Percy Julian celebration at Illinois State University

Dr. Julian’s first recorded interaction with Illinois State University was in 1948, when he addressed the ISU Honors Day Convocation. In 1953 he delivered the commencement address. He served on the Board of Regents from 1953 to 1967, a period when Illinois State, Northern Illinois, and Sangamon State Universities had a common board of regents. To recognize his contributions as a humanist, educator and scientist, Julian was granted an honorary LL.D. by ISU in 1974. Eastland Hall was renamed in his honor in 1975 and a plaque was installed near the College Street Entrance. His scientific legacy in the development of chemical substances derived from plants makes it entirely fitting that the offices of the Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences were moved to Julian Hall in 1997, as the Departments moved into their new laboratories in the adjacent Science Lab Building at the completion of its construction. After the remodeling of the 2nd floor of Julian Hall, including the two Department Offices, was completed in 2004, a second plaque focusing on Percy Julian’s scientific contributions and associations was installed in the foyer of the 2nd floor.

• NOVA program
• Chemical & Engineering News online article
• Percy Julian Hall at Illinois State University (Normal, IL)

14th Happy Valentine's Day! Monthly Lecture.

Helen Free's lecture at National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (USDA) as part of Women's History Month was cancelled due to a weather emergency - a blizzard that closed the highways and schools! We thank the NCAUR Civil Rights and Employee Development Organization for the sponsorship.

18th Engineer's Week at Lakeview Museum of the Arts and Sciences.

22nd Illinois Heartland ACS invited to contribute to a proposed new math and science academy in the Peoria Public Schools.

24th Innovative Project Grant Workshop

12th Global Warming - Bradley University Student Affilate Chapter!

• This lecture filled the largest lecture hall in Olin Hall to standing room only (over 300 people). Kudos!

13th Monthly Lecture

"Caves-within worlds" by John Marquart, 7:30 pm, Illinois Wesleyan University, Room C101 of the IWU Center for Natural Sciences. Dinner will be at 5:00 pm at Olive Garden at 1701 E. Empire St. in Bloomington.

2nd The Jackson Lecture at Eureka College

• Pantagraph Article

13th Bradley University Student Scholarship Poster Session

21st Earth Day Festival at Forest Park Nature Center

• Nominated for a national award that we WON!
• 2007 Creative and Innovative Use of the Chemists Celebrate Earth Day Theme

9th The 30th Annual High School Chemistry Contest - Bradley University

16th

• 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)
    • Bob Gayhart - 30 years of High School Chemistry Contest
    • Max Taylor - 30 years of High School Chemistry Contest
• 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.

Project SEED in central Illinois

SEED Coordinator: David L. Cedeño, Ph.D. Illinois State University

The Illinois Heartland ACS has organized Project SEED in central Illinois for 5 years under the leadership of Prof. David Cedeño. From a modest beginning with 2 mentors and 3 students, the program has grown each year to encompass over 30 students from ten different high schools and 15 mentors over 5 years. The Illinois Heartland ACS Project SEED has partnered with Strem Chemicals, ISU College of Arts and Sciences, ISU Office for Research and Sponsored Programs, the Eppley Foundation, and the NIH Bridges program. Six of our Project SEED students have received scholarships to attend college. The Project SEED budget is larger than the operating budget of the Illinois Heartland!

Project SEED in the Illinois Heartland started in the year 2003, when Marjorie Jones (chair-elect) and David Cedeño decided to implement it. The program started small with three students, two mentors, and funding from the ACS-SEED program, the College of Arts and Sciences at Illinois State University, and Strem Chemicals. The students came from two high schools in Normal, Illinois. It was quite an exciting summer, full of new experiences for the students, mentors, the local section officers, and the Illinois State University staff who made a lot of efforts to get a new program on its wheels. The success of the program that summer of 2003 transcended to other colleagues at the department of Chemistry, who joined the program the following summer. For the summer of 2004, the program grew to eight students representing each of the four high schools in the Bloomington/Normal area, mentored by six Faculty volunteers. Funding was provided by the ACS-SEED office, the Eppley Foundation, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Office for Research and Sponsored Programs at Illinois State University. In 2005, we joined efforts with Professor William Hunter, principal investigator of a NIH Bridges program that shared, in part, the ideals of the ACS-SEED program. This joined effort allowed us to recruit additional students and mentors for both the SEED and Bridges programs at Illinois State University. In addition, Victoria Finkenstadt at the USDA-NCAUR in Peoria joined the program, expanding its outreach to the Peoria high schools. In 2005, we hosted 13 students from seven high schools from Bloomington, Normal, Peoria, and Chicago. A total of nine mentors from Illinois State University and the NCAUR-USDA participated.  The joint effort allowed for the utilization of NIH funds to cover the expenses of lab commodities at Illinois State University. During 2006, the program maintained its level of student enrollment, high school representation (including students from Chicago) and mentor participation, adding Kervin Evans at NCAUR-USDA. The NIH Bridges grant provided matching funds for the program and an incentive for mentors. Our program was featured in a special report about Project SEED by Linda Wang in the March 20th issue of Chemical and Engineering News in 2006. In 2007, the program continued its level of enrollment, representation and mentors and even included a student from Mississippi visiting relatives in central Illinois. The NIH Bridges program maintained its matching commitment and mentor support for students at Illinois State University.

