5:30 p.m.     Executive Committee Meeting

6:30 p.m.     Dinner

7:30 p.m.     Honoring the 50-Year Members of the section

7:45 p.m.     Lecture

Reservations: Reply with FULL NAME of all attendees to Brenda Henderson (bhenders@unca.edu; 828-251-6443) no later than 1:00 pm on November 19th.

Only a few molecules were known to exist in outer space when the first interstellar molecule discovered by radio techniques, the hydroxyl radical (OH), was observed in 1963. Since then, over 140 molecules have been detected. Space is a good vacuum so the times between collisions can be hours to several years as opposed to fractions of seconds on earth; therefore, in addition to the radicals, ions also remain stable for many years and long carbon chain molecules can form. The most complex carbon chain molecule discovered so far is HCCCCCCCCCCCN with 13 atoms. The simple molecules are formed in gas-phase reactions while the more complex ones involve surface chemistry on grains.

Molecules are found in clouds of cold gas and dust which are distributed throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. These clouds are huge; they can have masses 100,000 times the mass of the sun and diameters of 300 light years. Molecular clouds fragment into small clumps which collapse to form stars which ionize their surroundings and begin to disrupt the remaining molecular clouds. The disruption can create new clumps which, in turn, collapse to form the next generation of stars. Because molecular clouds are opaque to "visible" light, infrared and radio telescopes are used to study the dramatic activity within them.

Among the images to be presented are the 35-ton-each radio antennas of the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland-Association (BIMA) mm-wave array,; one of the first maps of the carbon monoxide emission from a molecular cloud (in this case from the Cygnus dark rift); and more recent high resolution observations of the same region made with the BIMA array, which show a massive, bipolar outflow of gas moving at tens of miles per second.

In 2005, The BIMA array of telescopes was moved to a new, higher and dryer, site in the White Mountains of California where the BIMA telescopes were joined by the telescopes of California Institute of Technology to form the CARMA array (Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy). CARMA is now fully operational. Some photos of the move will be shown.

The talk is suitable for all ages from professional scientists to Middle School students interested in science and space. A current list of the known interstellar molecules will be available.

Dr. Hélène R. Dickel received her A.B. in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College in 1959 and her Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Michigan in 1964. She is currently an Emerita Research Professor of Astronomy at the University of Illinois and an Adjunct Professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department of the University of New Mexico. She co-discovered the first formaldehyde maser in 1979 and is a pioneer in radio molecular spectroscopy using radio aperture synthesis techniques, including making some of the first images of molecular distributions with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope in the Netherlands, the Very Large Array of Radio Telescopes of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the millimeter array of the Berkeley- Illinois-Maryland Association for which she was the BIMA Scheduler from 1994 through 1998. Prof. Dickel is the author of over 100 publications. Recent research includes radiative transfer modeling of star-forming regions.

She and her astronomer husband, John, were "Faculty Friends" to the undergraduates living in the Snyder residence hall at the University of Illinois since 1994 (and with the FF program since 1989). For twenty years they hosted "January term" student interns in astronomy from Mt. Holyoke, Wheaton, Oberlin, and Carroll Colleges. Interests outside of astronomy include ice dance (became a USFSA silver ice dancer in 2002), cross-country skiing (when there is snow!), canoeing, hiking, and church choir. They retired to Albuquerque, NM in June 2005.

Prof. Dickel has held Visiting positions at the Division of Radiophysics in Sydney, Australia (1970-71), Sterrewacht te Leiden, the Netherlands (1977-79), Earth and Space Sciences Division of the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico (1985-86) and more recently at the Australia Telescope National Facility in Sydney, Australia (1992-93). While on sabbatical during 1999-2000 at the Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy in Dwingeloo, Prof. Dickel held a Visiting Professor appointment (1 day/week) at the Astronomical Institute of the University of Amsterdam. She retired in 2001 and is now an Emerita Research Professor of Astronomy at the University of Illinois and became an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Mexico in 2005 where she is working on their Long Wavelength Array project.

She is a member of a number of professional societies including the International Scientific Radio Union, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, and Association for Women in Science. She was chair of the Nominating Committee of the American Astronomical Society in 1992. She has been a member of the scientific organizing committee of Commission 40 on Radio Astronomy of the International Astronomical Union. Prof. Dickel is currently President of the IAU Comission 5 Working Group [on Astronomical] Designations. Besides being a Tour Speaker for the American Chemical Society, she is a Shapley Visiting Lecturer for the American Astronomical Society and gives lectures to the Society of Physics Students and Sigma Xi.

