The CSRA Chemist
Savannah River Section
of the
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
Volume 41 Number 2 (April 1998)
As I write this column, Spring is taking to the CSRA in full force. The pear blossoms have come and gone, and the azaleas are bursting out. The big golf tournament will soon be here (and gone by the time you read this). The weeds have taken an early lead on the Bermuda grass in my front lawn; this is as sure a sign as any that Spring is here! Spring also means the ACS National Meeting in Dallas, Texas. At this meeting, our Councilor met with the ACS survey methodologist and took some ideas that the Executive Committee has pulled together to formulate a brief, but informative telephone survey of our members. Members - that means you! Why a phone survey? It offers us a chance to contact you personnally and get your input. Best of all, there is no impersonal form for you to fill out and mail back. We want to find out what we, the Executive Committee, can do to serve the Section better, and to encourage and increase attendance at our Section’s functions. And to do that, we need your input – and not only from the folks who come to our meetings, but also from those of you we have not seen in a while. So, in the coming months each of you will be contacted by one of the members of the Executive Committee and asked to answer a few survey questions. Please take a few minutes of your time to help us help you. Unlike those annoying telemarketers, I also promise that our Telechemists will not call during the dinner hour!
What has been going on in the area of member retention? I sent each of our Local Section Affiliates (LSA) a letter in early January, formally asking them to pay their 1998 dues, or be dropped from the Section roster. Since each LSA dues received ($5) just about equals the cost of printing and mailing newsletters for one year to that member, I wanted us to stop subsidizing folks who had not, or did not want to pay. This process has been completed. We also have received a list of delinquent (since ’96) members from ACS National. The Executive Committee has divided up this list and will be calling those members to encourage them to re-enlist and become active again, or at least consider joining as a Local Section Affiliate.
Having been scolded by our newsletter editor for not writing enough last time (and forcing him to use a very large piece of clipart to fill the page), I hope I have done better this month without blowing too much hot air at all of you.
I look forward to seeing you at our April and May meetings!
1998 PROGRAM
Recent Events
Our February meeting, held at Damon's in Augusta, was a rousing success, punctuated with great food and an extremely interesting talk by Prof. John Marquart, a professor at Eastern Illinois University. About 30 ACS members and guests enjoyed the barbecue buffet and pleasant conversation. After dinner, the diners were treated to a spectacular photographic journey into the subterranean world of caverns. Prof. Marquart began his talk with the geology of cave formation, including a detailed description of the chemistry of the formation of caves and cave structures. Following a table top demonstration of the pH dependence of calcium carbonate precipitation, he launched into a 30 minute tour of the caves he has visited recently. The photography was excellent and showed a world rarely seen, as many of the caves he visits are tightly controlled by state officials. Many of the caves he photographs and studies are in pristine condition. Also, he has used his caving expertise to help restore neglected caves and underground ecosystems. In addition to ACS members, several members of the local spelunking club (Grotto) were in attendance, and a rousing question and answer session followed the talk. A hearty thanks to Prof. Marquart for a very educational and entertaining talk. Thanks to all in attendance for making "Caves-Worlds Within the World" a successful first meeting of the year.
In March a drop in was held at SREL hosted by Dr. Gary Mills. It was a convenient way to relax for a few minutes and talk over interesting research activities. The Advanced Analytical Center for Environmental Sciences is a laboratory worth visiting, with a number of instrumental and analysis capabilities including laser spectroscopy, ion-cyclotron resonance-mass spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, FT-IR, soil column simulations, and chemical modeling. Thanks to Dr. Mills and other SREL staff for their hospitality.
Coming Events
The May meeting will be on the 18th at Rio Bravo in Augusta. The speaker will be Ms. Maria Reichmanis a registered patent attorney discussing intellectual property rights. A cash bar at 6:30 will start the program, with a buffet dinner beginning at 7:00. Cost is $8 per person.
The Council of the American Chemical Society met in Dallas, TX on April 1, 1998. Two candidates for 1999 President-Elect were selected by the Council: Daryle H. Busch and Glenn A. Crosby. You may recall that Prof. Busch was nominated for the 1998 ballot but did not win the Council election.
On a more controversial issue, the Council was asked by the Committee on Budget and Finance to approve the 1999 Dues Escalator which would bring 1999 Member Dues to $105.00. There was an extended debate on the subject. Arguments opposed were based upon the not-for-profit status of the ACS (not to be confused with nonprofit status), the impact on the 2001 Membership Campaign, and the $4.3 million gain in unrestricted assets before investment increases. Arguments in favor were based on the contribution of dues revenue to net revenue from operations ($1,072,000). Dues, revenues, and assessments contribute $4,701,000; Information Services $18,637,000; and investment income $4,967,000. As a percentage of program expenses, the contribution from dues revenue has fallen from just under 90% in 1978, to just over 60% in 1988, and today sits at just over 20%. The increasing reliance on Information Services and investment income was seen as an unwise trend considering the competitive pressure the Society faces in the publications arena and the unsustainable growth rate in market returns. Additionally, dues for membership in the American Chemical Society are significantly lower than most Professional Societies, and the value of membership to those who avail themselves of ACS programs and services is tremendous. The Council voted 264 to 95 in favor of increasing the 1999 dues to $105. Based on the best interests of the Society’s finances, your councilor believes the Council voted correctly.
