Tues. Nov. 19 Happy Hour and Networking!
2024-11-19 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Bookhouse Brewing, 1526 W25th St., Cleveland, OH, 44113, United States
Join us for a session of networking while enjoying handcrafted beer and cider from Bookhouse Brewing on Tues. Nov. 19. If you would like to learn more about Cleveland ACS leadership, join us at 5:30pm for the Executive Committee meeting. Happy hour will start at 6pm. wine, spirits and food are also available for purchase. We’ll cover your first drink!
No RSVP necessary. Just come join us!

Past Chair's Night: Jan. 22, 2025
2025-01-22 16:30 - 20:30 | Market Garden Brewery, 1947 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH, 44113, United States
Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Market Garden Brewing, Ohio City Room, 1947 West 25th St. Cleveland, OH. 44113.

Speaker: Regan L. Silvestri, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry, Lorain County Community College
Beer So Healthy Astronauts Can Drink It For Breakfast: Quantifying Antioxidants in Non-Alcoholic Beers!

Click here for abstract and speaker bio.
Menu: House Salad, Roasted Chicken, Flank Steak, Roasted Potatoes (Vegetarian options available upon request)
Tentative Schedule:
4:30 – 5:30 — Cleveland section executive committee meeting
5:30 – 6:15 — social time with appetizers
6:15 – 7:00 — dinner
7:00 – 8:00 — presentation

Registration:

Feb. 19, 2025 Meeting
2025-02-19 16:30 - 20:30 | Highpoint Club House, 17847 Brandywine Dr., Strongsville, OH, 44136, United States
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025

Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:00pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk
Speaker: Dr. David Kirby, John Garber Drushal Distinguished Visiting Professor of Chemistry, College of Wooster

Making the World’s Tiniest Devices with Chemistry—And How It’s Happening in Ohio

Today’s integrated circuits are among the most complex creations in human history. While modern computing relies heavily on electrical and software engineering, the role of chemistry and physics in semiconductor manufacturing is equally important. In this talk, Dr. David Kirby will share how his journey in chemistry led him to the semiconductor industry and explore the indispensable chemistry behind every circuit powering our everyday devices. Additionally, Dr. Kirby will highlight the Semiconductor Education and Research Program, offered through the Ohio TechNet Consortium and based at Kent State University, which is advancing semiconductor education and workforce development in Ohio.

Great opportunity for students to learn about career and educational options!
Menu: Chipotle buffet!

Registration:

2025 Meeting in Miniature (MiM) Cleveland ACS
2025-03-12 14:00 - 20:30 | Agnar Pytte Center for Science Education and Research, 2080 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH, 44106, United States
Wednesday, Mar. 12, 2025
Case Western Reserve University
Agnar Pytte Center for Science Education and Research
2080 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106
Parking suggestion: Veale Center on Adelbert Rd (pay by credit card, maximum of $10).
Tentative schedule:

2:00 pm
Registration in Hovorka Atrium

2:15-5:15 pm
Technical Sessions

5:30-6:30 pm
Plenary Talk

6:30 pm
Dinner

7:30 pm
Student Awards

Menu: TBA. Buffet dinner.
Plenary Talk: Keeping Eyes on Innovation: Injectable Polymeric Materials for Transformative Biomedical Applications

Dr. Metin Karayilan, Assistant Professor at CWRU

Abstract:
In this talk, I will present the materials and technologies developed in the Karayilan Research Lab, with a focus on ocular research, specifically addressing challenges in ocular trauma and cataract surgery. Cataracts, the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment, result from the degradation and aggregation of lens proteins due to genetic and environmental factors. The current treatment, as recommended by the NIH National Eye Institute, is cataract surgery. During cataract surgery, viscoelastic materials are critical for protecting the corneal endothelium from trauma and maintaining the capsular bag’s shape to facilitate the insertion of intraocular lens implants. However, retained viscoelastic materials can cause a sharp postoperative increase in intraocular pressure (IOP), potentially damaging the optic nerve and leading to vision loss or blindness. To prevent these complications, all viscoelastic materials must be fully aspirated at the end of surgery. This task is complicated by the fact that commercially available viscoelastics are clear and colorless, making them difficult to detect.
Our lab addresses this issue by designing and synthesizing transparent yet visible, fluorescent viscoelastic materials for use in intraocular surgeries. These fluorescent materials enable easy visualization and complete aspiration at the end of surgery, reducing the risk of postoperative complications without interfering with surgical procedures. This talk will highlight our most recent advancements and future plans in developing polymer melts and gels for applications in intraocular surgery, with the goal of improving patient outcomes.

