CSW Monthly Meetings
October 2006 - May 2007

MAY DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1072nd Dinner Meeting Thursday, May 10, 2007

Recreation Center NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR (Open Bar) beer, wine and soda Potato chips, pretzels and meat balls
7:00 PM	DINNER Choice of entrée: Prime Rib OR Sliced Marinated Chicken Breast Including: Rice, Baked Potato, Broccoli & Cheese, Tossed Salad, Rolls & Butter, Dessert, and Beverage of Choice
Cost:	$23.00 for Members and Guests $10.00 for Students
8:00 PM	PRESENTATION Joseph Coates "The Future of Chemistry as Seen in 1970-93:   Can We Predict Scientific Advances?"

CSW Member and Head of Joseph F. Coates, Consulting Futurist, Inc., Dr. Joseph F. Coates holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and Pennsylvania State University, respectively, and an honorary doctorate from Claremont Graduate School. He has consulted with 45 of the Fortune 100 companies as well as numerous other firms, trade, professional and public interest groups. A former adjunct professor at The George Washington University, Dr. Coates taught graduate courses on technology and the future for 20 years. He lectures to some 50 groups annually about trends and future developments. Dr. Coates is the most frequently cited author in Future Survey, having written over 300 articles, chapters, papers and publications including co-authorship of: 2025: Scenarios of U.S. and Global Society Reshaped by Science and Technology (Oakhill Press, 1997) and Issues Management: How Can You Plan, Organize and Manage for the Future(Lomond, 1986). Dr. Coates began his career as an industrial chemist at the Atlantic Refining Company (now ARCO) before moving to posts at the National Science Foundation and the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. He has founded several research organizations devoted exclusively to the study of the future.

The Future of Chemistry as Seen in 1970-1993
Dr. Joseph Coates

During the period 1970-1993, futurist Joe Coates and his company conducted comprehensive analyses of forecasts in all the sciences, producing a 40 volume report, running some 4,000 pages. He will discuss the section covering chemical forecasts. Since more than a decade has gone by since the very latest analysis and much longer for the earlier ones, it will be particularly interesting to see which were correct, which were too pessimistic or extravagantly off the mark and, perhaps most interesting of all, which developments were simply missed. Dr. Coates will describe the reasons that he finds for predictive successes or failures, the nature of the people who are involved in making the forecasts, and will provide some advice on how to proceed with a more systematic and comprehensive approach to forecasting in the chemical sciences.

MARCH DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1071st Dinner Meeting Thursday, April 12, 2007

ACS Headquarters, Marvel Hall 1155 16th Street, NW Washington, DC

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR
7:00 PM	DINNER Choice of: Greek Chicken with feta cheese, spinach and herbs, sauteed with mushroom pan gravy or Garden Vegetable Lasagna in creamy béchamel sauce Including: Including: Including Caesar Salad, Long Grain Rice & Green Beans with Almonds, Cookies & bar desserts, and Beverage of Choice

Cost:	$21.00 for Members and Guests $10.50 for Students
8:15 PM	PRESENTATION Catherine T. Hunt, ACS President "Reigniting our Commitment to Science and Technology:   Education, Collaboration, Innovation!"

Dr. Catherine T. (Katie) Hunt graduated from Smith College with high honors in Chemistry. She received a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis with Professor Alan Balch. As an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University in MB&B (Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry), Katie extended her working knowledge of NMR to biological systems.

Katie started her career at Rohm and Haas Company in 1984 at the Spring House Technical Center. In her current role as Leader for Technology Partnerships (Emerging Technologies), she champions collaborations across industry, academia and national labs, working together with foundations and government agencies.

During her 3 years in the ACS presidential succession, Katie will focus on 3 central themes:

1. Education: educating legislators, the media, the public and the next generation,
2. Collaboration: building a strong, vibrant and vocal technical community, and
3. Innovation: recreating our companies, our schools and ourselves.

She serves on the executive board of the Council for Chemical Research where she is active in their Research Investment Network, drafting Science and Technology (S&T) policy statements and advocating for science on "the Hill" (Capitol Hill). Katie was an organizing member of the Vision 2020 Nanotechnology Roadmap and continues to be active in the rollout. She is a member of several associations including: ACS, AAAS, Sigma Xi and the NY Academy of Science.

