SVACS

Steeped in Science: The Chemistry Inside Your Perfect Cup of Tea
2025-02-06 11:00 - 12:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
11:00 am-12:15 pm, Online, Free, Registration required

“Billions of cups of tea are drunk each day making it the world’s most popular beverage. Perhaps more impressive, the molecular world of tea contains more than a thousand different chemical compounds, which contribute to its color, taste, and scent – and its stimulating effects.

Join writer and quantum chemist Michelle Francl of Bryn Mawr College as she spills the tea on the rich molecular brew that can be extracted from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Register now to learn the chemistry behind the different styles of tea and how to use science to brew a better cup!
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Coralia Osorio Roa of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and ACS Food Science & Technology and is co-produced with the ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and ACS Publications.

What You Will Learn

What is the role of caffeine in tea
What are the critical flavor components of tea
How you can optimize the process of making a cup of tea”

Webinar Details

Thursday, February 6, 2025 @ 2-3:15pm ET
Free to register with ACS ID
Slides will be available on day of the Live event

Co-Produced With

ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

DNA-mineral interactions at the molecular level: implications for bacterial evolution and ecological inference
2025-02-08 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual
Prof. Karina Krarup Sand, University of Copenhagen
Sponsored by Women Chemists Committee, California ACS Section
10:30 am-Noon, Online, Free, Registration required | Download flyer

Abstract:
“Extracellular DNA (eDNA) in the environment degrades rapidly unless adsorbed onto minerals, which enhances its stability. Currently there are vast amounts of DNA molecules preserved in our sediments. This mineral-bound DNA, although widely used to study past ecosystems, also poses significant implications for bacterial gene acquisition. By utilizing interfacial geochemistry, molecular level and bacterial approaches, this study explores (1) the role of mineral surfaces in DNA preservation in sediments and (2) the potential of soil bacteria to acquire mineral-adsorbed DNA through horizontal gene transfer (HGT).
The findings demonstrate that mineral surface properties substantially impact DNA stability, offering new insights into sedimentary DNA taphonomy. Understanding these interactions can enhance environmental DNA (eDNA) applications for ecosystem. Moreover, our data show that bacterial transformation of mineral-adsorbed DNA can lead to genetic diversity, and is influenced by mineral surface properties. These insights suggest that mineral-facilitated HGT could serve as a pathway for bacterial evolution, potentially affecting gene dispersal over extended temporal and spatial scales. In such an evolutionary scenario mineralogy and interfacial geochemical processes become central to the evolutionary process of maintaining fitness
Speaker Bio:
Karina Krarup Sand, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, specializing in interdisciplinary research. Her work embodies a unique integration of geochemistry, microbiology, and evolutionary biology to understand and address pressing global health and environmental challenges. Sand’s pioneering research in these fields has established her as a leader in the study of processes at the intersection of environmental surfaces and life. Dr. Sand also serves as Chair for Globe’s Diversity Programme.
Her pioneering work in studying bio-mineral interactions at the molecular level has recently provided insight into parameters important for DNA preservation in sediments, and how sediments can be considered spatiotemporal gene archives for bacteria. Her work on studying the mechanisms driving bacterial uptake of genetic material stored on mineral surfaces link sedimentary processes to bacterial evolution. The work also provides an explanation for the observed extensive dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in our environment and is directly relevant for mitigation strategies.
She is an advocate for collecting knowledge that is stored and curated in distinct research silos and co-founded the evolutionary geobiology consortium to drive knowledge collection aiming to address oncoming global threats to human and ecosystem health. Dr. Sand earned her MSc in Geology and her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen. She has held various research and academic positions in Denmark, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her career includes prestigious research fellowships. Her international experience has equipped her with a global perspective and an expansive network within the scientific community.”

RAMP in the Research Lab: A Chemistry Lab Safety Peer-Led Workshop
2025-02-09 11:00 - 14:30 | Virtual
Sponsored by the ACS Division of Chemical Health & Safety (CHAS)
11:00 am-2:30 pm, Online, $25/participant, Registration required

About this event

“This 3.5-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.”

Refund Policy

No Refunds

The Circular Economy of Polymers & Recycling Technologies: Inventing a Sustainable Future in Partnership with Nature
2025-02-10 00:00
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.

