February/March 2015

NEWSLETTER OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY SECTION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

MARCH, 2015 VOL. 98, NO.2

THE OCTAGON 855th LVACS Meeting: Muhlenberg College Thursday March 12, 2015 Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Solar Fuels

In This Issue: March Meeting

1-3

ISCC announcement

3

April Meeting

4

Call for Abstracts

5

LVACS Events

6

Member of the Month

7

Organic Scholarship

8

WCC News

9

You be the Chemist Event 10 2015 Officers

11

MEETING DETAILS: Social: 5:30 PM Dinner: 6:00 PM Meeting: 7:00 PM Location: Seegers Student Union rooms 109-110. Seeger Union is building #1 on the campus map.   Menus: TBD Cost: $20, half price for students, retired or unemployed members. RSVP to LuAnn Feist, [email protected], 484-664-3260 by Friday March 6th Directions: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/tour/directions.html Parking: Use staff parking behind Trumbower Hall, see http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/ aboutus/tour/map.html

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MARCH, 2015 VOL. 98, NO. 2

MARCH MEETING PROGRAM SPEAKER: Joel Rosenthal, Ph.D., University of Delaware A native of New York City, Rosenthal received a B.S. degree with honors from New York University, where he conducted undergraduate research as a Pfizer fellow with Prof. David I. Schuster. Hecompleted a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Fannie and John Hertz doctoral fellow. His thesis work, with Prof. Daniel G. Nocera focused on the mechanisticstudy of proton-coupled electron transfer reactions as applied to energy conversion processes. Rosenthalthen studied bioinorganic chemistry and metalloneurochemistry with Prof. S tephen J. Lippard at MIT as an NIH postdoctoral fellow, where he developed detection methods for reactive nitrogen species and neuronal signaling agents. In 2010, Rosenthal joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware. His group is active in the fields of energy, catalysis, chemical synthesis, electrochemistry and photochemistry and is focused on developing platforms for alternative fuel production, renewable energy conversion, and interrogation of biomolecule binding phenomena. A major thrust of Rosenthal’swork aims to identify the molecular design principles necessary to promote energetically demanding reactions for the conversion of carbon dioxide and other small molecule substrates to value added compounds. He is also a faculty member of the Center for Catalytic Science and Technology at UD and is a faculty trainer for the UD Chemical Biology Interface Program. Rosenthal’s honors include an MIT Sustainable Chemistry Award and the MIT Davison Thesis Prize. In 2007 he received a Young Investigator Award from the American Chemical Society and he was recognized with a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from Oak Ridge Associated Universities in 2011. Rosenthal also received a DuPont Young Professor Award in 2012 and was named a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Environmental Chemistry Mentor in 2013. Rosenthal’s other awards include an NSF CAREER Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship and the 2014 Inter-American Photochemical Society Young Investigator Award. Finally, Rosenthal was named the 2014 Gerard J. Mangone Young Scholar by the UD Francis Alison Society and was recognized with an Undergraduate Research Mentorship award by the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry in 2014. TITLE: Development and Mechanistic Interrogation of New Catalyst Architectures for the Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Solar Fuels ABSTRACT: In the future, the sun may have a predominate role in powering our society, however, cost-effective energy storage methods are needed for sunlight and other renewables to be harnessed as humanity's primary energy sources. An intriguing strategy in this regard is the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO, which VOL. 98, NO. 2, PAGE 2



generates an energy rich commodity chemical that can be coupled to liquid fuel production, however there are few affordable platforms that can efficiently promote this transformation. In response to this need, we have developed several inexpensive cathode materials for CO2 reduction that can be used in conjunction with ionic liquids and other weak organic acids to effect the electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 to CO. The systems we will describe are selective for production of CO, and display activity levels that have historically only been observed using precious metal catalysts. In addition to developing new catalytic assemblies for CO2 reduction and solar fuel production, we have also worked to elucidate the molecular design principles that are attendant to the energy efficient activation of CO2. Interrogation of the pathway by which our catalyst systems activate CO2 using a suite of electrochemical and surface analysis techniques, has shed light on some of the factors that drive efficient CO generation. Implications for the future development of efficient architectures that can promote CO2 reduction with high selectivity and efficiency will be discussed.

