ACS Cleveland

2021 Edward W. Morley Award and Address, May 19
2021-05-19 17:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | OH
May 19, 2021

Exec committee meeting 5:30
Presentation 7:00 pm

David N. Beratan, R.J. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Chemistry, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, Duke University is the 2021 Morley Medal winner.
Biology Meets Quantum Mechanics: The Molecular Foundations of Bioenergetics
The dual (wave-particle) nature of matter is not usually required to describe the function of living systems. Yet, energy capture and conversion in biology rely on the delivery of electrons with sub-nanometer precision. As such, quantum phenomena take center stage. I will discuss studies that have helped to establish an understanding of how the flow of electrons is directed and regulated in living systems with fine spatial precision and, in some cases, very high energy efficiency. Physical principles emerging from these investigations allow us to understand some of the broader principles that underpin the function of nanoscale machines derived from soft-wet matter. The electron transport reactions on which I will focus are ubiquitous in living systems, powering life from archaea to bacteria to plants to us. The principles being learned, intriguing in their own right, are also motivating the design of synthetic bioinspired machinery that may begin to mimic the extraordinary function of living systems.
Registration:

Registrants will be sent a link to the meeting

April 21, 2021 Education Night Meeting
2021-04-21 19:00 - 20:30 | OH
April 21, 2021

Exec committee meeting 5:30
Presentation 7:00 pm

Title: ACS Physical Chemistry Exam Creation Process

Dr. Chrystal Bruce is a Professor of Chemistry at John Carroll University. She received her PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on small molecule-protein and small molecule-DNA interactions, the teaching and learning of chemistry, and the importance of mentoring in the professional advancement of science faculty. Currently, she is the co-chair of the American Chemical Society Examinations Institute Physical Chemistry 2021 Exam Committee, co-PI on an NSF ADVANCE grant, and a member of the MERCURY Consortium for Computational Physical Chemists at primarily undergraduate institutions.

Dr. Bruce will speak on the process by which a committee of faculty works to create the suite of Physical Chemistry exams produced by the American Chemical Society Examinations Institute. ACS Exams are administered by higher education institutions across the country. Most chemistry students have taken at least one, either as a summative assessment as an undergraduate or as an entrance exam as a graduate student. The exams are independently created by a committee of chemistry faculty. Dr. Bruce will discuss the process of writing and evaluating the exam items as well as how the final version of the released exams are set for the current iteration of the Physical Chemistry 2021 ACS Exams suite.

Registration:

Registrants will be sent a link to the meeting

2021 Virtual Meeting in Miniature (vMIM)
2021-03-16 15:00 - 20:30 | OH
Tuesday March 16, 2021 vMIM
Concurrent session talks at 3:00 pm. (Cancelled)
Presentation at 7:00 pm.
Plenary Presentation: “A Perspective on the Future of College Textbook Publishing”
By Sean W, Wakely, Vice President, Product and Editorial, FlatWorld

Sean W. Wakely is Vice President, Product and Editorial at FlatWorld a mission-driven college textbook publisher that focuses on providing high-quality textbooks at affordable prices. Sean possesses extensive higher education publishing experience across many subject areas gained by working with Cengage Learning, Thomson Learning, Pearson Education, and Houghton Mifflin College Division. He has held positions as a sales representative, college acquisitions editor, professional books editor, editorial manager, and was a senior executive for Cengage Learning’s global product planning team and the National Geographic Learning group. Sean is coauthor of Writing and Developing Your College Textbook: A Comprehensive Guide.
Registration for attendees in advanced is required
Registration:

Registrants will be sent a link to the meeting

February 2021 Meeting: Chemistry Trivia Night!
2021-02-17 17:30 - 20:30 | OH
Executive Committee Meeting 5:30 pm, Trivia begins 7:00 pm.

A NEW EVENT! In a departure from our normal meeting format, instead of a speaker we’ll do a CHEMISTRY BAR TRIVIA COMPETITION! Attendees will log onto an online quiz-hosting site and participate in a three-round trivia quiz, emceed by the Section Chair. There will be 15 questions per round, and speed counts! Participants will be vying for prizes: gift cards of $100, $50, and $25 for the top three scorers.
Here’s how it will work: Registrants for the meeting will receive a Zoom link and a crowdpurr.com URL and quiz code for the event (so you’ll either need two browser windows open simultaneously or have two devices open). Players will sign on to the crowdpurr.com site with their name, and will access the correct contest using the code. The pacing of the contest will be controlled by the emcee, who will communicate verbally through Zoom. Players will have 15 seconds to select their answer – the faster you answer, the more points you get! There will be a short break between the rounds. Winners will be the top three cumulative point-scorers. So brush up on your chemical trivia, and good luck!
Registration in advanced is required
Registration:

