CINTACS Newsletter of the Cincinnati Section of the  American Chemical Society  Vol. 39, No. 2 - October 2001

CINTACS is published nine times a year (September through May) by the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society. All changes of address should be sent to Emel Yakali at Raymond Walters College, 9555 Plainfield Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236, phone 745-5686, FAX 745-5767, or email mc.acs@uc.edu.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

The submission deadline will be approximately November 26, for the January 2002 issue.  Electronic submission is strongly preferred, except for original photos. All materials should be sent to:

Dr. Bruce Ault
Department of Chemistry
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221
Phone: 513-556-9238
FAX: 513-556-9239
E-mail: bruce.ault@uc.edu

The banner you see to the left greeted us when Ted Logan and I arrived in Chicago. Yes, the ACS was a big hit there. Besides at least 9 of us from Cincinnati (I talked with Bruce Ault, Kathy Gibboney, Vinay Kumar, Ted Logan, Bill Oliver, Roger Parker, George Rizzi, & Diane Schmidt - and undoubtedly missed others), there were over 15,000 other chemists from around the nation and around the world. They reported that between San Diego in the Spring, and this meeting in Chicago, ACS set an all time record for attendance at National Meetings in a calendar year!

Chicago is HUGE! McCormick Place, where the technical program and Expo were held, seemed to be over a mile long, but they tell me it is less than 1/2 mile from one end to the other. It was large enough to have a shuttle bus going from the East side to the West side, especially for those with tired feet or who otherwise couldn't make the walk.  (My feet were barking at me after I made the round trip at least 2 times on Monday and 3 times on Tuesday - they didn't warn us to wear our walking sneakers!)   I didn't attempt to count the number of papers, but they filled all the rooms in the convention center, so that committee meetings, luncheons, and dinners had to be held in hotels uptown (some three miles away by charter bus.)  The commercial Expo was filled to overflowing with at least 400 individual vendors in over 700 spaces!

Fortunately for most of us, the warm weather broke Monday evening, and Tuesday and Wednesday were perfect, highs in the mid 20's (^oC) and lows in the teens (^oC).  I even figured out the local surface transportation system, and saved at least $100/night by staying out past O'Hare on the MetraRail Line and commuting into town with a 45 minute train ride. The ride out on Tuesday after the ChemLuminary award celebration was packed with folks who had heard Madonna, so this added to the festivities.

Back to Cincinnati, and local ACS affairs. In November we’re honored with the presence of Eli Pearce, President Elect for ACS.   If you haven't sent in your questions, you may have time to squeeze them in. Send them along to Ted Logan, tjlogancin@aol.com or call him at 513-385-8856. Ted is collecting questions and concerns for Dr. Pearce, so that the presentation will be most relevant to our local concerns. Be sure to attend the November meeting to get the latest info from the highest level of ACS.

Please review the latest information on National Chemistry week at http://www.che.uc.edu/acs/ncw/ncw_cin.html.  There may openings for people to present chemistry demonstrations to the general public. This is a great way to let the public know some of the things about chemistry - folks seldom think of food, household items like soaps, vinegar, baking powder, etc., as chemicals, and need to be educated that chemistry and chemicals are everyday things and happenings - not "mysterious things" happening in labs and industrial factories.  Thanks to Gloria Story for arranging all the details this year.

Advance notice for December - we will be honored to have Margaret Ringenberg as our featured speaker. Margaret is one of the first women pilots, a contemporary of Amelia Earhart.  Her love affair with flying began when she took her first airplane ride at the age of 7 from a farmer's field in rural Indiana. She served her country as a WASP (Women's Air Force Service Pilots) in WWII, and became a flight instructor in 1945.

She has been racing since 1957. From the time she first soloed in 1941 until she completed the "Round the World" Air Race in 1994 at the age of 72, she has logged over 40,000 hours.  Margaret is currently very busy flying and speaking about her experiences. In 1998, she received a standing ovation after addressing 1,000 cadets at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.  A chapter was devoted to her in Tom Brokaw's bestseller, "The Greatest Generation," and she has written a book of her own, "Girls Can't Be Pilots"  She is an excellent motivational speaker, and speaks with the authority of one of has "been through it all."

