National Chemistry Week
2022-10-16 - 2022-10-21 | Virtual
National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a public awareness campaign that promotes the value of chemistry in everyday life. ACS members and chemistry enthusiasts celebrate NCW by coordinating events and communicating the importance of chemistry. Read more about NCW.
Celebrate 2022 the week of October 16–22, 2022 with the theme, “Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics.”

Educational resources
General interest resources
Illustrated poem contest

ACS Western Regional Meeting 2022: Empower the Chemist for a Better Tomorrow
2022-10-19 - 2022-10-22
Sponsored by the ACS Southern Nevada Local Section
Location: Flamingo Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
Learn more

The 2022 Western Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino Convention Center from October 19 through October 22, 2022. This four-day event hosted by the ACS-Southern Nevada local section (ACS-SNS) will highlight achievements, peak challenges, and opportunities in the ACS western region and beyond.

Step-by-Step Reaction Searching in CAS SciFinder-n Webinar (Offered at 1am, 7am, and 1pm)
2022-10-19 07:00 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Sponsored by CAS
Offered at 1am, 7am, and 1pm. Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Go beyond the traditional A -> B type of reaction query. With CAS SciFindern, there are many ways to initiate a search resulting in a reaction answer set. See a step-by-step approach to reaction searching and the subsequent ways to achieve effectively filtered results specific to your needs.
What You Will Learn

Conduct a reaction search and see how to effectively filter a vast number of results to bring back those with the highest percentage yield, or using preferred reagents, solvents, catalysts, or those that focus on a green chemistry approach.
See how the retrosynthesis tool will help you find alternative approaches from published literature or the rule-based predictive process.

Creating Psychedelic Analogs to Treat Neuropsychiatric Disease
2022-10-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Prof. David Olson, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, UC Davis
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Publications, ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry, and American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

We are at an exciting moment in drug discovery due to the enormous potential of psychedelics and related plasticity-promoting neurotherapeutics to treat common, but highly debilitating conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Join Associate Professor Dr. David Olson of UC Davis as he discusses how psychedelics and related molecules, such as DMT, LSD, and MDMA, rapidly promote the growth of cortical neurons, providing a potential explanation for their long-lasting therapeutic effects after a single dose. Register now to discover about the development of chemical and molecular tools for studying the mechanisms of action of psychedelics as well as efforts to engineer non-hallucinogenic analogs of these compounds that produce similar sustained therapeutic behavioral effects after a single administration.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Editor-in-Chief Dr. Christa Müller of ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science co-produced with the ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry, and ACS Publications.

What You Will Learn

Mechanistic details about psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity
The development of a novel biosensor for assessing hallucinogenic potential
The development of non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens

Webinar Details

Thrusday, October 20, 2022 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
Slides will be available to download on the day of the webinar

Women Chemists of Color: National Chemistry Week Networking Event
2022-10-21 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
October 21 @ Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required
Flyers: Topics covered | View speakers

The ACS Women Chemists Committee continues its 95th anniversary celebration during National Chemist Week 2022. A special panel of renown women chemists who will lead discussions on three topics (see below). Come connect with your peers in the chemical enterprise, hear inspiring stories, and exchange information. We hope you will join us.
Breakout room topics:

Exploring and implementing self-care strategies as a woman of color in chemistry
Being your authentic self in your professional life
Building your army for battle between cultural expectations and career advancement

Addressing Sustainability Challenges with Earth Abundant Metal Catalysis
2022-10-27 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Paul Chirik, Edward S. Sanford Professor, Princeton University and Editor-in-Chief, Organometallics
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Office of Sustainable Development, Organometallics
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

How chemists interact with and ultimately use the elements on the periodic table is one of the primary sustainability challenges for the 21st century. Applications ranging from alternative energy to the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and every day products should rely on terrestrially abundant elements such as iron rather than rare ones that have a large environmental footprint associated with mining and purification.
Join Paul Chirik, Edward S. Sanford Professor at Princeton University and Editor-in-Chief of Organometallics as he explores the new chemistry enabled by catalysis with Earth abundant transition metals. Dr. Chirik and his research group strive to discover highly effective catalysts with applications in the pharmaceutical, flavor and fragrance, silicones, energy and polymer science industries and often engage with industrial collaborators. They seek to uncover the unique pathways that enable these transformations, many of which are distinct from precious metals and rely on the unique electronic structures of the first row transition metals. Register now to discover the distinct chemistry enabled by iron and cobalt catalysts and the design principles that were used in catalyst discovery. Learn about real-life applications and broad challenges that confront the field such as air-stable, easily handled precursors, functional group tolerance, ligand design and understanding reaction mechanism.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Director of Sustainable Development, Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal of ACS and is co-produced with the ACS Office of Sustainable Development and Organometallics.
Discover more about the webinar topic including submission details for the planned joint Virtual Special Issue in Organometallics and OPR&D “Advances and Applications in Catalysis with Earth-Abundant Metals.”