Registrants will be sent a link to the meeting

January 2021 Meeting
2021-01-20 17:30 - 20:30 | OH
Executive Committee Meeting 5:30 pm, Talk 7:00 pm
Dr. Andrea Giordano, Assistant Professor at the United States Air Force Academy, “Ma’am, class reports ready to learn”: Insights into the chemistry curriculum and research opportunities at the United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is a unique institution in higher education, as its mission is to educate and train future military officers. This presents cadets with many opportunities from flying gliders to working on classified research projects. The chemistry department offers three ACS certified degree tracks, including a required research experience. In many ways, the academics are similar to other civilian institutions and encourages innovative curricula and pedagogies. The physical chemistry curriculum is undergoing a major revision to support the biochemistry majors only taking one semester of physical chemistry. In addition to content reorganization, the curriculum integrates skills through relevant primary literature, oral examinations, and mindfulness practices to prepare the cadets for their future as chemists and as Air Force officers. Our department offers a plethora of research opportunities, from traditional benchtop research to Air Force applications and classified research, allowing cadets to find a project that aligns with their interests. Many cadets elect to continue their research projects and similar to other civilian institutions, our cadets deliver conference presentations and author publications to disseminate their work. While the US Air Force Academy’s mission is to educate and train future military officers, the chemistry curriculum and research opportunities are similar to other civilian institutions.
Registration:

Registrants will be sent a link to the meeting

November 18, 2020 meeting: A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE INTERMUSEUM CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION LAB
2020-11-18 17:30 - 20:00 | OH
November’s speakers will be a group of conservators from the Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA) Laboratory in near-west Cleveland. The Cleveland lab of ICA is one of seven art conservation facilities in the country that serve museums and collectors without their own staff, and is currently the only one that serves all forms of art work. Join Dr. Holly Witchey, ICA Director of Education & Outreach, and several art conservators as we view a 15-minute prerecorded tour, assembled by our own Counselor Mike Kenney, followed by a live online Q & A session with several ICA conservators. Learn about the educational backgrounds needed for art conservation, ask about the science(s) involved, and discuss specific projects that the ICA lab has worked on. (Please note that some questions may not be answered due to privacy and security concerns.) This is a unique opportunity to learn about a science & art gem hidden in a little historic building (the old Vitrolite Building) in Ohio City.

Schedule:
5:30 – 6:30 pm Video tour followed by live Q & A session
7 – 8 pm Executive committee meeting
Registration:

October 21, 2020: Morley award address
2020-10-21 18:00 - 20:30 | OH
Wed. Oct. 21, 2020

Schedule:

6:00 pm: Executive Committee Meeting

7:00 pm: Social time

7:15 pm: Morley Award presentation and address

From Electron Correlation to Condensed-Phase Spectroscopy: A Quantum Chemist’s Perspective
John M. Herbert, Professor, The Ohio State University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
This talk will give an overview of research projects in my group, which are generally aimed at developing the methodology of computational quantum chemistry. A significant fraction of our research program is aimed at “computational spectroscopy”, with examples that include optical spectroscopy of photovoltaic materials, vibrational and photoelectron spectroscopy at the air/water interface, and resonance Raman spectroscopy of metalloproteins. We are also interested in the fundamentals of electronic structure and electron correlation, and along those lines have been carefully reinvestigating the quantum mechanics of noncovalent interactions. In so doing, we are debunking a variety of long-standing myths that are still pervasive in textbooks, regarding such fundamental topics as π-stacking and hydrogen bonding. Finally, we are developing multiscale approaches to the electron correlation problem, as modern replacements for QM/MM methods, and have proof-of-concept examples of fully quantum-mechanical calculations in proteins with 1,000+ atoms, on modest computational resources.
Registration:

Sept. 16, 2020
2020-09-16 18:30 - 21:00 | OH
September 16, 2020 Meeting

Peter Psarras

Schedule:

6:30 pm: Executive Committee Meeting

7:30 pm: Social time

8:00 pm: Talk

Zoom link to be emailed ahead of the meeting
Title: An Overview of Negative Emission Technologies
By Peter Psarras, Assistant Professor, Cuyahoga Community College.

