Award Symposium Research Articles

(Invited) Solid-State Biophotoelectronics Using Photosystem I

For the Grahame Award Symposium Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the primary macromolecular machines that drive photosynthesis in green plants and cyanobacteria. Extracted PSI has been employed successfully as a macromolecular photosensitizer within a host of low-cost electrochemical and solid-state photovoltaic architectures. This presentation will also explore our group’s recent efforts to integrate PSI with advanced nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, carbon quantum dots, and conducting polymers polyaniline (PANI), polypyrrole, polyviologens, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in wet photoelectrochemical cells. These composite assemblies enhance charge shuttling processes from individual proteins within multilayer assemblies—greatly reducing charge transfer resistances and improving overall efficiency of photocells. Recently, our group has reported two new prototype solid-state devices in which PSI or PSI/PANI is sandwiched between conducting polymer electrodes. The group has also succeeded in stabilizing PSI films via crosslinking to create “wet” photoelectrochemical cells with greater performance and longevity. Finally, our current work is aimed at building new prototypes using PSI in solid state interfaces for scalable solar energy conversion. Finally, the incorporation of PSI into conducting polymer frameworks holds promise for improved conductivity and orientational control in the photoactive layers in these devices.

Inorganic Nanoscience Award to Jonathan S. Owen

Jonathan S. Owen of Columbia University is the winner of the 2023 Inorganic Nanoscience Award. This award is presented by the American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry to honor exceptional research in the area of inorganic nanoscience. Owen’s research is primarily focused on comprehending the interplay between nanocrystal surfaces and ligands, as well as the mechanism governing the nucleation and growth of colloidal nanocrystals. His findings have led to the development of improved synthetic pathways for nanomaterials. An award symposium featuring Owen’s work will be held at ACS Fall 2023.

Herman Skolnik Award to Patrick Walters

Patrick Walters of Relay Therapeutics has been honored with the 2023 Herman Skolnik Award, presented by the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Information. Walters is being recognized for his outstanding contributions to the development of computational methods and tools for practical applications in pharmaceutical research, as well as for his relentless efforts to support the development of cheminformatics and drug design as scientific disciplines. The prize consists of a $3,000 honorarium and a plaque, and Walters is co-organizing an award symposium at ACS Fall 2023.

A Time of Change

A Time of Change

Commentary for NASSP Award Symposium

Commentary for NASSP Award Symposium

Amy Prieto wins 2022 Inorganic Nanoscience Award

Amy Prieto of Colorado State University is the winner of the 2022 Inorganic Nanoscience Award, presented by the American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry (DIC) to honor excellence in research in this field. Prieto’s work focuses on the development of new synthetic methods by combining solid-state chemistry with nanoparticle synthesis for materials with applications in renewable energy production and storage. Her award symposium will take place at the ACS Fall 2022 meeting in August.

