Holiday Food Drive - November 29 - December 21, 2010

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) hosted their third annual holiday food drive in December.  All donations went to Second Harvest which supplies the Mid-Michigan Food Bank.  The Mid-Michigan Food Bank cordinates support for many shelters accross mid-Michigan including several here in Lansing and East Lansing.  In order to increase department interest, six boxes (one for organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, nuclear, and chemistry staff) were placed in the Department of Chemistry Main Office; the area accumlating the most points at the end of the food drive would be awarded a trophy. This year items with an estimated total value of over $1250 were collected and the nuclear chemists again won the trophy!  Congratulations! Thanks to everyone for their support!  The event was coordinated by graduate students Mr. John McIlroy and Mr. Matt Fahner.

Necessities Drive for EVE, a Local Domestic Violence Shelter - November 29 - December 17, 2010

A necessities drive for EVE, a local domestic violence shelter, was sponsored by the ACS Women in Chemistry (WiC). A "carload" of donations of new and gently-used items were collected in the Department of Chemistry main office during December and benefitted victims of domestic violence, including children.  The activity was coordinated by graduate student Ms. Jenny Jo Mueller.

Women in Chemistry (WiC) Potluck - Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Women in Chemistry held a potluck in 585 Chemistry from 5-7 pm on Thursday, December 2, 2010. Undergraduate and graduate students were invited to share delicious dishes, warm beverages, group games, and social fun. There was roast beef, chili, potato salad, chips & dip, salad, soda, hot cocoa, cider, and desserts. Through this event, the organizers hoped to not only have fun, but also to raise student awareness of the group and encourage others to join.

Chemical Demonstration Shows - Younger Chemists Committee - Friday, November 5, 2010

The YCC provided 2 hour long chemical demonstration shows for ~75 chemistry students visiting from St. Johns High School. Teachers Caleb Miller and Rich Lund brought their students to campus to visit the National Superconducting Cyclotron and the Department of Chemistry. The demonstrations were coordinated by graduate students Mr. Matt Fahner, Mr. John McIlroy, and Mr. Steve Halpin of YCC.

Chemistry Day at Impression 5 - Saturday, October 23, 2010

On Saturday, October 23, 2010, the MSU Local Section of the ACS celebrated National Chemistry Week (NCW) with our 24th annual “Chemistry Day” event. This year, close to 1000 people visited Chemistry Day at Impression 5 Science Center! Among those in attendance were Boy and Girl Scouts who earned a participation patch for completing nine special activities, many of which related to the theme of the day, “Behind the Scenes with Chemistry!”. Thanks to a generous donation from Emergent BioSolutions, admission to Impression 5 was free! Emergent BioSolutions also gave every child in attendance a pair of safety glasses! The MSU Local Section gave everyone who attended Chemistry Day an NCW activity newspaper (“Celebrating Chemistry”), a “Hooray for Chemistry” bag, a NCW sticker, a “Proud to be a Chemist” temporary tattoo, and a NCW helium balloon. To celebrate "Mole Day", the MSU Local Section held a raffle to win one of three stuffed animal moles!

In addition to the regular exhibits at Impression 5, tables of hands-on activities and chemical demonstrations were presented by scientists from Emergent BioSolutions, students from the Department of Chemistry at MSU, MSU student organizations (ACS Women in Chemistry, ACS Younger Chemists Committee, NOBCChE, Science Theatre, Alpha Chi Sigma, Omega Chi Epsilon, MSU Food Science Club, and AISES), the Olivet College Chemistry Club (ACS Student Affiliates), students from Perry High School, and students from East Lansing High School.

Many of the activities and demonstrations showcased the chemistry found "Behind the Scenes" in television and movies! Some of the activities included making flubber, exploring the number of helium filled balloons required for an object to float, the science behind popcorn, the chemistry of chocolate, making artificial snow and artificial blood, and exploring several special effects seen in the movies and on television.