Katie lives in Upper Dublin, PA with her husband, Wes, and their son, James. She enjoys mentoring, judging science fairs and serving on the Upper Dublin Library Board.

Re-igniting our Commitment to Science and Technology:
Education, Collaboration and Innovation!

Chemistry is at a crossroads. It's time to re-ignite our commitment to Science and Technology. I believe that the keys to success in this endeavor are: Education of legislators, the public and the next generation; Collaboration to build a strong, vibrant and vocal technical community; and Innovation to recreate our companies, our schools and ourselves.

Education: Promoting Science and Engaging Students
Today's students are our future scientists, technologists and policy makers. Now, more than ever, we need to engage the next generation in the exciting and challenging field of science. "In the highly competitive, global economy of the 21st century, mathematics and science are no longer pursuits for the few. They are requirements for all" (A Commitment to America's Future: Responding to the Crisis in Mathematics and Science Education, Business-Higher Education Forum, 2005). It is time for us to actively promote Science and Technology on the local and national stage: from championing research investment to building technology partnerships, from mentoring students to promoting science fairs.

Collaboration: Building Strong Partnerships
No single company can do it alone; no scientific society can, or should, go it alone. We can best leverage our science and technology education and advocacy efforts by reaching out to other professional societies and forming strategic partnerships and coalitions.

Innovation: Recreating our Companies, our Schools and Ourselves
Investing in the physical sciences is an investment in the future! Incremental improvements are important, but we will not "tweak" ourselves to greatness. Sustainable growth will be driven by ongoing investment in cutting-edge, step-out innovation.

Looking ahead
At a time when chemistry has so much to offer, I am pleased and honored to step to the plate as President of the American Chemical Society. Now is our opportunity to make a difference and fulfill the ACS Mission: Improving People's Lives Through the Transforming Power of Chemistry.

Dr. Catherine T. "Katie" Hunt, President
American Chemical Society
And
Leader, Technology Partnerships,
Rohm and Haas Company

MARCH DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1070th Dinner Meeting Thursday, March 15, 2007

Pier 7 Restaurant 650 Water Street, SW Washington, DC 202-554-2400

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR Sponsored by the Washington Area NMR Group
7:00 PM	DINNER Choice of: Chicken Cordon Bleu or Broiled Filet of Flounder Including: Chiffonade Salad, Boulangere Potato, Mixed Fresh Vegetables, Dessert Ice Cream Log, and Beverage of Choice

Cost:	$30.00 for Members and Guests $15.00 for Students
8:00 PM	HILLEBRAND AWARD PRESENTATION to DR. ROBERT TYCKO
8:15 PM	SPEAKER Robert Tycko "Molecular Structure of Amyloid Fibrils (Why I Like Solid State NMR)"

Robert Tycko received his A.B. from Princeton University in 1980, and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1984. After postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania, he became a Member of Technical Staff in the Physical Chemistry Research Department of AT&T Bell Laboratories. At Bell Labs, Tycko worked on novel physical effects and experimental techniques in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, including effects of Berry's phase on spectra of rotating samples and techniques for zero field NMR in high field. He also carried out NMR studies that elucidated the molecular dynamics and electronic properties of fullerenes and superconducting alkali fullerides. Using optically-pumped NMR measurements on gallium arsenide quantum wells, Tycko obtained the first experimental evidence for skyrmion excitations in two-dimensional electron systems.

In 1994, Tycko joined the Laboratory of Chemical Physics of the National Institutes of Health. At the NIH, he has made numerous contributions to solid state NMR methodology for structural studies of proteins and other complex molecular systems. A major project in recent years has been the elucidation of the molecular structures of amyloid fibrils that are associated with Alzheimer's disease and related phenomena. Other current projects include applications of solid state NMR in investigations of protein folding and in structural studies of HIV-1 proteins.

Molecular Structure of Amyloid Fibrils (Why I Like Solid State NMR)

Robert Tycko
Laboratory of Chemical Physics
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

Amyloid fibrils are self-assembled filamentous structures formed by a large class of polypeptides, including those associated with Alzheimer's disease, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. Because amyloid fibrils are inherently noncrystalline and insoluble, the molecular-level details of amyloid structures have been difficult to determine. Fortunately, amyloid fibrils are ideal systems for study by modern solid state NMR techniques. In his lecture on March 15th, Dr. Tycko will briefly introduce the ways in which solid state NMR measurements can provide structural constraints on amyloid fibrils. He will describe specific results, including full structural models for fibrils formed by the 40-residue β-amyloid peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease and preliminary models for fibrils associated with type 2 diabetes and yeast prions.