Abstract: It is widely accepted that conventional mitigation efforts, e.g., fuel switching, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage, are not enough to protect us from the irreversible effects of climate change. The inescapable reality of a continued atmospheric rise in heat trapping gases necessitates that other solutions must enter the fray, solutions that drawdown atmospheric CO2 into other reservoirs. This talk will provide an overview of several “negative emission technologies”: solutions that are designed to drawdown and reliably store more CO2 than they emit. Some solutions are quite simple in theory –for instance planting a tree (or a few!) – but complex in long-term management. Other engineered systems are cleverly integrated with existing low carbon heat and electricity to maximize removal potential. A discussion of the benefits and challenges of carbon removal will follow.

Bio: Pete Psarras received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cleveland State University in 2014 where he worked on computational modeling of catalysts used in Fischer-Tropsch synthetic fuel processing. His work since has focused mainly on climate change mitigation, mainly carbon capture, utilization, and – more recently – atmospheric carbon removal. Dr. Psarras joined Cuyahoga Community College in 2018 at the level of Assistant Professor in Chemistry, where he continues research work as a consultant conducting life cycle assessments and techno-economic analyses of hydrogen production and carbon management systems.

Registration:

April 15 - Education Night
2020-03-10 00:00 | OH
Sorry but this event has been cancelled

Education Night

Schedule:

4:30 pm: Executive Meeting

5:30 pm: Social/Networking

6:00 pm: Dinner

7:00 pm: Awards followed by presentation

Title: NASA Glenn Research Center’s Facilities and Testing Contributions to the Artemis Mission
By Deborah L. Waters, Chief of the Test Facility, NASA Glenn Research Center

Abstract: NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is at the forefront of testing for the Artemis Mission. Test facilities and technologies at GRC will help enable the newest mission to the Moon and beyond. GRC specializes in electric propulsion, power systems, thermal/cryogenic management of fluids, in-situ resource utilization, space simulation testing and other technologies that are essential to human exploration and habitation going forward. Under Artemis, the Orion capsule is currently being tested for the harsh space environment through thermal vacuum, acoustics and vibration testing at Plum Brook Station in the Space Environments Chamber. The Gateway will be a Lunar outpost that will enable transfer to the Lunar surface and eventually serve as a gateway to Mars. The first module of the Gateway is the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) which will provide power to the Gateway, maintain position and communication between the Gateway and Earth. The GRC-led PPE contract was awarded to Maxar and relies on testing the electric propulsion thrusters and power processing units for many years at GRC. By 2024, the next man and first woman will land on the Moon. Surface power and in-situ resource utilization, of which GRC plays a vital role in the Agency, will be technologies needed for efficient and successful habitation of the Moon. This presentation will discuss the technologies and facilities needed for this exciting next step for NASA Glenn.

Bio: Deb Waters has both her Bachelor’s (1992) and Master’s (2014) in Chemical Engineering from Cleveland State University. Ms. Waters is currently the Chief of the Test Facility Management Branch, in the Management Integration Division of the Facilities, Test and Manufacturing Directorate at NASA Glenn Research Center. She was the Space Simulation Facility Manager prior to her current position where she worked with many of the chambers that enable electric propulsion, in-situ resource utilization and power management. For over fifteen years, Ms. Waters worked in research in space environmental durability of materials and coatings. She has been a mentor to dozens of student interns over her 18 years at GRC after being an intern herself at GRC while she was an undergraduate chemical engineering student. Prior to coming back to GRC, Ms. Waters worked for Sherwin-Williams developing aerosol coatings and products for Krylon and Sprayon for over seven years. She is married with two children attending college to become high school teachers (one in chemistry/physics and the other math!).

Plated dinner will be served.
Please select between:
Breast of Chicken Piccata
Or Marinara Pasta (Vegetarian option)

Served with beverage station, house salad, warm rolls and butter, garlic mashed potatoes and Chef’s Vegetable. The dessert is Cheesecake with fruit topping.
Please RSVP by Saturday April 4th, 2020.
Registration:

March 9, 2020 - Meeting-in-Miniature
2020-03-09 12:00 - 19:00 | Cuyahoga Community College Western Campus, 11000 W Pleasant Valley Rd, Parma, OH, 44130, United States
MIM 2020 will be held on the afternoon and evening of Monday, March 9, at Cuyahoga Community College Western Campus in Parma, OH. Registration for the meeting is free. The half-day program will begin in the mid-afternoon with parallel sessions of 20-min talks (including 5 min of Q&A). A plenary lecture by David Schiraldi, Professor of Macromolecular Science & Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and dinner will follow the presentations. There are cash awards for both undergraduate and graduate presenters.
The Meeting-in-Miniature (MIM) of the Cleveland Section of the ACS has become a much-anticipated event in the calendar of many local undergraduate and graduate researchers. MIM is a great way to showcase your work and is effective preparation for presenting at an ACS national meeting, regional meeting or job interview. It is also a great opportunity to meet chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineering faculty and students from neighboring colleges and universities.
Noon Registration and Tour of STEM Center
1:30 Welcome and Opening Remarks
2:00 Oral Presentations
4:30 Plenary Presentation
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Awards