What You Will Learn

How to understand your elemental footprint and what is the importance of elemental usage in society
What is the indefensible role of hydrocarbons in our daily lives and what are some approaches to increase the sustainability of our elemental usage and hydrocarbon future
What are the potential frontiers in development of sustainable base-metal catalytic transformations

Webinar Details

Thursday, October 27, 2022 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
Slides will be available to download on the day of the webinar

Microporous and Degradable Polymers for a Sustainable Future
2022-10-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
Prof. Yan Xia, Department of Chemistry, Stanford University
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum (GGPF)
6:30-7:30pm, Online via Zoom, Free/$5 donation, Registration required (Registration deadline: October 26th at 1pm)

Abstract: Innovative polymer chemistry plays an important role in achieving a sustainable future. I will present two types of polymers my lab has developed toward this goal – enabling energy-efficient chemical separations and recyclable thermosets. The first type is microporous ladder-shaped polymers that function as size-sieving membranes for the separation of important gases with minimal energy consumption and environmental impact. We serendipitously discovered an interesting structure-dependent aging behavior for these polymer membranes – separation selectivity is increased considerably over time without losing permeability significantly. By tuning the polymer chain configurations, we have obtained mechanically robust membranes with an unprecedented combination of ultrahigh selectivity and permeability, setting record performance for many gas separations. The second type of polymer is degradable/recyclable thermosets based on dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and cyclic enol ether. An overlooked reactivity of Grubbs catalysts allowed us to synthesize polyDCPD thermosets and composites with a wide range of remarkable mechanical properties, easy processibility, and on-demand degradability. I will present the enabling chemistry for these developments, optimization of material properties and performance, and paths toward real-world applications.
Speaker Background & Research Interests: Yan Xia is an associate professor in the Chemistry department at Stanford University. He grew up in Beijing and received his undergraduate degree from Peking University (’02), MSc from McMaster University (’05), and PhD from Caltech (’10) all in Chemistry, where he was trained under the tutelage of Profs. Bob Grubbs (deceased) and Julie Kornfield. Following his PhD study, he took a well-paid “sabbatical” in industry to work at Dow Chemical as a senior chemist for one and a half years, but decided curiosity-driven rather than application-driven research is at his heart. He then quit the job and transitioned back to academia as a poor postdoc at MIT for a year. He was extremely fortunate to find a job at Stanford and opened his lab there in the chemistry department in the summer of 2013 and became a tenured member of the department in 2020 amidst all the chaos that year. His research interest lies in the design, synthesis, and manipulation of organic materials and polymers. His research group leverages a range of unusual molecular structures and overlooked reactivities to develop innovative soft materials.

Polymers for Medical Applications: An Overview of Polymeric Families and How They are Used to Treat and Diagnose Disease (2-Day Live Virtual Short Course, Nov. 2 & 4)
2022-11-02 - 2022-11-04 | Virtual
Dr. Subbu Venkatraman, Innovations Manager, UC San Diego
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum
Wednesday, November 2 & Friday, November 4. Online via Zoom; early registration $200 (ends Sept 10 at 5pm); regular registration $250 (ends Oct 22 at 5pm); late registration, if space is still available, $300 (ends Oct 30 at 5pm)
Learn more and register

Course Overview

Polymers are increasingly finding use in medicine. Natural, synthetic, and biomimetic polymeric materials will be discussed in the context of the key role they play in advancing medical device technologies. Applications where polymers play a key role include (but are not limited to) biosensing, tissue replacement/repair, drug delivery through the oral and transdermal routes, gene delivery using nanoparticles, and Covid-19 vaccines
This two-day virtual course will address the breadth of different polymeric systems in a wide range of usage areas from medicine and drug delivery to medical devices. Attendees will get an overview of how to evaluate the many medical needs that can be addressed by clever use of polymers. Key takeaways from the course should include: an understanding of which medical devices are functionally dependent on the performance attributes of the polymers used; aspects of designing polymers for specific medical applications including device coatings and use of biomimetic polymers; how to evaluate the merits of using synthetic polymers over naturally-derived polymers for implanted devices; and assessing the ability to modify polymers to enable biodegradable and biostable coatings on devices.
Specific Topics Covered
Introduction to Polymers for Medical Applications; Biocompatibility