The success of our program could be measured in terms of the number participants, and mentors who have volunteer their precious time, effort, and laboratory resources to make it a great experience to the students. A total of 29 students from nine high schools in Bloomington, Chicago, Normal, Peoria and Mississippi have participated in five years. Thirteen mentors (eleven at Illinois State University, which is half the Faculty) have also volunteered. In addition, our alumni have applied for SEED scholarships with four of them being awarded. One student, Dean Stanley, was designated a Hach Scientific Foundation Scholar and travelled to San Francisco to attend the national meeting.

A plan for encouraging more participation and tracking of alumni will be placed in motion in 2007. Our alumni are already in college and quite successful. For instance, Delano Robinson (2003) an IT and Business management junior at the University of Minnesota, Crookston won the 1st place contest for the IT college challenge at the national BDPA technology conference in Washington, DC. Nan Lin (2004) was awarded the prestigious Bader Scholarship and is attending Bradley University. Julio Martinez (2004) attends Heartland Community College, while working at State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, Illinois. Julian Giles (2004), who coauthored a manuscript in 2005 as a result of his SEED research is a sophomore chemistry major at the University of Missouri and appeared in the Dean’s list for the winter 2007. Cathryn Blue (2004) is a student at Washington University in St. Louis. Dean Stanley (2005 & 2006) is a student at Illinois Central College. Diana Johnson (2005 & 2006) received a scholarship to attend Bradley University and is in the honors program. Both Dean and Diana's work resulted in a peer-reviewed publication. See Diana Johnson from Peoria Woodruff HS (Mentor: Vicki Finkenstadt, NCAUR) address the National Urban League at their annual conference in St. Louis, MO in July 2007. (Click on #10 remarks to see and listen to Diana.)

Our local section is proud to stand by our motto: “As you sow, so shall you reap!” We the coordinators, mentors and officials are committed to the program, because we believe in the program and the students it helps. As David Cedeño (local section coordinator) said as quoted in C&EN News: “The reward is not economical…(it) is seeing that these kids have a chance in life”.

We believe that in five years we have contributed to the program and its participants in a way that reflects our commitment to the students, who are the main beneficiaries of what we do. We have also outreached to local high schools, mostly in Bloomington-Normal and Peoria and, through a partnership with the NIH Bridges project, Chicago. The involvement of the mentors and staff at Illinois State University and the USDA-NCAUR has been outstanding. Thus, we believe that we are well deserving of the Local Section Project SEED Award and forward our nomination.

28th: Project SEED alumni at the National Urban League.

See Diana Johnson from Peoria Woodruff HS (Mentor: Vicki Finkenstadt, NCAUR) address the National Urban League at their annual conference in St. Louis, MO in July 2007. Click on #10 remarks to see and listen to Diana. Well done!

28th: Inquiry Explorations of Solar Energy and Impacts on Health

A STEM workshop organized by Michelle Edgcomb at Bradley University. This workshop grew out of the IPG workshop delivered in February 2007.

4th: Inquiry into Weather: Your Personal Impact on Global Climate

A STEM workshop organized by Michelle Edgcomb at Bradley University. This workshop grew out of the IPG workshop delivered in February 2007.

19th: ChemLuminary Award!!

The Illinois Heartland ACS wins it's 8th consecutive Outstanding Performance Award for a Medium-Small Local Section in Boston, MA! Congrats to Savannah River for also sharing the award!

13th Student Research Poster Session - Organized by Prof. Craig McLauchlan (Illinois State University) and the Younger Chemists Committee. Hosted by Prof. Becky Roesner and the Illinois Wesleyan University Chemistry Department. Special Guest: Dr. Beth Cunningham, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Illinois Wesleyan University. Guest speaker: Dr. Peter Johnsen, Provost and Chief Scientific Officer, Bradley University

• Abstracts

22nd Harry Potter's Return to Hogwarts - Year 5. Organized by the Peoria Park District with participation from Peoria Public Libraries, Glen Oak Zoo, Wildlife Prairie State Park, over 75 costumed volunteers and the Illinois Heartland ACS Magical Potions Class!