In the course of his lecture, Tycko will convey some of the characteristics of solid state NMR that have made it an interesting field of research for me over the past 25 years. These characteristics include fascinating mathematical theory of a type that is seldom encountered in other areas of chemistry and spectroscopy, as well as applicability to scientific problems that range from pure solid state physics to medically-relevant structural biology.

FEBRUARY DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1069th Dinner Meeting Thursday, February 08, 2007

McDowell Formal Lounge McDowell Building American University 4400 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR -- cash bar
7:00 PM	BUFFET DINNER Mesclun Mixed Greens with Gorgonzola Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette Spinach Pasta with Fontina and Parmesan Cheese, Mushrooms and Peas Chicken Breast Stuffed with Mushrooms, Herbs and Cheese in a Marsala Wine Focaccia and Tuscan Bread, Tiramisu & Coffee Service

Cost:	$30.00 for Members and Guests $15.00 for Students
7:45 PM	COLLEGE CHEMISTRY ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PRESENTATION
8:15 PM	SPEAKER Spencer Wells "Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project"

One of the most ambitious scientific research initiatives ever undertaken, the Genographic Project - a joint effort of the National Geographic Society, IBM, and the Waitt Family Foundation - is seeking to unravel the history of human migration across the planet from our common homeland in Africa. Begun last year under the direction of geneticist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells, the project is a five-year effort to assemble and analyze the world's largest collection of DNA samples gathered from hundreds of thousands of participants around the world. At this presentation Wells will share the latest information about the data gathered during recent expeditions in Africa and Asia, and will discuss plans for the future of this ground-breaking project.

Dr. Spencer Wells is a geneticist and anthropologist, an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, and director of the Society's Genographic Project. His fascination with the past has led him to the furthest reaches of the globe in search of human populations who hold the history of humankind in their DNA.

Spencer graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Texas at Austin at the age of 19. In 1989 he began his doctoral work studying what genetics can tell us about biological history, and received his Ph.D. under Richard Lewontin at Harvard University. Spencer then studied under population geneticist Luca Cavalli-Sforza at Stanford University, where his work focused on the use of the Y-chromosome to infer when and how our species populated the planet. Spencer's long-term focus has been on the populations of Central Asia, and he has undertaken several major expeditions to the region over the past decade.

After heading a research group at Oxford University in the late '90s, Spencer briefly served as research director of a biotech company in Cambridge, MA. He was writer and presenter of the award-winning 2003 PBS/National Geographic documentary, Journey of Man, and author of the book of the same name, published worldwide in 10 languages. In the past year his work has taken him to over a dozen countries, including Chad, Tajikistan, Morocco and French Polynesia, and he recently published his second book, Deep Ancestry: Inside the Genographic Project. He lives with his wife, a documentary filmmaker, in Washington, DC.

JANUARY DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1068th Dinner Meeting Thursday, January 11, 2007

Atrium, Chemistry Department University of Maryland College Park, MD

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR
7:15 PM	BUFFET DINNER This CSW Dinner Meeting will be held in a Science Café format in which the featured speaker will make his presentation in a café-inspired setting. There will be an informal taco buffet with a choice of chicken or beef tacos Cost: $9.00 All Attendees
8:15 PM	SPEAKER Howard Peters "Chocolate - Food of the Gods"

Get ready to celebrate your sweet tooth with an engaging and delicious talk by Howard Peters. Chocolate has been part of the world culture for thousands of years. Dr. Peters will present the high points of the history of chocolate from the Mayan and Aztec cultures to the present; some chemistry and biochemistry of theobroma cocoa (the food of the gods); some health results that indicate this exotic vegetable (obviously since wine is a fruit) is actually good for you; some circulating urban legends (little known facts, trivia) about chocolate; discussions about the recent book "The Emperors of Chocolate"; and samples sufficient to make some attendees sick. Some of us are not ashamed to admit to being card-carrying chocoholics and on a 12-step plan. The program will include a free raffle for attendees for prizes including a ten pound bar of dark bittersweet chocolate.

