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E N O A E S S S L T A E A C R C I N S M S E E H C C TI N March 2016 Vol. XCIV, No.7 O CA N • AMERI
Monthly Meeting George Whitesides to speak at Takeda-Millennium, Cambridge, MA
Summer Scholar Report By Leonard Sprague and Edward J. Brush, Bridgewater State University
Report from Rabat: Malta VII By Morton Z. Hoffman
NESACS at Fenway Park May 11, 2016 Report from Rabat: Malta VII Frontiers of Science: Research and Education in the Middle East Morton Z. Hoffman (Boston University; Treasurer, Malta Conferences Foundation)
The terrorist attacks in Beirut and Paris tured plenary lectures by four Nobel a few days earlier, the ongoing Israeli- Laureates, workshops on topics of im- Palestinian conflict, and the continuing portance to the participants from the re- humanitarian crisis in Syria and Iraq gion, oral and poster presentations, and served as the backdrop for the seventh opportunities for everyone to make per- biennial Malta Conference (Malta VII) sonal and professional connections. on scientific research and education in Amazingly, given the declared and the Middle East, which was held at the undeclared states of war and political Sofitel Hotel in Rabat, Morocco, on No- animosities among the MENA coun- vember 15-20, 2015. tries, only one person, a representative The six previous Malta Confer- from Libya, was denied a visa to enter ences took place in Valletta, Malta Morocco. Even the Syrians and Iraqis, The Sofitel Rabat Hotel (2003, 2005, 2013), Istanbul, Turkey who received their visas on the day be- (2007), Amman, Jordan (2009), and fore the Conference was to begin, were Paris, France (2011 at UNESCO head- able to come and tell us first-hand about quarters as part of the celebration of the the hardships they encounter on a daily International Year of Chemistry). The basis in their lives and professional Malta Conferences Foundation (MCF), work as well as the obstacles they faced a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in- to make the trip to Morocco. corporated in Washington, DC, organ- The plenary lectures were given by izes the Conferences and raises money chemistry Nobel Laureates Ada Yonath for their support. (Israel, 2009), Borderless Science; Dan The recent horrifying events within Shechtman (Israel, 2011), Technological the Middle East and around the world Entrepreneurship: Key to World Peace Zafra Lerman (at left) with Fadila Boughanemi led to an increased determination by the and Prosperity; Roald Hoffmann (U.S., ical Safety and Security; Jonathan For- more than 90 participants at Malta VII 1981), Two New Games for Carbon; man (Organization for the Prohibition of to unite with one another to build col- Martin Karplus (U.S., 2013), Motion: Chemical Weapons, The Netherlands), laborations as a bridge to peace. With Hallmark of Life From Marsupials to Educational Resources From OPCW; scientists and science educators from Molecules. Fadila Boughanemi (European Com- universities and national institutes, in- Presentations were also made by mission on Research and Innovation, cluding students and early-career scien- Yvonne Pope (Chemical Abstracts Serv- E.U.), E.U. Builds Bridges Through Sci- tists, from 15 Middle East and North ices, U.K.), SciFinder – The Choice for ence Diplomacy; Mohamed Ismail (Ain Africa (MENA) countries (Bahrain, Chemistry Research; Olli Vuola (Aalto Shams University, Egypt), Software Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, University, Finland), Entrepreneurship Demonstration of Molecular Modeling Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Author- and Innovation; Nicholas Anthis (U.S. and Computer Aided Drug Design; ity, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Agency for International Development, Donna Nelson (President-Elect, Ameri- and the United Arab Emirates), as well U.S.), The Middle East Regional Coop- can Chemical Society), The Science Be- as speakers and meeting organizers from eration (MERC) Program; Leiv Sydnes hind “Breaking Bad.” U.S. and Europe, the Conference fea- (University of Bergen, Norway), Chem- continued on page 12
