NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
Members in Attendance: J. Billo, K. Browne, M. Burgess, M. Chen, D.
Cunningham, M. Filosa, M. Hoffman, D. Lewis, R. Lichter, M. Mahaney, J. Piper,
M. Singer, J.D. Smith, M. Strem, A. Viola, V. Walworth, G. Weisman
The meeting was called to order at 4:40 pm with J. Billo as the Chair
The minutes from September 2008 were approved with minor typographical
corrections.
Chair: J. Billo for M. Schwartz
 See the letter from LSAC soliciting requests for funding 2009 activities for
Science Café’s and Innovation grants attached at the end of the minutes.
Chair Elect: J. Billo
 No Report
Secretary: M. Singer
 No Report
Treasurer: J. Piper
 The September treasurer’s report was accepted as presented
Budget Committee: J. Piper
 The budget committee will have its first meeting later this month to develop
guidance for committee chairs.
 Committee chairs should start reviewing their 2009 budget needs.
Archivist
 No Report
Trustees: M. Strem
 The Trustee consultant has advised that the trust appears to be down as a
result of the recent economic downturn. However, the section funds are very
conservatively invested and should not be too adversely affected by the
current economic news. All the downward activity could have an effect on the
total amount available from the trust for the 2009 budget year.
Councilors:
 M. Hoffman:
o The deadline for the 2010 ACS National awards is November 1 st. See
the national ACS awards website for nomination details.
Local Arrangements: M. Burgess
 We had a very nice meeting at B.C. last month. We had 48 people at the
dinner in the Murray Function Room. Milind Deshpande was the evening
1 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
speaker. The meeting was a joint meeting with the N.E. section and the
Medicinal Chemistry Section.
 The October meeting will be held at the Henderson House in Weston. This
meeting will honor the recipient of the Henry Hill Award for 2008.
o 50 people are expected for tonight’s dinner.
o Five of the 50-year members will be in attendance.
Membership Committee: M. Chen
 174 “welcome new member” letters were sent on 24 September 2008 for the
15 October Dinner Meeting at Henderson House, 99 Westcliff Road, Weston,
MA.
 There were 98 new members plus 76 transfers from other section to NESACS
Education Committee: Ruth Tanner
 2008 Connections to Chemistry
 The 2008 Connections to Chemistry program is scheduled for Thursday,
October 16th at Burlington High School (Burlington, MA). Registration is going
well. To date, we have over 100 registrants. Four workshops are being
offered. In particular, we are looking forward to hosting Liana Lamont,
Assistant Editor, Journal of Chemical Education, University of WisconsinMadison, who will be doing a computer workshop on the Chemistry Education
Digital Library (ChemEd DL, www.chemeddl.org), a Pathway to the National
Science Digital Library (NSDL, nsdl.org), an extraordinary web-based
collection for chemistry students and educators. The evening address will be
given by Thomas H. Lane, President-Elect, American Chemical Society, and
Director of Global Science and Technology Outreach at Dow Corning
Corporation. The title of his address is: And Now for Something Completely
Different.
 Grants-in Aid
 The deadline for the applications for the Grants-in-Aid for the 237th ACS
National Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, is Friday, October 10th. As of today,
October 10th, we have only received 4 applications. As the deadline for
applications becomes earlier and earlier, the number of applications we are
receiving has been decreasing. The deadline for electronic submission of
abstracts to the ACS in Washington is October 20, 2008, 11:59 PM.
 Northeast Regional Undergraduate Day
 The Northeast Regional Undergraduate Day is scheduled for Saturday,
November 1, 2008, at the Park Science Center at Simmons College. It is
being hosted by the Departments of Chemistry, Simmons College and Suffolk
University and the Chemistry / Physics Liaison at Simmons College. The
program is being coordinated by Professor Richard Gurney at Simmons
College. Information has been sent to the Colleges and Universities in the
Northeastern Section. The basic format for the program includes research
talks and seminars accompanied with roundtable discussions, and
workshops. The complete program is on the NESACS website.
2 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (An Exploratory Report)
 The following announcement has been sent to NESACS:
o The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad, a program of the American
Chemical Society, is planning to host the 44th International
Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) competition in the United States in
2012 and is looking for a suitable site to hold the event. A Proposal
on behalf of academic institutions in your section that you believe
meets the criteria on the attached RFP. Please be sure to provide
all the requested information related to the conditions described in
the attached document.
In addition to the listed requirements, the award decision may also
depend on the experience the proposing group has with similar
programs and the best value to the ACS.
Proposals should arrive via email at: USNCO@acs.org no later
than November 14, 2008 at 5:00 PM EST.
 The person who has been involved with the US Chemistry Olympiad has
been Steve Lantos, the High School Chemistry Chair, NESACS. He has been
involved with this proposal as it falls under the USNCO subcommittee work
that he does on the national level in D.C.
o To host the IChO is a HUGE undertaking that involves 3.5 years of
planning, organization, and oversight.
 The Northeastern Section his been considered with our access to area
chemistry lab space, dormitories, and world-class universities. It would
involve many of the College and Universities in the Boston area. Hosting the
IChO is like running a small National ACS meeting. Participants include
teams of translators, chaperones, and up to four students per country.