On October 14 and 21, ACS candidates for president-elect 2008 participated in the first-ever ACS Presidential Debates. The debates were recorded and interested members can hear the two candidates, Howard M. Peters and Thomas H. Lane, discuss their visions for the future of the society and their candidacy for the post. The debates took place via "Science Studio" a long-running radio show featuring interviews with practicing scientists. Keith Pannell and Russell Chianelli of the department of chemistry at the University of Texas, El Paso, hosted the programs. The recordings of the debates can be accessed at http://www.sciencestudio.org and http://www.ktep.org

2007 CHAIR - MELANIE COOPER

2007 IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR - HERMAN HOLT

2007 CHAIR - ELECT - VICKI AUDIA (to be CHAIR in 2008)

2005 - 2007 SECRETARY - KEN BARTON

2007 - 2009 TREASURER - JULIA BRUMAGHIM

2005 - 2007 COUNCILOR - ROYCE WOOSLEY

2006 - 2008 COUNCILOR - HENRY RAMSEY

2005 - 2007 ALTERNATE COUNCILOR - LUCY EUBANKS

2006 - 2008 ALTERNATE COUNCIL - GEORGE HEARD

After several years of negotiating with the ACS Committee on Constitution and Bylaws, our Local Section has finally won their approval for new bylaws. On February 19, 2004, during our regular meeting, the revisions as proposed were approved by the members present. The revised bylaws were certified on 4 March, 2004.

Kameron Williams, who was a student in Mrs. Margaret Dacko's 8th grade class at Sever Middle School, Greenville, SC won second prize in the ACS Earth Day Illustrated Haiku contest in the 5th to 8th grade category. Kameron received a prize from Amazon.com, and a certificate. His teacher Mrs. Dacko received a periodic table of the elephants! As the ACS letter to Mrs. Dacko states "Science literacy is very important to our student's and our country's future. The contributions and support of teachers like (Mrs. Dacko) make a significant difference."

Here's the announcement from ACS Headquarters:

The Committee on Community Activities (CCA) and the Office of Community Activities (OCA) are pleased to announce that the list of Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED) illustrated haiku winners found at:

http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=oca%5cearthday%5ccced_past_celebrations.html

now links to a page with photos of the entries and the haiku text:

http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=oca%5cearthday%5chaikus06.html .

Congratulations again to our 2006 winners!

We would also like you to know that there will again be an illustrated haiku contest for CCED 2007, and the information is attached. Please note that the decision was made to shift the contest deadlines and to change selection of the winners so that they may be announced on or before April 22, 2007.

We all think that this will be a major plus for publicity and for the participants. They will now know if they received an award within a month or so of their area-contest deadline.

Thank you for your participation in and interest for OCA programs!

We hope to hear from you again in 2007!

Regards,

Michael Mautino, Chair CCA
Judith Jankowski, Marisa Burgener and Tiffany Williams, OCA


American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
earthday@acs.org
Toll Free 1-800-227-5558
http://chemistry.org/oca

Click for Acrobat file for information on the 2007 Haiku contest.

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LSAC will work with local sections to enhance their success, to promote the well-being of their members, to foster the spirit of volunteerism, and to carry out the mission of the American Chemical Society at the professional and community level.

The Local Section Activities Committee will continue to focus on ACS members at the local section level so that local sections will

* Access tailored ACS services delivered by various means that include transitioning toward electronic delivery via the Internet
* Effectively partner with Divisions and other units
* Increase member participation in local section events and programs
* Be infused with leaders having acquired leadership skills for developing sustainable activities and programs that foster member volunteerism and ensure value and satisfaction
* Receive customized feedback and recognition that focuses on the development of each local section to realize its full unique potential
* Clearly identify and value the Local Section Activities Committee as a key peer resource

* ACS's strength lies in its local sections and divisions
* Local Sections are our customers
* LSAC will be a peer resource to local sections
* LSAC will emphasize direct input and dialog with sections
* LSAC is responsible to be the point of contact with other ACS entities on behalf of local sections

For more information, see the ACS Office of Local Section Activities home page on the ACS Web or address correspondence to:

American Chemical Society, Office of Local Section Activities, 1155 16th St, NW, Washington, DC 20036; (202) 872-4610; (202) 872-435; E-mail: olsa@acs.org

¡Ahora en español! Spanish Edition of "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories"

The ACS Committee on Chemical Safety (CCS) is pleased to announce the publication (online) of the translation of the top seller of all ACS safety publications, (http://membership.acs.org/c/ccs/pubs/SACL_Spanish.htm).

CCS has as its prime responsibility the encouragement of safe practices in chemical activities. The committee serves as a resource to the chemical professional in providing advice and counsel on the handling of chemicals, and seeks to ensure safe facilities, designs, and operations by calling attention to potential hazards and stimulating education in safe chemical practices. CCS also provides advice to other ACS units on matters related to chemical safety and health.

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The ACS Committee on Professional Training (CPT) has revised its printed brochure, Planning for Graduate Work in Chemistry. Now in its 8th edition, this publication has been transformed into an interactive website with updated content and format that allow rapid navigation through suggestions on how to plan for graduate school. This online resource is designed to guide both domestic and international undergraduate students who are considering graduate work in chemical sciences in selecting a program that best meets their needs and aspirations. It provides advice on how to prepare for successful work in graduate school, how and when to apply for admission, and to some extent, what to expect once enrolled in graduate school. The online format provides an opportunity for more regular revisions, so CPT would like to hear comments from both students and their advisers on the content, functionality, and ease of use of this new resource.