2 The Nucleus March 2016 The Northeastern Section of the American- Chemical Society, Inc. Office: Anna Singer, 12 Corcoran Road, Contents Burlington, MA 01803 (Voice or FAX) 781-272-1966. Report from Rabat: Malta VII ______2 e-mail: secretary(at)nesacs.org Frontiers of Science: Research and Education in the Middle East NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org By Morton Z. Hoffman Officers 2016 National Recognition for NESACS Student Chapters 4 Chair ______Jerry P. Jasinski Monthly Meeting 5 Keene State College ______Keene, NH 03435-2001 George M. Whitesides to speak at Takeda-Millennium, Cambridge, MA. jjasinsk(at)keene.edu Chair-Elect Webstreaming of the March Meeting ______5 Leland L. Johnson, Jr. Conditas Biotechnology Group 2016 NESACS Candidates for Election ______6 P.O. Box 540 Brookline, MA 02446 Announcements ______6,7 ljohnson(at)theconditasgroup.com 617-304-6474 Call for Nominations for the 2016 James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Immediate Past Chair Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry, NESACS-Chemists Celebrate Earth Katherine L. Lee Day, NESACS at Fenway Park. Pfizer 610 Main Street Stem Journey III______7 Cambridge, MA 02139 katherine.lee(at)pfizer.com By Jack Driscoll and Jennifer Maclachlan 617-674-7299 Secretary Summer Scholar Report ______8 1 Michael Singer Applying H NMR spectroscopy to develop a kinetic model for the transesterifi- MilliporeSigma cation of glycerol fatty acid triesters. 3 Strathmore Rd, Natick, MA 01360 774-290-1391, michael.singer(at)sial.com By Leonard Sprague and Edward J. Brush, Bridgewater State University. Treasurer James Piper NSYCC Meets the Next Generation of Scientists ______10 19 Mill Rd, Harvard, MA 01451 By Catherine Rawlins, NSYCC 978-456-3155, piper28(at)attglobal.net Auditor Senior Chemists Luncheon ______11 Patrick Gordon April 20, 2016 at Panera Bread, Needham, MA Archivist Ken Mattes NSCRC Conference and Career Symposium 16 Trustees ______Dorothy Phillips, Ruth Tanner, Peter C. Meltzer April 16-17 at the University of Massachusetts-Boston. Directors-at-Large Keynote speaker: Mircea Dinca, MIT David Harris, John Neumeyer, Ralph Scannell, John Burke, Ioannis Papayannopoulos, Cover: March speaker, George M. Whitesides, Woodford L. and Ann A. Christine Jaworek-Lopes Flowers University Professor, Harvard University. Photo courtesy of Professor Councilors /Alternate Councilors Term Ends 12/31/2016 Whitesides. Michael Singer Sophia R. Su Editorial Deadlines: Mary Shultz Mukund Chorghade May 2016 Issue: March 15, 2016 Robert Lichter Mary Mahaney Summer-September 2016 Issue: July 15, 2016 Heidi Teng Raj Rajur Marietta Schwartz Sonja Strah-Pleynet Term Ends 12/31/2017 Michael P. Filosa John Podobinski Doris I. Lewis Patrick Gordon Christine Jaworek-Lopes Anna Sromek The Nucleus is published monthly, except June and August, by the Northeastern Section of the American Patricia A. Mabrouk Mary Burgess Chemical Society, Inc. Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text Mark Tebbe Ralph Scannell must be received by the editor six weeks before the date of issue. Morton Z. Hoffman Leland L. Johnson, Jr. Term Ends 12/31/2018 Editor: Michael P. Filosa, Ph.D., 18 Tamarack Road, Medfield, MA 02052 Email: Katherine Lee Kenneth Mattes filosam(at)verizon.net; Tel: 508-843-9070 Catherine E. Costello Jackie O'Neil Associate Editors: Myron S. Simon, 60 Seminary Ave. apt 272, Auburndale, MA 02466 Ruth Tanner Andrew Scholte Morton Hoffman Michaeline Chen Jerry P. Jasinski Board of Publications: James Phillips (Chair), Vivian K. Walworth, Mary Mahaney, Ajay Purohit, Ken Drew All Chairs of standing Business Manager: Vacant Committees, the editor Advertising Manager: Vacant: contact Michael Filosa at [email protected] of THE NUCLEUS, and Calendar Coordinator: Xavier Herault, Email: xherault(at)outlook.com the Trustees of Section Funds are members of the Photographers: Morton Hoffman and James Phillips Board of Directors. Any Proofreaders: Donald O. Rickter, Vivian K. Walworth, Morton Z. Hoffman Coun cilor of the American Chemical Soci- Webmaster: Roy Hagen ety residing within the section area is an ex of- ficio member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2016, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc.