ISCC - APRIL 11, 2015

Muhlenberg College will be hosting the 79th annual Intercollegiate Student Chemists Convention (ISCC) on April 11, 2015. We are currently in need of judges from each of the following categories: Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical. We will have two judges to evaluate student oral presentations in each of the above areas of chemistry. Registration fee will be waived for all judges, a light breakfast and lunch will be provided, and a plenary address will be given by Emily Weiss of Northwestern University. If you would like to serve as a judge or have any questions, please contact Dr. Joe Keane ([email protected], 484-664-3262) or Kelcie Molchany ([email protected]) at your earliest convenience. Visit our website, www.muhlenberg.edu/iscc, for more information.




856th LVACS Meeting: DeSales University Undergraduate Research Poster Presentation and Student Awards Night MEETING DETAILS: Poster Session: 5:00-6:00pm - DeSales University Center, Foyer Dinner: 6:00-7:00pm - DeSales University Center, Hurd Conference Room Meeting: 7:00pm - Hurd Science Center, Auditorium Social Hour: fruit, cheese, veggies, drinks Dinner: Caesar salad, baked ham, chicken marsala, pasta w/roasted veggies, rice pilaf, green beans. Dessert: tiramisu, triple berry cheesecake, strawberry shortcake Cost: $30 LVACS members and faculty, $15 students/retirees and unemployed members RSVP: Amy Jenkins, [email protected], 610-282-1100 x 1386 by April 9th 2013 Poster Abstract Deadline April 2nd. Directions: http://www.desales.edu/images/maps/desales-university-center-valleycampus-map.png?sfvrsn=4 Google maps: Input 2755 Station Ave, Center Valley PA 18034 will get you to the science center area Parking: Social hour/dinner: DeSales University Center lot, Presentation: Hurd Science Center or Dooling hall lot Theme: Career Panel A variety a panel members will outline how they entered their different careers. The panel will illustrate the different types of career paths that are available immediately following graduation and what they can ultimately lead too. A question and answer portion will be available for students to ask the members about their careers.







Programs and Events 2014-2015 SEPTEMBER 20 - 12-2PM, Muhlenberg University, WCC Luncheon and Business Meeting - Collaborative Research in Chemistry OCTOBER 9 - 5-7PM, Moravian College, Teachers’ Resource Night and Business Meeting - POGIL - ACS Resources for Teachers OCTOBER 18 - 10AM-12PM, Penn State Berks, Teachers’ Resource Brunch Educational Technology Tools for the Chemistry Classroom, ACS and CEF Resources for Teachers OCTOBER 21 - 7-8 PM, Webinar - ACS National Undergraduate Webinar Event: Taking Charge of your Future: Finding and Applying for Summer Research Experiences NOVEMBER 13, Lehigh University, Dr. Joe Vinson, University of Scranton - The Chemistry of Marijuana in Humans JANUARY - Webinar - Meeting and Scientific Lecture RESCHEDULED! FEBRUARY - Albright College - Meeting and Scientific Lecture MARCH 12- Muhlenberg College, Meeting and Scientific Lecture - Entropic Control in Materials Design as an Example of Green Chemistry APRIL 16 - DeSales University - 2015 Student Research Poster Session and Awards Night MAY -Networking/Social event JUNE 20th - Penn State Berks - ACS Leadership Development Workshop Collaborating Across Boundaries JULY - Coca-Cola Park, Allentown - Play Ball with the Iron Pigs and LVACS !