Bio: Metin was originally born in the Aegean region and raised in Istanbul. He earned his BS in Chemistry and MS in Chemical Engineering in Turkey before moving to the “dry heat” state of Arizona to pursue his PhD at the University of Arizona. Missing humidity and green, he moved to Durham, North Carolina, for his postdoctoral work at Duke University. In July 2022, Metin joined the Department of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University as an Assistant Professor, moving from “First in Flight” North Carolina to the “Birthplace of Aviation” Ohio. As a polymer chemist, his research focuses on developing materials for biomedical and sustainable chemistry applications.

Registration:

2025 Education Night: Apr. 23
2025-04-23 16:30 - 20:30 | The Aviator, 20920 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
Recognizing winners from the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF), as well as our winner of the Heller-Dabrowski Award for Outstanding High School Teacher. We will have a chance to see the wonderful work these students have done, followed by dinner and a keynote.

Join Us for a Chemistry Trivia Extravaganza!

Are you ready to test your knowledge of the elements, compounds, and reactions that make up our world?

Join us on April 23rd for an exciting Chemistry Trivia Event!

Whether you’re a seasoned chemist or just love a good challenge, this event promises fun, learning, and a chance to win fantastic cash prizes.
Schedule (Gabriella’s Space in the Aviator)

4:30 – 5:30 Executive Cmte Mtg
5:30 PM – 6:15 PM: Social Hour
6:15 PM – 7:00 PM: Taco Buffet Dinner
7:00 PM: Three-Round Trivia Contest and Awards Ceremony

Highlights:
Engaging trivia questions covering all things chemistry.
Cash prizes for top performers.
Recognition of award-winning students
Networking opportunities
Don’t miss out on this electrifying evening of science and fun.
Menu: Mexican Me Happy : Taco bar

Registration:

2025 Morley Award Dinner and Address
2025-05-27 17:30 - 20:30 | Michaelson & Morley Restaurant, 11038 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH, 44106
Join us as we celebrate the 2025 winner of the Edward W. Morley award, Prof. Philip C. Bevilacqua of the Pennsylvania State University.
Registration needed by May 20
Tuesday May 27th
Michaelson & Morley Restaurant, Veale Center
Case Western Reserve University

2025 Edward W. Morley Address:
RNA chemistry has played the central role in my scientific career from the time I was a starting graduate student. In my address, I will discuss some of the discoveries and developments from my lab, including insights into the catalytic mechanisms of RNA enzymes, roles for RNA modifications in suppressing innate immune responses, and methods for and discoveries from chemically probing RNA structure genome-wide. I will also describe some of the recent developments in our research, including our increased emphasis on calculations.

Social with drinks: 5:30pm
Dinner: 6:00pm
Morley Award Presentation and Address: 7:15 – 8:30pm

First Course:

Baby arugula and kale salad | Parmesan toast point | cherry tomatoes| pickled red onion| English cucumber| roasted garlic balsamic vinaigrette

Main Course choice of:

Spinach & sundried tomatoes stuffed chicken breast | asiago truffle polenta| Grilled asparagus| lemon thyme demi
Lemon dill roasted Faroe Island salmon| asiago truffle polenta| Grilled asparagus| Charred tomato coulis
Grilled vegetables portobello stack| asiago truffle polenta| Grilled asparagus| basil chimichurri

Dessert Course:

Lavender honey bread pudding | vanilla blueberries syrup| fresh raspberry |mint

Street parking available on Euclid, East Blvd. and Bellflower Road. The Severance Hall covered parking garage is also open to the public and conveniently has direct access to Michelson and Morley.
Registration:
We have a small number of spots available. Please email me directly: Mark Waner, mwaner@jcu.edu