The Nucleus March 2016 3 National Recognition for NESACS Sponsors Company Contribution Level Amgen Platinum NESACS Student Chapters Biogen-Idec Platinum The ACS Committee on Education has New Activities Grants Johnson-Matthey Platinum SK Life Sciences Platinum selected the following student chapters • Suffolk University, Boston, MA; Jan- Strem Platinum in the Northeastern Section to receive ice Bautista, student project director; Nova Biomedical Gold special recognition for the programs and Prof. Edith Enyedy, faculty advisor. Merck Silver activities described in their 2014-2015 Project title: Chemistry of Smell and Celgene Bronze reports: Taste. Conditas Group Bronze Outstanding Student involvement in applying green Cubist Bronze • Northeastern University, Boston, MA; chemistry principles and practices is es- Millipore-Sigma Bronze Jaime Conway and William Timson, sential to the integration of environmen- Takeda Bronze chapter co-presidents; Prof. Kathleen tally benign technologies in academia Vertex Bronze Cameron, faculty advisor. and industry. The ACS Green Chemistry Contribution Levels Donation Platinum $5,000+ Commendable Recognition Institute recognizes ACS student chap- ters that have engaged in at least three Gold $3,500-5000 • Gordon College, Wenham, MA; green chemistry activities during the ac- Silver $2,000-3,500 Daruenie Andujar and Logan Walsh, ademic year. Listed below are the 2014- Bronze $500-2,000 chapter co-presidents; Prof. Irvin 2015 Green Chemistry Award recipients Meeting Hosts Levy, faculty advisor. located within the Northeastern Section. Amgen • University of Massachusetts Lowell, • Gordon College, Wenham, MA Astra Zeneca Lowell, MA; Megan Lulsdorf and Biogen-Idec • Tyler Harrison, chapter co-presidents; Northeastern University, Boston, MA Burlington High School Prof. Kwok-Fan Chow, faculty advi- All chapters receiving special recogni- Genzyme, A Sanofi Company sor. tion will be honored at the 251st ACS Nova Biomedical Novartis Honorable Mention National Chemistry Meeting in San Diego, CA, on Sunday, March 13, 2016. Pfizer • Keene State College, Keene, NH; ◆ Tufts University James Kraly and Denise Junge, chap- Vertex ter co-presidents; Prof. James Ulci- ckas, faculty advisor. • Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH; Catherine Muldoon and Charles Dooley, chapter co-presidents; Prof. New Members Nicole Eyet, faculty advisor. Invitation to attend a meeting • Simmons College, Boston, MA; Caitlin Horgan and Nina Chen, chap- You are cordially invited to attend one ter co-presidents; Prof. Changqing of our upcoming Section meetings as a Chen, faculty advisor. guest of the Section at the social hour and dinner preceding the meeting. • Suffolk University, Boston, MA; Please call Anna Singer at 781-272- Salina Shrestha and Janice Bautista, 1966 between 9am-6pm, or email: sec- chapter co-presidents; Prof. Edith retary(at)nesacs.org by noon the first Enyedy, faculty advisor. Thursday of the month, letting her know Community Interaction Grants that you are a new member. ◆ • Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH; Albert Lamonda, student project director; Prof. Anil Waghe, faculty ad- visor. Project title: Chemistry in Art. • University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA; Megan Lulsdorf and Tyler Harrison, chapter co-presidents; Prof. Kwok-Fan Chow, faculty advi- sor.
