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January 14, 2008 Meeting
Roanoke Valley Governor's School
Roanoke, VA
Otis Rothenberger and Jim Webb are Emeritus Professors of Chemistry at Illinois State University with more than eighty years of combined experience in the field of chemical education. For the past twenty-five years, their partnership as co-presenters has brought the excitement and fun of chemistry to more than 20,000 adults, young adults, and children throughout the USA.
Otis is an organic chemist. Although his current research interests involve the history of chemistry, his educational specialty is the presentation of chemistry to nonscientific audiences. During his active teaching career at ISU, Otis coordinated the large lecture section non-majors chemistry course. He also served as the cooperative education coordinator. His interest and expertise in the area of chemical demonstrations was a natural complement to his large lecture teaching responsibilities. Jim is an analytical chemist. He currently remains active as a research partner supporting several ISU research groups. During his active teaching career at ISU, Jim taught a full spectrum of analytical courses. He also served as the laboratory coordinator for the 100 level majors and non-majors laboratory courses.
The presentation partnership of Otis and Jim was inevitable. They share a common sense of humor. They also share the belief that the excitement of chemistry can be presented with both humor and dignity. Most importantly, they share the experience of learning their craft from two generations of ISU students. Since their presentations use "chemical magic" as a serious teaching tool, the presentations appeal to a wide range of audiences. Otis and Jim have served as chemical education consultants to a number of educational organizations, including the Chemical Industries Council of Illinois, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory's High School Teachers Workshop, and the American Chemical Society.
February 12, 2008 Meeting
Roanoke Colleghe
Salem, VA
Sara Risch is a professor at Michigan State University. She was Director of the School of Packaging from 2004 to 2006. Prior to joining Michigan State, Sara had her own consulting business where she worked with food, flavor and packaging companies on product-package compatibility as well as new product development. She also spent five years as Director of R&D for Golden Valley Microwave Foods (now part of ConAgra Snack Foods). She is active in the American Chemical Society and is currently a Councilor for the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Division and vice-chair of the Committee on Nominations and Elections. She is a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists, serving on the Committee on Divisions and on the executive committees for both the Food Packaging and Food Chemistry Divisions. Sara received her B.S and Ph.D. in Food Science from the University of Minnesota. She received a MS in Food Science from the University of Georgia.
March 25, 2008 Meeting
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA
Dr. George R. Lester, President of George Lester, Inc., is a consultant on catalysts in environmental and energy conservation applications. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Center for Catalysis and Surface Science of Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Dr. Lester retired in 1996 as Senior Research Fellow at AlliedSignal after almost thirty-eight years with AlliedSignal, Signal Companies, UOP, and Universal Oil Products Company. He is known internationally for his contributions to heterogeneous catalysis - most notably for his involvement in the development of the original automotive exhaust catalysts and for extensions of that technology to create new business opportunities in environmental, air purification, and energy-conservation applications. He holds 46 US Patents and has authored over 50 technical publications. He chaired the Gordon Research Conference on Catalysis in 1991, and in 1992 was elected a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers for his contributions to automotive exhaust emissions control. He represented AlliedSignal on the White House Policy Dialogue Committee to Reduce Automobile Greenhouse Emissions in 1994-5. He was awarded the 2002 E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry by the American Chemical in April, 2002.
Dr. Lester was a pioneer in the development of catalysts designed to destroy all three of the noxious auto exhaust pollutants (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides), and developed one of the earliest catalysts (LEANOX™) for destruction of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust of fuel-lean automotive and stationary engines. He was a key player in programs leading to catalysts for protection against chemical warfare attack, and is one of the inventors of the very lightweight catalytic converter that is being used for removal of ozone from the cabin pressurization air on the Boeing 777 and other airliners. Dr. Lester is a 1954 graduate of Berea College, and received the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physical Chemistry from the University of Kentucky in 1956 and 1958, respectively.
Justin Barone
April, 2008 Meeting
Radford University
Radford, VA
Justin Barone joined the Biological Systems Engineering Department at Virginia Tech as an Associate Professor in January 2007 as part of the university-wide biomaterials cluster hire. Dr. Barone works in the area of renewable materials with a
focus on developing new biopolymeric systems derived from agricultural products. Dr. Barone has a background in materials and polymer science. He received his B.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Lehigh University, his M.S. degree in Engineering Science from New Jersey Institute of Technology, and his Ph.D. degree in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining the department, he was a Research Chemist with the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Maryland.
Tour of the Observatory at the Claytor Nature Center
May 19, 2008 Meeting
Claytor Nature Center
Ned Heindel
September 18, 2008 Meeting
Hollins University
Professional activities: President, American Chemical Society (Washington, D.C.), 1994; director, American Chemical Society
(Washington, D.C.), 1985-1996; director; Council for Chemical Research, 1995-1999; Board Member, IUPAC-USA, 1995-2001; Board Member, Chemical Sciences Roundtable-National Academy of Sciences, 2001-present; director; Centcom Advertising, Ltd.
(Westport, CT), 1987-1995; trustee, Northampton County Historical Society; 1989-present; trustee, Keystone Junior College (1975-89) trustee, Chemical Heritage Foundation (Board then Heritage Council), 1986-present; member, Journal Pharmaceutical Science board (to 12/90); member, Bioconjugate Chemistry board (to 12/03); chairman, Chemical & Engineering News board (1988, 1992-93: member 1994-95); consultant, Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Somerville, NJ, 1989-1995; consultant, Digestive Care, 1992-present; consultant, Bio-ProX, 1995-1997; consultant, DCV Pharmaceuticals, 1998-2000; consultant Serenix Pharmaceuticals, 1999-present; consultant, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; 1990-present; consultant, Air Products and Chemicals, Allentown, PA, 1991-present; consultant, Apollon Corp., Malvern, PA, 1992-1995. Education/Degrees: Lebanon Valley College, B.S.cum laude, 1959 (Chemistry/Math); University of Delaware, Ph.D., 1963 (Organic Chemistry); Princeton University, fellow, 1964 (medicinal Chemistry); Lebanon Valley College, honorary D.Sc. 1985; Albright College, honorary D.Sc., 1993. Experience: instructor, University of Delaware, 1962-63; visiting fellow, Princeton University, 1963-64; assistant professor, Ohio University, 1965; assistant professor, Marshall University, 1964-66; assistant, associate, full professor of chemistry, Lehigh University, 1976-present; professor of nuclear medicine, Hahnemann University, 1971-present; director, Center for Health Sciences, Lehigh University, 1980-87. Honors: Robinson Award (1969), Brody Award (1978), H. S. Bunn Distinguished Chair in Chemistry (1985-Present), Who's Who in America (1886-present), Brady Cancer Achievement Award (1989), Henry Hill Award in Medicinal Chemistry (1997), Mosher Award for Contributions to Chemistry (1996), Ben Franklin Partnership Award for Corporate Consulting (2002).
J. Keith Butler
October 15, 2008 Meeting
Ferrum College
Ferrum, VA
TBA
November 18, 2008 Meeting
Lynchburg College
Lynchburg, VA