Typically, it's about 350 students (There are often alternates that show up
too.) and another 200-250 adults, all of whom need to be housed. It is very
likely that the hosting for the event will require substantial funding in addition
to the funding from USNCO. The coordination of all the requirements and
sites would require a dedicated committee with connections in the colleges
and universities across the metropolitan Boston area.
 Undergraduate Environmental Research Symposium
 Bridgewater State College will host the 7th Annual Undergraduate
Environmental Research Symposium on Saturday, November 15, 2008.
The full program is on the NESACS web site. NESACS is a co-sponsor of
this event. It features
 Poster presentations from undergraduate researchers representing
colleges and universities from the New England region. Over 100
students, faculty and mentors are expected to attend.
Board of Publications: M. Mahaney
 The Nucleus is over budget.
o The graphics costs were under budgeted
3 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
o The cost of candidate statements in the May issue has been under
budgeted.
 The word limit has not been strictly enforced.
 Future candidate statements could include a web address for
expanded statements.
 Full candidate statements could be made available on the
NESACS website.
 The Board of Publications will review candidate statement
options and the NESACS by-laws and report back at the
December meeting.
o The cost per page at the printers has been closer to $100 per page,
while the budgeted amount was $83 per page.
 The Arno Heyn award for 2008 will be awarded to Vivian Walworth at the
November section meeting.
Nucleus Editor: M. Filosa
 The November issue is at the printers. All three Norris award winners on the
cover of the Nucleus. This is the first time the Nucleus has had three
photographs on the cover page.
Webmaster: D. Cunningham
 The website is current and up to date.
 The front page is being modified.
o Please send all feedback to the Webmaster e-mail.
 Tonight’s speaker will be recorded and the slide show and audio presentation
will be synchronized and uploaded to the NESACS website.
Continuing Education: A. Viola
 There will be a two-day course on Lab Safety Nov 20th and 21st.
o There will be a tiered registration fee with different rates for
undergraduates and graduates in an attempt to target more student
participation.
 This committee is in need of additional committee members above the current
committee size of one.
NCW: C. Jaworek-Lopes
 The third annual NCW prep day was held at Emmanuel College on
October 4, 2008. Individuals from the Boston Children’s Museum,
Emmanuel College, Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Museum of ScienceBoston, Stonehill College, and Suffolk University attended the event.
 NCW hands-on activities and demonstrations include: hot and cold packs,
starch content in foods, sugar content in foods, UV beads and sunscreen,
make your own Superballs, electrolytes and make your own Gatorade,
and water-resistant materials.
4 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
 We will be participating in the CCA pilot survey of NCW events at the
MoS-Boston.
 Approximately 600 students will be attending the NCW High School
Science Series event at the MoS on October 24, 2008. Patrick Drane and
Dave Sittenfeld will be holding a lecture-demonstration regarding materials
used in sports.
 Volunteers are still needed for the following: 2:30 -5 pm shift at the MoSBoston on October 18, 2008; October 24, 2008 from 8:30 – 12:30 at the
MoS-Boston for the high school science series; October 25, 2008 from
1:30 – 4:30 at the BCM.
 One student has already submitted an answer to the puzzle contest.
 Tickets are still available for the Phyllis Brauner Memorial Lectures given
by Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri.
WCC: J. Billo for P. Mabrouk
 The WCC Tea has been postponed due to a lack of publicity. New date will
be announced.
NERM: Morton Z. Hoffman
 More than 600 chemists, including 225 undergraduate and graduate students,
gathered on the west coast of New England for the 35th Northeast Regional
ACS Meeting (NERM 2008) in Burlington, Vermont, on June 29-July 2, 2008;
<http://www.nerm2008.org>. Hosted by the Green Mountain Local Section
and cosponsored by the Chemical Institute of Canada, the meeting had
“Chemistry Without Borders” as its theme. With many other industrial,
academic, and international sponsors, including ten ACS divisions and the
Royal Society of Chemistry, the meeting offered nearly 450 oral and poster
presentations and an exhibition with 18 vendors and two non-profit groups.
Among the attendees were Bruce Bursten (ACS President) and Anne O’Brien
(ACS District I Director).
 The meeting featured invited and contributing speakers across a wide range
of topical symposia, including green chemistry, polymer chemistry, chemical
biology, environmental chemistry, organic synthesis, layered materials,
energy, industrial chemistry and innovation, inorganic chemistry, physical
chemistry, analytical chemistry, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, modeling
and computer simulation, and chemical education. There were many
workshops and programs for high school teachers, students, and chemistry
enthusiasts. Tours to IBM’s Burlington Design Center and Ben & Jerry’s ice
cream factory, and an evening of standup comedy with chemical engineering
5 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
professor Peter Ludovice (Georgia Tech) and professional performer Rusty
DeWees (“The Logger”) were part of the social program.