4 The Nucleus March 2016 Biography Monthly Meeting Most recently, Professor Whitesides The 959th Meeting of the Northeastern Section of the American gave the Fred Kavli Innovations in Chemistry Lecture, entitled, “Problems, Chemical Society Puzzles, and Inevitabilities in Research” Thursday – March 3, 2016 during the Fall ACS National Meeting here in Boston. Takeda-Millennium George M. Whitesides was born 40 Landsdowne St, Cambridge, MA 02139 August 3, 1939 in Louisville, KY. He received an A.B. degree from Harvard 4:30 pm st NESACS Board Meeting (Seminar Room-1 floor) University in 1960 and a Ph.D. from the 5:30 pm Social Hour (Cafeteria, 1st floor) California Institute of Technology (with J.D. Roberts) in 1964. He was a mem- 6:30 pm Dinner (Cafeteria, 1st floor) ber of the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1963 to 7:30 pm Welcome, Dr. Jerry Jasinski, NESACS Chair (Auditorium, 1st floor) 1982. He joined the Department of Chemistry of Harvard University in 7:45 pm Evening program with Professor George M. Whitesides, Woodford 1982, and was Department Chairman L. and Ann A. Flowers University Professor, Harvard University 1986 to 1989, and Mallinckrodt Profes- sor of Chemistry from 1982 to 2004. He For those who would like to join us for dinner, register by noon, Thursday, Feb- is now the Woodford L. and Ann A. ruary 25, 2016 using PayPal: http://acssymposium.com/paypal.html. Select the Flowers University Professor. pay with credit or debit card option and follow the additional instructions on the We encourage younger chemists to page. Cost: Members, $30; Non-members, $35; Retirees, $20; Students, $10. speak with Professor Whitesides during Dinner reservations not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance must be paid. and after the meeting at Takeda. ◆ If you wish to join us for this meeting and not eat dinner, please register by noon, Thursday, February 25, using PayPal: http://acssymposium.com/paypal. html. Select “Seminar only”. The fee is $1. New members or those seeking ad- ditional information, contact the NESACS administrative coordinator, Anna Webstreaming Singer, at [email protected] or at (781) 272-1966 during regular business hours only. *note the office is open on a part-time basis. of the March THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO THE EVENT. ATTENDEES NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THE HOST FACILITY IS A PRIVATE FACILITY WITH ITS Meeting OWN SECURITY AND GUIDELINES FOR ADMISSION. IT IS REQUIRED Ajay Purohit, NESACS Board of Publi- BY THE HOST SITE THAT ALL ATTENDEES BE REGISTERED IN AD- cations VANCE. THOSE WHO FAIL TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE MAY NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE PROGRAM. Dear members: In the January 2016 edi- tion of the Nucleus we announced that Directions to Takeda-Millenium: going forward NESACS will be live By subway: Kendall Square T stop (Red Line) streaming its monthly meetings. Unfor- Parking: Parking at 80 Landsdowne Street, with validation stickers/stamps avail- tunately we were unable to roll this fea- able from security at the time of check-in at Takeda. Additional parking is avail- ture out starting with the January able at 55 Franklin Street and after 6 PM on the adjacent streets in metered meeting due to an upgrade that the serv- parking. ice provider was implementing. !I, on Special Thanks to: behalf of the board of publications, am happy to announce that we now have • Mark Ashwell: [email protected] this issue resolved. Beginning with the • Alexis Arakelian: [email protected] March 2016 meeting, members will be • Samantha Smiley: [email protected] able to participate in these meetings via • Leland Johnson: [email protected] WebEx either on their computers or • Tracie Smart (Whitesides Group) using their mobile device.! • Kelly Le and Brenden Meisinger (Aramark @ Takeda) ◆ To join please go to http://www. videoserverssite.com/go/8350179/ nesacsmeetings and click on “Guest”. Enter your name to join in to the meet- continued on page 12
The Nucleus March 2016 5 2016 NESACS Call for Announcement Candidates for Nominations NESACS - Chemists Celebrate Earth Day, Election The 2016 James Flack Norris Theme: The Great Indoors - Award for Outstanding The Home Ecosystem The NESACS 2016 Nominating Com- Achievement in the Teaching mittee recommends the following slate of Chemistry April 10, 2016 - Museum of of candidates for the 2016 NESACS Science Boston election. Candidates may be submitted Deadline: April 15, 2016 NESACS will be celebrating Chemists by petition until March 13, 2016. Nominations are invited for the 2016 Celebrate Earth Day Event at Blue Wing Chair-Elect James Flack Norris Award, which con- of MoS on Sunday April 10, 2016 from sists of a certificate and an honorarium