September 2025: Joint Meeting with Akron section
2025-09-24 16:30 - 20:30 | D’Angelos Italian Ristorante, 7995 Darrow Road, Twinsburg, OH, 44087, United States
Join us, together with the Akron section to learn about:
“Data and AI-Driven Material Development in the Tire & Rubber Industry“; Ron Shaffer, Rocco Panella; Bridgestone Americas Technology Center in Akron, Ohio
click here for a brief bio of our speakers
There are over 300 million new tires produced each per year in the United States. Tires are a complex blend of materials, engineering, and design. The typical tire is made up of approximately 80-85% rubber compound by weight. These compounds require constant improvement to meet the changing demands of customers (e.g., longer lifetimes, better grip in snow/ice) and to keep up with broader changes in society (e.g., environmental sustainability, transition to battery electric vehicles). For the past century, the tire industry has accumulated vast amounts of data and expertise on rubber compounds, their compositions/properties, and how these relate to tire performance.
In the last decade, the chemical industry, including tire and rubber, have started employing data driven approaches such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for material
development. A typical problem involves developing ML/AI models to predict compound properties using information about the raw materials in the compound formula, process parameters, and other relevant factors. The benefits of using ML/AI tools include accelerating the pace of product development by reducing the volume of experimental testing needed and using the tools in an inverse fashion to suggest compound formulas likely to achieve certain targets. However, the relationships between the rubber compound formulae and performance are complex. Nonlinearities, missing/incomplete data, noisy data, sparseness of the data, and high-dimensional feature spaces pose technical challenges requiring expertise at the intersection of material science and data science.
This presentation will discuss some of the unique opportunities and challenges faced by scientists and engineers in the tire and rubber industry responsible for data driven material
development.
Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:00pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk
Menu: TBD
Registration:

2025 Third Annual Cleveland Poison Symposia
2025-10-09 18:00 - 21:00 | OH
Printable pdf flier

Time
Location
Title/Presenter

6 pm
Cebars Euclid Tavern
“The Cleveland Cyanide Murder Case”, Douglas Rohde, SAS CLE Section

8 pm
Two Friends Brewing
“1982 Tylenol Tampering Incident”, Fred Fricke, US FDA FCC Director(retired)

No charge and open to the public. Please support the local establishments.
Contact Mike Fricke at mfricke.phd@gmail.com to pre-order T-Shirts.

October 2025 Section Meeting: The Hidden Life of Spices
2025-10-22 16:30 - 20:30 | Chef’s Table, Tri-C Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights, OH, 44128, United States
The Hidden Life of Spices
Ever wondered why toasting cumin transforms your dish, or how turmeric does more than add color?
Join chemist-chefs Ky and Adam for an evening where science meets flavor. Discover how heat, fat, and alcohol unlock hidden aromas, learn the chemistry behind spice blends, and explore the health benefits in every pinch. This interactive presentation will appeal to all your senses and uncover some of the secrets hidden in the seasonings we use everyday.
Perfect for food lovers, science enthusiasts, and the simply curious.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 5:30-8:00 PM
Chef’s Table, Tri-C Corporate College East
4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights
Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:00pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk

Chef Ky-Wai Wong, known as Chef KY, is an assistant professor in the Hospitality Management program at Tri-C®. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UCLA and master’s degree in hospitality management from Auburn University.
Wong has a strong background in fine dining. His first restaurant job was at Giovanni’s in Beachwood. From there, he went to culinary school in London, England. In addition to earning a certificate in cuisine and baking/pastry from Le Cordon Bleu in London, he completed an apprenticeship at Michelin 2-star restaurant Le Gavroche.
He returned to Cleveland and continued to work in fine dining at places such as Blake’s Seafood Grille, the Century Restaurant and Bar at the Ritz-Carlton, fire food and drink and Seballos Pastries. With much experience under his belt, Wong worked his way up to top positions at some of the area’s premier fine dining establishments, including sous chef at AAA Five Diamond restaurant Classics at the Intercontinental Hotel; executive chef at LockKeepers and Park City Diner; chef de cuisine at DANTE in Valley View; and chef de cuisine at Lucky’s Cafe.
Wong loves sharing his passion and knowledge about food with his students. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and doing fundraisers that help the community.