LVACS MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Our second full year of recognizing Volunteers of the Month starts with Carol Baker Libby, Ph.D., whose service to LVACS is legendary. Carol has been a member of LVACS since 2001, she has served as Councilor since 2004, and has been on the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee. Carol has also been active at the national level with ACS, as a jurist for awards, as a member of the Women Chemists Committee, and as a member of the Local Sections Activities Committee from 2004 to 2012. Councilors elected her to the Committee on Nominations and Elections for Carol Libby, 2013-2015. Her dedication has kept our local section in touch with Member of the Month the ACS providing a vital link between local and national affairs. Carol attended Colby College, then obtained her B. S. in Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 1971. She also pursued graduate studies at the latter, receiving her Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry in 1975. She held appointments Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, at Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, and Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY. Carol went on to work in industry at Best Foods Research and Engineering Center in Union, NJ, and at A.E. Staley Manufacturing Company in Decatur, IL. She also was a research chemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA and a visiting scientist at Iowa State, in Ames, IA. She returned as a visiting professor to Colby College, Waterville, ME, and held a similar post at the University of Maine at Farmington, ME. Since the early ‘90s Carol has been in the Lehigh Valley area working in industrial and academic setting such as Digestive Care, Inc., The Salvation Army, Scientific Alternatives, Lehigh University and Lafayette College. Since 2000 she was employed by Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, where she worked until 2014. Throughout her extensive teaching career she taught Senior Level Biochemistry with Laboratory, Introductory Organic Chemistry with Laboratory, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Introductory Chemistry with Laboratory, Nutritional Biochemistry (for non-science majors), General, Organic and Biochemistry (for health professions), Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, Drugs and Society (general education course for upper level undergraduates), and Freshman Composition. Her technical expertise includes biotechnology, biochemistry, and biocatalysis, separation and analysis of biomolecules, instrumental methods of analysis, pharmaceutical research and development, clinical research management and data analysis, and food science and processing. While Carol’s professional activities have been varied and intense, we honor her with the January 2015 Volunteer of the Month Award for her extraordinary professional leadership and service. In addition to the specific service to LVACS stated above, Carol has given freely of her time throughout her career carrying more than her fair share of service. She was part of the President’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women at Kenyon College, of both the President’s Task Force on Race and the Women’s Studies Advisory Board at Colby College, and a grant reviewer for the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Minority Biomedical Research Support Program. Her committee appointments on campuses have included Admissions, Affirmative Action, Financial Aid, Science and Technology Studies, as well as Search Committees. Carol also was the Secretary and an Alternate Councilor for the Main Local Section of the ACS, and the Treasurer for the North Jersey Metro Women Chemists. We thank Carol for her service to our section, to minorities in science, and to chemistry in general.




LV-ACS Scholarship for Organic Chemistry The Lehigh Valley Section of the American Chemical Society will award its annual Scholarship for Organic Chemistry this May. To be eligible, students should be below the junior level, currently enrolled in organic chemistry at an institution in the section, and a chemistry, biochemistry, or chemical engineering major. The competition entails taking the ACS Organic Chemistry Examination (45%), a letter of recommendation from the student’s organic chemistry professor (10%), and an essay on a topic in organic chemistry (45%). The value of the scholarship is $1000. Additionally, the top essay will receive $100. Details about the exam, letter, and essay follow below. Students should indicate their interest in the scholarship in advance of 3 May 2013 to Dr John Freeman, [email protected]. *ACS Organic Chemistry Examination: The exam will be administered on Saturday, 2 May 2015, at Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA from 9:00-11:00 AM. Students should report to the entry foyer of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Academic Complex (PPHAC), which is on the Main Street Campus. For driving directions and campus map see http://www.moravian.edu/default.aspx? pageid=17. Juice and bagels will be available at 8:45 AM. *Letter of Recommendation: Professors writing a letter of recommendation on behalf of a student who is applying for the Lehigh Valley ACS Scholarship should speak to the student’s skills in lecture and laboratory in Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II. Please provide the course grade for Organic Chemistry I and comment on performance on written exams, proficiency in organic lab, and participation in recitations, problem sessions or course-related group work. If possible, address the student’s quantitative skills by commenting on her or his performance in quantitative analysis or its local equivalent. The letter of recommendation must be submitted in a sealed plain envelope and signed by the professor over the seal. The student will be required to bring the sealed letter to the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam at Moravian College on 2 May 2015 *Essays: The student should choose a molecule, a group of molecules, or a process in organic chemistry to write about. The essay should be written at a level to interest and educate a general chemist who has completed sophomore-level organic chemistry. Synthesis, mechanism and structural elucidation should be covered for the chosen molecule (or representative examples of a chosen group). If a process is chosen, the physical and chemical basis for its success should be explained. Judicious use of structures is expected. The essay should address the impact of the molecule or process on society and the student’s personal interest in it. The essay should run from 1600 to no more than 1800 words in Times New Roman 12 point font with one-inch margins on all sides. Each page should have a header with the student’s last name, brief essay title and page number. An additional page with references must be included. References should follow the style of The Journal of the American Chemical Society (an article from a recent issue can serve as a model). The winning essay will be published on the section website with a link in the Octagon. The essay will be rated on: • 30% - Appropriate depth of coverage of the molecule(s) or process. • 30% - Appropriate depth of coverage on the impact on society and student’s interest. • 20% - Ease of reading, including grammar, spelling, and logical flow of the material. • 10% - Appropriate use of structures and figures. • 10% - Appropriate use of references. • 5% - Penalty for failure to adhere to the formatting rules provided. The student should bring the essay to the ACS Organic Chemistry Exam at Moravian College on 2 May 2015