Dr. Mukund S. Chorghade 12 - 4 pm. There will be hands-on activ- Dr. Mindy Levine of $3,000 and is given annually by the ities from various institutions. The Trustee Northeastern Section (NESACS). The theme for this event is “The Great In- Dr. Robert Lichter presentation will take place at a cere- doors - The Home Ecosystem” covering Dr. Dorothy J. Phillips mony and dinner in November 2016, topics pertaining to indoor air and water Treasurer and will include a formal address by the quality of the home. Dr. Ashis Saha awardee. The Award was established in Director-at-Large 1950 by NESACS to honor the memory NESACS will be participating in ACS Dr. Michael Filosa of James Flack Norris (1871-1940), a sponsored CCED illustrated poem con- Dr. David Harris professor of chemistry at Simmons Col- test for students in Kindergarten - 12th Dr. John Neumeyer lege and M.I.T., chair of NESACS in grade. ◆ Mr. James Phillips 1904, and ACS President in 1925-26. Dr. Myron S. Simon Nominees should have served with Ms. Vivian K. Walworth special distinction as teachers of chem- publications related to chemical educa- Nominating Committee istry at any level: secondary school, col- tion. Seconding letters may also be in- Dr. Thomas R. Gilbert lege, and/or graduate school. With the cluded; these should show the impact of Mr. James Phillips presentation of the first Award in 1951, the nominee’s teaching for inspiring col- Dr. Mary Jane Shultz awardees have included many eminent leagues and students toward an active Dr. Sophia Su teachers at all levels whose efforts have life in the chemical sciences, and attest Norris Committee had a wide-ranging effect on chemical to the influence of the nominee’s other Dr. R. Christian (Chris) Moreton education. The recipient will be se- activities in chemical education, such as Dr. George O’Doherty lected from an international list of nom- textbooks, journal articles, or other pro- Dr. Samuel Pazicni inees who have served with special fessional activity at the local, national, Dr. Ajay Purohit distinction as teachers of chemistry with and international level. Councilor/Alternate Councilors significant achievements. The nomination materials should Mr. Raymond E. Borg A nomination in the form of a letter consist of the primary nomination letter, Dr. Mukund S. Chorghade should focus on the candidate’s contri- supporting letters, and the candidate’s Dr. Thomas R. Gilbert butions to and effectiveness in teaching curriculum vitae. Reprints or other pub- Dr. Patrick M. Gordon chemistry. The nominee’s curriculum lications should NOT be included. The Dr. Jerry P. Jasinski vitae should be included and, where ap- material should not exceed thirty (30) Mr. Leland L. Johnson, Jr. propriate, a list of honors, awards, and pages, and should be submitted elec- Dr. Robert Lichter tronically in Adobe PDF format through Dr. Mary A. Mahaney April 15, 2016 to Ms. Anna Singer, NE- Dr. Lisa Marcaurelle Petition Candidates: Any group com- SACS Administrative Secretary
6 The Nucleus March 2016 NESACS at Stem Journey III By Jack Driscoll and Jennifer Maclachlan, NESACS Public Relations Committee Fenway Park April 2, 2016 at Cape Cod Community College The third STEM Journey event consists Nucleus. http://nesacs.org/pub_nucleus/ May 11 of the following: enthusiastic volun- 2015/Dec15NUCLEUS.pdf . teers, keynote speakers, hands on sci- We did get TV, radio and Cape Cod ence demonstrations and the earning of Times coverage for this event, which is Boy Scout Merit Badges. the largest STEM event on the South History: Shore. Our first event was on: March 29, 2014: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= “Space Lab to Zero G” and we attracted SeLRGsB7xYU more than 750 people (http://www.ne- http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/ sacs.org/pub_nucleus/2014/Dec14.pdf). 20150329/NEWS/150329409/0/ The second event on March 28, 2015 SEARCH was on Oceanography- “Great White This year our theme will be Trans- Sharks to Deep Ocean Exploration”. It portation and the title is “STEM Journey is described in (http://nesacs.org/sec- III: Transportation: Air, Ground and tion_act/STEM/2015/STEMJourneyII_7 Sea.” One of our keynote speakers will 15a.pdf). be discussing autonomous vehicles. We Photo credits Doris Lewis STEM Journeys I-III are free events expect to have 50 organizations, 150 This year our NESACS Red Sox outing at Cape Cod Community College. In volunteers and 1,500 visitors on April 2, is on Wednesday, May 11 for the 7:00 2015, we had more than 1100 visitors, 2016 at Cape Cod Community College. Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics game. 100 volunteers, 30 organizations and Mission Statement: Bring your colleagues, friends, and fam- 500 people who signed up to listen to The STEM Journey program was organ- ily for a great ACS evening at Fenway. our keynote speakers. All of this was on ized in 2014 by the Cape Cod Council Home plate, grandstand seats are $38.00 a snowy day in March. This event was of the Boy Scouts of America, the North- and can be purchased at the NESACS described in the Dec. 2015 issue of the continued on page 13 PayPal link: http://acssymposium.com/ paypal-redsox.html. This traditional NESACS event, the Wally Gleekman Memorial Sum- merthing, is always a sellout, and we hope to see you there! ◆