 The meeting ended with a conference cruise and award dinner aboard the
Spirit of Ethan Allen III on Lake Champlain. The weather cooperated,
producing a glorious early summer sunset. The following awards were
presented:
o The Green Mountain Local Section “Salute to Excellence” Award to
Omya, Inc., for its contributions to chemistry and science education
and outreach in the local community;
o The ACS Division of Chemical Education Northeast Region Award
for Excellence in High School Teaching to Steve Lantos (Brookline
(MA) High School) for his creative, effective, and inspiring
connections to his students;
o The 2007 E. Ann Nalley Northeast Region Award for Volunteer
Service to the ACS to Deborah Janes and Timothy Wilson
(Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY) for their involvement in
science education outreach, and the 2008 Award to Christine
Jaworek-Lopes (Emmanuel College, Boston, MA) for her untiring
work as coordinator of National Chemistry Week activities for the
Northeastern Local Section;
o The Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the
Chemical Sciences to Todd Pagan (National Technical Institute for
the Deaf and the Rochester (NY) Institute of Technology) for his
work in educating hearing-impaired students toward careers in the
chemical sciences;
o The ACS Regional Industrial Innovation Award to Dana
Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, and Pushkar Tandon (Corning, Inc.,
Corning, NY) for their work in producing air-glass composite optical
fibers;
o The ACS Northeast Region Award for Achievements in the
Chemical Sciences to Abraham Clearfield (Texas A&M University)
for his work with layered phosphonates.
 The Board of Directors of the Northeast Region of the ACS, Inc., held its
annual meeting on July 2; it unanimously voted to commend Willem Leenstra
(University of Vermont; Green Mountain Local Section), the General Chair of
NERM 2008, for leading the organizing committee of this very successful
NERM. The Board re-elected Christopher Masi (Westfield State College;
Central Massachusetts Local Section) and Wayne Jones (SUNY Binghamton;
Binghamton Local Section) to two-year terms (2009-10) as Secretary and
Treasurer, respectively; continuing as Chair and Vice Chair of the Board are
Julianne Smist (Springfield College; Connecticut Valley Local Section) and
Richard Cobb (Eastman Kodak; Rochester Local Section), respectively.
6 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
 The financial condition of the Northeast Region, Inc., is very good due to the
financial success of the 2005 and 2006 Northeast Regional Meetings.
Sinking fund loans of $4,000 each have been provided to NERM 2009 and
NERM 2010; the loans will be paid back if the net financial outcomes of the
meetings are positive.
 NERM 2009 will be hosted by the Connecticut Valley Local Section on
October 7-10 at the Hartford Hilton in Hartford, Connecticut, with Julianne
Smist as the General Chair and Tyson Miller (University of Connecticut) and
Edward Fitzgerald (Trinity College) as the Program Chairs;
<http://www.nerm2009.org>. Because the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting
(MARM) will not meet in 2009 and NERM will lead into the Columbus Day
weekend and New England foliage displays, attendance of at least 500 (and
most likely significantly more) is anticipated. Martin Walker (SUNY Potsdam;
Northern New York Local Section) will serve as the General Chair for NERM
2010, June 2-5. An expression of interest has been advanced by the Central
Massachusetts Local Section to host NERM 2011 in the Worcester area;
programmatic and logistical support could be made available through the
Northeastern Local Section. Christopher Masi will investigate the possibility
of organizing the meeting, and will make a decision prior to the ACS National
Meeting in Salt Lake City in March 2009. The Rochester Local Section is
preparing a bid to host NERM 2012.
 The Northeast Region Board will meet next during NERM 2009, October 710, at the Hartford Hilton in Hartford, CT.
New Business:
 None
Old Business:
Electronic voting ad hoc committee: J. Billo
 The cost of electronic voting is still being investigated.
 There may be some increased costs during a transition period where both
print and e-ballots will be required.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:40pm
Respectfully Submitted
Michael Singer
Secretary - NESACS
7 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
This message is being sent on behalf of Wayne E. Jones, Chair, Committee on
Local Section Activities (LSAC)
Dear Local Section Leaders:
It is with great pleasure that I announce the availability of funds for 2009 local
section programming. The Committee on Local Section Activities is once again
providing funding to those sections that wish to host at least one Science Café
during 2009. I challenge every Local Section to host at least one Science Cafe
during 2009. We encourage sections hosting Science Cafes to host more than
one café so that the public will have many opportunities to discuss the facts of
science on a regular basis.
LSAC is also pleased to offer funding for the recently developed Local Section
Partnership Project. We are working with ACS President-Elect, Tom Lane, to put
a human face on chemistry. Through this initiative, we are hoping that local
sections will share with their communities how chemists help people by
partnering with service organizations and groups such as Boys and Girls Clubs,
fire stations and rotary clubs.
Finally, over the last four years, LSAC has provided funds to support local
section activities, programs, and innovations through Local Section Innovative
Program Grants (IPGs). These funds will continue to be available in 2009. The
next deadline is March 1, 2009.
For more information and application deadlines, visit www.acs.org/getinvolved.
Thank you in advance for your participation in these exciting programs and for
helping local sections to be all that they can be.
Best wishes!
Wayne E. Jones, Jr.
Chair
Committee on Local Section Activities
8 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
9 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
10 of 11
NESACS Board Meeting
Henderson House
Northeastern University
Weston, MA
October 15, 2008
11 of 11