SVACS

An Evolutionary Mystery: Mirror Asymmetry in Life and in Space (Rebroadcast)
2022-08-18 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Brett McGuire, National Radio Astronomy Observatory; and Ryan Fortenberry, University of Mississippi
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Astrochemistry Subdivision
August 18, 11am-Noon PT, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Most molecules used by life exist in two forms that are mirror images of each other. One of the great unanswered questions in our evolutionary history is why all life on Earth, and their critical biological molecules like amino acids and proteins, use only one “hand” of these forms. Sugars are exclusively right-handed, amino acids are left-handed, and even DNA coils into right-handed helices. What clues can we glean from molecules in space to discover the possible interstellar origins of this “homochirality?”
Join Astrochemist Brett McGuire of currently the McGuire Group at MIT to find out how chemists are using state-of-the-art tools to peer into the center of our galaxy for the answers!

What You Will Learn

What is the impact of homochirality on biology and chemical evolution
What are the potential origins of homochirality and what are the challenges in studying possible interstellar origins
What was the first detection of a chiral interstellar molecule and what are the challenges associated with measuring a potential chiral excess in space

Webinar Details

Thursday, August 18, 2022 @ 2–3pm ET
Free to Register with ACS ID
Slides will be available to download on the day of the webinar

Extreme Mechanics of Soft Functional Materials
2022-08-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Prof. Lihua Jin, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum
August 16, 6-7pm, Online via Zoom, Free/$5 Donation, Registration required (Deadline Aug. 15@1pm)

Soft robotics and stretchable electronics are transforming the fields of robotics and biomedical devices, in that they are capable of sustaining large deformation and interacting safely with fragile objects and human beings. Soft functional materials, as the building blocks of soft robotics and stretchable electronics, are typically subjected to extreme mechanical conditions, such as large deformation, cyclic loading, and fracture. In this seminar, I will present our recent progress in modeling and charactering extreme mechanics of soft functional materials. Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are special polymers combining cross-linked elastomers with rod-like liquid crystal mesogens, aligning in a certain direction, called the director. Combining theory and experiments, we show that the directors of a LCE can reorient with stress in a highly rate-dependent manner. We further investigate the coupling between stress and director fields at a crack tip, and observe significant and highly inhomogeneous director rotation, resulting in crack-tip stress and strain distributions of LCEs distinct from those of regular elastomers. Stretchable carbon nanotube electrodes are used in various stretchable electronic devices. When deformed, they show characteristic resistance–strain hysteresis. We use coarse-grained molecular simulations together with experiments to unravel the microstructural origin of the resistance–strain hysteresis. Finally, we study fracture of thin conducting/semiconducting films. We have developed a new testing methodology to measure the fracture energy of free-standing ultrathin films. We further demonstrate that the fracture strain of a thin film is not an intrinsic material property, but can be significantly augmented by tuning interfacial properties.
Speaker Background & Research Interests:

Lihua Jin is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Before joining UCLA in 2016, she was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. In 2014, she obtained her PhD degree in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University. Prior to that, she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Fudan University in 2006 and 2009. Jin’s group conducts research on mechanics of soft materials, stimuli-responsive materials, instability and fracture, soft robotics, and biomechanics. Lihua was the winner of Haythornthwaite Research Initiative Grant from American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2016, Extreme Mechanics Letters Young Investigator Award in 2018, Hellman Fellowship in 2019, UCLA Faculty Career Development Award in 2020, and NSF CAREER Award in 2021.

Frontier Fridays: Putting Sustainable Chemistry to Work in Manufacturing
2022-08-12 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual
Prof. Mark Mascal, University of California at Davis; Prof. Ryan Lively, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Committee on Science, and ACS Office of Sustainable Development
Augusts 11, 10-11:30am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Building a more sustainable future requires research innovations, but equally important is translating that research into technical solutions for industrial manufacturers where it can have a practical impact. “Frontier Fridays” returns to explore the science that will revolutionize the future of the human race.
Mark Mascal at the University of California Davis (a 2022 EPA Green Chemistry Challenge Award winner) will describe his work with Origin Materials, Inc. in developing and implementing a novel technology to replace chemicals commonly made from petroleum with products derived from forestry, agricultural and municipal wastes. This technology could change the environmental impact of the plastics industry, among others, by supplying chemical feedstocks that are both net zero-carbon and recyclable.
Modern chemical manufacturing depends upon purification via chemical separations and most industrial separations are achieved with energy-intensive, thermally driven processes (e.g., distillation) that account for 10-15% of global energy usage. Dr. Ryan P. Lively at Georgia Tech will describe how his research team and collaborators developed the first polymeric membranes for crude oil fractionation, an extremely complex hydrocarbon separation process that is vital to the production of modern fuels and chemicals. This new approach could drastically reduce the energy needed for industrial separations.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Adelina Voutchkova, Director for Sustainable Development at ACS, and is co-produced with the ACS Committee on Science and the ACS Office of Sustainable Development as part of the 2022 Frontier Fridays series.