Accelerating Equity in Science: Networking Event of the Cal Local ACS Section & Partners
2025-02-11 17:00 - 20:00 | Hybrid
Sponsored by California ACS Section and IUPAC
5:00-8:00 pm, Hybrid Event, Free, Learn more and register

Official IUPAC welcome!
“Followed by the in-person event at the Emeryville Public Market, 6:30 to 8:00 pm.
Register HERE for the in-person event.
The goal of the Global Women’s Breakfast series is to establish an active network of people of all genders to overcome the barriers to gender equality in science. Over the last five years, more than 1500 GWB events have been held in 100 countries.

The California Local Section of ACS (Cal ACS) invites all students and professionals to join our annual “Cal ACS Partners Networking Event” as part of the global IUPAC GWB 2025 on February 11, 2025. Feedback from prior years indicates that this is a wonderful event to promote personal and professional networking.
Please circle the date on your calendar because February 11 also celebrates the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”. The theme this year for GWB2025 is “Accelerating Equity in Science.”
This is a global event organized by IUPAC that was initiated during the International Year of Chemistry (IYC) when chemistry was celebrated in 2011. That year, roughly 100 breakfasts were organized involving almost 5,000 scientists (both men and women) from academia, industry, and government around the world.
Please email Marinda Wu with any questions. We hope you will join us for GWB 2025. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person as well as on Zoom.”

CHIPS-funded Program for Advanced Metrology of Semiconductor Packaging Materials
2025-02-12 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual
Stian Romberg, PhD, Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Sponsored by Golden Gate Polymer Forum (GGPF)
February 12, 2025, from 6:00-7:00 pm, Online, Free/$5 Donation, Registration required by Feb. 11th at 1:00 pm.

Abstract
The CHIPS and Science Act budgeted $52 billion to invest in America’s semiconductor industry, with $11 billion allocated for research and development activities, like advancing measurement sciences critical for innovation. The project described in this presentation is part of the CHIPS Metrology Program Grand Challenge 3, “Enabling Metrology for Integrating Components in Advanced Packaging.” We aim to improve the fundamental understanding of residual stress and warpage development in thermosetting polymers used for packaging semiconductors.
Thermosetting polymeric materials are essential in semiconductor packaging to provide mechanical integrity, dissipate excess heat, reduce signal loss, etc. However, the performance of these polymeric materials is affected by residual stresses generated from cure-induced shrinkage during processing and hygrothermal expansion/contraction during service. As advanced packaging trends towards thinner layers and 3D stacking, packages become more susceptible to these stresses, thereby compromising yield and reliability. Predictive models are used to analyze stress development in the package, but to limited success due to insufficient availability of material properties data. Furthermore, commercial thermoset packaging materials are typically highly filled, complex formulations that hinder traditional material property measurement tools and analyses.
Therefore, our project is assembling an extensive suite of advanced metrologies for accurate material property measurements under relevant hygrothermal conditions to inform predictive models and improve engineering design and manufacturing productivity. Metrologies currently include differential scanning calorimetry and simultaneous rheology and Raman spectroscopy, with additional spectroscopic, residual stress, and warpage measurement capabilities under development. Our plan is to (1) develop an open-source model material and (2) apply advanced metrologies that range from fundamental up to part-scale measurements. This approach will enable us to report material properties and measurement analyses with a level of transparency not observed in the semiconductor industry.
Speaker Background

Stian Romberg is a research scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering at Brown University where he played wide receiver on the football team. Then, he earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tennessee while conducting research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After defending his dissertation, he completed an NRC postdoctoral appointment at NIST focused on using simultaneous rheology and Raman spectroscopy to design structurally stable curing schedules for additively manufactured thermoset composites. Stian remains at NIST, but his focus has shifted to developing metrologies and analyses to understand the fundamental behaviors that govern residual stress in thermoset-based materials used for semiconductor packaging.