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Honored Guest and Speaker
Dr. Eli Pearce, President Elect of (National) ACS

"Chemistry's Changing Face Mirrors America"

About the Speaker

Dr. Pearce is theUniversity Research Professor at Polytechnic University where he's taught since 1973.  He served on the Board of Directors as director-at-large since 1999, and has chaired both the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry and the Committee on Education.  He has been an ACS member since 1950.
 
 

We are delighted to have Dr Eli Pearce, President Elect of the ACS with us for the November meeting.  He has promised to share his vision for the Society, to provide a perspective from the national, and to answer the several questions which have been posed by our members.  Dr. Pearce brings perspective of opportunities, problems and potential solutions from a diverse background in industry, academia, and from travels throughout the world.  The leader from his campaign page emphasizes the ACS member, the impact of the individual practicing chemist, and the role we can all play in promoting chemistry and chemical engineering in this 21st century.

The meeting place is new to many, but in the backyard of the 2001/02 Chair (Hal Ebetino set a precedent with many meetings in Blue Ash, near his home, so this year we'll have at least one meeting in Colerain Township!) Come visit the Pebble Creek Golf Course Clubhouse.  For handicapped access use the walkway down to the first floor in the back of the building.  After we've registered, we'll hear everything that's new and wonderful at ACS, the vision and plans for next year, and answers to the burning questions you've offered, all from Dr. Pearce.  Then we'll have a reception, with all the trimmings, where you can corner Dr. Pearce in private, if that’s your wish. If the weather is nice, we can drift outdoors to a covered veranda and gazebo, and view the lake or gaze at the stars.

Agenda:

5:30-6:00 p.m.
Registration ($12 for members. Students, retired, and K-12 teachers 1/2 price)
Bar and light snacks open.

6:00-7:00 p.m.
Talk by Dr. Eli Pearce, President Elect, American Chemical Society
(Bar and snacks will close during this part of the program)

7:00-8:30 p.m.
Reception, hors d'ouvre, open bar

If people would like to eat a hearty meal after the reception, there are numerous restaurants on Colerain Avenue south of I-275, with taste and prices varying from White Castle to the Outback Steakhouse and many in between.

Reservations: Send your reservations to Robbin Rolfes <rolfes.rl@pg.com> , or if you have difficulty remembering this address, send to <cinacs@greeb.net>.  If absolutely impossible to make reservations via the internet, telephone 513-385-8363 (It will save a lot of trouble if you use e-mail, but we don't want to discourage those who like the "olde fashioned" means of making reservations).  Include your name, affiliation, and state if you're in one of the 1/2 price categories.    As a reminder, if you decide you must miss a meeting after you have made reservations, please call to cancel. If you do not cancel, the Section will have to charge you because it will have been charged by the Club.

Directions: Pebble Creek Golf Club is reached from Downtown (or UC), by taking I-75 North to I-74 West, to I-275 East, to Colerain Avenue (US-27). Go North on Colerain Avenue to the third traffic light (at Lowe's Home Center), and turn left, onto Dry Ridge. You will go around two curves, and come to a "stop except when turning right." Bear right (still on Dry Ridge Road) to the second left, which is Prechtel Road.  Turn left. go about 3/4 mile to the end of Prechtel, and bear right into 9799 Prechtel Road. In case of difficulty you may call the club at 513-923-1188.

From the north take I-71 or I-75 South to I-275 West to Colerain Avenue (US-27). Go North on Colerain Avenue to the second traffic light (at Lowe's Home Center), and turn left, onto Dry Ridge.  Then, follow the directions given above.

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Ted Logan, holding his 20 years  Councilor's Service Plaque.	Councilors caught in the act of representing the Section at Chicago.

1)   Although nominated for two Chemluminary Awards ("Greatest  Community Involvement" and "Outstanding Local Section Younger Chemist Committee Award"), the Cincinnati section did not win either award.

2) ACS dues will be raised from $108 to $112 for the year 2002.

