Mary Virginia Orna was recognized for her unstinting service to the ACS, its Council and committees, the Divisions of Chemical Education and the History of Chemistry, her students and colleagues, and humanity. | Video
The 2009 Helen Free Award was presented to David A. Katz for more than 30 years of chemistry outreach. From developing some of today’s most common classroom chemistry activities to performing live as an “expert demonstrator” before international audiences; from conducting televised experiments and radio interviews to popularizing science for youth through his continuously updated website of educational chemistry activities (www.chymist.com), Professor Katz is a leader in performing chemistry outreach and enhancing the popular understanding of the chemistry profession. | Video
The Chicago section was recognized for extensive use of their website as a communications tool, launch of the ACS branding initiative, and partnership with local science organizations. | Video
The Pittsburgh section was recognized for partnering with local organizations to organize "The Future of Energy Symposium," a discussion of local significance that brought the community together with scientists from across the region. | Video
In 2008 the Richland Section continued to uphold its outstanding record of outreach activities including the Expanding Your Horizons program, sponsoring Nuclear Chemistry Merit Badge events, and sponsoring the Girls in Science Program. Additionally, a new event, Science Saturday, was initiated to expand outreach to minority children. | Video
The Detroit section provided career guidance, counseling, and enhancement information to members, non-members, and students. Two local section meetings were held to address non-traditional careers for chemists and retirement planning in the new economic paradigm. Support services are being provided on an on-going basis. | Video
Several activities of the Georgia section provided career support to high school chemistry and science teachers, academic chemists, chemists in industry, and other career professionals. Extensive public relations activities also were conducted that directly promoted the importance of chemistry practitioners relative to society and the economy. | Video
The Michigan State University Local Section YCC held a food drive to support the Mid-Michigan food bank with the goals of collecting food and increasing awareness of YCC. New members were recruited and $1100 worth of donations were collected. | Video
The Delaware section organized YCC happy hours that were held at 20 local venues and sponsored various other events, including a bowling social, a brewery dinner and tour, a Chemistry of Cooking night, a YCC Night at a Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball game, and a National Chemistry Week event hosting 300 people with fourteen learning and demonstration tables. | Video
After several years of dormancy, the St. Louis YCC committee was reactivated in 2008 with great response. They held a Chemistry Career night that attracted more than 70 participants; a Younger Chemist Night Out including various happy hours; and a Twilight Tuesday that featured a free concert at the Missouri History Museum. | Video
The Physical Chemistry Symposium for Undergraduate Chemistry Majors is a pilot program that introduced undergraduate researchers to technical symposia. Students dined with selected invited speakers and presented posters on their own research in the Physical Chemistry poster session. | Video
The Division of Chemical Technicians and the Northeastern Tennessee Local Section sponsored a symposium at the 2008 Southeastern Regional Meeting for technicians and students in the undergraduate programs to show the broad career choices available to chemical technicians. Mentoring from local technicians to students in area colleges has been established from this effort. | Video
The centennial of the Society's establishment of I&EC as its first Division in 1908 was marked by a Symposium Series volume, an invited-speaker symposium, a reception at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and site posters displayed at three National Meetings. | Video
The Northeast Tennessee Section and the Division of Chemical Technicians are recognized for organizing the excellent symposium, "Why I Chose an Applied Chemical Profession," which was conducted at the 2008 Southeastern Regional Meeting and featured ACS President Tom Lane as the keynote speaker. | Video
Student Affiliates at institutions across the New York Section play active roles in professional development and outreach activities, including the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, National Chemistry Week events, and, in 2008, regional meeting programming. | Video
Several successful programs were conducted by the New York section for more than 1,000 high school students and teachers. The programs included Project SEED, Chemistry Olympiad, Chemagination Contest, Brooklyn High School Chemistry Day, the 14th High School Research Poster Session, the Nichols Foundation Award, and the Chemists Celebrate Earth Day Contest. | Video
In 2008, more than 7,000 children and adults were directly reached with Kids & Chemistry programs conducted by the members of the Greater Houston section; nearly double the number of people reached in 2007. Activities included chemistry demonstrations on educational television and hands-on programs in local schools, the Houston Hispanic Forum, summer camps, fairs, and museums. | Video
The Illinois Heartland Project Seed Program has been active for 6 years. It began with just 2 mentors and 3 students, and now encompasses more than 35 students and 15 mentors. Six students have so far received Project SEED scholarships. | Video
The Delaware Section organized a variety of successful unique and distinct activities to engage legislators and provide forums for members to learn about, debate, and discuss items of relevance to the chemistry community.
