By Stephanie Benight, PhD.
With Summer winding down, your Program Committee is hard at work putting together some exciting events with the aim to resume gathering in person! Stay tuned for more details. Looking forward we have the Bay Area Chemistry Symposium (BACS) taking place November 10th. The ACS Western Regional Meeting is also coming up in Las Vegas October 19th – 22nd.
Several members of our Executive Committee attended the ACS National Meeting that took place in Chicago at the end of August. Your Chair-Elect, Natalie McClure, Linda Brunaeur and Jane Frommer, Councilors, were there in person to accept our Section’s ChemLuminary Award for “Outstanding Sustainability Activities”. Jigisha Shah who played a leading role in creating and running the water quality program for our local youth that led to this award was there in spirit! The program is described in greater detail in this newsletter. Thank you, Natalie, Jane, and Jigisha, and congrats again to those who create and participate in programs that garner attention and reward from National ACS.
In other SVACS activity to support local science education, the application deadline is approaching for the BUBBLE Grant – our program to support K-12 teachers with classroom science equipment. Please share this notice with classroom teachers in your circle of friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
We were saddened by the loss of our long-time member, Carol Mosher. She was a major force in our local scientific and public outreach for over 60 years. Carol served as an active member, Chair, and Councilor of the ACS Santa Clara Valley (now Silicon Valley) Local Section. Over 40 years ago our Local Section of the ACS created the Harry and Carol Mosher Award to honor the couple, recognizing their many achievements and contributions. It remains one of the few nationally recognized ACS awards named to honor the work and life of an amazing woman chemist.
As always, should you have any feedback or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at chair@svacs.org.