3)   The" Market Value" of ACS is now estimated at over $2 billion and it takes $350 million per year (our annual budget) to operate the system.

4)   Members can now search the entire Web with a specialized search engine designed to crawl the world of chemistry (www.ChemIndustry.org).

5)   The petition to increase the size of society committees to 12-20 members has been postponed till the Orlando meeting this spring.

6) 169 employers were present at the Clearing House to conduct over 4000 interviews.  The unemployment rate for chemists has fallen from two percent to 1.5 percent.

7)   National Chemistry Week will be moved to the last week in October to avoid conflicts with political elections in 2002.  The theme for the 2002 celebration will be  "Chemistry Keeps Us Clean".

8)   6089 technical papers were presented in Chicago.  Attendance was a very high 15,290.  Adding the San Diego figures (third-highest) makes 2001 the highest total national meeting attendance in the history of ACS.  328 companies exhibited, occupying 543 booths, both records. Income from these booths will be $990,000, also a record.

10) Registration fee for national meetings next year will increase $10 to $265.  Registrants will pay the same dues irrespective of their location in the U.S. or overseas.

11)   Grant money from National is available to help with Regional Meeting
expenses.  Eight applied for those grants this year; all eight were funded.

12) An associative degree or equivalent in a chemical science or chemical technology and five years of employment in a chemical science now meets all requirements for full ACS membership.

13)   More than 400 schools have now installed Sci-Finder (for entering and using Chem Abstracts), up from 115 last year.

14)   As reported previously, the PRF management is now in the hands of ACS. Before this change, only income could be spent on grants; the principal could not be touched.  The fund is now so large that a change in the way the fund is administered, resulting in the ability to spend five percent of the principal each year plus the income, (with appropriate limits to protect most of the principal).  So instead of $18 million for grants there will be $27 million starting next year, making many more grants possible.

15)   The ACS Award " Industrial Chemistry" has lost its sponsor and is seeking a replacement.  The cost is $12,000 per year with a five-year commitment.  Neither a patent nor commercialization is now required to win the award.

16)   Attendance at local sections continues to be poor.  The North Jersey section, for example, has 7600 members and draws only 30 to 40 scientists per local meeting.

17)  The Pavlath-initiated electronic poll of 8000 members on what they like or don't like about ACS activities is now completed. The most satisfied members are older, Ph.D., white, males.  The least satisfied cohorts were industrial, young, BS or MS chemists; the ACS is seen as offering least to them, so losses here are a problem.  Copies of this report will be made available to sections through Councilors and Chairs.

18)    JobSpectrum.org is the new comprehensive online career and employment site.  Eight of the top biotech and nine of the top pharmaceutical companies have placed a ads on this site. It is a "must use" site for job seekers.

Ted J. Logan, Councilor
Cincinnati Section, ACS

The Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society has funds available for the purpose of improving chemical education in the geographic area served by the local section (OH: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland and Warren counties; KY: Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties; IN: Dearborn and Ohio counties). The Educational Grants Committee was established to make recommendations to the Cincinnati Section Board of Directors for the disbursement of these funds.

 The committee hereby invites applications for these grants from all members (teachers, students, industrial chemists, etc.) of the chemical community in the service area of the section. Applications will be accepted and reviewed three times during the year according to the following schedule.
 
 

Review Month	Application Deadline	Notification Date
November	November 1, 2001	December 1, 2001
January	January 15, 2002	February 15, 2002
May	May 1, 2002	May 30, 2002

Grants will be awarded for such activities as attending educational workshops, participation in summer research programs, innovative education programs, instructional equipment, etc. Proposals, which incorporate the use of funds from other agencies or corporations, including the agency, or corporation, with which the applicant is affiliated, will be given preference in the selection process. Funds will generally not be awarded for the purchase of common supplies or chemicals. However, any application, which meets the basic criteria for which the fund was created, will be given serious consideration. Grants will be, in most cases, limited to $1,500; exceptional proposals will be considered for larger amounts. No school or organization will be allowed to receive more than one (1) award per calendar year. Within one year from the time the grant is awarded, a report describing the used of the funds and the impact that the project had is expected to have on improving chemical education is to be forwarded to the cmmittee chairperson.