Plastics Circularity: Origins and New Developments in Recycling
2025-02-13 10:00 - 11:15 | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and Science History Institute
10:00 am-11:15, Online, Free, Registration required

“Today’s technologies are ready for the recycle and reuse of a variety of post-consumer plastic streams. However, achieving scale and competitive economics are necessary to create a circular economy for plastics and create a significant impact. Join an expert panel as they contribute their perspectives from various parts of the recycling process and offer a primer in the history of recycling and the contemporary efforts to move from a linear plastics economy to a circular one.

First, Mimi Joy Cooper and Kaitlyn Zajkowski of the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority will discuss how they provide environmentally sound and economically efficient integrated waste management as well as the unique challenges that engenders for their team, particularly on football Saturdays at Penn State University. Next Jeff Carbeck of Eastman Chemical will provide an overview of chemical recycling as well as the innovative processes their company applies with PET resin. Finally, Hendrik Dullinger of EFS-plastics Inc. will introduce and explore the state-of-the art mechanical recycling of multiple polymer types.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Bill Tuszynski of the Science History Institute is co-produced with SHI as part of the Joseph Priestley Society (JPS) series that promotes a deeper understanding of science, technology, and industry, with an emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship.

What You Will Learn

What are the critical success factors for collecting and sorting post-consumer recycled plastics
How chemical recycling allows for the cost-effective production of virgin resin
How mechanical recyclers meet customer performance requirements”

Webinar Details

Thursday, February 13, 2025 @ 1:00-2:15pm ET
Free to register with ACS ID
Slides will be available on day of the Live event

Co-Produced With
Science History Institute

What Every Industrial Chemist Should Know: Ethics and Legal Considerations
2025-02-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Webinars, ACS Committee on Ethics, and ACS Division of Chemistry and the Law
11:00 am-Noon, Online, Free, Registration required

“Understanding the expectations of industrial employment is crucial for navigating your career successfully.

Join Stewart Witzeman, an Independent Innovation Consultant, and Jonathan Kennedy, a Patent & Litigation Attorney at McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC as they explore the ethical and legal aspects of working in the industry. Gain career clarity regarding employment expectations, intellectual property (IP) assignment, confidentiality, and related challenges. Whether you’re an early-career chemist, considering a career transition, or simply curious about these issues, this webinar will offer valuable insights to guide your professional journey.
This ACS Webinar is co-produced by the ACS Committee on Ethics and ACS Division of Chemistry & The Law. This webinar is not intended as legal advice but, to assist participants navigate the issues associated with early career decisions and understand the obligations associated with employment.

What You Will Learn

Key legal and ethical factors to consider when seeking industrial employment
Practical guidance on navigating common employment considerations
What to ask potential employers regarding legal and contractual obligations”

Webinar Details

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 @ 2-3pm ET
Free to register with ACS ID
Slides will be available on day of the Live event

Co-Produced With

ACS Committee on Ethics

ACS Division of Chemistry and the Law

Silicon Valley ACS Executive Committee Meeting
2025-03-03 19:30 - 21:00 | Hybrid
7:30-9:00 pm, Online via Zoom, Free. To attend as a guest, please contact the Chair.

ACS Spring 2025 National Meeting
2025-03-23 - 2025-03-27 | Hybrid
ACS Spring 2025
Pushing Boundaries. Solving global challenges
Get ready to learn, network with industry and academia
San Diego, CA & Virtual I March 23-27
Early bird registration ends January 15!
Learn more and register

Silicon Valley ACS Executive Committee Meeting
2025-04-07 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-05-05 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-06-02 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-07-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Hybrid
Sponsored by the Silicon Valley ACS local section
7:00-8:30 pm, Hybrid Event, Free, Guests welcome: contact Chair to attend

P.I.E.F.E.S.T.: 4th Annual Bay Area Pasifika STEAM Fair
2025-04-12 13:00 - 17:00 | In-person
1:00-5:00 pm, Free, San Mateo Event Center, San Mateo, California, 94403, Learn more
Join us for a day of Exploration & Creativity! Connect with STEM programs, engage in hands-on activities and visit with community resource providers. This is a family fun event designed with a Pasifika (Pacific Islander) lens-visit our cultural exhibits to learn about the engineering of Samoan fales, art of Fijian masi making, the physics of Tahitian drums and more!

