16
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION VOLUME LXXII NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2011 CHAIR’S MESSAGE (Brian Balazs) PAGE 3 FEBRUARY MEETING PAGE 4 ACS MARCH WEBINARS TM PAGE 5 ACS CAREER WEBINARS TM PAGE 6 CAL SCIENCE & ENG FESTIVAL REPORT PAGE 7,12 THE FIRST CHEMISTS (W. MOTZER) PAGE 8 ACS 2010 HIGHLIGHTS (MARINDA WU) PAGE 10 ACS FEBRUARY WEBINARS TM PAGE 11 NOVEMBER CHEMICAL ANNIVERSARIES (L.MAY) PAGE 14 BUSINESS DIRECTORY PAGE 15 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS PAGE 15 Table of Contents Alex Madonik participating in the Cal Science & Eng. Festival

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    2

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTIONVOLUME LXXII NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY 2011

CHAIR’S MESSAGE (Brian Balazs) PAGE 3FEBRUARY MEETING PAGE 4ACS MARCH WEBINARSTM PAGE 5ACS CAREER WEBINARSTM PAGE 6CAL SCIENCE & ENG FESTIVAL REPORT PAGE 7,12THE FIRST CHEMISTS (W. MOTZER) PAGE 8ACS 2010 HIGHLIGHTS (MARINDA WU) PAGE 10ACS FEBRUARY WEBINARSTM PAGE 11NOVEMBER CHEMICAL ANNIVERSARIES (L.MAY) PAGE 14BUSINESS DIRECTORY PAGE 15INDEX OF ADVERTISERS PAGE 15

Table of Contents

Alex Madonik participating in the Cal Science & Eng. Festival

Page 2: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

FEBRUARY 2011 2

Page 3: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

3 THE VORTEX

EDITOR:Louis A. Rigali309 4th St. #117, Oakland 94607 510-268 9933

ADVERTISING MANAGER:Vince Gale, MBO ServicesBox 1150 Marshfield MA 02050-1150 781-837- 0424

OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT:Julie Mason2950 Merced St. # 225 San Leandro CA 94577 510-351-9922

PRINTER:Quantitiy Postcards

255 4th Street #101 Oakland CA 94607 510-268-9933 Printed in USA on recycled paper

For advertising and subscription information, call the CaliforniaSection Office, 510 351 9922

California Section Web Site: http://www.calacs.org

MAGAZINE OF THE CALIFORNIA SECTION, AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS:Evaldo Kothny

William Motzer

EDITORIAL STAFF:Glenn FullerEvaldo KothnyAlex Madonik

Bryan Balazs

THE VORTEX

Volume LXXII February 2011 Number 2

Published monthly except July & August by the California Section, American ChemicalSociety. Opinions expressed by the editors or contributors to THE VORTEX do not necessarilyreflect the official position of the Section. The publisher reserves the right to reject copysubmitted. Subscription included in $13 annual dues payment. Nonmember subscription $15.

Chair’s Message Bryan Balazs

(continued on page 4)

The California Sectionhas had a long history ofinvolvement with theChemistry Olympiad,ably led each year by AlVerstuyft and severalother volunteers from

both our section and the Santa Clara ValleySection. The Olympiad is an annual highschool level competition, and it is part of theselection process leading up to the interna-tional version, the International ChemistryOlympiad (IChO). On a Saturday in late April,students from high schools in numerous ACSsections across the country take almost a fullday of exams, with both a written set of ques-tions and a set of laboratory-based questions.After scoring all of the exams, a group of about20 students is selected to attend a chemistrystudy camp, hosted in June at the U.S. AirForce Academy. During the camp, the finalIChO team members plus alternates are se-lected. At the IChO each July, about 70 countriesparticipate, typically fielding teams of fourstudents each. The exam consists of a de-manding set of questions that tests the stu-dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-

retical understanding of a wide variety ofchemistry principles. In between the exams,the students are treated to tours, hands-oncultural activities, banquets, and visits by dig-nitaries. Last July in Tokyo, the four stu-dents of the U.S. team had an exceptionalperformance, bringing home two gold med-als, one silver medal, and one bronze medal! The U.S. has been selected to host the 2012IChO, and planning activities are ramping upfor this event, to be held July 21-30, 2012, atthe University of Maryland. The 2012 datehappens to coincide with the 20th anniver-sary of the only previous IChO hosted bythe U.S., in 1992, and we are especially for-tunate that Dr. Ahmed Zewail, 1999 NobelLaureate in Chemistry, has agreed to be thePresident of the 2012 Olympiad. And, as if Ididn’t have enough to do, I have agreed to bethe Chair of the organizing committee for thisevent, which is responsible for coordinatingthe logistics, scheduling, language issues, andcultural sensitivities associated with hostingalmost 300 students, along with their men-tors, guests, guides, translators, etc. For information specific to the upcoming2011 IChO, see: http://icho43.metu.edu.tr/.And, if you’re interested in the 2012 event,