What You Will Learn

How biomass waste is being used to make plastics that are net zero-carbon and recyclable
How innovative new materials can dramatically reduce energy use for industrial separations processes
How innovative scientists are working with industry to put these new discoveries to work for society

Executive Committee Meeting for Silicon Valley Section - August 2022
2022-08-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Virtual
Please contact Chair to attend as a guest.

Starting a Company: How to Set Up Essential Business Contracts (ACS Webinar)
2022-07-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Jim Verdonik, Innovate Capital
July 28, 11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Do you want to start a new company based on your research discovery, a new technology, or innovative service? Prepare yourself to enter into LOTS of contracts. There are licensing agreements with your university, shareholder agreements with your co-founders, conflict-of-interest and conflict-of-commitment agreements, funding terms and conditions with investors, employment contracts and many, many more.
Join Professional Corporate and Securities Attorney Jim Verdonik of Innovate Capital as he helps you navigate the intricacies of these various indispensable contracts and prepares you to carefully consider their implications for you and your new company.
Part 8 of our series on Starting a Company is moderated by Jim Skinner of Terregena Inc. and ACS SCHB and 2015 ACS President Diane Grob Schmidt of the University of Cincinnati. This event will have special introductions from 2021 ACS President H.N. Cheng of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and 2022 ACS President Angela Wilson of Michigan State University, and is co-produced with the ACS Division of Small Chemical Businesses and the ACS Division of Business Development & Management.

Polymeric Fibers with Novel Antibacterial and Antiviral Functions
2022-07-20 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
Prof. Gang Sun, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of California, Davis
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum
6:30-7:30pm, Online via Zoom, Free/$5 donation, Registration required (Registration deadline: July 19, 1pm)

Abstract:
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous consequences to the economy and human life in the world. Personal protective equipment (PPE), especially a face mask, is a basic tool for protection of professionals and the public from infection by the disease. The PPE materials are defensive barriers that can block penetrations of and reduce personal exposure to pathogens. However, the pathogens can still survive on surfaces of PPE for days and weeks, allowing potential cross-contamination and causing human infections. Thus, the use of antibacterial and antiviral materials in PPE have been considered as an effective tool to inactivate the pathogens on the surfaces, and consequently improve protection from disease. Additionally, the daily use and consumption of face masks have brought about demand for reusability of PPE. Durability of antibacterial functionality would be a necessary feature for the reuse of the biological protective PPE materials.
In this presentation, desired biological protective functions on PPE are discussed. Two approaches, halamines and photo-sensitizers that can produce reactive oxygen species, are discussed as sample biocides to be considered in the development of reusable biological protective PPEs. The daylight-induced antiviral and antibacterial materials may serve as an example to be employed in reusable and antiviral face masks.
Speaker background and research interests:
Gang Sun is a professor at UC Davis, and has been conducting research on materials, polymer/textile chemistry, and nanotechnologies since 1995, including development of novel antibacterial textiles and polymers for biological protections. Chlorine rechargeable and daylight-induced / photo-induced biocidal materials have been applied or are in the process to be employed in medical, chemical, and biological applications. Additionally, a high-throughput production process for thermoplastic nanofibers and membrane materials with chemical and biological protective functions was developed in the group. Personal-use highly sensitive and selective colorimetric and electrical sensors for pesticides and toxicants were prepared based on nanofibrous membranes. More recently, a new cooling media with non-meltable, reusable, and biodegradable features was invented in the group. Dr. Sun is a recipient of the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation and the Olney Medal from American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), and is the Editor-in-Chief of AATCC Journal of Research. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles.

