Happy November! This is my favorite time of year…perhaps my cheerfulness has something to do with a much-needed procession of rain showers, cooler temperatures, a promise of more time with family and friends, and memorable holidays! So much has happened since the last chair message. Pioneers of asymmetric organocatalysis, Benjamin List and David W. C. MacMillan, have won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Californian physicians, David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian, have won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on understanding how, at the molecular level, stimuli can be converted into nerve signals. Hopefully, we will have one of these brilliant scientists speak at a SVACS in-person dinner meeting.
The SVACS local elections are still ongoing. SVACS members should have received an email with ballot information on October 23. The elections will remain open until November 14, so please cast your ballot!
Upcoming events include: Bay Area Chemistry Symposium on November 5th, SVACS’ slightly late National Chemistry Week event on ‘Fast or Slow, Chemistry Makes it Go’ on November 13th, and Charles Rand’s talk from Checkerspot on 7 December. Checkerspot is a materials company applying genomics at the nexus of biology, chemistry, materials fabrication and big data to arrive at novel materials to address some of humanity’s current challenges of climate change, supply chain sustainability and alternatives to toxic chemicals. This is going to be an exciting talk! Registration links for all these events are included in this newsletter’s Upcoming Events column.
In the last few days, I have been reminiscing about my time with our section. I stumbled into SVACS in late 2016, after moving to the SF Bay area. I had just defended my thesis and remember feeling a mixture of desperation and rage at the impossible task of building a career whilst raising a very active 2 year old. I needed to feel a sense of belonging; instead, I found myself in a place that seemed to tell me in a myriad of ways, from the very beginnings of my career, that I didn’t belong. SVACS became my HOME and the members of the section became my chemistry network, connections, and my FAMILY. I have met so many passionate and driven individuals that I now call lifelong friends. Our team is full of exceptional leaders with diverse voices and I am privileged to still learn from them every time we see each other. I get to network and learn about applications of chemistry from gifted and persistent scientists who are just as passionate about science as I am. SVACS provides many opportunities to give back to my community and inspire the next generation of scientists. I am looking forward to seeing what the SVACS can achieve over the next 10 years and beyond.
As many of you understand, all of the work we do is actualized by the hard work of our volunteers. We are always looking for new volunteers to help make our programming better than ever. I hope I have convinced you of great personal & professional networking opportunities, chances to meet new friends and socialize through SVACS. Besides, volunteer work is a superb conversation starter in interviews. Please get in touch with me or any of the section leadership team if you would like to find out more about opportunities with us.