The second winner, the Nashville Section, regularly engaged federal and state legislators and provided a forum for Local Section members to discuss and debate issues such as energy, the environment, education, and U.S. innovation. | Video
The Puerto Rico Local Section engaged minority students in many activities as part of Earth Day and their Science Cafe. At island-wide technical meetings, more than 400 undergraduates gave oral presentations and 100 advanced undergrads discussed their research with visiting scientists and published their findings in the meeting abstracts. | Video
The Virginia section hosted an activity for children in special education, some with sensory issues, to help them understand the relationship of water and winter, and how snow is formed. The activity resulted in the children being able to feel the cold snow when it formed. | Video
Brazosport organized several events that targeted minorities, women, and under-privileged youth and helped bring chemistry to diverse populations. Partnering with the Boys and Girls Scouts, Brazoria Chemistry Day was launched to celebrate Earth Day with more than 200 students. In a separate event, hands-on demonstrations were conducted for 1,200 5th graders by more than 30 volunteers. | Video
SERMACS 2007, hosted by the Western Carolinas Local Section, attracted more than 1200 attendees. The program consisted of 859 technical papers, 51 exhibitors, two performances of Roald Hoffmann’s play, “Oxygen,” and an undergraduate program attended by 377 students.
The second winner, MARM 2008, hosted by the New York Section, featured “With Chemistry and Health” as its theme. More than 900 attendees enjoyed 587 technical papers, 19 exhibitors, and keynote addresses by Ronald Breslow and Roald Hoffman.
The Midland section continued with their successful ongoing event with Scifest 2008 – Having a Ball with Chemistry. Hands-on activities were carried out from various exhibitors such as the Society of Plastics Engineers and the Mid-Michigan Technicians Group. | Video
Three members of the North Jersey section’s National Chemistry Week committee were featured on ABC’s Good Morning America kicking off their celebration. Some of their 200 community volunteers included Cub Scouts, ACS student members, industrial chemists, and college professors. | Video
The Pittsburgh section continued their commitment to reach students that have various economic, transportation, and other barriers by creating partnerships to help these under-represented groups. These efforts enhance the National Chemistry Week celebration each year by increasing science literacy and participation in science-related technology. | Video
The Puerto Rico section increased high school student involvement and interaction with their National Chemistry Week celebration by using local media from various mediums to promote the cooperation between local high school chemistry clubs and ACS. | Video
This Student Affiliate chapter of the Southern California section adorned their entire campus with festive decorations for their National Chemistry Week celebration. Support was garnered from faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and experts from the sports world to show how to “have a ball with chemistry.” | Video
Local companies such as Procter and Gamble, Givaudan Flavors, and Cognis Corporation partnered with the Cincinnati section’s volunteers for National Chemistry Week to endorse chemistry and its importance and relevance to society. | Video
Students, teachers, and parents once again celebrated NCW with the Delaware Local Section and their annual “Chemistry Fair”. This on-going National Chemistry Week activity has grown tremendously for the past 11 years and continues to be a strong community event. | Video
The South Florida Local Section incorporated the historical aspects of Hispanic Heritage Week into their National Chemistry Week celebration with an exciting contest hosted by the science club. The contest featured students participating in creating a recipe for guacamole using chemistry terms. | Video
The North Jersey section sponsored outreach activities the entire month of April with Earth Day events that included collaboration with the 4-H environmental group, Fairleigh Dickenson University, Rutgers University, and others. They also were successful in gaining a new volunteer to work with under-represented communities. | Video
The Idaho section used several solar ovens to demonstrate solar power. The solar oven activities were based on the idea of using the clear “sky” to power solar ovens and conserve air by using less energy. | Video
The Greater Houston Section is recognized for their collaboration with the Education Rainbow Challenge to improve academic achievement in math and science for 600 inner-city students. Working with local student affiliates, a greater impact has resulted within the inner city. | Video
In 2008, the Rochester Local Section instituted the "Chemistry and the Arts Lecture Series". Over the course of the year, more than 1,000 people from the Rochester area – both members and non-members – enjoyed talks that demonstrated a variety of connections between chemistry and the arts. | Video
Three new successful activities by the Mobile section included: A Forensic Science Saturday for High School students and teachers, funded by an Innovative Project Grant; a Chili Cook-off with the American Cancer Society that resulted in $250,000 in proceeds and attendance by 13,000 people; and a Science Café with support from an LSAC mini-grant. | Video
Brazosport had a strong year retooling and doubling their number of events from 2007. They partnered with the Boys and Girls Scouts to Celebrate Earth Day; successfully launched Brazoria Chemistry Day; and conducted hands-on demonstrations for 1200 fifth graders in 50 classes with more than 30 volunteers. | Video
Continued leadership, volunteers, publicity, and recognition programs gave the Nashville Section another outstanding year. They hosted a successful 2008 SERMACS; kicked-off an “Each One, Reach One Campaign” to boost membership; and the Publicity Chair established a weekly radio show to keep the public informed. | Video
The Eastern New York Section did an excellent job in science advocacy – re-establishing committees to target new young leaders and recognizing the section’s 50- and 60-year volunteers. New programs included utilizing the local hockey team’s marketing venues to promote a hockey game family event for National Chemistry Week. | Video
Colorado is recognized for using their outstanding publicity efforts to conduct a National Chemistry Week Outreach at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with an attendance of 6,513 people. | Video
The North Jersey Section did an outstanding job in addressing the challenges faced by many local sections by launching seven new activities; holding 48 executive committee meetings that resulted in a 14% participation increase in membership elections; recruiting 125 volunteers; and becoming involved with street fairs. | Video
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