ACS Silicon Valley Annual Picnic and Awards Ceremony
2022-07-16 16:00 - 19:00
Please join us for our annual picnic and awards ceremony!
Registration: Advanced registration required. Registration deadline is July 13, 2022.
Cost: $5 for adults, free for children.
Date: Saturday, July 16, 2022 (download flyer)
Time: 4:00-7:00 pm
4:00-5:00 pm: Beer and Wine Tasting (Altamont Beer Works and Picchetti Wines)
5:00-6:00 pm: Dinner Catered by Armadillo Willy’s
6:00-7:00 pm: Awards for Long-time Members and the Radding Award Winner
Location: Cuesta Park, Group BBQ Area #1-2, 615 Cuesta Dr, Mountain View, CA 94040 (view map) (get directions)
Your safety is our priority. After careful consideration, CDC guidelines, scientific advice, and the ongoing issue of variants, we request
all attendees self-certify their vaccine status and encourage all attendees to wear face coverings during the event while not eating or drinking.
We look forward to seeing you!

Are Hazardous Chemical Facilities Prepared for More Natural Disasters Due to Climate Change? (ACS Webinar)
2022-07-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Krista Mantsch, U.S. Government Accountability Office; and Russell Pfifer, WC Environmental, LLC.
July 7, 2022, 11-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

There are over 11,000 facilities across the United States that handle hazardous chemicals, such as chemical manufacturers and water treatment plants. These facilities face hazards from flooding, rising sea levels, storm surges, wildfires, and other natural disasters that are increasing in frequency due to climate change. According to the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), at least 31% of these facilities are already in areas with increased risk from some of these adverse weather events. However, the US Environmental Protection Agency does not consistently assess how they are preparing for the next natural disaster.
Join Senior Analyst Krista Mantsch from GAO’s Natural Resources and Environment team and the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety (CHAS) to learn how chemical facilities can increase their resilience to climate change, including what to consider when updating their existing Risk Management Plans (RMP).
This ACS Webinar is co-produced with the US Government Accountability Office, ACS Chemical Health & Safety, and ACS Advocacy.

47th National Organic Chemistry Symposium
2022-06-26 - 2022-06-30
Sponsored by the ACS Organic Chemistry Division
La Jolla Marriott, California.
Learn more

The National Organic Chemistry Symposium is the premier event sponsored by the Division of Organic Chemistry to highlight recent advances in organic chemistry, and provides a breadth of programming and opportunities that you won’t want to miss. Please plan to join us in 2022!

The Circular Economy of Polymers & Recycling Technologies: Inventing a Sustainable Future in Partnership with Nature
2022-06-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Dr. John C. Warner, Senior Vice President, Chemistry, Distinguished Research Fellow, Zymergen Corporation
A joint event of the Golden Gate Polymer Forum and ACS Silicon Valley Section
Thursday, June 23, 2022, 6:00 PM. Free/$5 donation. Registration required by Wednesday, June 22, 2022, at 1:00 PM. When registering, please indicate your primary affiliations: GGPF, ACS, or both. View and share flyer.
Abstract:
The natural world is a beautiful and intricate system of intertwined and overlapping materials ecosystems that co-emerged over 3.8 billion years in the presence of one another. The vast majority of industrial products and processes have developed relatively independent of each other, not symbiotically as adjacent processes. This pattern of disconnection is not sustainable over the long run. The pathway to create technological ecosystems will require the inventive application of biomimicry and green chemistry – the molecular level mechanistic underpinnings of sustainability. This presentation will describe mechanisms in nature that we should consider when designing the human-built world. Illustrative examples of practical real world deployments will be presented.

Bio:
John is a senior vice president of chemistry and distinguished research fellow at the Zymergen Corporation, where they design and create commercial technologies inspired from nature consistent with the principles of green chemistry.
With over 300 patents, he has invented solutions for dozens of multinational corporations, and his inventions have served as the basis for several new companies. John is a cofounder of the field of green chemistry, coauthoring the defining text and articulating 12 principles of green chemistry. He has been involved with foundational work in the fields of noncovalent derivatization, polymer photochemistry, metal oxide semiconductors, and synthetic organic chemistry. John has received many prestigious international awards, including: named by ICI Services as one of the most influential people impacting the global chemical industries; elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society; named one of “25 Visionaries Changing the World” by Utne Reader; and in 2017 the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and The Technical University of Berlin announced “The John Warner Center for Green Chemistry Start-Ups” in his honor. He serves as Distinguished Professor of Green Chemistry at Monash University in Australia and as the Global Chair for the Center for Sustainable and Circular Technologies at the University of Bath.
John received his BS in Chemistry from UMass Boston, and his PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University. After working at the Polaroid Corporation for nearly a decade, he served as tenured full professor at UMass Boston and Lowell in Chemistry and Plastics Engineering. In 2007, along with Jim Babcock he founded the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, a research organization developing green chemistry technologies. With Amy Cannon, he founded Beyond Benign, a non-profit dedicated to sustainability and green chemistry education. He now advises several international organizations and in 2020 began working with the Zymergen Corporation.