Chemistry Day would not have been possible without the help and support of our volunteers. THANK YOU to everyone who participated and helped to make Chemistry Day 2010 a great success! Please visit our website (http://www.chemistry.msu.edu/chemday) to see pictures from the event.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk - Women in Chemistry (WiC) - Saturday, October 23, 2010

This the eighth year that Women in Chemistry has participated in this Lansing event. The group supported Making Strides for Breast Cancer by walking and by collecting donations by providing snacks in the lobby of the Chemistry Building.

New Graduate Student Welcome Breakfast (YCC) - New student week, 2010

YCC provided an omelet breakfast to the incoming graduate students.

Fall 2010 National Meeting & Exposition - Boston, MA August 22 - 26, 2010 Councilor Talking Points

Scout Merit Badge Day - Saturday, May 22, 2010

The Younger Chemists Committee held the seventh-annual Chemistry Merit Badge Day on Saturday, May 22, 2010.  During this event, boy scouts and girl scouts visited the MSU chemistry building and participated in a day of experiments and activities.  The boys earned a Chemistry Merit Badge; the girls earned a Chemistry Interest Project Patch (IPP)*. Graduate student Mr. Steve Halpin was the event coordinator.

*The Girl Scout Chemistry Interest Project Patch was developed by women in the local section and approved by the Girl Scouts of Michigan Capital Area Council in 2004.  Any girl scout can earn the Chemistry IPP by fulfilling the requirements.

Michigan Science Olympiad - Saturday, May 1, 2010

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) participated in the Michigan Science Olympiad on Saturday May 1, 2010. Chemistry graduate students Mr. Matt Nethercott and Mr. Andrew Klose were the Supervisors for the Chemistry Lab event. The topic was Kinetics and Aqueous solutions.  The event tested the abilities of 48 different teams from across the state of Michigan in both their knowledge of chemistry on these topics but also in the ability to perform experiments in the lab and then interpret their findings.  The Younger Chemist Committee (YCC) at MSU helped out with the organization and running of the event by offering their time to write the test, set up the experiment and also proctor the event.  YCC also received help from Mr. Dave Voss in setting up of the experiment / materials.

Holiday Food Drive - November 30 - December 11, 2009

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) hosted a holiday food drive again this year.  All donations went to Second Harvest which supplies the Mid-Michigan Food Bank.  The Mid-Michigan Food Bank cordinates support for many shelters accross mid-Michigan including several here in Lansing and East Lansing.  In order to increase department interest, six boxes (one for organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, nuclear, and chemistry staff) were placed in the Department of Chemistry Main Office; the area accumlating the most points at the end of the food drive would be awarded a trophy. This year items with an estimated total value of over $1250 were collected and the nuclear chemists won the trophy!  Congratulations! Thanks to everyone for their support!  The event was coordinated by graduate students Mr. John McIlroy and Mr. Matt Fahner.

Chemistry Day at Impression 5 Science Center

Our 23^nd Annual National Chemistry Week Celebration! (Saturday, October 10, 2009) Theme: "Chemistry - It's Elemental!" celebrating the periodic table.

On Saturday, October 11, 2009, the MSU Local Section of the ACS celebrated National Chemistry Week (NCW) with our 23rd annual “Chemistry Day” event. This year, 900 people visited Chemistry Day at Impression 5 Science Center! Among those in attendance were Boy and Girl Scouts who earned a participation patch for completing nine special activities, many of which related to the theme of the day, “Chemistry - It's Elemental!”. Thanks to a generous donation from Emergent BioSolutions, admission to Impression 5 was free! Emergent BioSolutions also gave every child in attendance a pair of safety glasses! The MSU Local Section gave everyone who attended Chemistry Day an NCW activity newspaper (“Celebrating Chemistry”), a “Hooray for Chemistry” bag, a NCW sticker, a “Proud to be a Chemist” temporary tattoo, a NCW helium balloon, and a pocket periodic table of the elements.