Page 4: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

FEBRUARY 2011 4

ACS California Section and The San Francisco Section of the Electrochemical Society February 2011 Joint Meeting

Title"The Electric Car: Murder Victim, Suicide, or Still a Gleam in Its Parents' Eyes?" Dr. James Postma, 2011 ACS CA Section Chair-Elect Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Time: 5:30 - 6:00 pm social, 6:00 - 7:00 pm dinner, 7:00 - 8:00 pm lecture Place: Francesco's, 8520 Pardee Drive (at Hegenberger Road), Oakland See: http://www.francescosrestaurant.com/ Cost: Dinner selections are $29 for Chicken Santa Fe (with mild salsa and guacamole andMonterey Jack cheese) or $25 for Vegetable Manicotti with a four cheese blend. All mealsinclude a salad, fresh vegetables, Mostaccioli with Napolitana sauce (served family style),dessert, tea and coffee, and all taxes and gratuities. There is no cost for attending only thepresentation. For Reservations: Please indicate your dinner preferences by email [email protected], or call the office at (510) 351-9922. If mailing a check in advance, pleasemail checks made out to "California Section ACS" to the Cal Section office, 2950 Merced St.#225, San Leandro CA 94577, postmarked no later than Wed. February 9, 2011. (Due toneed to provide a head count for Francesco's, dinner reservations at the door cannot beaccepted).

Abstract: Electric cars have existed since the inceptionof the automobile, but to date, have not pen-etrated the consumer market to a significantdegree. This talk will present the significantadvantages of an electrochemical energy source(batteries) relative to a combustion source forautomotive power. But the challenges thathave limited the success of electric car tech-nology will also be reviewed. We will try tomake educated, but speculative, predictionsabout the scientific, engineering, and societalprogress that will be necessary for the suc-cess of electric cars. For more background ona previous version of this talk, see: http://www.chicoer.com/ci_16803820?source=email

Biography: Dr. Postma is a professor of Chemistry atCal State University-Chico. He received hisPhD in physical chemistry from the Univer-sity of California, Davis and then returned tojoin the faculty of the CSU, Chico chemistrydepartment in 1982. He teaches general, physi-cal, and analytical chemistry courses as well

(Continued from page 3)

our preliminary web page is up at http://www.icho2012.org/. We are always looking for California Sectionmembers to assist in the local competition inApril, so let me know if you are interested.It’s an impressive group of budding chemists,and well worth a Saturday of your time!

as having served as department chair from 1998to 2004. Professor Postma is the co-author(along with Julian L. Roberts and J. LelandHollenberg of the University of Redlands) ofChemistry in the Laboratory, a widely usedlaboratory text for freshman general chemis-try courses, and he is the chief science officerof a local start-up company, Advanced LightTechnologies.

Page 5: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

THE VORTEX5

Dr. Uschi Simonis

March ACS Webinars (TM)

CLICK * WATCH * LEARN * DISCUSSLearn more and register at www.acswebinars.org

Thursday March 10, 2011 | 2pm-3pm ESTBranding YOU! Why Marketing Yourself is Critical for Your Chemistry CareerLearn the in’s and out’s of networking and building your personal brand!Dr. Dawn Mason and Dr. Catherine Hunt

Thursday March 17, 2011 | 2pm-3pm ESTCSI Reality: Chemistry in the Crime LabsGet the inside scoop from an FBI chemist! Learn the different disciplines within forensicchemistry, and hear an in-depth perspective of day-to-day life in a forensic laboratory.Dr. Jason Schaff

Thursday March 24, 2011 | 2pm-3pm ESTKnow Your Drugs - A Pharmacology Primer for Chemical and Life Science ProfessionalsLearn insights into how pharmacology can help guide your structure-activity relation-ships in discovery chemistry, and what assays can (and can’t) tell you.Dr. Terry Kenakin