Executive Committee Meeting for Silicon Valley Section - June 2022
2022-06-15 16:00 - 17:30 | Virtual

The 26th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference
2022-06-06 - 2022-06-08 | Hybrid event – Michael’s at Shoreline, 2960 N. Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
Sponsored by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute
Held in Reston, Virginia and Online (fully hybrid meeting for speakers and attendees)
Learn more

Hosted by the American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute (ACS GCI), the GC&E Conference is the longest-running global conference dedicated to green chemistry and engineering. The conference sessions span the breadth and depth of green and sustainable chemistry and engineering, with a special focus on the 2022 theme Thinking in Systems: Designing for Sustainable Use.
GC&E will be a hybrid event this year. Our in-person event will be held June 6-8, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, Virginia. All in-person attendees, staff and exhibitors are required to be fully vaccinated at the time of the event.
Virtual presenters and attendees will be able to participate in sessions through our virtual platform during the conference. In addition, our GC&E Fridays leading up to the Conference week will kick off the conference with live sessions for all attendees.

Fire and Polymers - 2022
2022-06-05 - 2022-06-08
“Fire and Polymers – 2022” to be held at the Embassy Suites, Napa, CA will bring together chemists, material scientists, and fire safety scientists to discuss the newest advances and unsolved problems in this multidisciplinary field of research. This workshop covers applied chemistry, chemical-focused materials science, chemical structure-property relationships, and fire safety science/engineering research and development topics. This was previously a symposium offered every four years at various ACS national meetings, but has outgrown a national meeting symposium format.

Objectives

The objectives of this workshop are as follows:

Provide state-of-the-art presentations on the current status of, and recent advancements in, flame retardancy of polymeric materials

Bring together leading research scientists and engineers in this field from around the world to foster networking and stimulate collaborative research. New insights and new advances will be made through these connections.

Promote better awareness of the utility of and opportunities for flame retardants in many applications to all participants (academic, industrial, and government).

Grow-Give-Gain: The Power of ACS Volunteers
2022-05-25 10:00 - 11:00
Diane Krone, ACS Committee on Committees; Julie Smist, ACS Nominations and Elections Committee; Judy Giordon, ACS President-Elect
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Committee on Committees
10-11am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

How and why you should get involved in ACS governance
What are the benefits of volunteering to serve on Society Committees
What is your time commitment for serving on a Committee

How to Thrive (Not Just Survive) As A Woman in Today’s World
2022-05-21 10:30 - 11:30 | Virtual
Keda Edwards Pierre, True II Soul Network
Sponsored by the Women’s Chemist Committee of the ACS California Section
10:30am-11:30am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required
View Flyer
Zoom link to be shared with attendees the day of the event. Please register before Thursday, May 19, 2022, 12 noon. Your email address is needed to send the ZOOM link, which will be shared with attendees on or before the day of the event via Brown Paper Tickets. The event is FREE and open to the community. More information: e-mail WCC co-chair Elaine Yamaguchi.

