Special Events for August 2009

The Chemical Society of Washington, in preparation for the 238^th American Chemical Society National Meeting, will be utilizing two social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook, to welcome and help attendees during this convention. We have prepared A Brief Guide to Understanding Social Networking to help those unfamiliar with these applications. If you have ever done quantum mechanics, you can do social networking!

• Twitter
• Facebook

August 15:   "Celebrating the Elements"

ACS President Thomas H. Lane and the ACS Committee on Community Activities will host an outreach event for children in the Washington, DC area on Saturday, August 15^th from 11am - 2pm. This event will feature hands-on activities that will highlight the elements of the periodic table and art in honor of the ACS 2009 National Chemistry Week celebration and the 140^th anniversary of the Periodic Table of Elements. The event will be held at the FBR (Friedman, Billings, Ramsey) Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington at THEARC.

We are seeking chemists, non-chemists, chemistry students, and all other interested individuals to volunteer to help at an activity or welcome table during the event, and we welcome your participation.

The time commitment for this event is 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers should arrive for breakfast in Room 101 of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center beginning at 8:00 a.m. There will be a volunteer briefing at 8:30 a.m., and we will depart for the club at 8:50 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

Those interested in volunteering for this event should contact Stacy Jones (s_jones2@acs.org) or the CSW NCW Coordinator, Kim Morehouse (kim.morehouse@fda.hhs.gov).

August 17:    Science Café: "Secrets of the Elements - A unique fusion of art and haiku"

Painting, collage, print, sculpture and haiku meet the periodic table at the Science Café on August 17. In a new chapter of an ongoing collaboration, chemist-artist Langley Spurlock and poet John Martin Tarrat tell a story as old as Hydrogen. And, as up to the minute as Ununoctium.

Secrets of the Elements explores the chemistry, history, and poetry of life. And, the mysteries of an unfolding universe. When complete, it will cover the entire periodic table: 118 artworks incorporating 118 haiku.

At the Science Café, Spurlock and Tarrat will display 50 of their works and share the little-known oddities that led them to a unique view of each one. August 17, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.; Location: Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7^th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, Tel: 202.349.3700, www.clydes.com