Chef Adam LaBenne was born and raised in Niles, OH. After completing his Bachelor’s of Arts in Chemistry and Philosophy in 2014, he moved to Cleveland to pursue a career in automotive coatings. During this time, he fell in love with the science of baking and pastry as an all-consuming hobby. Eventually, he decided to pursue a career in culinary and left for The Culinary Institute of America where he earned a Bachelor’s of Professional Studies in Culinary Arts in 2021. After brief periods at Loews Miami Beach Hotel in Florida and Farmers & Chefs in Poughkeepsie, NY, Chef Adam moved back to Cleveland to work as an instructor at Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry. There he taught culinary skills to currently-incarcerated adults as part of a second-chance vocational program. Chef Adam combines a love of both Culinary and Pastry arts and employs a scientific approach to education that seeks to make his courses enjoyable but informative.

Menu: TBD
Registration:

Part of National Chemistry Week 2025: The Hidden Life of Spices | Cleveland Local Section, American Chemical Society

November 2025 Meeting
2025-11-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Jolly’s Pizza, 6120 Royalton Road, North Royalton, OH, 44133, United States
Wednesday, November 19 at Jolly’s Pizza in North Royalton
5:30-7:00 PM

Pizza will be provided by the section, cash bar for drinks.
The agenda for the evening is a discussion of 2026 Local Section Budget. All are welcome though only Executive Committee members will be voting on the budget. Additionally, members of the Executive Committee will be available to answer questions about their role on the Executive Committee. Any individual interested in joining the Executive Committee are encouraged to attend.

Registration:

Past Chairs' Night: Jan. 2026 meeting
2026-01-21 16:30 - 20:30 | The Aviator, 20920 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
January 21, 2026
Past Chairs’ Night
Speaker: Lyndsey McMillon-Brown, Ph.D., Research Engineer, NASA Glenn Research Center

Title: Powering the Next Frontier: Advanced Materials for Energy Applications
Advanced materials are critical for myriad applications spanning from the incremental enhancement of human’s quality of life to disruptive next generation technology that enables space exploration. Here, we will review recent materials development towards advanced energy applications for terrestrial and space applications. This talk will include project overviews, systems analysis, and identifications of technological gaps which the ACS community could aid to close.

Bio: Dr. Lyndsey McMillon-Brown is a research engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center where she focuses on solar cell materials development. She was the lead investigator of one effort to develop solar cells that can be manufactured in space and on the moon and a separate terrestrial effort to improve atmospheric air quality by capturing toxic emissions at their source. Lyndsey was recently awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. Lyndsey has also received the NASA Early Career Achievement medal and the NASA Space flight awareness trailblazer award for her work developing solar cells for implementation in space and for her dedication to ensuring safety and mission success in support of NASA’s human space flight programs, respectively. Outside of the lab, Lyndsey is a voracious reader and general nature lover. Prior to joining NASA, Lyndsey earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Yale in 2019 where she researched novel materials and nano-patterns for advanced light trapping in solar cells. Lyndsey earned her bachelor’s in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Miami University in Ohio in 2013.

Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:15pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk
Menu: GERMAN FEAST
• Chicken Paprikash and Dumplings
• Pork Schnitzel
• Classic Cheese and Potato Pierogies
• Redskin Potatoes with Smoked Paprika
• Traditional “Kraut”
Registration: RSVP is turned off, but we still have available space for guests to attend.

2026 Meeting in Miniature (MiM): Thurs. Mar. 12 at Case Western Reserve University
2026-02-12 00:00 | OH
Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026
Case Western Reserve University Agnar Pytte Center for Science Education and Research
2080 Adelbert Rd.
Cleveland, OH 44106
Parking suggestion: Veale Center on Adelbert Rd (pay by credit card, maximum of $10).

Tentative schedule:

1:30 pm
Registration in Hovorka Atrium

2:00 pm
Technical Sessions

5:30 pm
Plenary Talk

6:30 pm
Dinner and Student Awards

If interested in presenting, please submit your abstract using the following link below by Thursday March 5, 2026.