Kid Makers: Pop Up Chemistry
2025-04-12 14:00 - 15:00, 2025-05-10 14:00 - 15:00
Sponsored by Silicon Valley ACS & Redwood City Public Library (RCPL)
2:00-3:00 pm, In-person for ages 8-12, RCPL Downtown Location, 1044 Middlefield
Road, Redwood City, Free, Learn more

Young scientists explore different aspects of chemistry! Once a month, join members of Silicon Valley ACS and take part in hands on experiments. For ages 8-12. This program takes place in RCPL’s Makerspace on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 2:00-3:00 pm. Learn more

Tracking Ice Sheet Retreat Using Cosmogenic Nuclides: A Virtual Seminar
2025-04-24 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Professor Claire Todd, California State University, San Bernardino
Sponsored by the Southern California Section ACS
April 24, 3-4 pm, Online, Free, Registration required

Abstract
Ice sheet retreat reveals underlying bedrock and strands glacially transported rock, exposing these geologic materials to the cosmic ray flux. Geologists use the resulting cosmogenic nuclides in minerals to determine the timing and rate of ice sheet retreat. Studies across Antarctica reveal a range of ice sheet thinning rates over millennia and provide a valuable comparison to measurements of modern ice sheet change. This presentation will provide an overview of this geochronological technique, and share field experiences and results from surface exposure age studies in East and West Antarctica.
Biography
Dr. Claire Todd is Professor and Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences at California State University San Bernardino where she works with students to study cryospheric change in Antarctica and the Pacific Northwest. She has completed six deep field seasons in Antarctica.

Chemists Celebrate Earth Week 2025 - Glaciers: Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry
2025-04-26 11:00 - 14:00 | In-person
Sponsored by Martin Luther King, Jr. Library and Silicon Valley ACS
11:00 am-2:00 pm, King Library, 150 E. San Fernando St., Children’s Room, 1st floor, 150 E San Fernando St, San Jose, CA. Suitable for Kids ages 5-10, Free, Learn more

A FREE, interactive experience for kids of all ages and their families featuring:

Hands-on chemistry activities for kids exploring ice, glaciers and salt water. We will make saltwater rainbows and much more.
Free print copy of “Celebrating Chemistry” the ACS publication for kids.
PRIZES for every child who participates!

No registration required. Learn more | ADA Accommodation Requests
Educational Resources
Download the online version of Celebrating Chemistry in English or Spanish (PDF). Explore more Educational Resources and General Interest Resources related to this year’s CCEW theme.

Illuminating the Biochemical Activity Architecture of the Cell: A Virtual Seminar
2025-04-29 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Jin Zhang, Ph.D., UC San Diego
Sponsored by Southern California Section ACS
April 29 from 3-4pm, Online, Free, Registration required
This presentation is made possible by the LSAC IP Grant.

Abstract
The complexity and specificity of cellular processes require spatial microcompartmentation and dynamic modulation of the underlying biochemical activities, such as dynamic phosphorylation and dephosphorylation catalyzed by specific protein kinases and phosphatases, respectively. We hypothesize that cellular biochemical activities are spatially organized into an “activity architecture” and reorganization and restructuring of this activity architecture lead to disease. In this talk, I will introduce a series of genetically encoded or chemigenetic fluorescent biosensors that we have developed to monitor biochemical events in living cells, and then present a couple of studies where we combine quantitative fluorescence imaging with targeted perturbations as well as biochemical and functional assays to probe the spatiotemporal regulation of cell signaling.
Biography
Dr. Jin Zhang received her Bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University and her PhD in Chemistry from University of Chicago in 2000. After completing her postdoctoral work in the laboratory of the late Roger Tsien at UC San Diego, she joined the faculty of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2003. She was promoted to Professor of Pharmacology in 2013. In 2015 she moved back to UC San Diego and is currently Professor and vice Chair in Department of Pharmacology. Research in her lab focuses on developing enabling technologies to probe the active molecules in their native environment and characterizing how these active molecules change in diseases including cancer. Dr Zhang is a recipient of the Biophysical Society Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Award (2009), NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (2009), John J. Abel Award in Pharmacology (2012), Pfizer Award in Enzyme Chemistry (2012), NCI Outstanding Investigator Award (2015 and 2022), Robert R. Ruffolo Career Achievement Award in Pharmacology (2022), Protein Society Christian B. Anfinsen Award (2022) and Biophysical Society Carolyn Cohen Innovation Award from (2023). She was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2014, a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering in 2019 and a Fellow of American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in 2021. Dr. Zhang also received UC San Diego Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring in 2019 and UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring Award in 2022. She currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, on the External Advisory Board for Biophysics of the Johns Hopkins University and on the Basic Sciences External Advisory Council (BSEAC) of Vanderbilt University.