For further information or an application, please contact:

Rebecca E. Stricklin
Oak Hills High School
3200 Ebenezer Road
Cincinnati, OH 45248-4038
Phone: 513-922-2300 Ext. 579
FAX: 513-922-4900
E-mail: RStricklin@aol.com
 
 

In the September CINTACS a summary of three meetings for this academic year was given. So much has happened since that writing! Pull out your calendar and mark these additional dates. On November 5 from 4:30 to 6 PM the chemical educators’ discussion group will have a special tour of the Marie Curie Exhibit at Raymond Walters College. The exhibit is described in another article within this newsletter. This exhibit will be a wonderful precursor to our January meeting on Issues in Nuclear Chemistry as well as an opportunity to share in a unique educational experience. Since Linda does not have the details for the meeting place on campus as she writes this article, please contact her by e-mail (Linda.ford@7hills.org) for details.

Dan Murray at Sycamore High School will host this year’s DEMO DERBY on December 5th. We will gather at 6:30 PM as usual and hopefully be treated to a wonderful evening of demo ideas and take home a fistful of handouts. At last year’s derby, sixteen teachers shared over twenty demos. Linda encourages all area teachers who attended ChemEd2001 in August to share a new demo/activity that they learned at that amazing conference. The rules of the Derby are to present the demo as you would to a class and then give a handout that clearly describes how to perform the demo. Limit your presentation time to ten minutes or less so we can include many presenters. Consider the evening a holiday gift to ourselves!

Remember our first meeting is on October 9th at Cincinnati Country Day School. Paula Williams Butler  and Mike Geyer will provide valuable information on building a web page and using the Internet in our classrooms. Look for directions to the school in your September CINTACS.

Here are some more professional opportunities that you might want to consider.

· The regional convention of the National Science Teachers Association in Columbus, Ohio is November 8-10. You can register on-line at http://www.nsta.org/2001col. Call 800-328-8998 for registration assistance and information.

· The Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) of the American Chemical Society will be held at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington on July 28 to August 1, 2002. Visit the website at http://atom.chem.wwu.edu/acs/bcce2002.html for more information. Remember that the local section provides educational grants to help fund attendance.

· Visit the Journal of Chemical Education (JCE) High School Chemed Learning Information Center at:
  http://JchemEd.chem.wisc.edu/HS/ for quick access to the Journal information of greatest value to high school teachers.

· ChemEd2003 will be held on the campus of Auburn University in Alabama from July 27 to 31st.

· Teachers are encouraged to join the Cincinnati Section. The section provides amazing support of the teaching community. Membership applications are available at all of the educators’ discussion group meetings or can be obtained from the membership chair, Emel Yakali at emel.yakali@uc.edu.

The American Chemical Society Committee on Chemical Safety has a new look, new content, and a new URL!
Check it out at:  http://chemistry.org/committees/ccs.

The original laboratory equipment used by Marie Curie will be the highlight of an exhibit that showcases the history of radioactivity and the contributions of women in the fields of nuclear science, engineering and chemistry to be held on the Raymond Walters campus of the University of Cincinnati from October 1 through November 9. The Curie equipment is on loan from the Muse Curie in Paris; this is only the third time that the equipment has been on display outside of France. The exhibit will include interactive displays featuring important applications of nuclear science such as CT scans and cancer treatments. This exhibit is open to the public. Teachers are especially encouraged to bring student groups to explore 100 years of innovations based on knowledge of the atom in the areas of medicine, oil and gas exploration, power generation, pharmacology, astronomy, agriculture, archeology, and geography.  The Women in Discovery program is sponsoring this event. To learn more about visitation times, group visits, and community involvement, contact Dr. Carolyn Love at 745-5732 (FAX: 745-5780) or consultant@ucrwcu.rwc.uc.edu.