Dr. Howard Peters received a B.S. in Chemistry (Magna Cum Laude) from Geneva College, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University. He spent about three years with Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan, where he led research projects on volatile anesthetics, organic fluorine compounds, elastomers, herbicides and high explosives. After a first career as a research chemist for nine years at SRI in Menlo Park, California, Dr. Peters became a patent attorney with Syntex Corporation (now Roche), specializing in pharmaceuticals, processes, polymers, and contact lens technology. He is a founding partner of Peters, Verny, Jones & Biksa, LLP and Peters, Verny, Jones, Schmitt, & Aston, LLP. He currently has prime responsibility for a number of clients including the U.S. Department of Energy, SRI International, and the University of California. Dr. Peters is a co-inventor on seven U.S. patents and is author or co-author of many scientific and legal publications (including the ACS Monograph, "Understanding Chemical Patents", 2^nd ed. (1991)) and presentations. He is presently a member of the Board of Directors of the ACS.

This dinner meeting will be held at the University of Maryland, College Park, and reservations will be required by Monday, January 8^th.

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University of Maryland: Site of January Meeting

For the first time in a number of years, the CSW dinner meeting will be at the University of Maryland. The meeting is hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, which has one of the largest undergraduate programs in chemistry in the country and is now well recognized in research and teaching, with foci in biochemistry, nanoscience and materials chemistry, as well as the traditional branches of chemistry. The site of the CSW meeting is the G. Forrest Woods Memorial Atrium, which serves as a meeting place for students, as well as a venue for various events.

DECEMBER DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1067th Dinner Meeting Thursday, December 07, 2006

ACS Headquarters 1155 16th Street NW Washington, DC

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR *Sponsored by New Era Enterprises* Please see the New Era Enterprises advertisement on page 4 of the December issue of the Capital Chemist or visit www.newera-spectro.com
7:15 PM	DINNER Choice of Entrée: Spiced Rubbed Salmon with Pastry or Garden Vegetable Lasagna Including: Caesar Salad, Green Beans with Toasted Almonds, Potatoes Gratin, Bread Board with Seasonal Spreads, desserts and beverages Cost: $20.00 Members and Guests $10.00 Students
8:00 PM	AWARD PRESENTATIONS
8:15 PM	SPEAKER David Taylor "Science Writing: Finding the Right Frame"

On the evening of December 7^th, join chemists from around the region for an engaging evening with the CSW dinner speaker David Taylor.

Writers who can make scientific stories engaging and understandable are in demand. When writing about science (or anything else), it is important to let yourself be surprised by the subject anew. By changing perspective, a writer can sometimes regain that sense of surprise that can engage readers. The presentation on December 7^th will explore this view of science writing with examples, including the speaker’s experiences writing a natural and social history of the ginseng plant and its use.

David Taylor is an award-winning writer and documentary maker whose work deals with science, history and culture. He is the author of Ginseng, The Divine Root (Algonquin, 2006), which the Boston Globe called "one of those rare works that remind us what an endlessly surprising place the world is." His articles have appeared in Smithsonian, The Washington Post, Village Voice, Outside, International Wildlife, and The Christian Science Monitor. He has also written for the National Science Foundation, Environmental Health Perspectives, and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. He has helped to make documentaries for the Discovery Channel, PBS, and National Geographic films. He received a CINE Golden Eagle Award for his work on "Partners of the Heart," a documentary on heart surgery that appeared in the PBS series American Experience.

NOVEMBER DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CSW 1066th Dinner Meeting Thursday, November 02, 2006

Pier 7 Restaurant 650 Water Street, SW Washington, DC 20024 202-554-2500

 

6:00 PM	SOCIAL HOUR - Cash Bar
7:00 PM	DINNER Choice of Entrée: Scallops Provencal (on a bed of spaghettini) or Beef Bourguignonne (beef in burgundy wine sauce with vegetables) Including: Antipasto Appetizer, Waldorf Salad, Dessert Ice Cream Log, and Beverage of Choice Cost: Including salad, side dishes, desserts and beverages $30.00 Members and Guests $15.00 Students
8:00 PM	SPEAKER Govind Rao "Low-Cost Sensors and Instrumentation: Next Generation Biomedical and Bioprocessing Applications"

Join your fellow members of the Chemical Society of Washington for November's intriguing presentation, provided by Professor Govind Rao, an author of over 129 published papers in professional journals.