To submit comments or to get more information about this online publication, please contact Marta Gmurczyk at m_gmurczyk@acs.org or 202-872-4599.

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Since 1992 Dr. Kathleen A. Carrado, a member of the Chicago Local Section and a chemist at Argonne National Laboratory, has submitted a regular column titled "ChemShorts" for the section's newsletter, The Chemical Bulletin. Each ChemShort describes a simple and interesting chemistry experiment that a young student (grades K-6) can do at home with adult supervision and common household items. A selected ChemShorts for Kids will be featured in future Cut & Paste publications.

Kids, did you ever wonder about the chemistry of autumn leaf colors? Most plants contain several pigment molecules. If you experiment with different leaves in this activity you will see the wide range of pigments.

You will need leaves, baby food jars with lids, rubbing alcohol, coffee filters (preferably the Melitta type), hot water, and a shallow pan. Take 2-3 large leaves (or the equivalent with smaller leaves), tear them into tiny pieces, and place them into small jars with lids. Add enough alcohol to just cover the leaves. Loosely cover the jars and set them into a shallow pan containing an inch or so of hot tap water. Let the jars sit in the hot water for at least a half hour. Replace the hot water as it cools and swirl the jars from time to time. The jars are 'done' when the alcohol has picked up color from the leaves. The darker the color, the brighter the chromatogram will be. Cut a long, thin (1/2?) strip of coffee filter paper for each jar. Place one strip of paper into each jar, with one end in the alcohol and the other outside of the jar. As the alcohol evaporates, it will pull the pigment up the paper, separating pigments according to their molecular size. Pigments with the largest size will move the shortest distance. After 30-90 minutes, remove the strips of paper and allow them to dry. From the information below, can you identify which pigments are present?

The color of a leaf results from the different pigments produced by the plant. The main pigment classes responsible for leaf color are porphyrins, carotenoids, and flavonoids. The color depends mostly on the amount and types of these pigments. The pigment porphyrin has a compound called chlorophyll that is green. The pigment carotenoid has compounds carotene and lycopene that are yellow, orange , and red, as well as xanthophyll which is yellow. The pigment flavonoid has compounds flavone and flavonol ( yellow ) and anthocyanin that can be red, blue , purple , or magenta.

When leaves are green, it is because they contain a lot of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll masks all other pigment colors. The anthocyanins will mask carotenoids. As summer turns to autumn, decreasing light levels cause chlorophyll production to slow and the green color will fade. At the same time, anthocyanin production in leaves increases in response to increasing sugar concentrations. Leaves with a lot of anthocyanins will turn red. Leaves with good amounts of both anthocyanins and carotenoids will be orange, and leaves with carotenoids but little or no anthocyanins will turn yellow. In the absence of these pigments, other plant chemicals can affect leaf color. An example is tannins, which cause the brownish color of some oak leaves.

Options: Does the season in which the leaves are picked affect their colors? Also try using frozen chopped spinach leaves. If your chromatogram is pale, the next time use more leaves and/or smaller pieces.
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Reference:

Dr. Anne Marie Helmenstine at
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/paperchroma.htm
and
http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa082602a.htm

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The Western Carolinas Section is looking for community outreach coordinators to lead community activities such as Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED) and National Chemistry Week (NCW). If you are interested in heading up one of these outreach programs, contact the local section chair [insert contact information] and sign up with the ACS Office of Community Activities at:

For additional information on these or other community activity programs available through ACS, visit the Office of Community Activities' website at chemistry.org/oca, or email oca@acs.org.

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The highly popular ACS Video Course, Starting with Safety, has been adapted for delivery via the Internet. The Internet version includes all of the materials from the original Video Course including the video scenes and the Teacher's Guide. As an added bonus, the complete ACS Video Course, Seeing the Light, Eye and Face Protection, is also included in this ACS Internet Course.

Now you and your students can access this valuable training program from any computer connected to the Internet at any time, day or night. (We do recommend a relatively high-speed connection, such as a DSL, cable modem or higher. And you will need to install the Flash 6 player to view the videos).

This program is designed to be used as part of a standard high school or introductory college chemistry curriculum that is taught by an experienced chemistry teacher. The program is NOT meant to be a stand-alone training course. Students should only use this program under the supervision of a qualified teacher.

For complete details about this program, visit the American Chemical Society website at http://chemistry.org/elearning and click on the link to Starting with Safety.

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In October, the Technology, Tools and Operations Subcommittee of the Local Section Activities Committee and the Office of Local Section Activities launched a new HTML newsletter for local section leaders! The quarterly newsletter is sent via email to all current local section officers. The goal of the newsletter is to provide officers with timely information, tools and tips for success, and innovative ideas and activities that local sections may find of interest. The newsletter is available online at http://membership.acs.org/l/localsections/leading_together. If you wish to subscribe to future issues of this newsletter please send an email to olsa@acs.org and indicate your subscription request.