Will E. Lynch, and Frankie K. Wood-Black for a three-year term (2023-2025) on the Council Policy Committee (CPC). Lydia E.M. Hines was elected to serve through 2023.

> Highlights from Committee Reports

· The Chair of the Committee on Committees (ConC) reminded councilors of the new online committee preference form that is open over the summer to solicit names of individuals interested in serving on ACS Society Committees.

· On the recommendation of the Committee on Local Section Activities (LSAC), Council approved the Petition for a change in Section Name from the Northeast Tennessee Section to the Tennessee-Virginia Highlands Local Section. New Local Section member-size categories were identified:

            Small: 50-199                                      Medium Small: 200-449         Medium: 450-599

            Medium Large: 600-999                     Large: 1000-1999                    Very Large: >2000

· Council approved allowing Corporation Associates to set fees based on a sales revenue model.

> Meeting Attendance

· The fall 2022 meeting in Chicago was held in a hybrid manner from August 21-25. As of August 24, there were 11,619 registrations [9,355 in-person (~1,400 Int’l) and 2,264 virtual (~1,100 Int’l)].

> The Board looks forward to ensuring international members have a voice and a vote on the Board of Directors.

> CEO Search

· CEO Thomas Connelly announced his retirement in May. The firm Korn Ferry International is assisting with the search which is now underway with the goal of identifying candidates, interviewing them and selecting our next CEO with a targeted start date of January 1, 2023.

> Other Society Business

· Registration fees for 2023 meetings will be the same as for 2022: $399 in-person and $199 virtual.