Greetings from the Career Services Committee!  Several years ago, the committee compiled a list of companies that employ chemists in the Cincinnati area.  I recently joined Jan Strobel on the committee and we have decided that the list needs an overhaul and update.  With mergers, address changes, openings and closings, the list needs a lot of corrections.  I need some help from the members!  If you work for an organization that employs chemists, I’d like to get some information about your company.  The following information would really help to make the list a resource for job seekers in the area.  The name and mailing address for the company, as well as the line of business.  If possible, the name of a human resources contact with a phone number would be helpful as well.  Also include a web address and any special information about applying, such as if unsolicited resumes are accepted.  The goal is to eventually post the list on the section website.

Send the information to:
Phil McKitrick at email: philip_mckittrick@rohmhaas.com

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New Approach to Local Meeting Sponsorship

Beginning this year we will initiate an additional approach to Cincinnati Section meeting sponsorships.  In the past we have solicited local industries to sponsor meetings.  We will continue to do so but also engage section members to sponsor specific meetings.   "Sponsorship" in this context entails a substantial contribution to defray the cost of the Section meeting, including, but not limited to, payment for Social Hours, pre-dinner speakers, main speaker expenses, room rental, audiovisual needs.

Sponsors will be recognized in pre-meeting notices and at the sponsored meeting. Our thinking behind this new approach is that we have many members, retired and working, who give generously to tax-exempt organizations such as museums, churches, United Appeal, PBS, etc.  Often they do not realize that the same opportunities and tax exempt benefits exist for the Cincinnati Section of the ACS, and that the latter represents a viable and worthwhile contribution target that can help the Section grow. With financial help like this we can add and improve programs for its 1700+ members.

For those who gift with appreciated stock shares, we can offer the same tax advantages as exist for more traditional charitable targets. In this first year of this new approach to sponsorship, four members have generously agreed to contribute $1000 each to sponsor a meeting in the 2001-2002 program year.

Their names and meeting to be sponsored are:

October 5th, 2001: Oesper Award, Dr. Harry B. Gray, speaker. Sponsor: Dr. Robert G. Laughlin, retired, Procter & Gamble Co.

November 1st 2001, Dr. Eli Pearce, speaker. Sponsor: Dr. Rick Fayter, retired, Cognis-US Corp.

December 5th, 2001, Margaret Ringenberg, speaker. Sponsor: Dr. Ted J. Logan, retired, Procter & Gamble Co.

January 16th, 2002; Dr. Shirley Corriher, speaker. Sponsor: Dr. George P. Rizzi, retired, Procter & Gamble Co.
 
( Note: Speakers and dates may change as the program is finalized). All Cincinnati Section members join in thanking the sponsors for their generosity and support of this Section as it tries to bring interesting and quality speakers and timely subjects to the membership.

We hope other members will examine their charitable gift giving plans and include a sponsorship commitment for our Section's 2002-2003 program.

Ted J. Logan, Councilor
Cincinnati Section, ACS

We are privileged to have Margaret Ringenberg as our Section Meeting speaker on Dec. 5th at Xavier University.  Few if any of our section members will recognize this name because Ringenberg is not a scientist, but a pilot.  We have engaged her as our speaker because she succeeded in a brilliant career against countless gender barriers in a profession dominated by men, and the stories of how she did it will provide motivational and inspirational messages to our present and future female managers in industry, academia, and government.  Her successes in the gender battle opened doors to females throughout the aeronautical industry, beyond the stereotypical stewardess positions, and her experiences will be of interest to women in all fields.

Margaret Ringenberg is an active pilot with over 40,000 hours of flying time. Described by a U.S. Senator as the best pilot in the world, she was and is a World War II ferry pilot, a flight instructor, corporate pilot, and air racer.  She holds both single-engine and multi-engine ratings. She began  racing in 1957, flying the last 20 Powder Puff Derbies and every Air Race Classic since 1977.  In 1994 she fulfilled a lifetime dream of flying around the world. In the spring of 2001, at 80 years of age, she came in 12th in the London to Sydney Air Race.

Tom Brokaw, in his recent book entitled "Greatest Generation" , devoted a chapter to Ringenberg's accomplishments and contributions to WW II efforts.  Her life and career and encounters with the gender barrier are detailed in her delightful book (designated by her as an " Aerobiography ") entitled " Girls Can't Be Pilots".