Thursday March 31, 2011 | 2pm-3pm ESTAdvanced Chemistry of Beer and BrewingJoin Charlie to learn advanced insights and explanations about the chemistry behind beerbrewing! Cheers!Dr. Charles Bamforth

Page 6: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

6 FEBRUARY 2011

March ACS CareerWebinars (TM)

CLICK * WATCH * LEARN * DISCUSS

Let ACS Careers be your Career GPS! “Planning Your Job Search”

Does the thought of searching for your next job make you feel queasy? It is no secret thatthe chemistry job market is tough right now. Fear not as we bring you expert guidance tosurvive and thrive through any economic roller coaster. Using these helpful hints andtips, you will be on your way! Looking for employment does not have to make yourstomach flop. By the end of this ACS Webinars Career GPS Series, you will be pumpedand prepped to make a lasting impression on prospective employers. You may evenhave some fun along the way! http://acswebinars.org/MarchJobSearch2011

Save the Dates* Today’s Job Search Strategies - Tuesday March 1, 2-3pm* Resume Writing for Scientists - Tuesday March 8, 2-3pm* Sharpening your Interviewing skills - Tuesday March 15, 2-3pm* Get the most from the Anaheim ACS National Conference and Career Fair - TuesdayMarch 22, 2-3pm

What You Will Learn* Follow the changing times - Where to target the job market* Sell yourself on paper - Preparing an effective résumé* Make an impactful impression - Insider interview tips* Secure that offer and choose between multiple job offers* And much more...

Meet Your ExpertsLisa Balbes, founder, Balbes Consultants and author, Nontraditional Careers for Chem-ists.John Engelman, project manager and formulator, S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.Mary Moore, Principal Technologist, Chemistry Research laboratory, Eastman Chemi-cal Company.

Page 7: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

7 THE VORTEX

The Cal Science & Engineering Festival atUC Berkeley on Sunday January 23 was agreat success There were over a thousandvisitors. At least half of them crowded intothe lecture room sometime between 11 AMand 3 PM to watch Dr. Alex Madonikpresent various fun chemical demonstrations.There were nonstop hands-on activities forchildren as they examined pH changes dur-ing electrolysis of water and then using abicycle pump to pressurize a five gallon waterbottle and sent chemiluminescent Cartesiandivers to the bottom of the bottle. Alex presented demonstrations every 15 or20 minutes that included burning a candle ina bottle, plus the ever-popular methanolflame in a really big bottle (another five gal-lon polycarbonate water bottle). See pictureon page 13.

Cal Science & Engineering Festival Report

(Continued on page 9)

Also exhibited were “Technology Mile-stones in Chemistry” posters describingchemistry’s contributions in four areas: En-

Page 8: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

(Continued on page 9)

FEBRUARY 2011 8

The First Chemists(Part 3) Bill MotzerIn parts 1 and 2 (TheVortex: December 2010and January 2011), I dis-cussed the ancientEgyptian’s ability to un-

derstand and use chemical principles in themanufacture of pigments such as Egyptianblue. The ancient Egyptians also had verypractical physicians who were renowned andeven revered throughout the ancient worldbecause the study and practice of medicinewas vital to their civilization. [The 1954 epicfilm “The Egyptian” starring EdmundPurdum, Jean Simmons, and Victor Maturedepicts the life of an Egyptian physicianduring the reign of Amenhotep IV akaAkhenaten (1353 to 1336 BCE or 1351 to1334 BCE)]. Throughout their history, theancient Egyptians were particularly con-cerned with cleanliness and disease becausetheir population was largely concentrated ina tropical to arid climate along the Nile. Thepopulous (believed to have peaked at 6 mil-lion) suffered from many ailments typical totropical climates such as schistosomiasis(caused by worms), influenza, tuberculosis,and malaria. Pneumonia was also a commonoccurrence believed to be from excessiveamounts of sand and dust taken into the lungs. We know much of this from ailment de-scriptions translated from numerous medicalpapyri, inscriptions and depictions on templeand tomb walls and from analysis of mum-mies (for example, immunological tests andDNA sequencing performed on mummy tis-sues dating back to 3200 BCE show evidenceof malaria infection from the parasite Plas-modium falciparum). In addition, medicalbooks written by Greek and Roman physi-cians credited the ancient Egyptians. Accord-ing to a report known as the Berlin PapyrusNo. 154, an ancient Egyptian doctor de-scribed a patient’s symptoms as: “The patient suffers a great epigastric pain.He feels a heavy, hot and inflamed body. Hecomplains of being unable to tolerate hisclothes and feels they do not warm him. He