Reactions

OPINION Reactions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2021, 99 (34), p 5September 20, 2021Cite this:C&EN 99, 34, 5Letters to the editorSign language in chemistry“Growing Sign Language’s Scientific Vocabulary” (C&EN, July 5/12, 2021, page 26) is an excellent article and can easily stimulate further productive discussion in the interest of outreach, understanding, and the development of scientific talent. American Sign Language (ASL) can be considered to be a scientific language between scientists.Chemistry lecturers have the normal human tendency to speak with their hands. Accurate use of expressive and iconic ASL signs for scientific terms and concepts could be beneficial to hearing as well as deaf scientists and deaf science students.ASL is a source of utilities (such as the American Manual Alphabet, numbers, and basic word signs) that can help hearing and deaf students in academic study.Leigh Krietsch Boerner was wise to include a sidebar about Deaf and deaf. Although there are support groups (such as the Hearing Loss Association of America), lip-readers (that is, speech readers) and the hard of hearing can be less organized and in some ways less supported than the Deaf community. Deaf culture should flourish and never be persecuted again. Also, speech readers and the hard of hearing should not be deprived of ASL-based (simplified, practical) signed English, which in view of the ASL-based baby sign language explosion may be, in concept, an actual, natural, intermediate language that can accomplish good will between the hearing, hard of hearing, speech readers, and deaf people.Robert J. McGuane Jr.Wellesley, MassachusettsAfter reading the article on the use of sign language for the instruction of deaf students in the July 5/12 issue of C&EN, I was left with the following question and suggestion. Have the lectures that include a signer, mentioned in the article, been videotaped, and could a subtitle be added to those recordings? This would combine a written, standardized interpretation of the visual (signed) message in a concise and reviewable package.I recall using audiotapes in a general chemistry class (1970s), which allowed the student to rewind and review complex concepts as often as required to transfer the information or concept. Adding subtitles to a video of the signed message with ASL signs would provide the same learning opportunity.Keith AlbynMadison, Alabama CorrectionsNov. 30, 2020, page 37: An ACS News article on the 2020 Linus Pauling Medal Award incorrectly says Paul J. Chirik presented a talk during the Linus Pauling Award Symposium on Oct. 9, 2020. He will present a talk at the Oct. 9, 2021, symposium at the University of Washington.Sept. 13, 2021, page 21: A feature article on Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings misstates its number of employees. It is 70,000, not 54,000. Also, the article notes past non-Japanese executives but doesn’t mention that the firm’s current chief technology officer, Larry Meixner, is an American.Sept. 13, 2021, page 56: The Newscripts article on the 2021 Ig Nobel Prizes incorrectly states the age of the study on controlling cockroaches in submarines. It is 50 years old, not 40 years old.

International attendees praise ACS meeting’s virtual format

Before this year, the most recent time Enrique García-España had attended an American Chemical Society meeting was in 2012, nearly 10 years ago. The cost of travel, time away from his teaching and research, and other commitments meant that the University of Valencia chemistry professor could not attend ACS meetings as frequently as he would have liked. ACS Spring 2021’s virtual format, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, gave García-España an opportunity to not only attend the meeting but also present a talk during a Division of Inorganic Chemistry award symposium honoring his friend and colleague, Kristin Bowman-James, a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of Kansas. “I met Kristin for the first time in 1990 in a meeting here in Spain. Since then we have been in continuous touch, so for me it was very nice to be there online and to speak,” García-España says. This sentiment was

Diets, nutrients, genes and the microbiome: recent advances in personalised nutrition.

As individuals seek increasingly individualised nutrition and lifestyle guidance, numerous apps and nutrition programmes have emerged. However, complex individual variations in dietary behaviours, genotypes, gene expression and composition of the microbiome are increasingly recognised. Advances in digital tools and artificial intelligence can help individuals more easily track nutrient intakes and identify nutritional gaps. However, the influence of these nutrients on health outcomes can vary widely among individuals depending upon life stage, genetics and microbial composition. For example, folate may elicit favourable epigenetic effects on brain development during a critical developmental time window of pregnancy. Genes affecting vitamin B12 metabolism may lead to cardiometabolic traits that play an essential role in the context of obesity. Finally, an individual's gut microbial composition can determine their response to dietary fibre interventions during weight loss. These recent advances in understanding can lead to a more complete and integrated approach to promoting optimal health through personalised nutrition, in clinical practice settings and for individuals in their daily lives. The purpose of this review is to summarise presentations made during the DSM Science and Technology Award Symposium at the 13th European Nutrition Conference, which focused on personalised nutrition and novel technologies for health in the modern world.