When you walk through her trophy room as I did you began to appreciate the many accomplishments of this remarkable woman.  And a room full of pictures of her with U.S. presidents, senators, world dignitaries, and leaders, completes the impression.

Our Section meeting on Dec. 5th will be a decidedly different kind of meeting, with no chemistry or science, only a story filled with exploits, unusual flying experiences, travelogues, and plenty of motivation and inspiration for women in all professions fighting for equality in male dominated professions.

 Mark your calendar now for this Dec. 5th meeting, and bring your spouse, male or female, for what promises to be a memorable evening.  A formal notice with  details will appear in the next CINTACS.

Ted J. Logan, Councilor, Cincinnati Section, ACS

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Award Nominations Solicited

Cincinnati Chemist of the Year

The Section Awards Committee requests nominations for the 2002 Cincinnati Chemist of the Year. This award, given annually since 1950, recognizes professional accomplishments of a member. The 2002 Chemist of the Year will be the featured speaker at the February meeting.

Deadline for nominations is December 12, 2001.

Cincinnati Research Assistant of the Year

The Section Awards Committee requests nominations for the 2002 Cincinnati Research Assistant/Chemical Technician of the Year. This award, given annually, recognizes job skills, safety, teamwork, leadership, publications and presentations, reliability, communications skills, and additional professional and community activities. A Chemical Technician/Research Assistant is defined as a person whose training includes successful completion of a two year post-high school chemistry curriculum or equivalent work in a Baccalaureate program, or equivalent knowledge gained by experience. The 2002 award will be presented at the March meeting. The winner will be the section’s candidate for the National award.

Deadline for nominations is December 12, 2001.

Outstanding Teaching Awards

Do you know a teacher who inspires his/her students? Fills them with a curiosity about the world of science and chemistry? The Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society is looking for these people - and honors three each year.

The High School Chemistry Teacher of the year is awarded annually, to recognize accomplishments of those of us who teach chemistry at the secondary school level.

The Middle School/Junior High School Science Teacher of the Year is awarded annually to honor science teaching at this level.

The Elementary School Science Teacher of the Year is awarded for excellence in elementary teaching.

All three awards recognize teaching ability, enthusiasm, mentoring skills, and other leadership activities. Nominees need not be members of the American Chemical Society. Generally speaking, anyone teaching in these capacities within 35 mile radius of downtown Cincinnati is eligible.   These awards will be given at the April Meeting.

Deadline for nominations is January 16, 2001 (at the meeting).

Nomination forms for each award may be requested from, and returned to:

Tim Cassady Work:  513-482-2294
Cognis Corporation FAX:   513-482-2862
4900 Este Ave.
Cincinnati, OH  45232-1491
Email: Tim.cassady@cognis-us.com

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National Chemistry Week

Thousands of chemists, teachers, students, and other volunteers will join forces to celebrate National Chemistry Week-2001, Nov. 4-10. Participants are gearing up and planning events to carry out the theme--Celebrating Chemistry and Art.  Events will include chemical demonstrations and hands-on activities; lectures and public displays; contests and games. In recognition of the 125th Anniversary of the American Chemical Society, local sections through the nation will conduct the unifying event, “Celebrating Chemistry—Then and Now, a poster contest for K-12th grade students.  The contest challenges students to draw a poster illustrating how chemists and/or chemistry have contributed to positive changes in the quality of our lives in the past 125 years.  Also during NCW-2001, the American Chemical Society will sponsor a T-shirt design contest for Student Affiliate Chapters, “Chemistry: The Winning Formula.”   The contest provides students an opportunity to share their unique talents by creating illustrations that can be used to promote chemistry and its positive contributions to everyday life.

The Retired Engineers and Scientists of Cincinnati - RESC for short - invite those with technical backgrounds who are retired  and  would like to share good  fellowship while  pursuing interests in technology, community, history and nostalgia, travel, and business or industry developments.  Activities include monthly luncheon meetings, periodic plant tours, and golf in season.  Luncheon meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month from October through May.