Meeting registration and submission of abstracts to be considered for oral presentation is now open. Registration and abstract submission should be performed online here. Abstracts have a 200-word limit. Required information includes: title of presentation, presenting author, mentor of presenting author, department and university or company affiliation, email of presenting author, category (undergraduate, graduate, other), division (analytical, biochemistry, chemical engineering, inorganic/materials, organic, physical), and abstract. The deadline for registration and submission of abstracts is February 29, 2010. Click below for the abstract submission form. Send any question or concerns to michael.kenney@tri-c.edu
Abstract submission:
Closed
General Registration:

Faculty mentors and other chemistry professionals are invited to serve as judges and session chairs for the oral presentations. Volunteers should email Mike Kenney, michael.kenney@tri-c.edu, with the subject “MIM volunteer”.

February 2020 Meeting
2020-02-19 16:30 - 20:30 | OH
Melissa Barranger Mathys, Ph.D.
Wednesday February 19, 2020
John Carroll University
Dolan Science Center
O’Connell Reading Room
Schedule:
4:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting
5:30 pm Social/Networking
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Presentation
Getting to Know the USNCO: A Glimpse into the World of High School Chemistry Competitions, Dr. Melissa Barranger Mathys, Ursuline College
Abstract: Each year since 1984 the ACS Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Chemistry Olympiad Endowment has sponsored the United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO). This competition selects exceptional high school chemistry students from across the country to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). Since 2012, Northeast Ohio has been well-represented, sending 7 high school students to the training camp in 8 years. This talk will cover aspects of the process to choose these students along with how ACS members can get involved at the local and national level. Attend to test your knowledge with example competition questions.
Speaker Biography: Melissa Barranger Mathys, Ph.D., has been a chemistry professor for over 20 years. In additions to her faculty duties at Ursuline College, she has participated as a United States National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) mentor from 2012-2014 and again from 2019-2020. She has traveled with the USA team as they competed in Russia, Vietnam, and France. The 2020 IChO will be held in Istanbul Turkey in July.
DINNER RESERVATIONS: Please RSVP by Fri. Feb. 14 by filling the online registration form (immediately below). Dinner will be Italian buffet style and will include Mesclun Salad, Lemon Rosemary Chicken, Rigatoni Marinara (veg), Italian Seasoned Green Beans, Lemon Chessecake Bars, Iced Tea and Lemonade and garlic bread sticks. At the event, we take credit cards, checks made out to “Cleveland ACS”, or cash. The cost is $20 for members, non-members and guests, $10 for retirees or unemployed, and $5 for students.

January 2020 Meeting - Past Chair's Night
2020-01-15 17:30 - 20:00 | Kan Zaman, 1616 W 25th St,, Cleveland, OH, 44113
Past Chair Night
Wednesday January 15, 2020
4:30 pm Executive Committee Meeting
5:30 pm Social/Networking
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Presentation

Title of presentation: “The Cleveland Mousetrap”
By Dr. Michael Fricke.
Abstract: James Conant is remembered as the scientific advisor to Roosevelt during the construction of the atomic bomb. Less well known is Conant’s work during WW1. In 1918, Conant came to Ohio to build a secret factory now known as the Cleveland Mousetrap in a desperate race to counter German mustard.
Speaker Biography: Michael Fricke is a PhD chemist and current chair of the Akron American Chemical Society. Dr Fricke is an expert on arsenic chemistry and discovered dimethylthioarsinic acid (DMTA) which has proven to be a key metabolite in the toxicity associated with low-level chronic arsenic consumption.
DINNER RESERVATIONS: Please RSVP by Saturday, January 11, by filling the online registration form (https://www.acscleveland.org). Dinner will be buffet style and will include appetizer/vegetarian selections such as Hummus, Baba Ghannouj and Tabooleh, and the following hot dishes: Shish Tawook (chicken shish kebab and veggies), Rice, Kebeh (ground beef), Oven-baked Chicken and a Lamb Lebaneese dish. At the event, we take credit cards, checks made out to “Cleveland ACS”, or cash. The cost is $20 for members, non-members and guests, $10 for retirees or unemployed, and $5 for students. Past Chairs of the section are complimentary.