Grants of up to $2000 are available to Local Sections and Divisions for successful proposals on retention activities. The grants are available from the Joint Task Force on Member Retention sponsored by the Membership Activities Committee.
The Dallas National Employment Clearinghouse had 1039 candidates for 1336 posted positions. Recruiters conducted 439 interviews. The market for chemists at all degree levels has improved dramatically in the past year.
Your feedback is sought on career services offered by the Society. Beginning in Dallas Chris Bannochie began chairing the Subcommittee on Professional Services and Programs. This gives the Savannah River Section a significant voice in this area of Society business. Please direct your comments and suggestions to Chris.
Well, we have begun the fourth month of the year and we are well within our budget for the year. Our allotment came through in early March and was deposited into our money market account. In addition, we invested an additional $250.00 into our mutual fund portfolio, as this was a carry-over action item from 1997. This move also triggered a review of the mutual fund performance by the treasurer. The current yield on the money market account, which is essentially our checking account, is 5.18% (seven day yield). It is clear from the summary below that our mutual funds are not keeping up with our money market account, and this is a little troubling. The treasurer reported these yields to the executive committee and the committee agreed that the treasurer should investigate methods for improving the performance of our investments. After all, that is a large chunk of change that could be working harder, thus making it easier for the section to provide the quality programs that local section members have come to expect.
Speaking of local section members, we have budgeted $1200.00 income from local section dues. We have received one check from National ACS for $775.00. The balance is expected later in the year. The local section dues, paid by you, the local section members, are a large part of our operating budget, totaling over one quarter of our A annual allotment. The treasurer and the executive committee thanks those who have supported the local section activities by paying local section dues. In addition, the committee would like to encourage all members who are not currently paying local section dues to please pay them. Thank you!!
| Income: Category | ||
| Annual ACS Allotment | $4627.00 | $4,627.00 |
| Interest from Checking Account | $28.48 | $140.00 |
| Local Section Dues | $775.00 | $1,200.00 |
| Income Total | $5422.48 | $5,967.00 |
| Debits: Category | ||
| Local Meeting Expenses | $321.51 | $1,600.00 |
| Newsletter | $227.84 | $1,600.00 |
| National Chemistry Week | 0.00 | $600.00 |
| Travel Subsidy | 0.00 | $400.00 |
| U.S. Chemistry Olympiad | 0.00 | $450.00 |
| Checking Account Service Charge | 0.00 | $125.00 |
| Awards | $117.00 | $300.00 |
| Scholarships | 0.00 | $200.00 |
| Public Relations | $41.91 | $200.00 |
| Miscellaneous | $147.24 | $300.00 |
| Debit Totals: | $856.30 | $5,775.00 |
| Income Invested | $250.00 | $200.00 |
| Ending Balance | $4316.18 | $-8.00 |
* Meeting income of $272.00 offsets this yielding a net expense of $49.51
** Predicted end of year balance above opening 1997 balance
Investment performance (Priced Securities as of 2/28/98)) :
Equity Mutual Funds 1580.99 (current yield = 2.15%)
Fixed Income Mutual Funds 2432.04 (current yield = 5.88%)
The Stone Award was established by the will of the late Charles H. Stone "as an incentive for outstanding and valuable achievements in chemical research, application, or accomplishments". It is administered by a committee of the Carolina-Piedmont Section. The award consists of a plaque, a $1500 honorarium, and travel expenses to the award/lecture banquet. It is awarded not more than once annually to an outstanding chemist in the Southeast region. Nominations should contain the following:
1) Letter of nomination
2) Seconding letter(s)
3) Biographical sketch (CV) for nominee
4) Other supporting documents
Renominations require only a renomination letter and updated CV. Send all materials by June 1, 1998 to:
Cliff Carlin
Chair, Stone Award Committee
Chemistry Department
UNC-Charlotte
Charlotte, NC 28223
Contact Cliff Carlin at 704-547-4886 or cmcarlin@email.uncc.edu for additional information.
Whether it’s an update on polymer chemistry, exciting ideas to use in your chemistry classroom, state-of-the-science discussions about organic and pharmaceutical research, a refresher on analytical techniques, or important safety considerations for your laboratory, the 1998 ACS Satellite TV Seminar program offers you a convenient method to maintain your professional development.
Essentials of Polymer Chemistry leads the line-up of seminars beginning in March. This seminar, conducted by expert researchers in the field, will bring you up to date on the latest developments in polymer synthesis, processing, characterization, and applications.