Catalytic Encounters at the Molecular Level: Gabor A. Somorjai Award Symposium for Creative Research in Catalysis in Honor of Professor Manos Mavrikakis

Catalytic Encounters at the Molecular Level: Gabor A. Somorjai Award Symposium for Creative Research in Catalysis in Honor of Professor Manos Mavrikakis

Women Chemists Committee names its 2020 Rising Stars

The American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee has named the recipients of its 2020 Rising Star Awards, which recognize exceptional early-to-midcareer women chemists across all areas of chemistry on a national level. The awards were established in 2011 to help promote the retention of women in science. The 2020 winners are Christine Aikens of Kansas State University, Anne K. Bentley of Lewis & Clark College, Kayla N. Green of Texas Christian University, Amy C. Hart of Bristol-Myers Squibb, Leslie M. Hicks of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Katherine L. Hull of Aramco Research Center–Houston, Ayanna Jackson of Corteva Agriscience, Corinne Lipscomb of 3M, Susan Odom of the University of Kentucky, and Mou Paul of Dow. The winners will receive a stipend to cover travel expenses to an award symposium to highlight their work at the ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting in Philadelphia.

ACS Midwest Regional Meeting 2018

The ACS Ames Local Section will host the 2018 Midwest Regional Meeting (MWRM) at Iowa State University from Sunday, Oct. 21, to Tuesday, Oct. 23. The general chair is Tom Holme, and the program chair is Javier Vela, both of Iowa State University. Technical program. The meeting’s theme is “The Critical Role of Chemistry,” with symposia focusing on materials and their critical roles in energy; biomedicine; optical, magnetic, and electronic devices; and carbon capture and storage. A symposium titled “Measurement & Evidence in Chemistry Education” will anchor the education program. One of the highlights of the meeting will be the Midwest Regional Award symposium on Monday, which will honor the Midwest Regional Award winner, Qingfeng Ge, a professor of chemistry at Southern Illinois University. His talk is titled “Simulating Heterogeneous Catalysis for Energy- and Environment-Related Applications.” For those interested in the business side of chemistry, the “Entrepreneurs Toolkit” symposium, sponsored

Call for papers: MWRM 2018

Abstract submissions are being accepted for the 2018 Midwest Regional Meeting, which will take place Oct. 21–23 at the Iowa State Center Scheman Building in Ames, Iowa. Symposia will highlight advances in all areas of chemical research, education, industry, and their intersections with diverse scientific and technological domains. In addition to 16 technical symposia and a poster session, the meeting will feature a plenary lecture, the Midwest Award Lecture, an award symposium, an undergraduate program, workshops, and an instrument exhibition. The symposium sessions include “Biological Applications of Mass Spectrometry,” “Bioanalysis: Sensing, Separations & Spectroscopy,” “Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage,” “Physical Organic Chemistry,” “Catalysts for Organic Synthesis,” “Inorganic Chemistry for All,” “Materials for Energy,” “Materials for Biomedicine,” “Materials for Optical, Magnetic & Electronic Devices,” “Materials & Interfaces,” “Inorganic Materials Synthesis,” “Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy: Mat...

“For of those to whom much is given…”

On January 9, 1961, some weeks before being inaugurated the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy exhorted the Massachusetts State Legislature, “For of those to whom much is given, much is required.” His words, internationally distributed, gave new platform and audience to the Biblical message from Luke (KJV, 12:48) from whence it came. Kennedy would often return to versions of this ancient missive in speeches during his all‐too‐brief time as President.This historical admonition speaks not only to those benefited by material wealth or comfort; he was pointedly addressing those placed at the nexus of sacred opportunities and those they would influence. Indeed, a theme throughout Kennedy's life was his passionate transmission of the existential need for giving and giving back. The most well known of his quotes, forcefully spoken through the cold January air at his inauguration,“…ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” epitomizes his world‐view of the centrality of service to your home and the greater good.We in the academic world, particularly those of us given the gift of sharing the core science of anatomy sensu lato, have much: we have learned from caring teachers who stimulated our careers; have been afforded great freedom to explore science without many limitations; have unfettered openness through our journals and forums; and have been allowed to share our thoughts with bright, eager, and pure minds at the outset of their journey. The pressures of our daily world ‐ grants, curricular changes, a seemingly never‐ending ladder of administrators – can at times jade our spirit and dull our senses to the dual obligations we hold: to serve our science and mentor those who have knocked at our door. To paraphrase President Kennedy, perhaps we should focus a bit more on what we can do for the future of our discipline and those who will carry the torch then sit in expectation or disappointment of what we should have received. We have, indeed, been given much; good service to our next generation is a blessing in return, not a burden.(American Association of Anatomists A.J. Ladman Award Symposium Lecture).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

The corticotropin releasing factor binding protein: A strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the stress system?

The corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) exerts its effects by acting on its receptors and on the binding protein (CRFBP). Extensive literature suggests a role of CRF in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Less is known about the specific role, if any, of CRFBP in AUD. In this review, we summarize recent interdisciplinary efforts toward identifying the contribution of CRFBP in mediating CRF activation. The role of CRFBP in alcohol-related behaviors has been evaluated with the ultimate goal of designing effective novel therapeutic strategies for AUD. A series of invitro, invivo, exvivo, and genetic studies presented here provides initial evidence that CRFBP may possess both inhibitory and excitatory roles, and supports the original hypothesis that it represents a novel pharmacological target for the treatment of AUD. This report summarizes the proceedings of one of the talks at the Young Investigator Award symposium at the Alcoholism and Stress: A Framework for Future Treatment Strategies Conference, Volterra, Italy.

Kit Cummins wins Pauling Medal

Christopher (Kit) Cummins, Henry Dreyfus Professor of Chemistry at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is the 2017 recipient of the Linus Pauling Medal Award, presented by the ACS Portland, Puget Sound, and Oregon Sections in recognition of outstanding achievement in chemistry in the spirit of Linus Pauling, a native of the Pacific Northwest. Cummins’s research focuses on developing new methods of inorganic synthesis. He is using quantum chemical investigations to provide a theoretical framework for analysis of chemical bonding, reaction mechanisms, and property predictions. His work has applications in synthetic nitrogen fixation, carbon dioxide reduction, solar energy storage, next-generation battery technologies, and catalysis. Cummins will receive his award and present a talk during the Linus Pauling Medal Award Symposium & Award Banquet on Nov. 18 at Portland State University. Please send announcements of awards to l_wang@acs.org

New Award Honors Legacy Of Constance Lieber

New Award Honors Legacy Of Constance Lieber

Call for papers: MWRM 2016

submissions are being accepted for the 2016 Midwest Regional Meeting, which will take place on Oct. 26–28, in Manhattan, Kan. In addition to nine technical symposia and six poster sessions, the meeting will feature the Midwest ACS Award Symposium, a graduate and undergraduate award symposium, and an exhibition. Abstracts are due on Aug. 15. To submit an abstract, visit the meeting website or ACS’s Meeting Abstracts Programming System at maps.acs.org. For more information, visit mwrm2016.sites.acs.org. The final program summary will be published in C&EN in the fall; the online program will be available on Sept. 26.

Call for Papers: International Carbohydrate Symposium

The International Carbohydrate Symposium will take place on July 17–21 at the New Orleans Marriott. The meeting will highlight advances in the glycosciences. Sessions include “Hudson Award Symposium in Honor of Geert-Jan Boons”; “Synthesis of Carbohydrates, Glycoconjugates & Glycan-Based Biomaterials”; “Carbohydrate Structure, Analysis & Computation”; “Glycobiochemistry & Glycobiology”; “Glycotechnology in Medicine, Nutrition & Material Science”; “Conversion & Utilization of Lignocellulosic Biomass”; “Sustainable Solutions for Processes & Products at DuPont”; and “Development & Commercialization of Cutting-Edge Analytical Technologies for Characterization of Carbohydrates.” The final program summary will be published in C&EN in the summer; the online program will be available on June 13. Abstracts are due May 2. To submit an abstract, visit the meeting website or ACS’s Meeting Abstracts Programming System at maps.acs.org. For more information, visit www.ics-2016.org.

Hiroshi and Aya Irisawa Memorial Award Symposium

Hiroshi and Aya Irisawa Memorial Award Symposium