Integration of polymers with surrounding tissue; cytotoxicity

Gels, Crosslinked Systems and Stimuli-responsive Hydrogels

Applications: contact lenses, adhesives in patches; triggered drug delivery

Drug/Protein/Gene Delivery; Nanostructured Polymers

Self-assembly; nanocarriers for siRNA and mRNA; COVID-19 and other vaccines

Natural Polymers and Biomimetic Polymers

Proteins; artificial proteins; biomimetic polymers/proteins; collagen, elastin

Biodegradable Polymers

Sutures; fully-degradable implants; biocompatibility of degradation products

Tissue Engineering Scaffolds and Device Coatings

Tissue compatibilization using coatings; functionalized surfaces that help to integrate implants; blood-contacting devices; artificial blood vessels; bio-artificial pancreas

Who should attend:
This course is likely to be of particular interest to scientists and engineers in medical device industries as well as in biotech companies involved in drug or gene delivery/ vaccines/nanomedicine. People working (or desiring to work) in any function that involves polymeric materials (R&D, Design Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Reliability, Materials Procurement, Regulatory Compliance, etc.) but who have not had directly relevant polymer science training are highly likely to benefit. Please note that some familiarity with chemical nomenclature and structure will be helpful, but a degree in chemistry is not a requirement to benefit significantly from this survey course.

Instructor Background
Dr. Subbu Venkatraman has a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Dr. Venkatraman spent about 15 years in materials and biomedical R&D in the USA, working with various applications of polymeric materials, before joining the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore as an Associate Professor in 2000. He was instrumental in starting the Biomaterials effort at NTU and developing the paradigm of research driven by medical needs. He served as Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering for 6 years, before taking over as Chair in 2011. Under his watch the School’s worldwide ranking jumped 41 places to #3 as per the QS rankings, and #1 as per the US News & World Report rankings.
Dr. Venkatraman has published extensively in the field of biomaterials, with a total of 270 publications, with an H-index of 47 and a citation count of 10,000. He also holds 70 patents from a total of 171 applications. His work in biomaterials has led to 3 spin-off companies, with one of them (Amaranth Medical) obtaining substantial series C funding. He has also received the 2014 Singapore President’s Technology Award together with Professor Freddy Boey and Adjunct Professor Tina Wong, for their innovative application of nanostructures and novel drug delivery approach to combat blindness from glaucoma. He is also the co-founder of Peregrine Ophthlamic Pte Ltd and Amaranth Medical Pte Ltd.
Dr. Venkatraman’s National University of Singapore (NUS) research group was most recently interested in designing and modifying materials for biomedical applications, with a focus is on nanotechnological approaches to enhance the efficacy of protein drugs and genes. Today, he is the Innovations Manager for the U.C. San Diego School of Medicine.

Executive Committee Meeting for Silicon Valley Section - November 2022
2022-11-02 19:30 - 21:00 | Virtual
Please contact Chair to attend as a guest.

Nematode Pheromone Extracts as Boosters for Controlling Agricultural Pests in the Soil
2022-11-03 18:00 - 21:00 | Hybrid event – Michael’s at Shoreline, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
Date: Thursday, November 3, 2022.
Time: 6pm Social Hour, 7pm Dinner, 8pm Seminar
Location: Michael’s at Shoreline, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA. Seminar can be viewed online via Zoom.
Cost: $5 “welcome back to an in-person meeting” price
Registration: Registration required
Flyer: View or download

Speaker: Fatma Kaplan, PhD, CEO Pheronym
Abstract: Without pest control, farmers would lose 30-80% of their crops. Farmers have to control pests to feed the growing world population. Recently, Europe banned a huge number of pesticides, leaving farmers in need of eco-friendly pest control solutions. Farmers globally told us that they had limited tools for eco-friendly pest control. This is really close to my heart because my grandparents were farmers. I know how much pest control makes a difference in their harvest. During my postdoc, I discovered the first sex pheromone from a microscopic roundworm called a nematode. Pheromones are communication signals and have been used successfully to control insect pests above ground in the air. My company, Pheronym, is developing pheromones to address the pest control problem.The pheromones we develop are water-soluble and can be used to control pests in the soil. We have two applications. First, we can use pheromones to influence beneficial nematodes that will feed on insect pests. Second, we can treat seeds with pheromones that will repel bad nematodes that attack plant roots. Since pheromones are effective at very low concentrations, our techniques have a very small footprint. Through our pheromones, we are creating a much-needed eco-friendly solution for farmers across the world.
Short bio: Dr. Fatma Kaplan is the co-founder, CEO of Pheronym and Activate Berkeley Fellow & Berkeley Lab Affiliate Cyclotron Road Cohort 2021. She is an entrepreneur and accomplished scientist with experience in both biology and chemistry. She has a Ph.D. in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology and postdoctoral training in Natural Product Chemistry with a focus on isolating biologically active compounds. Dr. Kaplan discovered the first sex pheromone of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and published in Nature in 2008. Then she discovered that pheromones regulate other behaviors in both parasitic and beneficial nematodes. Dr. Kaplan conducted the first agricultural biocontrol experiment in Space at the International Space Station in 2020. She has very high-impact publications and her dissertation was cited in textbooks within 5 years of publication. Dr. Kaplan worked as a scientist at NASA, the National Magnetic Field Laboratory and the US Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Research Service. Dr. Kaplan co-founded Pheronym to bring nematode pheromone technology to the market. Dr. Kaplan believes that nematode pheromone technology will provide effective, non-toxic pest control for farmers and gardeners.