Abstract
So, you’re surviving in this dog-eat-dog world – now what? How do we kick it up a notch? I know, firsthand, what this takes – as a Black female police veteran and an adult survivor of physical, sexual and racial trauma. A life full of challenges taught me a few important lessons – including that trust, adaptability, and authenticity are essential for success. Our achievements correlate with our willingness to be true to who we are, our capacity to trust ourselves and our readiness to release old versions of ourselves to transform our lives.
As women, how do we lead in today’s world? A better question is: How well do you trust your capacity to lead? Success is built on trust, and trust is built on honesty – with yourself and with others. Combine these with authenticity and adaptability for true empowerment – from home to boardroom. I don’t have a magic pill or formula for you. What I offer are unique perspectives, life experiences, hard-won lessons and effective methods. My methods are how I was able to build a successful 27-year policing career – and this is how I was able to leave it (despite many clucking tongues and well-intentioned warnings). I’m now the renaissance woman I always envisioned – as an actor, coach and inspirational speaker. I’m living a life that I should not have by all accounts and most societal rules. What life do you envision for yourself?
I’ll share a 5-Point Self-Check List, also known as my True II Soul ABCs:Alignment, Boots on the Ground, Communication, Care and Creativity. My “tried, tested and true” checklist brings clarity and guidance in pursuit of excellence. Want to kick it up a notch? This is what I live and breathe. Come learn how!
About The Speaker
Keda Edwards Pierre is a renaissance woman who lives a successful, unconventional, and transformative life – which by all accounts and most societal rules, she should not have. She strives to inspire change through action as a thought leader, inspirational speaker and Founder of True II Soul Network (true2soul.com), a collective of professional members and community members that are challenging the status quo around trauma recovery, resiliency development and diversity & inclusion.
A 27-year police veteran, Keda walks the talk of powerful healing and living the life we desire – personally and professionally. Her healing journey, coupled with her diverse training and professional history, is the driving force behind her two-fold mission: to revolutionise how we deal with trauma and create safe and inclusive spaces for this healing work to be done.

Executive Committee Meeting for Silicon Valley Section - May 2022
2022-05-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Virtual

The Flavor Equation: A Conversation with Nik Sharma
2022-05-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
Download and share the colorful poster!

Moderated by Professor Dick Zare, Stanford Chemistry Department
Sponsored by the ACS Silicon Valley Section
7-8pm, Online via Zoom, Free, Register to receive the Zoom link

Abstract: Did you know that sweet potatoes benefit from steaming to break down their stringy fibers and render them spoonable? Or that research shows that roasting the sweet potatoes produces at least 17 more aromatic molecules than boiling or microwaving, and most of them in higher concentrations? Or that doing a little bit of steam and a little bit of roasting is a neat trick to make your sweet potatoes the star of a Thanksgiving dinner?
We are excited to announce that this month, we will have not one but two phenomenal scientist food lovers.
Bio:
Nik Sharma, a molecular biologist turned cookbook author (Season and The Flavor Equation) says, “there are six basic elements that constitute the all-important flavor of a dish: emotion, sight (how a dish looks), sound (how it sounds when you eat it), mouthfeel (texture), aroma, and taste.” Mr. Sharma uses science and chemistry to explain how to manipulate each of these elements, ultimately crafting the final flavor of the dish. Using the tools Mr. Sharma provides, you can master the art and science of cooking.
Professor Richard N. Zare, the moderator of this lively conversation, is the Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor in Natural Science and Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University. Throughout his career, Prof. Zare has made a considerable impact in physical chemistry and analytical chemistry, particularly through the development of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and the study of chemical reactions at the molecular and nanoscale level. LIF is an extremely sensitive technique with applications ranging from analytical chemistry and molecular biology to astrophysics. One of its applications was the sequencing of the human genome. Recently, Prof. Zare has been offering a course to Stanford freshman titled “Chemistry in the Kitchen”. Along with his students, he playfully explores the chemistry that turns foods into meals.
Bring your burning questions about cooking and we will let Mr. Sharma and Prof. Zare transform immutable scientific principles into practical information for food lovers. This evening promises to be fun and enlightening. We look forward to seeing you all there.

ACS Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month - From There to Here: My Asian American Journey
2022-05-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Virtual
Weike Wang, Author and Dianne Xiao, University of Washington
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Respect
9-10am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

Reflections on personal career paths and challenges facing Asian Americans in academia and publishing
How to diversify the portrayals of Asian Americans in art and media
How to bridge the gaps between science and art

* This special broadcast celebrates Asian American Pacific Island Heritage Month that recognizes the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans on the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

Kid Makers: Pop Up Chemistry
2022-05-13 23:00 - 2022-05-14 00:00 | In-Person in Mountain View at Cuesta Park Group BBQ Areas #1-2, 615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View, CA, United States
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Free
Location: Redwood City Public Library (Downtown Library)
1044 Middlefield Road
Redwood City, California 94063

Middle school scientists explore different aspects of chemistry! This program is provided in partnership with the ACS Silicon Valley Section. This program will take place in the Makerspace.

