Awards & Recognition

National ChemLuminary Awards - The Illinois Heartland ACS has been awarded an unprecedented 8 consecutive Outstanding Performance Awards 1999-2006. Our members drive the activities that connect chemistry to the community.

Congratulations to our 2007-2008 Collegiate Scholars!!

Lindsay Hedge – Illinois State University

Martha Abrams – Knox College

Jamie Rogers – Illinois Wesleyan University

Colleen Eckstein - Bradley University

The 31st HS Chemistry Contest will be conducted on May 7, 2008 at Bradley University. The top 5 scorers in each test (1st year and advanced) and their teachers will be honored on location at their schools in late May. The traveling trophies will also be presented to the high schools at the same time. Collegiate Scholars will be nominated and selected for the 2007-2008 academic year in March/April and honored at their schools in May 2008. If the schools have an awards assembly, we will present the awards at that time. In September 2008, we will solicit nominations for the Collegiate Scholars for the 2008-2009 academic year. We will also solicit nominations for the 2008 Chemist of the Year and High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year. Award winners will be selected in November 2008. In late January or early February 2009, we will have the Awards and Recognition Banquet to honor all of our awardees, our corporate sponsors, our community partners, and our volunteers.  

The 32nd HS Chemistry Contest will continue on its historic schedule (early May 2009), administered by the Bradley University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and top scorers will be recognized and the traveling trophies presented at their schools in late May 2009.

This is a big change for us, but the executive committee feels it is a positive change and will benefit the Members of the Illinois Heartland. Historically, the May Awards Banquet has been tied to the HS Chemistry Contest (given in the first week of May) as the top scorers were honored at our banquet. In practice, because of different academic schedules at our universities, the May date excludes a large selection of the Collegiate Scholars and Members residing in Bloomington-Normal and Galesburg.  In terms of logistics, the Immediate Past Chair (Awards) will supervise one nomination period (fall) for all the Awards rather than two (spring & fall). In addition, we will be able to include finalists in the national contests for K-12 and college students associated with National Chemistry Week in October. There will be a cost-savings associated with space rental and food costs as we combine two award events into one prestigious ceremony and banquet. The Executive Committee also wishes to showcase high achievement in the chemical enterprise from all levels of education, activity and accomplishment.

If you have any comments, insights or suggestions, please let us know by contacting us!

May 16, 2007
6pm to 9 pm

Hotel Pere Marquette - Cheminee Ballroom
501 Main Street, Peoria, Illinois 61602

$20/adult, $10/student (pay at the door)
RSVP to Stephen Hughes (stephen.hughes@ars.usda.gov) by May 14 with meal choice: beef, chicken or vegan

• 6:00 pm Reception
• 6:30 pm Dinner (slideshow on screen)
• 7:15 pm Presentation of Awards
  • High School Chemistry Contest Winners & Teachers
  • Collegiate Scholars & Faculty Advisor
  • High School Chemistry Teacher of the Year
  • 50 year members
  • Recognition
    • Dean Stanley - Hach Scientific Foundation Scholar 2006-2007 (Project SEED)
• 8:00 pm Keynote Lecture

  Dr. Thomas Holme
  Chemistry: Live in the Living Room

  Tom Holme is the Director of the ACS Examinations Institute and a Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Holme’s talk with include chemistry demonstrations that fit neatly into the short time slots of modern news coverage, as well as the media perspective of what makes “good television.” Video clips of some successful appearances and some blunders show what chemistry looks like as it goes live into living rooms.

  The program is free. Please feel free to join us after dinner.

2004: Felice Frankel, MIT
2005: Suzanne Quillen Lomax, National Gallery of Art
2006: Joseph Nagyvary, Texas A&M University

The Collegiate Scholastic Award shall consist of:

• a certificate of achievement
• a cash prize (2007: $200)

Collegiate Scholars shall be honored at the 2007 May Awards & Recognition Banquet of the Illinois Heartland ACS.

The candidates for the award(s) shall be graduating seniors majoring in chemistry. Each college or university within the Illinois Heartland ACS having a curriculum leading to a BS or BA degree with a major in chemistry or chemical science may submit candidates for the awards. Nominations must be made by the candidates' department. If more than one nomination is submitted, the department should rank the candidates.