Professor Rao's talk will delve into the convergence of recent advances in optics, electronics, chemistry and biology has opened unprecedented opportunities for sensor development. In particular, his lab has focused on lowcost applications that have performance characteristics similar to high end lab grade instrumentation. These have permitted deployment in a variety of situations leading to paradigm-shifting applications. One such application is high throughput bioprocessing, where large numbers of conditions to grow cells optimally may be explored. This technology could lead to low-cost production technology for pharmaceuticals. Another application would be rapid response capability to a bioterror or natural infectious outbreak. Other sensors that target biomedical and water quality needs will also be presented. Finally, the potential for high sensitivity detection using surface plasmoncoupled fluorescence emission will be explored.

Govind Rao is Professor and Chair of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. His Ph.D. degree was from Drexel University in Chemical Engineering. He has been a faculty member at UMBC since 1987. Dr. Rao's research has focused on applications of fluorescence spectroscopy to bioprocess engineering. His lab has developed next-generation sensors for low-cost non-invasive monitoring of oxygen, pH and pCO₂ in bioreactors. In addition, novel sensors for glucose and glutamine have been developed. These sensors have led to a paradigm shift in bioprocess technology, as they collectively enable High Throughput Bioprocessing. In addition, the Rao lab has focused on developing novel applications of Green Fluorescent Protein in Bioprocessing. Its unique fluorescent properties and ease of use in a variety of culture systems have provided new insights into heterologous protein production. Recently, the Rao lab has started developing the next generation of sensors based on surface plasmon coupled fluorescence. These promise to lead to ultra-sensitive and ultrafast sensors but at low-cost.

He has received several awards, including the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, Outstanding Teaching and Research Awards from UMBC, the Van Lanen Award from the American Chemical Society, the Gaden Award from Biotechnology & Bioengineering, the University System of Maryland Regents Award for Excellence in Research and he has been named a 2003 Innovator of the Year by the Maryland Daily Record.

OCTOBER DINNER MEETING OF THE
CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (CSW)
WASHINGTON SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

JOINT WITH THE

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (AIChE)

CSW 1065th Dinner Meeting Thursday, October 12, 2006

ACS Headquarters 1155 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC

 

6:30 PM	SOCIAL HOUR - *Sponsored by New Era Enterprises* Please visit the New Era Enterprises web site or see the advertisement on page 10 of the Capital Chemist
7:00 PM	DINNER Choice of Entrée: Spiced Rubbed Salmon with Pastry or Marinated Chicken Breast with Wild Mushrooms or Garden Vegetable Lasagna Cost: Including salad, side dishes, desserts and beverages $20.00 Members and Guests $10.00 Students
8:00 PM	SPEAKER John O'Connell H.D. Forsyth Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia "A Chemical Engineer's Experience in Russia"

John O'Connell is the H.D. Forsyth Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia where he has taught since 1988, including 7 years as Department Chair. His academic experience includes 22 years at the University of Florida and visiting professorships at Stanford, UCLA, Denmark, Holland, New Zealand and Portugal. His research interests are in the development and application of molecular modeling and simulation of properties for chemical processing and design, with a current focus on hydrophobic chromatography for biochemical purification and thermochemical water decomposition for large-scale hydrogen production. He has published more than 120 archival journal papers, coauthored 4 books and presented nearly 200 seminars at 120 academic, industrial and governmental institutions in more than 20 countries. His professional service has included major involvement in AIChE programming and he currently is the Chair of the AIChE Fellows. His ACS activities include activities in the IEC Division and the Gainesville Florida Subsection. He is an Editor of Fluid Phase Equilibria. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the U. Maryland Department of Chemical Engineering.

Abstract
A Chemical Engineer's Experience in Russia

Images and commentary covering culture, history and science education and research as encountered by John O'Connell and his wife, Verna, during 2-weeks in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia last year will be featured. Tours to a variety important sites complemented being a plenary speaker at the XV Russian Conference on Chemical Thermodynamics and seminar speaker at the St. Petersburg State University.