The next  Luncheon Meeting will be at the  Unity Center,  1401 East McMillan Street, Tuesday, October 16 (side entrance on Grandview Ave. to  lower level) 11:30 AM.
 
Program:   COMPASS - Master Plan & Strategies for Hamilton County

Speaker:  Steve Johns, Planner, Hamilton County Regional Planning Commission will describe COMPASS, a planning process applying modern technology, demographic trends, and the teamwork of officials and citizens to develop a unified  vision for the communities under 49 jurisdictions within the county. For reservations contact Gene Anderson (513) 353-2708  before October 10.
 
Visit website  RESC-online.org  for more information about RESC and these activities.
 

Purpose:    To recognize individuals who have significantly stimulated or fostered diversity in the chemical enterprises.

Nature:  The award consists of $250, a plaque, and up to $750 for travel expenses to the ACS Regional Meeting at which the award will be presented.  Eight regional awards will be given in 2002.

Establishment and Support:  The ACS Women Chemists Committee

Rules of Eligibility:  Nominees for the award may come from any professional setting: academia, industry, government, or other independent facility.  The award is intended to recognize significant accomplishments by an individual.  The award will be given without regard to the age, gender or nationality of the recipient.

Send nominations to:

Women Chemists Committee
American Chemical Society
1155 16th Street NW
Washington, DC   20036

For information regarding the award, contact Cheryl Brown, 800/227-5558 ext. 6123, or e-mail:  wcc@acs.org

For post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate women to make their first research presentation at a national meeting.

Sponsored by:
Eli Lilly & Company

For more information and an application form, please contact your department chair or

http://membership.acs.org/W/WCC/
or Cheryl Brown, 800/227-5558 ext. 6123
 e-mail: wcc@acs.org
American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth St. NW; Washington, DC 20036

Deadline for receipt of applications for 2002 meetings:

February 15, 2002 – Meetings between July 1 & December 31, 2002

Legislative Action Network - What is It?

The American Chemical Society is committed to keeping its members informed of legislation that may impact the chemical enterprise and to bringing the expertise of ACS members to bear on science policy.  The Legislative Action Network is the Society's electronic grassroots program for updating members on federal legislation and facilitating contact with members of Congress.  The network focuses primarily on federal science education and R&D policy, but also addresses environment, workplace, and competitiveness issues.

After signing up, roughly six times per year, network members receive timely Legislative Action Alerts via e-mail urging them to contact their legislators on issues of concern to ACS members.  The Alerts will include background and status of the issue, ACS position, legislator contact information and sample letters.

ACS Member Jobless Rate Falls

The March 1, 2001 ACS member unemployment rate dropped to 1.5 percent from 2 percent in 2000 -- the lowest rate in more than a decade. Members stating they were in postdoc positions dropped to 1.4 percent -- the lowest rate in ACS-recorded memory.

But even with the low unemployment rate, chemists showed they were active in the job market during the past year. The proportion of chemists in the first year of employment rose by one percentage point, to 9.9 percent.  The rate of members who had some period of unemployment in the prior year remained relatively high at over 5 percent.  Salaries for chemists showed strong increases across the board.

Some Membership Statistics
submitted by Hank Greeb

 According to our records, we have two chemists within our ranks of Cincinnati Section Members who have attained
the age of 100 years!

A Tabulation of age distribution is:
 
 

Age	Number of Members	% of Members
100+	2	0.12%
90 - 100	12	0.69%
80 - 90	65	3.74%
70 - 80	107	6.16%
60 - 70	171	9.84%
50 - 60	300	17.26%
40 - 50	417	23.99%
30 - 40	378	21.75%
20 - 30	139	8.00%
Not given	147	8.46%

 
These are interesting data.  Should we have an “olde tymer’s night”, and give special recognition to folks who’ve attained a certain status in years of service or chronological age?  We do give folks a 50-year service plaque, and we give retirees a 50% discount, but many/most don’t attend.  Some sections have an active retiree’s group, with their own programming and committee officers, similar to what we try to do with the Younger Chemists.

Formatted and uploaded October 11, by acs@www.che.uc.edu