Hidden Polymers – Tips for Finding them Using CAS SciFinderⁿ
2022-11-08 22:00 - 23:00 | Virtual
Polymers are found in almost every material used in our daily life and are important research components in most scientific domains, technologies, or industries, ranging from basic uses in the chemical enterprise to biopolymers and therapeutic polymers. Chemists often need to quickly identify relevant natural and synthetic polymers and their base monomers as well as the literature that describes their preparation and uses.
CAS SciFindern empowers you to quickly find the most relevant, actionable answers that advance your research forward. Whether you are already using CAS SciFindern or considering making the switch, this webinar will help improve your search effectiveness, allowing you to save time, be more creative, and increase confidence in your decision-making.
What You Will Learn

Understand how polymers are curated in the CAS Registry to allow them to be effectively described and discovered
Search for polymers by structure, nomenclature, or molecular formula
Filter search results by important structural characteristics
Efficiently link to literature describing polymeric applications, properties, and preparation

Presenter: Vinit Kunte – ACSI Sr. Customer Success Specialist

Emerging Market and Science Trends in Sustainable Fertilizers Production
2022-11-09 05:00 - 06:00 | Virtual
If you are producing fertilizers, phosphates, or any of our critical agricultural products, you know sustainability is a big challenge. Join us for the latest in phosphate recycling, sustainable ammonia production, and alternative fertilizer production. Gain insight into the latest market, scientific research, and publication trends that reveal the opportunities ahead.
Join Willem Schipper from Willem Schipper Consulting and Lisa Babcock-Jackson from CAS as they reveal opportunities ahead that are reshaping waste management and agriculture efforts.
What You Will Learn

How novel chemistry can unlock phosphate recycling’s hidden business opportunities for both suppliers and buyers
How to move beyond Haber-Bosch for sustainable nitrogen production with new approaches in chemistry

Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales
2022-11-09 18:30 - 20:00 | In-Person in Mountain View at Cuesta Park Group BBQ Areas #1-2, 615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View, CA, United States
Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom, National Geographic photographers-writers
Sponsored by Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
Nov. 9, 7:30-9:00pm, Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center, McCaw Hall, 326 Galvez Street, Stanford
Free, Registration required

Presentation by renowned National Geographic photographer-writer team Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom followed by a panel discussion with leading Stanford researchers.
You are invited to a special evening of art, science, and conservation as renowned National Geographic photographer-writer team Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom share images, videos, and stories from their new book, Bay of Life: From Wind to Whales, followed by a conversation with Stanford scholars about the extraordinary biodiversity and human history of the Monterey Bay region.

3rd Bay Area Chemistry Symposium
2022-11-10 07:00 - 16:00
3rd Bay Area Chemistry Symposium (BACS)
Sponsored by the ACS California and ACS Silicon Valley Sections plus Merck, Genentech, Gilead, Novartis. Maze, AbbVie, and Cytokinetics
Pauley Ballroom, UC-Berkeley, 2495 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA
8:30am-6pm, Learn more and register
View flyer

Empowering Women Scientists: In Your Past, Present, And Future
2022-11-12 09:30 - 11:00 | Virtual
Lucinda Jackson, Author, Business Executive, Scientist
Sponsored by the Women Chemist Committee of the ACS California Section
November 12th, 10:30am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required (Registration deadline: Nov.10th noon)
View/download flyer

Abstract: Lucinda Jackson worked for decades in the male-dominated science world and faced sexism, harassment, and discouragement. But along the way Jackson learned how to empower herself by recognizing and utilizing her past, identifying her vision and core values for decision-making in the present, and intentionally planning for her future Next Acts after a long, structured academic and corporate career. With real-life, personal examples, Jackson shares tried-and-true tips, tricks, and behaviors that worked in overcoming shame, self-blame, and lack of confidence to become an authentic, purposeful leader.
About the Speaker: Lucinda Jackson is the author of two memoirs: Just a Girl: Growing Up Female and Ambitious, about her struggles to succeed in the male-dominated work world, and Project Escape: Lessons for an Unscripted Life, an exploration of freedom after leaving a structured career. Jackson is a PhD scientist and global corporate executive who features on podcasts and radio and has published articles, book chapters, magazine columns, and patents. She is the founder of LJ Ventures, where she speaks and consults on energy and the environment and empowering women in the workplace and in our Next Act.
Connect with Jackson or find her books at: www.lucindajackson.com