Application

Each application forwarded to the Illinois Heartland ACS by the Chemistry/Biochemistry Department should include:

• Resume or CV
• Official transcripts of college record to the end of the seventh semester or equivalent
• A description of activities or organizations in which the candidate participated during his/her undergraduate career
• Information concerning plans for graduate study in chemistry or career plans
• Suitable character references and professional recommendations (no more than 3)
• Pertinent supplemental information

Deadline

Application materials must be postmarked by March 28 and should be forwarded to
Dr. Kervin Evans
Illinois Heartland ACS
1815 North University Street
Peoria, IL 61604

30th Anniversary!

The High School Chemistry Contest is an annual competition hosted by Bradley University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Sixty high schools have been invited to attend this event which has had attendances of over 500 students in recent years. Participation is limited to five students per chemistry class offered at your school. For example, if your school has 5 sections of first year chemistry, then 25 students will be eligible to participate in the Contest. The method used to select participants is at your discretion. If you are not currently teaching Chemistry, please pass this invitation on to the current Chemistry teacher at your school.

The First Year Contest is open to students presently enrolled in a first year chemistry course or to students who have completed the first year course but have not been enrolled in a second year course. The examination (a periodic table will be provided) will consist of 45 questions and will be predominantly multiple choice. A maximum of 80 minutes will be allotted for the test.

Schedule:

• 9:00-9:20 a.m. (Olin Hall Lobby) Examination Room Assignments
• 9:30- 10:50 a.m. (Assigned Rooms) Examination
• 11:00-1:00 p.m. (Olin Hall 164) Chemistry Show and Lunch

While the students are taking the exam, Room 203 of the Michel Student Center will be available for teachers to chat with your colleagues, Bradley staff, and members of the Illinois Heartland ACS.

Certificates, t-shirts, and cash prizes will be awarded to the top 5 scores in each division at the Illinois Heartland Annual May Awards and Recognition Banquet on May 16 at the Pere Marquette Hotel. The Illinois Heartland provides complimentary dinners for the first and second place winners and their teachers for both contests. All others (e.g., parents, friends, etc.) must pay at the door ($20 per adult and $10 per student). RSVPs should be addressed to Bob Gayhart by May 15.

2007: cash prizes will be 1st place - $100; 2nd & 3rd places - $75; 4th & 5th places: $50.

Chemistry Olympiad

Top scorers in the High School Chemistry Contest are eligible to participate in the American Chemical Society's National Chemistry Olympiad. Second Year Contest winners are immediately eligible to participate in the April 2008 Olympiad test which is administered at Bradley Univeristy and organized by Dr. Dean Campbell if they are still in high school at that time. First Year Contest winners are eligible to participate if (1) recommended by their teacher and (2) they are completing or have completed their second year of high school chemistry. The top twenty (out of approximately 1100 from across the USA) Olympiad contestants will attend a training camp at the Air Force Academy in June. The top five Olympiad students will go to the International Chemistry Olympiad (in places such as Moscow, Bangkok or Florence) in July or August.

Previous Olympiad Tests

The Chemist of the Year Award was established in 2002 to recognize and to honor a member of the Illinois Heartland ACS for outstanding achievement in the chemical enterprise. The achievement may be in chemical education, management, pure or applied research, or chemical engineering.

Award Criteria

2002: Cheryl D. Stevenson, Illinois State University
2003: George Fanta, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA
2004: Timothy Lash, Illinois State University
2005: George Inglett, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USDA
2006: Marjorie Jones, Illinois State University
2007: Gary Welch, Aventine Renewable Energy

Established in 1967 by the Board of Directors of the American Chemical Society and presented annually at the Fall ACS National Meeting, the Award for Outstanding Performance by Local Sections recognizes local sections, in the six different size categories, that have demonstrated exceptional achievement during the previous calendar year. Outstanding Performance by Local Sections are based on Local Section Annual Report submissions and the criteria developed by the Local Section Activities Committee (LSAC). There are approximately 40 medium-small local sections.

The ChemLuminary Award Ceremony began in 1999 as a way of honoring ACS members and volunteers for their efforts on behalf of the Society.

The Illinois Heartland has been recognized once again for overall performance by a Local Section.
This is a record 8 consecutive times!! Congrats to the fabulous people who have a passion for Chemistry!

1999:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section
• Honorable Mention for Public Relations

2000:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section

2001:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section
• Honorable Mention for Career Program

2002:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section
• Best NCW Contest

2003:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section
• Outstanding NCW Event for the General Public Using the Yearly Theme

2004:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section
• Honorable Mention for Public Relations

2005:

• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section

2006:

• ACS Speaker Service Hospitality Award
• Outstanding Performance by a Medium-Small Local Section

2007

• Creative and Innovative Use of the Chemists Celebrate Earth Day Theme