New Approaches to Non-Flammable Polymer Materials and Composites
2022-05-12 03:00 - 04:00 | Virtual
Prof. E. Bryan Coughlin, Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Sponsored by the Golden Gate Polymer Forum
6-7pm, Online via Zoom, Free/$5 Donation, Registration required (Registration deadline May 11th at 1pm)

Abstract:
The hydrocarbon-rich composition of many classes of high volume polymers, such as polyolefins, polyurethanes, and polyesters, makes them highly flammable and poorly suited for installation in confined environments from which rapid egress during a fire would be difficult. Flame retardants, generally in the form of molecular additives, are blended with polymers to produce finished materials that achieve acceptable performance in flammability tests. Such flame retardants typically consist of halogenated molecules (i.e., bromine and/or chlorine-containing) or inorganic salts. Halogenated molecules are problematic from the standpoint of toxicity and associated legislation restrictions, while inorganic additives require high weight percent loadings that compromise the physical properties of polymers. The drawbacks to each of these additive approaches are thus significant and drive the discovery of polymers that are inherently flame retardant due to their mechanism of degradation. Moreover, the polymers generated should have processing characteristics and mechanical properties that make them suitable for further evaluation as materials suitable for a variety of application. Several new classes of patented halogen-free materials have been synthesized and tested that exceed the stringent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) objectives in terms of flammability, and afford some of the lowest measured heat release rates of any hydrocarbon polymers ever made produced. Past accomplishments have yielded impactful results.* Progress toward further advancing fire-safe materials will be presented.
* “How advanced plastics saved lives on Asiana Flight 214” Plastics Today July 9, 2013
Speaker Background:

E. Bryan Coughlin studied chemistry at Grinnell College, and received his B. A. in 1988. Upon the completion of his Doctorate in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1993 under the direction of John Bercaw, he joined the Central Research and Development Department of the DuPont Company in Wilmington Delaware. He is a co-inventor of the DuPont’s Versipol® Polyolefin Technology Platform, and has over 40 patents to his name. Since 1999 Dr. Coughlin has been on the Faculty of the Polymer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where he is currently a Full Professor. He has won a number of research awards including the NSF CAREER award, 3M non-tenured faculty award, and DuPont Young Faculty Award, among others. In 2018 he was elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society. His research interests are broad and cover aspects of synthetic polymer chemistry and material characterization studies of polymers for use in fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, light harvesting polymer for organic photovoltaics, functional hybrid materials, and fire-safe polymers.

Careers in Chemical Safety for Chemists
2022-05-11 20:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Joseph Pickel, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Whitney R. Hess, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Debbie Decker, University of California, Davis (Retired)
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety ACS Committee on Chemical Safety
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

How aspects of the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) profession have evolved over the last decade, especially laboratory and chemical safety focused roles
What skills and credentials chemists interested in the EHS field will need
Opportunities and challenges in switching to the EHS field with a background in chemistry

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program: Postdoctoral and Early Career Opportunities Abroad for Chemists
2022-05-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Jaclyn Assarian, Institute of International Education
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Student & Postdoctoral Scholars Office
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

Background on the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, including program goals and eligibility for grants available for U.S. citizens
Details on awards to all world regions of particular interest to ACS members, particularly those open to postdoctoral researchers and early career academics, that facilitate teaching, research and professional projects abroad
Insight into the application and review process as well as tips for submitting successful applications

Adapting to Climate Change: Insights from Indigenous Peoples
2022-05-10 20:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Nikki Cooley, The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals; Oliver Moles, U.S. Department of Education Research Office (Retired); Mary Sabuda, ACS Office of the Secretary and General Counsel
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Policy, and American Association for the Advancement of Science
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

How climate change is impacting Indigenous Peoples in the United States
The resilience and adaptation strategies Indigenous Peoples are applying within their communities
How to advocate for policy and legislative change as related to climate change in the United States

The 46th Annual David M. Mason Lectures in Chemical Engineering - With Nobel Laureate Dr. Frances H. Arnold
2022-05-10 01:30 - 02:30 | In-Person in Mountain View at Cuesta Park Group BBQ Areas #1-2, 615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View, CA, United States
Lecture Title: Innovation by Evolution: Bringing New Chemistry to Life
Dr. Frances H. Arnold, California Institute of Technology
Sponsored by Stanford’s Department of Chemical Engineering
4:30-5:30pm, Jen-Hsun Huang Building, NVIDIA Auditorium, Free, Learn more