In addition to the regular exhibits at Impression 5, tables of hands-on activities and chemical demonstrations were presented by students from the Department of Chemistry at MSU, the MSU Soil and Plant Nutrient Lab, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at MSU, MSU student organizations: ACS Younger Chemists Committee, NOBCChE (National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers), Science Theatre, Alpha Chi Sigma (chemistry fraternity), Omega Chi Epsilon (chemical engineering honorary); and students from Olivet College and Eaton Rapids High School.  Some of the activities and demonstrations included the determination of iron in cereal, the iodine clock reaction, flame tests for different elements, an element stage show, soil testing to monitor phosphorus movement from soil to groundwater, and an element matching game.

Coordinator: Dr. Amy Pollock Demonstrator Training: Mr. Dave Voss

Ice Cream Social & Walk (Saturday, October 10, 2009) Coordinator: Ms. Allison Brown

This the seventh year that Women in Chemistry has participated in this Lansing event. The group supported Making Strides for Breast Cancer by raising money selling pink ribbons and close to 100 homemade baked treats in the lobby of the Chemistry Building; asking for outside donations from friends, family, and coworkers;  and walking in the event on Saturday, October 10th. Altogether they raised $1264.68 for breast cancer research and support!

Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) Welcoming Events for New MSU Chemistry Department Graduate Students

The Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) once again organized and hosted a social gathering for incoming graduate students. The social night serves as a welcome event for the incoming graduate students.  The event is one of the first experiences incoming students have to interact with other graduate students and faculty at Michigan State University.  Many members of the YCC attended the event as a way to welcome the incoming students and increase awareness of out group. By all accounts it was a great success! 

In addition, as part of our section's initiative to increase membership within the YCC, we put on an omelette breakfast for the incoming graduate students.  The sole intention of this breakfast was to provide a venue for new students to get to know members of the YCC and encourage membership.  Nearly 30-35 new students attended the event which was a great success. Graduate students Mr. Matt Fhaner and Mr. John McIlroy were event coordinators.

YCC Games Night - Friday, June 19, 2009

The YCC hosted a game night for fellow graduate students earlier in this summer in a conference room in the Chemistry Building.  Refreshments were provided by the YCC and individuals were encouraged to bring their favorite board or card game to share with others.  The evening was a success with an estimated 20-30 graduate members taking part in it. The event was coordinated by YCC Chair, Mr. Matt Fahner.

Michigan Science Olympiad - Saturday, May 2, 2009

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) participated in the Michigan Science Olympiad this year. Graduate student Mr. Matt Nethercott was the Supervisor for the Chemistry Lab event and coordinated the activities of the eight YCC member volunteers. The event theme was Acids and Bases and was in two parts. In the first, high school student participants were asked general knowledge questions on the topic (for example: asked to write and balance equations and perform calculations to determine pH, pOH, and molarity). The second part of the event was a titration race where the teams performed two titrations to detemine the concentration of an unknown weak acid. There were approximately 48 teams that participated in the event.

A/P Labs Visit - Williamston High School Chemistry Students - Saturday, March 28, 2009

Williamston High School chemistry teacher Mr. Bill Struck brought 12 Advanced Placement Chemistry students from Williamston High School to visit the undergraduate instrumentation labs (Analytical/Physical Labs or A/P labs) in the Chemistry Department at MSU on Saturday, March 25, 2009. Before their visit the students were assigned to an analytical instrument (ICP-OES, UV-Vis, FTIR, GC/MS, NMR, or HPLC) and asked to research it. Questions they needed to answer were: what does the acronym stand for? When/where/how/by whom was it developed? What information does the instrument give us - including units? What does it tell us? What are its applications? How are samples prepared? What sample sizes are appropriate?