• Magical Potions organized by Jill Rockwood (Montessori School) and Hind Abi-Akar (Caterpillar, Inc). The pretty woman in pink is Sue McCormick (NCAUR-USDA) with participation from the Bradley University Student Affiliates Chapter. Costumed volunteers: Jade Katinas, Brea Fearon, Elizabeth Nguyen, Geoff Girsch, Vicki Wu, Celica Tong, Kara Deweese, Vicki Finkenstadt, and Kervin Evans.
• Attendance estimated at over 2000!!!
• Peoria Journal Star
• See the cool VIDEO!
• Draco and the Malfoys

27th Spoon River College presents Science Café: Take a Walk on the Wild Side!! Eagles, Wetlands and Prairies organized by Stacy Swanson.

• Advertisement: Peoria Journal Star --- Canton Daily Ledger
• Spoon River College models national program
• Prairie Restoration at Spoon River College: Peorie Journal Star --- Canton Daily Ledger

5th Association for Women in Science--Heart of Illinois Chapter honors several women scientists in physics, math, biology, chemistry, technology, pharmacy, engineering and health sciences.

11th Monthly Lecture - Mickey Sarquis and Lynn Hogue, Miami University of Ohio - Chemistry & Creativity.

16th Student Affiliate Chapters designated Honorable Mention by the ACS Undergraduate Programs Office for their activities over the 2006-2007 academic year!!

• Bradley University
• Illinois Wesleyan University

18th Vicki Finkenstadt featured in InChemistry Magazine.

22nd-27th National Chemistry Week - The Many Faces of Chemistry

In 2007, due to popular demand, we expanded our NCW program from 1 day to 5 days:

• Wednesday, October 24 - CO2 fun with film canister rockets, dancing raisins and floating bubbles
• Thursday, October 25 - ISU Frank Shaw's World of Flavor!!
• Friday, October 26 - The Science of Bubbles with the hula-hoop get into a bubble, non-pop bubbles, insanely colorful bubble solution and using geometric shape building kits to have bubble fun
• Saturday, October 27 - The Many Faces of Chemistry at the Children's Discovery Museum. 40+ activities, 37 volunteers. Organized by Jill Rockwood!
Volunteers
• Caterpillar: Jade Katinas, Hind Abi-Akar, Reema Abi-Akar, Brian Rockwood, Rob McGee, Eric Andris, Svetlana Zemskova, Mark Andrews, Herbert DeCostas, Christine Ragle
• Chris Lackey, Jeff Templeton Frank Shaw, & the Illinois State University Student Affiliates
• Becky Roesner & the Illinois Wesleyan University Student Affiliates
• Michelle Fry, Michelle Edgcomb, Dean Campbell and the Bradley University Student Affiliates
• NCAUR-USDA: Vicki Finkenstadt, Kervin Evans, Stephen Hughes
• Morton Junior High: Melissa Winchell
• Illinois Department of Transportation: Nick Volk
• Firefly Energy: Ellen McCarthy

Subject Matter

• Math & Molecules
• Medicine
• Energy & the Environment
• Polymers
• Food Flavor & Smell
• Construction
• Metals
• Safety
• Science of Art
• Secret Messages
• Bubbles
• Magnetism
• Science Detectives
• Water, Water everywhere.

8th Grade Poster

12th Grade Poster

7th Monthly Meeting -- Prof. Wayne Jones Nanotechnology: How small can you go? Hosted by Knox College. Attendance: 75

20th/27th Chemistry Demo Shows

The Bradley University Chemistry Club (ACS Student Affiliate Chapter) received funding through an Innovative Activities Grant through the American Chemical Society (Education) for $400 which was matched by money from the Chemistry Department and the Chem Club. The show went very well, some of the demos worked better than ever before! After the show, we invited kids to the front of the room to use Alka-Seltzer and water to pop the lids off of Fuji film canisters. The shows have reached over 20 teachers and about 500 students/families in the six show days that we have had so far. There are six more booked for 2008.

• YouTube Video

22nd Morton High School teachers willing 'to die' for science

29th Western Illinois University hosts a "Pirate Chemistry" show.

1st Paper Newsletter

12th Krupal Sanghbi featured in Peoria Journal Star regarding indian cuisine.

16thAtanu Biswas is featured in the Peoria Journal Star regarding his beautiful home!

• Video tour of Sheena and Atanu's home.