RAMP in the Research Lab (ACS Chemical Health & Safety Division Peer-Led Workshop)
2022-11-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Hossain Shadman and Kris Elbein, University of Minnesota
November 13th, 10am-1pm, Online via Zoom, $25 per participant, Registration required

This 3-hour workshop is primarily directed at frontline researchers in academic institutions: graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and undergraduate students.
Learn the principles of the RAMP paradigm through a series of case studies and discussion sessions focused on practicing each of the RAMP steps.
Faculty and safety staff are also encouraged to attend to learn strategies to better prepare the student researchers on their campuses for risk management of their experimental work.
This workshop is designed to be highly interactive, both to encourage networking among our participants and to support participants in developing functional plans to take back to their institutions. We utilize the Zoom platform to support both large group and small group activities. Those who have reported the workshop as useful are also those who heavily engaged. The participants add value to this workshop as much, if not more than, the organizers!
While we certainly understand that the unevenness of Internet connectivity and the challenges of work-from-home can serve as barriers, we strongly advise you to come to this workshop prepared to engage with mics and cameras on! If this is not possible, we ask that you engage via the chat function.
While this workshop has been designed from a US perspective, we have had participants from multiple countries report that they found it useful as well! This international audience is just one more reason why the interactivity among participants is so vital to the success of the workshop for all participants!
This workshop is brought to you by the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety as one of two workshops in the ACS CHAS Peer Led Workshop Series. To learn more about the Division and the ACS CHAS Peer Led Workshop Series, please visit our main website at dchas.org.

Award-Winning Science: Exploring the Work of Recent Nobel Prizes Winners in CAS SciFinderⁿ
2022-11-16 06:00 - 07:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by CAS
Offered three times on November 16th: 1-2am, 7-8am, 1-2pm. Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

In this session, we will highlight the recently announced Nobel Prize-winning science of 2022 recipients and its applications within CAS SciFindern.
What you will learn:

Examine the publications by Nobel Prize Laureates in chemistry, physics, and/or medicine.
See how the research of these scientists has inspired others, resulting in further innovations based on their work.

Stanford University Mass Spectrometry's 2022 Research Applications Symposium (SUMS-RAS 2022)
2022-11-16 08:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by Stanford University Mass Spectrometry
November 16th, 9am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required
View abstracts and speaker bios | Event Website
SUMS-RAS 2021 recordings are viewable on demand

Stanford University Mass Spectrometry’s 2022 Research Applications Symposium, Mass Spec: The Voyage Home, will transport scientists from around the world for a virtual visit with Stanford’s mass spectrometry community, sharing our exciting campus research and resources featuring these speakers:
Dr. Yuqin Dai, Director, ChEM-H Metabolomics Knowledge Center, Stanford University. Metabolomics Knowledge Center: Open Access LC/MS Facility To Support Life Science Research
Dr. Ruth Huttenhain, Incoming Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Stanford University. Mapping the Diversity in Spatiotemporal Regulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors
Dr. Christie Jilly-Rehak, Research Scientist/Lab Manager, SHRIMP-RG Lab, Stanford University. Dynamic SIMS at Stanford: Applications in Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry using the NanoSIMS and the SHRIMP-RG Instruments
Dr. Chris Lock, Clinical Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University. Exhaled Breath Analysis for Metabolic Profiling, Drug Levels, and Biomarker Discovery
Dr. Parag Mallick, Associate Professor, Dept. of Radiology, Stanford University. Quantifying the Reproducibility of Proteogenomic Analyses using a Semantically Aware Discovery Engine
Dr. Sharon Pitteri, Associate Professor, Dept. of Radiology, Stanford University. Intact Glycopeptide Analysis of Human Tissue and Fluid Samples for Cancer Detection
Dr. Karrie Weaver, Technical Director, SIGMA Lab Facility, Stanford University. Mass Spectrometry in Space and Time: Using ICPMS to Characterize Materials Across Disciplines and Through the Ages
Dr. Shouling Xu, Research Scientist, Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science. Making Invisible Visible

More Than an Oil Change: Industrial Lubricants and Electric Vehicle
2022-11-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Neil Canter, Tech Advisor, Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE)
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Green Chemistry Institute
November 16th, 11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

The move from internal combustion engines (ICE) to battery powered electric vehicles (EV) will not just reduce our reliance on automotive lubricants like motor oil, but also affect the use of industrial lubricants required for manufacturing EVs and other more sustainable propulsion systems.
Join Neil Canter, Tech Advisor for the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, as he discusses why EVs require less lubricants for both manufacturing and maintenance and indicates that the chemical industry will need to adapt to a decrease in demand for motor oil and other lubricants commonly used in the manufacture of ICE vehicles.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by David Constable, Science Director of the Green Chemistry Institute at ACS and is co-produced with the ACS Green Chemistry Institute.
What You Will Learn