The Department of Chemical Engineering is pleased to invite you attend our 46th Annual David M. Mason Lecture on Tuesday, May 10, from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. The lecture will be held in Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center – Nvidia Auditorium. Our distinguished speaker will be Dr. Frances H. Arnold, California Institute of Technology’s Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry and director of the Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Bioengineering Center.
Speaker Profile:
Dr. Frances Arnold, the Linus Pauling Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry and Director of the Rosen Bioengineering Center at the California Institute of Technology, became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2018) for pioneering directed evolution methods used to make enzymes for applications across medicine, consumer products, agriculture, fuels and chemicals. She was appointed Co-Chair of the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST) by President Biden in 2021. Arnold received the Bower Award in Science in 2019, the Millennium Technology Prize in 2016, the Charles Stark Draper Prize in 2011, and a 2011 National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
She is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and the US National Academies of Science, Medicine, and Engineering; she was appointed to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences by Pope Francis in 2019. Arnold received her B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
Lecture Title & Abstract:
Innovation by Evolution: Bringing New Chemistry to Life
Not satisfied with biology’s vast catalyst repertoire, I want to create new enzyme catalysts and expand the chemistry of life. We use the most powerful biological design process, evolution, to optimize existing enzymes and invent new ones, thereby circumventing our profound ignorance of how sequence encodes function. Chemistry encoded in DNA and optimized by evolution enables efficient, sustainable routes to important fuels and chemicals. Evolution not only optimizes, it can also innovate and create entirely new enzyme catalysts. I will illustrate how whole families of new-to-nature enzymes increase the scope of molecules and materials that can be built using synthetic biology.

Wearables for Health: Smart Bandage and Hydration Sensing
2022-05-09 12:15 - 13:15 | Virtual
Yuanwen Jiang, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University; and Michelle Hoogenhout, Ph.D., Lead Data Scientist, Hydrostasis
Sponsored by Stanford Wearable Electronics Initiative
12:15-1:15pm, Online and in person (Y2E2 Building, Rm. 299), Free, Registration required

Event Details:

“Wireless smart bandage for chronic wound management and accelerated tissue regeneration”
Speaker: Yuanwen Jiang, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University
Abstract: Chronic non-healing wounds represent a major source of morbidity for patients and a significant economic burden. Current wound care treatments are generally passive and are unable to adapt to changes in the wound environment in real time. By integrating multimodal sensors and adding stimulators in a bandage, real-time physiological monitoring is possible and provides an opportunity for active intervention into the complex wound environment. Here, we develop a battery-free flexible bioelectronic system consisting of wirelessly powered, closed-loop sensing and stimulation circuits with tissue-interfacing tough conducting hydrogel electrodes for robust signal transduction, on-demand adhesion, and detachment. Using multiple pre-clinical models, we demonstrate the capability of our wound care system to continuously monitor skin impedance and temperature, to trigger directional electrical stimulation. The accelerated wound closure was confirmed to be due to the activation of pro-regenerative genes linked to accelerated wound closure, increased neovascularization, and enhanced dermal recovery.
“Personalized and reliable hydration detection using a wrist-based photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor”
Speaker: Michelle Hoogenhout, Ph.D., Lead Data Scientist, Hydrostasis
Abstract: Proper hydration and fluid management is challenging, particularly in the elderly and those with heart and kidney failure. The consequences of improper hydration are costly: Dehydration-related conditions accounted for nearly $5.5 billion in hospital charges, according to the 2004 US National Hospital Discharge Survey. Even minimal dehydration, classified as 1-2% loss in total body water, affects physical performance, mood and cognition. Hydration monitoring is therefore also important in professional sport and combat training, where water loss exceeding 2% of total body weight is common. However, because there are currently no reliable, non-invasive instruments to continuously monitor hydration status, consumers and clinicians have to rely on monitoring weight, checking physical signs of dehydration, or taking urine or saliva samples.
The Hydrostasis GecaTM optical wristband monitors tissue hydration levels and provides real-time feedback to users on their hydration status. The wristband uses photoplethysmography (PPG) to detect changes in hemoglobin, lipids and water volume in the tissues. In a pilot study with 54 healthy adults, we found significant differences in water-related PPG signals between non-hydration, hydration and exercise-induced dehydration conditions. Using a binary hydration/non-hydration classifier, we could predict hydration state in new users with 67% precision and 78% recall, and could predict optimal hydration with 72% precision and 96% recall. These results hold promise for continuous, remote monitoring of hydration status. The sensor can be used in a stand-alone device or integrated into existing smartwatches using PPG.
For bios please visit ewear.stanford.edu
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Role of Polymer Science in Water Purification Membranes
2022-05-04 20:00 - 21:30 | Virtual
Abhishek Roy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Geoffrey Geise, University of Virginia
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry
11am-12:30pm, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