feels thirsty during the night. His saliva hasthe taste of unripe fruits. His muscles painhim as if he walked for a long distance.” To treat such aliments, ancient Egyptianchemists (the first pharmacologists?) equallyexcelled in preparing and extracting drugsfrom plants, animals, minerals, and foods.We know this from recipes contained in medi-cal papyri, such as the Ebers Papyrus, whichcontains the most information on drug rem-edies naming over 900 specific drugs. Nu-merous drugs have also been identified fromcross references with non-medical papyri,drawings, and in a few instances from analy-sis of labeled jar remnants. Ancient Egyptiandoctors dispensed such drugs in the form ofpills, ointments, and drops. Plant-derived ancient Egyptianpharmacopoeias were both herb- and food-based, many being derived from vegetables.Headaches and crying babies were treatedwith crushed poppy seeds, the use of whichhas been confirmed by recent investigations.Poppy seeds commonly contain morphinewith concentrations up to 294 mg/kg. A mini-mal adult oral dose of morphine is 10 mg/kg.Morphine’s sedative properties are wellknown and a poppy seed extract to stopbabies from crying as prescribed by ancientEgyptian physicians may well have been aneffective drug. Other medications includedthe use of bark and leaves of willow treesused to reduce infection and inflammation(e.g., the basis for modern aspirin or acetyl-salicylic acid); dill, balsam, apple, onions,and parsley used in diuretics and laxatives;and aloe used to treat burns and skin dis-eases. Minerals included malachite[Cu2CO3(OH)2], a green mineral used bothcosmetically and medicinally. It was appliedand worn as an eye shadow and would haveprotected against eye infections from organ-isms such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (agamma proteobacteria) and Staphylococcusaureus, for which it has potent bactericidaleffects. Malachite may also have been theactive ingredient described in the Ebers Pa-pyrus for 39 drug mixtures used for treat-

Page 9: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

THE VORTEX

©Alex Madinik

©Alex Madonik

9

(continued from page 8)ment of eye and open wound infections. Foods such as honey were used in wounddressings because honey is a natural antibi-otic. Recent studies have confirmed honey’santiseptic properties when applied towounds, noting that it also has a demon-strable anti-fungal effect. Other foods usedincluded bread, which was a common foodin ancient Egypt. Moldy bread was regardedas one of the best treatments for intestinalailments, diseases of the bladder, and forpurulent wounds. It seems that ancient Egyp-tian doctors recognized the antibiotic ben-efits produced by bread moulds without un-derstanding their mechanism of action. Re-cent analysis of ancient Nubian mummybones and Nubian beer showed detectableconcentrations of the antibiotic tetracycline.Ancient Nubian beer is believed to have beenproduced from either moldy grain or breadand such beer has been reproduced by theresearchers from ancient recipes; it is greenand tastes sour but the consumption of suchbeer may have imparted an unrealized treat-

ment for the many bacterial diseases. The ancient Egyptians were keen observ-ers of their world having 30 centuries to de-scribe and use their knowledge humananatomy and diseases. Although they did notconduct double blind studies for the medi-cines they created, they were able to treatnumerous ailments and disorders commonto their time. Even today, their knowledgeand research is impressive and their workpaved the way for modern chemistry, medi-cine, and pharmacology.

A special thanks to Lily Lew, Chair of theYounger Chemist Committe for all the pho-tos.

(Continued from page 7)

ergy & Transportation, Communication &Information, Health & Medicine, and Food& Agriculture prepared by Attila Pavlathfor the International Year of Chemistry.

(Continued on page 12 &13)