Why battery electric vehicles are more efficient and generate fewer emissions than internal combustion engine powered vehicles
Why battery electric vehicles require fewer parts simplifying their manufacture
How the chemical industry can adapt to reduced demand for industrial lubricants from the automotive industry

Webinar Details

Wednesday, November 16, 2022 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
The slides will available for download on the day of the event

Co-Producer

ACS Green Chemistry Institute

Chemistry Tools to Help Achieve Zero World Hunger
2022-11-18 09:00 - 10:30 | Virtual
Michael Appell, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Omowunmi “Wunmi” Sadik, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Dept., New Jersey Institutes of Technology
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Committee on Science, ACS Agricultural & Food Chemistry Division
November 18th, 10:00am-11:30am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Without a profound change in the global food and agriculture system, the world is not on track to achieve the United Nation’s goal of Zero Hunger by 2030, which aims to nourish the more than 690 million people who are hungry today. To feed the almost 10% of the world population suffering from starvation, we must safely increase agricultural productivity and sustainable food production with innovative cutting-edge technology.
Join us for the second Frontier Friday broadcast of 2022 as Research Chemist, Michael Appell of the U.S. Department of Agriculture discusses recent computational approaches to designing and synthesizing novel food protection against mycotoxins and Distinguished Professor and Chair, Omowunmi “Wunmi” Sadik of the New Jersey Institutes of Technology discusses advances in ChemBiosensors and Sustainable Nanotechnology that combat plant based pathogenic microbes.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by past ACS President H.N. Cheng and Mike Morello of ACS ComSci & ACS AGFD and is co-produced with the ACS Committee on Science and the ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry as part of the 2022 Frontier Fridays series.

What You Will Learn

How mycotoxins and pathogenic microbes impact the safety of the world’s food supply
How novel technology and new methods can detect and reduce exposure to mycotoxins and pathogenic microbes in food and beverages
How a combination of nanotechnology, analytical chemistry, predictive modeling, and materials science are being used to combat food contamination

Webinar Details

Friday, November 18, 2022 @ 1-2:30pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
Slides will be available to download on the day of the webinar

Kid Makers: Pop Up Chemistry
2022-11-19 15:00 - 16:00 | In-person (Redwood City Public Library-Downtown Library), 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA, 94063, United States
Sponsored by Redwood City Public Library (RCPL) and Silicon Valley ACS
3-4pm, Free, Held in the RCPL Downtown Library’s Makerspace area,
1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063. Learn more
View/download flyer

Middle school scientists explore different aspects of chemistry! Once a month, join members of the ACS and take part in hands on experiments. This program will take place in the Makerspace.

Metals, Alloys, and Salts – Mining a Wealth of Inorganic Chemistry with CAS SciFinderⁿ
2022-11-22 21:00 - 22:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by CAS
10-11pm, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required
From mining to paints and pigments, to microchips, a tremendous number of industries rely heavily on inorganic chemicals that serve as catalysts, pigments, coatings, surfactants and more. Improved understanding of the behavior and analogs of inorganic molecules, as well as the most viable techniques for their modification, separation and utilization in effective industrial applications is essential to productive and efficient chemical and materials research. This absolutely requires access to comprehensive, timely and high-quality literature.
CAS SciFindern empowers you to quickly find the most relevant, actionable answers that advance your research forward. Whether you are already using SciFindern or considering making the switch, this webinar will help improve your search effectiveness, allowing you to save time, be more creative, and increase confidence in your decision making.
What You Will Learn

Explore the wealth of available content for non-carbon-based chemistry including simple salts, mixed metal oxides, alloys, ceramics as well as their properties
Employ techniques to easily locate difficult to find metal complexes and other coordination compounds.
Control structure search precision and use literature indexing concepts to identify unique applications using inorganics more effectively as catalysts, nano-structured materials and more.