November 13 Meeting featuring Anna Samia
2019-11-13 17:30 - 20:30 | Market Garden Brewery, 1947 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH, 44113, United States
4:30 pm – Executive Committee Meeting
5:30 pm – Social/Networking
6:00 pm- Dinner
7:00 pm- Presentation
Title: Nanoengineering of Stimuli Responsive Materials for Biomedical and Environmental Applications
Abstract: This talk will center on the chemical design of stimuli responsive nanostructures, and in particular cover aspects of their development as anti-biofilm agents and as tracers for an emerging biomedical imaging technology known as magnetic particle imaging (MPI). Moreover, the talk will provide a general overview of the different approaches that have been adopted to improve the performance of nanostructured metal and metal oxide sensors for environmental applications. The performance of the stimuli responsive materials is improved by tailoring the properties of the metal/metal oxide nanostructures through engineering of morphology, composition, and nanocomposite design.
Bio: Anna Cristina S. Samia is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. She received her PhD degree in Chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology and her Postdoctoral training at the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, IL. She also worked as a Research Fellow at the School of Medicine at CWRU. Dr. Samia’s research interests center around the synthesis and study of the magneto-opto-electronic properties of intermetallic and metal oxide nanostructures with emphasis on chemical design to achieve desired properties and function. The main applications are in the areas of magnetic imaging and therapy, nanosensor development, and environmental nanotechnology. Dr. Samia also serves as the Director of the Women in Chemistry@CWRU Professional Development program and the Chemistry LEAD (Leadership, Enrichment, and Academic Development) Scholars program at CWRU.

October 2019 Cleveland-NEO-Akron Joint Meeting: Industry Night
2019-10-16 17:30 - 20:00 | Olon Ricerca Bioscience, 7528 Auburn Rd., Concord, OH, 44077, United States
Overview
Expand your network at this unprecedented joint meeting between the Cleveland, North East Ohio (NEO) and Akron ACS sections! Discover “Olon Ricerca Bioscience,” an experienced chemical development company located in Concord OH, just 30 miles east of downtown Cleveland off of Interstate 90.
Please RSVP by Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. A hot buffet from Food for Thought will be served, which will include a spring salad, ginger bourbon chicken with summer grilled vegetables, basil ratatouille, baguettes, and deserts.
Agenda
The Cleveland section executive committee will meet at 4:30 pm in the Mahagony room at Olon Ricerca Bioscience. If you are interested in learning about what we do and getting more involved, you are welcome to join us!
5:30 pm Networking
6:00 pm Buffet
7:00 pm Overview of company and tour by Michael Contenza
About the Speaker
Michael Contenza
General Manager
Olon Ricerca Bioscience
Michael is currently the General Manager of Olon Ricerca Bioscience located in Concord, Ohio where he is responsible for business and operational activities. Olon Ricerca Bioscience provides synthetic chemistry, process chemistry, analytical chemistry and engineering expertise that provides comprehensive support for successful development, scale-up and manufacture of small-molecule pharmaceuticals, intermediates, regulatory starting materials and performance chemicals on a contract basis. In his current role as General Manager, Michael has direct responsibility for the operating units, quality assurance, environmental health and safety, and facilities management. Michael’s 40 years in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries has consisted of a broad range of operational and technical responsibilities including operational and business management; technology assessment, development and transfer; project engineering; business and strategic relationship development; capital planning and implementation; quality/cGMP system development and compliance; and environmental, health and safety management.
Michael earned his B.S in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and his M.S from Cleveland State University. Michael is a registered and licensed professional engineer in the State of Ohio, in addition to being an active member of American Institute of Chemical Engineers and International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers. Michael also provide industrial advisory support to universities in the Cleveland Area.

September 2019 Cleveland-Akron Local Sections Joint Meeting
2019-09-18 17:30 - 21:00 | Creekside Restaurant & Bar, 8803 Brecksville Rd, Brecksville, OH, 44141, United States
Agenda
4:30 p.m. Executive Committee Meeting
5:30 p.m. Social/Networking
6:00 p.m. Dinner
7:00 p.m. Presentation: “Cuyahoga: From Flame to Fame”
The Cuyahoga River is known worldwide as the river that caught fire. The story of this river is one of recovery—recovery of an ecosystem, of a connection to flowing water and its importance to humans. Join us on a journey into Cuyahoga River history, the life and times of an American river.
Speaker
William Zawiski
Water Quality Group Supervisor
Ohio EPA