As current chair of the Lehigh Valley section of the Women Chemists Committee (WCC), I'd like to give everyone a few updates. On Saturday, September 20th, 2014 WCC and LVACS sponsored a luncheon and networking event for students, faculty, and industry chemists. This was the first WCC event to be held in the Lehigh Valley in several years, and it was held at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. Our speaker, Muhlenberg's own Dr. Christine Ingersoll, described her experiences setting up research collaborations with groups in academia and industry. During the summer of 2014, WCC did a t-shirt sale to raise funds for future networking events. We sold 23 shirts and raised $87.48 in additional donations, resulting in the grand total raised of $235.37! Thank you to everyone who donated! The WCC Spotlight Series was continued in the September 2014 Octagon, so please take a look at it if you haven't already. If you have suggestions for future WCC events, want to nominate a notable female chemist to be featured in the next Spotlight, or would like to get involved with WCC, please contact me at [email protected]. Hope to see you soon! Sincerely, Sherri C. Young, Ph.D.




You Be the Chemist On Saturday, February 21, 2015, 15 middle school students from the Lehigh Valley participated in a You Be The Chemist Challenge®. This Challenge is an academic question-and-answer competition which was created by the Chemical Educational Foundation® (CEF). This local-level portion of the Challenge was held at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA and was sponsored by Brenntag North America, Inc., Muhlenberg’s Department of Chemistry, and Muhlenberg’s Chemistry and Biochemistry Club. Before the event started, Muhlenberg students Kelcie Molchany, Lauren Warning, and Zowie Saxman were making silly putty and performing a rainbow in a glass demo. Some of the competitors even made their own silly putty! The top four students (pictured below) from this local Challenge will advance to the Pennsylvania State Challenge on April 25, 2015 held at Penn State, State College, PA. The winner of the state competition will then move on to compete in the National Challenge held on June 22, 2015 in Philadelphia, PA. There, they will compete with state winners from across the country. At the national competition, each participant will receive fun prizes, such as T-shirts and gift certificates to the Discovery Channel Store. The first through fourth-place winners will also receive scholarships for future educational use. In addition to the Challenge and prizes, each participant and a chaperone will be treated to various activities in historic Philadelphia, such as a visit to The Franklin Institute and a celebratory dinner at the National Constitution Center. For more information about the competition, please visit CEF’s website at www.chemed.org.

From left to right: 1st Place - Evan Wimmer (6th grade, Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School); 2nd Place - Caitlin O’Brien (8th grade, St. Thomas More School); 3rd Place - Alan Zhang (6 th grade, Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate School); 4th Place - Lucas Zhang (6th grade, Joseph P. Liberati Intermediate

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2014 LVACS OFFICERS Chair: Greglynn Gibbs Penn State Berks 204 Luerssen Building Tulpehocken Road, P.O. Box 7009, Reading, PA 19610 (610) 396-6363 [email protected]

Treasurer: Sherry Young  Muhlenberg College [email protected]

Immediate Past Chair: Jeanne Berk Dept. of Chemical and Physical Sciences Cedar Crest College  Allentown, PA 18104  610-606-4666 ext 3507 [email protected] 

Secretary: Lindsey Welch Dept. of Chemical and Physical Sciences Cedar Crest College Allentown, PA 18104 610-6-6-4666 ext 3615 [email protected]

Alternate Councilor:  Jeanne Berk Dept. of Chemical and Physical Sciences Cedar Crest College  Allentown, PA 18104  610-606-4666 ext 3507 [email protected] 

Chair Elect: Kelley Caflin Picatinny Arsenal [email protected]

Councilor: Carol Baker Libby  Moravian College,  Bethlehem, PA 18018  (610) 861-1629 [email protected]

Octagon Editor & Webmaster:  T. Michelle Jones-Wilson East Stroudsburg University  East Stroudsburg, PA 18301  (570) 422-3703 [email protected]

 

Councilor: Lorena Tribe 218 Luerssen Bldg Penn State Berks Tupelhocken Rd POBox 7009 Reading PA 19610 [email protected]  

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