Instructor: Vinit Kunte – ACSI, Senior Customer Success Specialist

Sustainable Polymer Designs via Robust Dynamic Covalent Bonds
2022-12-06 17:30 - 18:30 | Virtual
Prof. Zhibin Guan, Chemistry Dept., UC Irvine
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum (GGPF)
6:30 PM Online via Zoom, Registration required. Learn more and register

Abstract:
This talk will discuss our recent progress in developing sustainable thermoset polymers that are strong, self-healing, malleable, and recyclable by using robust while dynamic boron-oxygen (B–O) and silyl ether (Si–O) bonds. Our goal for this project is to develop a universal strategy for the design of sustainable polymeric materials. Specifically, we aim to combine the excellent attributes of both thermoplastics (reprocessability and recyclability) and thermosets (mechanical strength, creep and solvent resistances) through dynamic covalent chemistry. We have particularly focused on developing covalent interactions that can lead to thermosets that are mechanically strong, highly malleable, and also both fully reprocessable and recyclable. In this talk, I will summarize our recent progress in this project with specific focus on our investigation of sustainable thermosets using boron-oxygen (B–O), silyl ether (Si–O–C), and siloxane (Si–O–Si) exchange reactions. A successful demonstration of robust, malleable, and reprocessable/recyclable thermosets will have major impact on new materials development, plastic recycling and sustainability, and modern technologies including additive manufacturing.
Speaker Background & Research Interests:
Zhibin Guan obtained his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Peking University. He received his Ph.D. degree in 1994 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Following a postdoctoral stint at Caltech and a short career at DuPont, in 2000 he joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry at UC Irvine as an assistant professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2004, and to Full Professor in 2006. From 2006, he also became affiliated faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and the Department of Material Science at UC Irvine. He has received recognition of his research with several awards and fellowships, including the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship, the Humboldt Bessel Research Award, the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the NSF CAREER Award, the Beckman Young Investigator Award, and was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research work has been featured many times in scientific journals and also in news sources such as C&EN News, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Forbes, etc. He served as the Chair for the 2018 Bioinspired Materials Gordon Research Conference in Les Diablerets, Switzerland.

Trade Secrets and Economic Espionage in the 21st Century
2022-12-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Bill Leckrone, Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Co-sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Advocacy, and ACS Industry Member Programs
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Historically, economic espionage has targeted defense-related and high-tech industries, but recent cases have shown that no industry, large or small, is immune to the threat. Any company with a proprietary product, process, or idea can be a target; any unprotected trade secret is vulnerable to theft by those who wish to illegally obtain innovations to increase their market share at a victim company’s expense.

Join Special Agent Bill Leckrone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as he shares his knowledge and experience as lead investigator in nationally notable cases such as 2016’s “Natural Look” and 2022’s “Coca-Cola Chemist”. Register now to discover the details of a case on economic espionage at a chemical facility and threats to the chemical sector.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Rebekah Paul of the American Chemical Society and is co-produced with ACS Advocacy and ACS Industry Member Programs.

What You Will Learn

What are some of the best practices to protect your company from economic espionage
How data loss prevention tools can save a company’s trade secrets
The importance of building a security centered culture and why the “See something, say something” concept is important

Webinar Details

Thursday, December 8, 2022 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
The slides will not be shared per speaker’s request

New Science, Persistent Problems: What the World Needs Now from Universities
2022-12-12 09:30 - 11:00 | Virtual
Co-sponsored by Stanford Impact Labs and the White House
10:30am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

An Evidence Forum Co-Hosted by Stanford Impact Labs and the White House
The United States faces converging economic, social, and health challenges that are exacerbating inequality in our communities and country. As local, state, and federal government leaders respond with new money and new programs, there is an urgent need for cutting-edge social science and research to inform how solutions are shaped and resources are directed.
On December 12, 2022 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm PST, the White House and Stanford Impact Labs will host a lively, online conversation on what universities and colleges can do to spur research—designed with government and community involvement from the start—that can generate evidence and insights for today’s toughest social challenges.
The session is part of the White House Year of Evidence for Action and a series of Evidence Forums the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Office of Management and Budget are co-hosting with nonprofit and academic organizations to spur “research-based evidence that can make life healthier, safer, more equitable, and more prosperous for the American public.”
The conversation will feature remarks from:

Alondra Nelson, Deputy Assistant to the President, and Deputy Director for Science and Society, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Christina Ciocca Eller, Assistant Director for Evidence and Policy, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Jeremy M. Weinstein, Faculty Director, Stanford Impact Labs

And a lively, moderated conversation with:

Bryan Walsh, Editor, Vox Future Perfect (moderator)
Anna Harvey, President, Social Science Research Council
Lisa Morrison Butler, Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer, Results for America
Shelly Ver Ploeg, Food Assistance Branch Chief, Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture
Jim Shelton, Chief Investment and Impact Officer, Blue Meridian Partners

Speakers will share new ways in which governments, universities, and foundations are investing in, and supporting, research partnerships and examine what more is necessary to realize a world where everyone is afforded the equal promise of America.
Join the conversation on December 12, 2022.

Optimizing Pharmaceutical Powder Characterization: 5 Key Techniques
2022-12-13 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
Brian Rodenhausen, Ph.D., Anton Paar
Co-sponsored by C&EN Webinars and Anton Paar
10am-11am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Many parameters, both internal and external, influence the behavior of pharmaceutical powders. Understanding why and how is the first step in optimizing your process for developing novel pharmaceutical powders.