During their visit the students worked on their assigned instrument under the supervision of a graduate student (most of whom are members of YCC). They spent over two hours preparing samples, running analyses, and interpreting results. This was followed by a tour of all six instruments by the whole group. As each instrument was visited, the students who had been using it, explained the instrument to their classmates. Graduate student volunteers were Mr. David Dotzauer (ICP-OES), Ms. Erica Schwander (UV-Vis), Mr. Ben Oberts (FTIR), Mr. John McIlroy (GC/MS), Mr. Matt Nethercott (NMR), and Ms. Melissa Bodnar (HPLC) and the event was coordinated by Dr. Kathy Severin, A/P Lab Coordinator. In the future, YCC is interested in taking over coordination of these visits - they hope to host a couple of classes each semester.

Spring 2009 National Meeting & Exposition

Sunday, March 22 - Thursday, March 26, 2009, Salt Lake City  Councilor Talking Points

Chemistry Olympiad - Friday, March 13, 2009 (Local Section Competition) and Saturday, April 25, 2009 (National Competition)

The MSU Local Section competition was held on Friday, March 13th in the Department of Chemistry at MSU.  A total of 39 students from the following high schools participated: East Lansing, Grand Ledge, Holt, Okemos, Owasso, and Perry. The event was coordinated by MSU Professor Merlin Bruening.

The day began with a two hour written examination. This was followed by a Chemical Demonstration Show and an awards ceremony.  The student with the highest score on the exam was John Norwood from East Lansing High School.  He received a cash award of $50 from the local section.  Franklin Lui from Okemos High School finished in second place and Eleanor Melfi from East Lansing High School came in third. They each received a cash award of $25.

The top 10 students (maximum of 2 per high school) moved on to the national competitition which was held on Saturday, April 25th.  The National exam consisted of three sections, a multiple choice exam, followed by a problem solving/short answer section, and a laboratory practical exam.  Winners were eligible to be selected as members of the United States team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).  For the past twenty years, the United States has sent a team of four students to compete with teams from around the world at the IChO.  Students participate in both theoretical and laboratory examinations over several days.  Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to the best performers, and the IChO provides students with the opportunity to interact with their peers from other countries.  The 2009 event will be held in Cambridge, England on July 18-27, 2009.

YCC Bake Sale - February 23 - 27, 2009

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) held a bake sale in the lobby of the Chemistry Building. They raised over $300 to support future activities.

WiC Science Fun Day Participation - February 21, 2009

Members of Women in Chemistry (WiC) presented three hands-on activities: "Invisible Ink", "Colorful Milk", and "Things that Glow" at the Okemos Schools Supports of Science (SOS) event on Saturday, February 21, 2009. Ms. Ruth Udey organized and coordinated WiC participation in the event.  

YCC Holiday Food Drive - December 1 - 19, 2008

The YCC (Younger Chemist Committee) hosted a holiday food drive this year.  They collected 15 boxes of donated food and supplies for an estimated total donation of $1100. All donations went to Second Harvest which supplies the Mid-Michigan Food Bank.  The Mid-Michigan Food Bank cordinates support for many shelters accross mid-michigan including several here in Lansing and East Lansing.  Five groups in the Chemistry Department at Michigan State University competed (organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and chemistry staff) to see who could gather the most.  The physical chemists won! A trophy and award certificate are on display in the case next to the first floor stockroom in the Chemistry Building on the MSU campus. YCC thanks everyone for the amazing response and generosity that was provided for this event.

Scout Merit Badge Day

Saturday, December 6, 2008 organized by ACS Women in Chemistry

Beginning Monday, December 8, 2008 at 7 pm in 481W Chemistry Building, MSU Campus.