In April, it will be followed by Transferring the Energy of Life, the third in our series of Conversations with Nobel Laureates. Tune in to this special program for high school and college students to meet Paul D. Boyer who shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with John E. Walker of Great Britain and Jens C. Skou of Denmark for their separate research on adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the carrier of energy in all living organisms. This program is designed to help chemistry (and other science courses) come alive by giving students a chance to learn from and talk directly with Nobel Laureates.
Plans for the remaining 1998 broadcasts are still in the works. Whether you want to participate in live, interactive training or prefer to add to your video library of training programs, the ACS Satellite TV Seminars can help you out. Please give us a call at 800-227-5558 ext. 2104 or send e-mail to sat-tv@acs.org to receive brochures about the other seminars as they become available.
Preliminary 1998 Calendar of ACS Satellite TV Seminars
Monday & Wednesday, March 23 & 25, 1:00 to 4:00 PM EST Essentials of Polymer Chemistry
Thursday, April 23, 2:00 to 4:00 PM EDT Conversations with Nobel Laureate Series–Transferring the Energy of Life
Wednesday, May 13, 1:00 to 3:00 PM EDT Drug Discovery Series
Thursday, June18, Quality and Safety Considerations in Handling Compressed Gases
Thursday, September 17, 1:00 to 3:00 PM EDT Organic Chemistry Series
Wednesday, October 14, 1:00 to 3:00 PM EDT Essentials of Analytical Chemistry
Monday, November 2, 6:00 to 8:00 PM EST Teaching Chemistry,1998 Edition
Call the ACS Satellite TV Seminars office at 800-227-5558 ext. 2104 to find out about our subscription plan. Groups that enroll in four or more seminars at once receive a 20% discount on registration fees and are not charged shipping fees for orders received more than 14 days before the broadcasts.
MINORITY PROGRAMS
The ACS Committee on Minority Affairs is now offering minigrants of up to $500 to local sections to support the implementation of programs that encourage the participation of underrepresented minority scientists. If you are interested in receiving more information about this program, contact Stephanie Butler of the Department of Minority Affairs at 800-227-5558, ext. 6262 or s_butler@acs.org.
All ACS members are invited by the Society's Committee on Patents and Related Matters(CP&RM) to make suggestions to the Committee on possible candidates for induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The inventor is not required to be a US citizen, but the invention upon which the nomination is based must be covered by a US patent. The invention must have contributed greatly to the national welfare and significantly promoted progress in science and the useful arts. Nomination documents can be obtained by calling 202-872-8725, e-mail to d_fillinich@acs.org, or by writing to Debbie Fillinich, American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.
The Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for a scientist or engineer to join ACS and
• gain first-hand knowledge of the operation of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government
• develop nonpartisan Capitol Hill briefings and assist ACS committees in their work
• complete a special science policy project for presentation.
The Fellowship is for one or two years. The Fellow receives an annual salary in the low $40Ks with an ACS benefits package, as well as a relocation allowance. ACS members at any point in their careers may apply. A Ph.D. is not a requirement.
Applications are due January 8, 1999.
For more information and instructions on how to apply, please contact Deitra L. Jackson 202-452-8917, e-mail: d_jackson@acs.org, or write ACS Office of Legislative and Government Affairs, 1155 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Welcome to the April issue of the CSRA Chemist. I wish to thank those of you who have provided e-mail and/or URL addresses for our website. These addresses will make it easier for members to network with each other. If you have not already sent me your information, drop me a message at acs-sr@mindspring.com and I will include you in our on-line database.
Suspecting you may have lost track of the evolving names for the heavy elements, the following summary is taken from the February 1998 issue of Reaction Times. It is a nice summary of the proposed names and those finally adopted last year by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC):
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LBNL, United States; GSI, Germany; JINR, Russia
We’d like to introduce four new local section members: Dr. James Cleary, Ms. Jennifer Nelson, Ms. Catherine McClurkin, and Dr. James Sanders.
Catherine received her B.Sc. from Auburn in 1987, and her M.Sc. from Emory in 1991. She spent three years with Abbot in Chicago, some time with McGaw in California, and recently joined G.D. Searle as a QA/QC chemist for methods development and validation. Catherine enjoys sewing and reading in her spare time.
Dr. James Sanders received his B.Sc. from Mississippi State in 1962, and his Ph.D. from Rice in 1965. He spent the next four years in post-doctoral appointments with Ireland at Cal. Tech., with Ellis Brand at Kentucky, and lastly with Bob Lutes at the University of Virginia. James started with International Flavors and Fragrances at Union Beach, New Jersey in 1969 in research. In 1983 he moved on to process control, and in October of 1996 moved to IFF’s new Augusta operation. James enjoys music and mineral hunting, and having moved back where it is warm, hopes to do more fishing and dust off his golf clubs.
Please give our new members a warm welcome to the section.