This webinar will focus on 5 key techniques for characterizing pharmaceutical powders including methods for analyzing surface area, particle size, density, and flow. Anton Paar Lead Scientist Brian Rodenhausen, Ph.D. will walk you through each of these techniques, explaining both the application as well as key developments in the technology and instrumentation.

After the webinar, you will have a better understanding of how powder characteristics combine with environmental elements to impact your powders during all stages – from synthesis to formulation to tablet production.

Key Learning Objectives:

How to improve the accuracy and consistency of solid dosage forms
How humidity and temperature changes affect pharmaceutical powders
How accurate density measurements speed up the tableting process

Who Should Attend:

Laboratory Managers
Research Scientists
Formulations Scientists
QC/QA Engineers

Chemistry and the Economy: Break In Case of Emergency!
2022-12-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
Paul Hodges, New Normal Consulting, and Bill Carroll, Carroll Applied Science
Co-sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Business Development & Management Division, and ACS Industry Member Programs
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

War, plague, famine, and inflation. The four horsemen of the apocalypse continue to ride across the globe and the signs of a looming recession are growing as companies and governments decide how to weather the approaching storm.

Join us as Paul Hodges of New Normal Consulting and Bill Carroll of Carroll Applied Science share data and their observations on what is affecting the economy, what are the difficulties that lie ahead, and how things will look a lot different when we come out the other side.
This ACS Webinar is co-produced with ACS Industry Member Programs and ACS Division of Business Development and Management.

What You Will Learn

How long will the recession last and what type of planning will be key to the success given today’s levels of volatility
How China is changing and what will be the global impact of a potential real estate bubble bursting
How will social unrest, food shortages, and the rise in essential goods contribute to market instability

Webinar Details

Thursday, December 15, 2022 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
The slides will available for download on the day of the event

Executive Committee Meeting for Silicon Valley Section - December 2022
2022-12-15 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual

From Picking Stones in Sand to Inventing Skin-like Electronics that will Change the Future of Electronics: A Conversation with Professor Zhenan Bao
2022-12-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions
5-6pm, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What’s the secret to innovation? How do scientific findings transfer to the real world? Professor Zhenan Bao, K.K. Lee Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University and former department chair of Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, sits down with Scott Rozelle, the Helen F. Farnsworth Senior Fellow and the co-director of Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions, to answer these questions and more. Born in China, Professor Bao moved to the U.S. during college and rose to become a leading scientist and professor of chemical engineering whose work pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in fundamental science. During the conversation, she will share how she became who she is today, her thoughts on Stanford’s culture of innovation, and her passion for mentoring the next generation of innovators.
About the speakers:
Zhenan Bao is K.K. Lee Professor of Chemical Engineering, and by courtesy, a Professor of Chemistry and a Professor of Material Science and Engineering at Stanford University. Bao founded the Stanford Wearable Electronics Initiate (eWEAR) in 2016 and serves as the faculty director.
Prior to joining Stanford in 2004, she was a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies from 1995-2004. She received her Ph.D in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 1995. She has over 700 refereed publications and over 100 US patents with a Google Scholar H-Index 190.
Bao has received notable recognition for her work in chemical engineering. Most recently, she was the inaugural recipient of the VinFuture Prize Female Innovator 2021, the ACS Chemistry of Materials Award 2022, MRS Mid-Career Award in 2021, AICHE Alpha Chi Sigma Award 2021, ACS Central Science Disruptor and Innovator Prize in 2020, and the Gibbs Medal by the Chicago session of ACS in 2020.
Bao is a co-founder and on the Board of Directors for C3 Nano and PyrAmes, both are silicon-valley venture funded start-ups. She serves as an advising Partner for Fusion Venture Capital.
Scott Rozelle is the Helen F. Farnsworth Senior Fellow and the co-director of Stanford Center on China’s Economy and Institutions in the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research at Stanford University. For the past 30 years, he has worked on the economics of poverty reduction. Currently, his work on poverty has its full focus on human capital, including issues of rural health, nutrition and education. For the past 20 year, Rozelle has been the chair of the International Advisory Board of the Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Most recently, Rozelle’s research focuses on the economics of poverty and inequality, with an emphasis on rural education, health and nutrition in China. In recognition of this work, Dr. Rozelle has received numerous honors and awards. Among them, he became a Yangtse Scholar (Changjiang Xuezhe) in Renmin University of China in 2008. In 2008 he also was awarded the Friendship Award by Premiere Wen Jiabao, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a foreigner.

Silicon Valley Executive Committee Meeting
2023-01-10 18:30 - 20:00 | Virtual
7:30-9:00pm, Online via Zoom, Free, To attend as a guest, please contact the Chair