Chemistry Day at Impression 5 Science Center

Our 22^nd Annual National Chemistry Week Celebration! (Saturday, October 25, 2008)

Ice Cream Social (Wednesday, October 1, 2008) & Walk (Saturday, October 11, 2008)

Sunday, August 17 - Thursday, August 21, 2008, Philadelphia, PA   Councilor Talking Points

Saturday, April 26, 2008 on the MSU Campus (Chemistry Lab supervised by ACS Women in Chemistry)

The Science Olympiad competition was on Saturday, April 26th, 2008. WiC volunteers Amber Hupp, Heather Crawford, Shujuan Xu, Erica Schwander, and Jaime Curtis organized and supervised the Chemistry Lab competition. The topic of the event this year was Chemical Reactions and Energy, and the students performed experiments to determine the heat capacity of a metal and to identify an unknown based on solubility rules. The event went well, as usual the kids really enjoyed getting some hands on experience in a chemistry lab.

Sunday, April 6 - Thursday, April 10, 2008, New Orleans, LA  Councilor Talking Points

MSU Department of Chemistry graduate students Mr. Jason Fisk and Ms. Erin Vogel received travel grants from the local section to present their research at the meeting.

Saturday, March 29, 2008 on the MSU Campus (organized by ACS Women in Chemistry)

This event celebrating "Ten Years of Women in Chemistry at MSU" took place in the Biomedical Physical Sciences Building on the MSU campus on Saturday, March 29, 2008 (program schedule).   Professional women in science from universities, industry, and national labs including former steering committee members of Women in Chemistry shared their personal experiences and presented information to help graduate (and undergraduate) women effectively prepare for their scientific careers.  Funding was provided by the ACS through an Innovative Projects Grant.  In addition, the MSU Graduate School provided a catered lunch for the 65 workshop participants.

For more information read the Event Report.

Tuesday, March 6, 2008 and Saturday, April 19, 2008 on the MSU Campus (coordinated by MSU Professor Merlin Bruening)

The MSU Local Section competition was held on Tuesday, March 6th in the Department of Chemistry at MSU.  A total of 65 students from the following high schools participated: Carman-Ainsworth, East Lansing, Grand Ledge, Haslett, Hastings, Holt, St. Johns, and Waverly.

The day began with a two hour written examination.  Box lunches from Subway were served at noon and Dr. Paul Hunter presented a Chemical Demonstration Show for the students.  This was followed by an awards ceremony.  The student with the highest score on the exam was  Dennis Foren from Carman-Ainsworth High School.  He received a cash award of $50 from the local section.  David Meierfrankenfeld from Haslett High School finished in second place and Sita Syal and Jonathan Joseph from East Lansing High School and Javier Howard from Carman-Ainsworth tied for third.

The top 10 students (maximum of 2 per high school) moved on to the national competitition which was held on Saturday, April 19th.  The National exam consisted of three sections, a multiple choice exam, followed by a problem solving/short answer section, and a laboratory practical exam.  Winners are eligible to be selected as members of the United States team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).  For the past twenty years, the United States has sent a team of four students to compete with teams from around the world at the IChO.  Students participate in both theoretical and laboratory examinations over several days.  Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to the best performers, and the IChO provides students with the opportunity to interact with their peers from other countries.  The 2008 event will be held in Budapest, Hungary on July 12-21, 2008.

Saturday, February 9, 2008 at East Lansing High School (ACS Women in Chemistry)

This was the 9^th year that Women in Chemistry has presented hands-on sessions at this annual event for 6^th grade mid-Michigan girls who have an interest in math and science.  This year the event took place on Saturday, February 9, 2008 at East Lansing High School, and Thu Nguyen is coordinated WiC's participation.

Saturday, December 1, 2007 organized by ACS Women in Chemistry

Chemistry Day at Impression 5 Science Center

Our 21^st Annual National Chemistry Week Celebration! (Saturday, October 27, 2007)

Women in Chemistry:  Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

Ice Cream Social (Wednesday, October 3, 2007) & Walk (Saturday, October 20, 2007)

Welcoming Events for New MSU Graduate Students

Younger Chemist Committee Social Event & Women in Chemistry Luncheon