Thin film polyamide chemistry
Understanding polymer science parameters (morphology, chemical composition, topology, molecular weight) for RO membranes
Overview of materials for next gen water purification membranes
How thermodynamic factors influence salt transport in desalination membranes
How polymer dynamics can be used to suppress salt transport and enhance the desalination performance of a membrane

ACS Virtual Office Hour – Careers in Government
2022-05-04 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual
Luke Roberson, ACS Career Consultant
Sponsored by ACS Careers
9-10:30am, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Description: Join the ACS for this free Virtual Office Hour session. Open to ACS members and non-members, this virtual session will begin with a presentation led by ACS Career Consultant Luke Roberson, who will be reviewing the ins and outs of chemistry Careers in Government, followed by the opportunity to network in small groups led by ACS Career Consultants.
About Virtual Office Hours
ACS Virtual Office Hours (VOH) are held the first Thursday of every month from 9:00am – 10:30am Pacific Time.
The first half of this 1 ½ hour workshop features a career-related presentation. For the second half of Virtual Office Hours, we will break into small networking sessions led by ACS Career Consultants. In your breakout session you will have the opportunity to:

Ask questions regarding the VOH topic
Network with fellow event attendees
Learn about additional ACS career resources

Taking Earth’s Pulse With Low-Cost Sensors: A Discussion of Opportunities and Obstacles - ACS Publications Webinar
2022-05-04 17:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
More details and registration form

“Low-cost sensors and technologies are transforming earth and environmental sciences, while democratizing access to environmental monitoring that informs interventions, regulations, and pollution prevention. J

Join us with three leaders in this field for the Environmental Science & Technology and ACS Sensors Global Webinar “”Taking Earth’s Pulse with Low-Cost Sensors: A Discussion of Opportunities and Obstacles.” Guests will include Priyanka deSouza (University of Colorado—Denver), Klaus Koren (Aarhus University), and Aleck Wang (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution). Each will present a research synopsis and join a moderated panel discussion.”

Fashion, Pharmaceuticals, Food and Fun: How Color Changed the World
2022-05-04 04:00 - 05:30 | Virtual
Mary Virginia Orna, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at College of New Rochelle
Sponsored by the ACS San Diego Section
7-8:30pm, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

Ways the use of color has evolved over the past 32,000 years and enriched the lives of mankind in numerous ways.

About this event

About the author: Mary Virginia Orna is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at College of New Rochelle. She holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Fordham University. Dr. Orna has lectured and published in the areas of color chemistry and archaeological chemistry. Her 2013 book, The Chemical History of Color, was praised in J.ChemEd and was subsequently rated as the most popular book in the Springer series of that year. Her latest book, March of the Pigments, is scheduled for release by the Royal Society of Chemistry in May of this year.

About the talk: Color has been an exciting and enjoyable part of our lives since the color-sensitive eye evolved since time immemorial. However, the relationship between color, chemistry, and the development of society is far more recent. In this talk, Dr. Orna will trace the history of color usage as a chemical endeavor to help us understand it as a universal part of the human experience. From the cave paintings in the Grotte Chauvet in Southern France to the present day, she will focus on four major areas: fashion, pharmaceuticals, food, and fun.an

The Research Landscape for Green Energy: From Hydrogen Fuel to Solar Cells and Beyond
2022-05-03 20:00 - 21:00 | Virtual
Leilani Lotti Diaz, CAS; Yiying Wu, Ohio State University; Dharik Mallapragada, MIT Energy Initiative
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society
11am-Noon, Online via Zoom, Free, Registration required

What You Will Learn:

Landscape views of research and development in hydrogen fuel energy and lithium-ion battery recycling
Solar cell and rechargeable battery technologies
Systems analysis of hydrogen use