MiM 2026 Abstract Submission Link

Plenary Talk: Rachel Saylor, Associate Professor, Oberlin College; To fluoresce or not to fluoresce: Progress toward interrogating neurochemical systems in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans
Abstract: Anxiety disorders affect ~44% of the US population and are uniquely difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. This challenge is exacerbated by the lack of specific knowledge of anxiety’s underlying biochemical causes, due in part to the difficulty in analytically probing delicate and complex brain tissue for neurochemical concentration. Historically, one method to sensitively determine neurochemically-relevant primary amines is after their reaction with the reagent naphthalene-2,3-dicarboxaldehyde (NDA), which creates a fluorescent product that is readily detected. Unfortunately, we have observed several practical challenges in routine use of this reaction, including the lack of fluorescence from derivatized primary amines dopamine and serotonin, both of which are important neurotransmitters associated with many neurological disease states, including anxiety. Here, we will discuss how to overcome these analytical challenges, first by determining their causes through fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, then in developing practical methods to recover fluorescence. Finally, we implement our methods in combination with capillary electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection for the simultaneous determination of over ten biologically-relevant primary amines present in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. In the future, this work will serve as a basis for interrogating the connection between primary amine concentrations and behavior in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Bio: Rachel Saylor first discovered her love of analytical chemistry while earning her BS in Chemistry from Wittenberg University. She went on to pursue her PhD at the University of Kansas under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Lunte. After postdoctoral work at the University of South Carolina (including time spent at the Central Institute for Mental Health, Mannheim), she returned to the Midwest to start her independent career. Rachel is now an Associate Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Oberlin College, where her research focuses on developing and using analytical techniques to answer neurobiological questions. As an analytical chemist at an undergraduate institution, her broader goal is to inspire and develop the next generation of analytical scientists through teaching and mentoring undergraduate students.

Menu: Buffet dinner by Foods for Thoughts: (Green salad, Rolls, Marinated Grilled Chicken, Toasted Herbed Couscous (V), Grilled Vegetables, Vegan stuffed bell peppers, Dessert Tray, Iced Tea)
NOTE: Presenters do not need to register below (registration and dinner reservations for presenters are made via the abstract submission)
Registration:

2026 Meeting in Miniature

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Membership Status*At the event, we take credit cards, checks made out to “Cleveland ACS," or cash. The cost is $25 for employed members and guests, $10 for retirees or unemployed, and FREE for award winners, undergrad or grad students.

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2026 February Meeting: Industrial Chemist Panel Discussion
2026-02-25 16:30 - 20:30 | Saucy Brew Works-Orange, 400 Park Ave Suite 170, Orange, OH, 44122, United States
February 25, 2026
Saucy Brew Works
Panelists:

Stan Pokras, Clinical Science Manager at MIM software

Tyler Petek, Ph.D.

Tyler Petek is an electrochemical engineer currently working as a Senior Research Scientist for the Lubrizol Corporation. He has a broad focus, working across Lubrizol’s business units to bring electrochemistry into how Lubrizol makes things as well as how Lubrizol’s products perform in electrified systems and electrochemical devices. Tyler has spent the last eleven years in industrial strategic research bridging the gap between fundamental research and industrial applications for a wide variety of areas including chlor-alkali, water treatment, energy storage, corrosion protection, and electrochemical synthesis. Tyler is a triple alumnus from Case Western Reserve University’s department of Chemical Engineering where his research was focused on fuel cells, hydrogen, and flow batteries. Currently, Tyler’s main research focuses are on advanced materials for lithium-ion batteries and material compatibility amidst the electrification of transportation.

Sydney Vereb

Sydney Vereb is a Chemist and Product Compliance Specialist at Eckart with a focus on metallic inks. They graduated from Case Western Reserve University in 2016 with chemistry and music degrees, and previously worked at Epic and Steris.

Schedule:
4:30pm: Executive Committee Meeting
5:30pm: Social time
6:15pm: Dinner
7:00pm: Talk
Menu: Pizza and beer!
Registration:

February 2026 Section Meeting

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Membership Status*At the event, we take credit cards, checks made out to “Cleveland ACS," or cash. The cost is $25 for employed members and guests, $10 for retirees or unemployed, and FREE for award winners, undergrad or grad students.

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Retired/Unemployed Member

Student

Guest

Invited Guest (e.g. awardees, judges)

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