The Quest for Painstakingly Perfect Painkillers: A Virtual Seminar
2025-05-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Virtual
Prof. Corey R. Hopkins, Ph.D., University of Nebraska Medical Center
Sponsored by Southern California Section ACS
May 5 from 4-5 pm, Online, Free, Registration required
Funded by the Local Section Activities Committee (LSAC) of the American Chemical Society

ABSTRACT
Work in the Hopkins Laboratory centers around the synthesis and optimization of novel chemical tool compounds aimed at tackling unmet medical needs. This talk will cover two projects in my lab: 1. Characterization of novel GIRK1/2 activators for the treatment of neuropathic pain, and 2. The synthesis, optimization and biological characterization of a series of sigma 1 modulators derived from dopamine 4 antagonists and their use in animal models of pain.
GIRK1/2 activators are a class of compounds that can modulate G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels, which are involved in pain signaling pathways. By enhancing GIRK channel activity, these activators have shown potential in reducing pain perception and providing analgesic effects in preclinical animal models. The work presented herein outlines the ongoing structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies centered around a potent, efficacious, and selective positive allosteric modulators (PAM) of the GIRK1/2 channel. Sigma 1 antagonists have gained attention for their potential to modulate pain by blocking the sigma-1 receptor, which is involved in various cellular processes, including pain transmission. Preclinical studies suggest that these antagonists may reduce nociceptive signaling, offering a novel approach to pain management. In the second part, I’ll describe our efforts at the identification of novel dopamine 4 receptor antagonists and how that effort morphed into the discovery of potent and selective sigma 1 modulators.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Hopkins is a Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Director of the newly designated UNMC Center for Drug Design and Innovation (CDDI). Corey completed his doctorate in 2002 at the University of Pittsburgh in the area of natural product total synthesis and he developed a novel ring expansion methodology to make pharmacophore analogs of dnacin. Dr. Hopkins moved to Aventis Pharmaceuticals in 2001 and later became Senior Research Investigator in Medicinal Chemistry. In 2008, Dr. Hopkins served as Associate Director of Medicinal Chemistry for the Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery where he led the chemistry efforts on multiple projects that led to pharmaceutical partnerships and a first-in-class clinical candidates. He is the author of more than 110 peer reviewed articles and an inventor on >25 patents. In addition, he has been named to Stanford/Elsevier’s Top 2% scientist rankings for the past 8 years.
Dr. Hopkins has expertise in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. Dr. Hopkins’ laboratory focuses on the development of chemical probes to elucidate the mechanisms in therapeutic areas such as pain, Parkinson’s disease and cancer.

From the Laboratory to the Marketplace: The Development of a New Drug
2025-05-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual
Natalie McClure, Senior Regulatory Affairs and Product Development Consultant
Sponsored by California Section ACS, Women Chemists Committee
10:30 am-Noon, Online, Free, May 10, 2025. Registration required by May 8th at Noon
Download the flyer for this event

Abstract
Drug development requires a delicate balance between innovation, efficacy, safety, and regulatory compliance. This talk will explore the multifaceted process of bringing a new drug from the laboratory to the market, focusing on the critical role of regulatory affairs in ensuring patient safety and product quality. We will examine the key stages of drug development, including pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, and risk-benefit analysis. We will also discuss how to interpret the package insert. We will discuss how drug developers can work with the FDA to bring the new drug to the market.
Speaker Bio
Natalie McClure is a regulatory affairs consultant with extensive experience in drug development, regulatory affairs and quality assurance. She obtained a BS in Chemistry from the University of Michigan in 1974 followed by a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Stanford University in 1979. She started her career at Syntex Research, working in the process development laboratories on new synthetic approaches to prostaglandin and large-scale peptide synthesis and then changed career direction to drug regulatory affairs.
Over the past 40 years, she has worked at several different companies, big and small, as an individual contributor and executive, and helped get over 6 drugs approved for marketing. She has filed more than 50 INDs (Investigational New Drugs), orphan drug applications and conducted many pre-IND meetings with the FDA. Natalie is an instructor at St Mary’s University and the UC Berkeley Extension program offering several courses in drug development and regulatory affairs. Natalie is also very active in the American Chemical Society serving as chair and councilor of the Silicon Valley local section.