Page 10: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

FEBRUARY 2011 10

Some 2010 ACS Highlights Marinda Li Wu, ACS Director-at-Large The ACS Board welcomed the 2010 De-cember Board meeting newly elected mem-bers — President-elect Bassam Shakhashiri,District II Director George Bodner, DistrictIV Director Larry Krannich, and Directors-At-Large Kathleen Schulz and Kent Voorhees(re-elected). Despite a challenging economic environ-ment, ACS remains strong financially andended 2010 with a favorable balance. Theprobable Net from Operations is $20.1Mwhich is $8.1M favorable to the 2010 Ap-proved Budget. Much of this anticipated fa-vorable balance is attributed to cost contain-ment initiatives implemented in 2009 includ-ing an extended hiring freeze lifted in April2010 and strategic expense reductions withminimal impact on member services and prod-ucts. The Governing Board for Publishing an-nounced last November, the upcoming newjournals from ACS Publications and improve-ments to Sci-Finder from Chemical AbstractsServices. C&EN Archives recently launchedonline of a complete history of the chemis-try enterprise from 1923-2010. Other new information resources launchedin 2010 by ACS can be viewed atwww.acs.org/PrizedScience and www.middleschoolchemistry.com. Both of thesevaluable resources can be shared with schoolsin your local communities. The ACS Network continues to grow as afree forum for chemists and scientists world-wide to connect, communicate and collabo-rate online. Visit www.acs.org/acsnetworkto check out new features added. This pastfall, all ACS members were included in theACS Network with an option to opt-out.The ACS Network now has 170,000 plusmembers with over 20,000 from overseassince non-ACS members are also welcometo join. The ACS Comment on “Chemistry Am-bassadors Go Global!” (C&EN, Sept. 13,2010) describes how chemists worldwide canhelp talk to nonchemists about the wonder-ful things that chemistry brings to the world.The Chemistry Ambassadors program isgrowing with over 6,000 members signed up,

although many more of our members havebeen active “chemistry ambassadors” foryears. At great Regional ACS meetings andelsewhere this past year, some of these fabu-lous “chemistry ambassadors” can be found.They visit school districts and their local com-munities. Please see www.acs.org/chemistryambassadors for helpful resources to sharewith others. Please help spread the word about “ACSon Campus” in the Jan.19 issue of C&EN>This is a wonderful new program from ACSPublications that helps ACS connect withstudents, faculty, and science libraries acrossthe nation. See http://pubs.acs.org/r/acsoc formore details. In these challenging times it ismost rewarding to help not only studentsbut mid-career chemists with their resumesand job searches in these challenging times. One additional highlight to mention amongmany for 2010 includes ACS advocacy ef-forts at both the national and local levels onbehalf of funding and support for R&D andK-12 STEM (science, technology, engineer-ing and mathematics) education. At the statelevel, our CAL-GALA (California Govern-ment Affairs and Legislative Affairs) is happyto see that a Task Force on STEM Educationwill be established at the state level by thestate legislator who was recently elected asthe new State Superintendent of Public In-struction. With the recent changes in Con-gress, it will be more important than ever forACS to advocate on behalf of science andtechnology. Personally, thanks to our countless ACSvolunteers, dedicated ACS staff, and all theirfamilies without whose efforts and supportnone of the above would be possible. Pleasecontact me at ([email protected]) with any feed-back or suggestions on how ACS can be ofmore help. As chemists, one can look forward to cel-ebrating the many achievements of chemis-try during the International Year of Chemis-try (IYC 2011). Visit www.acs.org/iyc2011for exciting ideas and details. Again, any sug-gestions are always welcome!

Page 11: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

THE VORTEX11

February ACS Webinars (TM)

CLICK * WATCH * LEARN * DISCUSSLearn more and register at www.acswebinars.org

Professional Growth Strategies for Applied Chemical Technology Professionalswith Mary Moore and John Engelmanacswebinars.org/moore-engelmanLearn strategies to advance and the diverse career opportunities for applied chemicalprofessionalsFebruary 1, 2011 2pm-3pm EST

Fundamentals of Effective Science Writing: Manuscripts and Grantswith Dr. Kristin Sainani, Stanford Universityacswebinars.org/SainaniTo improve one’s technical writing is to improve one’s entire career. Join this webinar todiscover ways to communicate your ideas more clearly and effectively, get more of yourpapers published, and win that major grant!February 3, 2011 2pm-3pm EST

Chemists in Love: Strategies and Tactics for a Dual Career Relationshipwith Drs. Al and Carolyn Ribes, Dow Beneluxacswebinars.org/ChemistsinloveTo succeed in the laboratory of love, it may take more than the chemistry that broughtyou together. Lucky for you, the love chemists are in!February 10, 2011 2pm-3pm EST

Chemistry without Borders - Immigration for International ScientistsWith Martin Lawler, Lawler & Lawleracswebinars.org/lawler2011Foreign-born scientists and scholars have and continue to contribute to the technicalwealth and economic growth in the US. Join our webinar to learn about paths to legalcitizenship in the United States.February 17, 2011 2pm-3pm EST

Employment Trends: Past, Present and FutureWith Gareth Edwards, American Chemical Societyacswebinars.org/employment2011Layoffs, restructuring, and unemployment are now the headline news to watch. Hearfrom ACS and Bureau of Labor Statistics analysts as they describe recent trends inunemployment and provide projections about the future of employment in the chemicalenterprise.February 24, 2011 2pm-3pm EST

The Fine PrintACS Webinars(tm) does not endorse any products or services. The views expressed inthis presentation are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views orpolicies of the American Chemical Society.

Page 12: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

12 FEBRUARY 2011

“Technology Milestones in Chemistry” posters

Electrolysis Demonstration

(Continued from page 9)

Page 13: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

THE VORTEX13

Oops, that is a really big flame

Alex Madonik, Kate Markham, Vedud Purde, Roxana Farjadi, Margareta Sequin

Page 14: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

14FEBRUARY 2011

February Historical Events InChemistry Leopold May

February 3, 1900Crompton & Knowles, Inc., was incorpo-rated on this date.

February 5, 1914Alan L. Hodgkin in 1963 shared the NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine with J. C.Eccles and A. F. Huxley for ionic mecha-nisms involved in excitation and inhibition inthe peripheral and central portions of thenerve cell membrane. He was born on thisdate

February 8, 1777Two hundred years ago, Bernard Courtois,who discovered iodine (I, 53) in the liquorfrom the lixiviation of kelp, was born on thisdate.

February 11, 1894Izaac M. Kolthoff, who was born on thisdate, performed important research in ana-lytical chemistry. His book written with E.B. Sandell is a standard reference in this field.

February 14, 1961Fifty years ago, Lawrencium (Lr, 103) wasproduced at University of California, Berke-ley, on this date.

February 16, 1886One hundred and twenty-five years ago,Robert R. Williams, Jr., was born on thisdate. He was a telephone company re-searcher who in his spare time developedways to synthesize vitamins. For the Pro-cess for Obtaining Vitamins, Patent Number2,049,988, he was made a. member of theHall of Fame of Inventors. He isolated thia-mine in crystalline form in 1933 and synthe-sized vitamin B.

February 17, 1838Friedrich K. Beilstein, who published whatis now known as the standard reference workon organic chemistry and has been updated

ever since 1880, was born on this date. It cannow be accessed on line.

February 19, 1764Two hundred years ago in 1811, GottliebSigismund Kirchhof applied the first con-trolled catalytic reaction to produce glucosefrom starch. He developed a method for re-fining vegetable oil and established a factoryin St. Petersburg capable of producing twotons per day. Also, he experimented withbrewing and fermentation and was born onthis date.

February 20, 1836One hundred and seventy-five years ago,Isaac Adams, Jr., who was born on this date,was a pioneer inventor in nickel plating.

February 23, 1886One hundred and twenty-five years ago onthis date, Charles M. Hall was the first toproduce electrolytic aluminum in his wood-shed laboratory at his family's home.

February 26, 1903Giulio Natta, who was born on this date,discovered and elucidated stereospecific po-lymerization and stereoregular polymers; anddeveloped commercially important polymer-izations.

February 28, 1814Philip Hench shared the Nobel Prize in Medi-cine in 1950 with Edward Calvin Kendalland Tadeus Reichstein for their discoveriesrelating to the hormones of the adrenal cor-tex, their structure and biological effects. Hewas born on this date.

Additional historical events can be found atDr. May's website, http://faculty.cua.edu/may/Chemistrycalendar.htm..

Page 15: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

THE VORTEX

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

INDEX OF ADVERTISERSRecruitment 15ACS Vortex 14 &15Bay Bioanalytical Lab. Inc 7Buchi 5EMD 2Huffman Labs 15MassVac 7New Era Enterprises, Inc 15NuMega Resonance Labs 15Robertson Microlit 6UC Berkeley 2Vacuubrand 9

15

Page 16: AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY CALIFORNIA SECTION …dents’ laboratory skills as well as their theo-retical understanding of a wide variety of chemistry principles. In between the exams,

PLEA

SE D

O N

OT

DEL

AY -

DAT

ED N

OTI

CE

INSI

DE

CA

LIFO

RN

IA S

ECTI

ON

AM

ERIC

AN

CH

EMIC

AL

SOC

IETY

2950

Mer

ced

St #

225

San

Lean

dro

CA

957

7

TIM

E VA

LUE

Non

-Pro

fit O

rgan

izat

ion

U.S

. PO

STA

GE

PAID