Polymers for Capacitors, Transistors, and Fun
2025-05-14 17:00 - 19:00
Dr. Yi Liu, Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley Lab
5:00-7:00 pm, Free, Hybrid: In-person at Stanford Chemistry Department or virtual, Registration required.
Abstract
Polymers with engineered functionalities play a crucial role in electronics and energy applications. Advancing materials discovery in this space requires tailored molecular design and innovative polymer architectures. My recent research focuses on designing molecular and macromolecular systems that either inhibit or facilitate charge transport—key factors in defining a polymer’s insulating or semiconducting properties. In this talk, I will discuss dielectric polymers designed for capacitors operating under extreme electric fields and temperatures, highlighting strategies to enhance their breakdown strength and capacitive energy storage performance. In contrast, for applications such as field-effect transistors, where efficient charge transport is critical, I will present new classes of low-bandgap conjugated polymers enabled by a versatile quinoidal unit. Beyond their electronic applications, the unique reactivity of the quinoidal unit allows for the formation of single-crystalline polymers, opening new avenues in polymer science. Through these examples, I will showcase how molecular design can be leveraged to expand the functionality and versatility of polymers.
Short Bio
Yi Liu is a Senior Staff Scientist and director of the Organic Facility at the Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2004 from the University of California, Los Angeles. After his postdoctoral research at the Scripps Research Institute, he joined the Molecular Foundry in 2006 as a staff scientist, launching his independent research career. His research interests include design and self-assembly of functional organic and organic-inorganic hybrid framework materials, materials chemistry for organic electronics, and fundamental understanding of the associated electronic processes.

Kid Makers: Pop Up Chemistry
2025-06-14 14:00 - 15:00
Sponsored by Silicon Valley ACS & Redwood City Public Library (RCPL)
2:00-3:00 pm, In-person for ages 8-12, RCPL Downtown Location, 1044 Middlefield
Road, Redwood City, Free, Learn more

Young scientists explore different aspects of chemistry! Once a month, join members of the ACS and take part in hands on experiments. For ages 8-12. This program will take place in the Makerspace.

Silicon Valley Minerals Forum 2025
2025-06-17 08:30 - 18:00
Sponsored by Stanford Mineral-X
8:30 am-6:00 pm, Free, In-person at Simonyi Conference Center, CoDa, 389 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305. Learn more and register

How to Find and Apply for a Position in the Federal Government: ACS Career Pathways Virtual Workshop
2025-06-18 09:00 - 10:30 | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Careers
9:00-10:30 am, Online, Free, Registration required

Protecting the Formula: The Role of Trade Secrets in Chemical Research
2025-06-18 11:00 - 12:15 | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Chemistry & the Law Division
11:00 am-12:15 pm, Online, Free, Registration required

Mastering Materials Durability for Next-Generation Energy Technologies: Workshop
2025-06-25 - 2025-06-26 | In-person
Sponsored by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Free, In-person at SLAC, Kavli Auditorium, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA, Visitor User ID requirements, Learn more and register by June 19, 2025

Break Into STEM as a CTP: No Bachelor’s Required
2025-06-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual
Sponsored by ACS Webinars and ACS Chemical Technical Professionals Committee
11:00 am-Noon, Online, Free, Registration required

2025 Silicon Valley ACS’ Annual Picnic and Awards
2025-07-06 16:00 - 19:00 | In-Person in Mountain View at Cuesta Park Group BBQ Areas #1-2, 615 Cuesta Drive, Mountain View, CA, United States
Cuesta Park, Group BBQ Areas #1-2, Mountain View, California
4:00-7:00 pm, In-person. $10 regular, children free. Register by July 8, 2025