F o arl te b re a k ni g n e w s oj, b p o s nti g s and the latest meeting and event information please visit us at WWW.NESACS.ORG
The Nucleus March 2016 7 Summer Scholar Report Applying 1H NMR spectroscopy to develop a kinetic model for the transesterification of glycerol fatty acid triesters Leonard Sprague and Edward J. Brush, Department of Chemical Sciences, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA 02325 Introduction 1H NMR spectrometry is a rapid, quantitative instrumental Biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters, FAME) is an alternative method for time-based monitoring of transesterification reac- fuel made from renewable vegetable oils that can be used in tions based on the integration of select proton signals. Al- diesel vehicles without engine modifications. Biodiesel is a though vegetable oil transesterification into methyl esters has possible replacement for petroleum diesel due to reduced been studied by 1H NMR5-7, very little work has been done greenhouse gas emissions, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon studying the reaction progress and kinetics by this method. monoxide, particulate manner and nitrogen oxides1. A diesel The goal of this work was to develop a 1H NMR experimental engine can run on an 80/20 (B20) mix of petroleum diesel to method to study the time course of vegetable oil transesterifi- biodiesel, and with adjustments (to avoid possible clogging) cation, that may eventually lead to a detailed kinetic model can run 100% (B100) biodiesel2. Over the past 10 years our that would identify whether rate limiting transesterification research group has been studying the chemistry of small-scale occurs at C1-C3 or C2 as the glyceryl triester is converted into (500mL-4L) biodiesel synthesis by base-catalyzed transester- the di- and mono- ester, and finally free glycerol. ification of vegetable oils, and determined that this process is 3 Methodology highly inefficient and wasteful . A detailed model of the ki- General. All reagents were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich netics and mechanism for glyceryl fatty acid transesterifica- or Fisher Scientific and used without further purification. tion has not been developed. A better understanding of this Transesterification reactions were conducted using store chemical process could be important in solving these issues bought brand name soybean oil. All glassware was washed through the application of green chemistry principles in mod- with Micro-90 cleaner, and then rinsed with deionized water ifying reaction parameters, and in the design of specific cata- and acetone before oven drying at 80oC. lysts for transesterification. Transesterification Procedures. Transesterification reactions were run at constant temperature (60oC or 25oC) using a stan- dard 25 mL batch method with 3:1 mole ratios of methanol:ester (25.1 mmole triglyceride), and 2.51 mmole potassium hydroxide as catalyst. Aliquots were removed at timed intervals and quenched by dilution in acetone-d6 con- taining 0.05% TMS. The molecular mass of the triglyceride Figure 1: Chemical reaction for the transesterification of vegetable oil to biodiesel. (vegetable oil) and biodiesel product were estimated based on the molecular mass of oleic acid as a model fatty acid. The transesterification of simple esters is a traditional chem- ical reaction taught in college-level organic chemistry, Figure Sampling and Sample Preparation. Good signal-to-noise 14. However, understanding the transesterification of fatty ratios were obtained using 1.0 mL of acetone-d6 to quench 25 µ acid triglycerides is more challenging due to complex sub- L reaction aliquots. Aliquot volumes were measured with gas-tight syringes, flushed thoroughly between each aliquot strate conformations, reaction solubility challenges, identifi- 1 cation of intermediates, and uncertainty as to the sequence of to avoid contamination. H NMR spectra were obtained im- tri-ester exchange, Figure 2. It is not clear, for example, if the mediately after being quenched, and then scanned again transesterification is a progression of three, sequential reac- twenty-four hours later. No changes in NMR spectra were ob- tions at each of the three tri-acyl glycerides (C1-C2-C3), or if served over a 24-hour period. there is rate limiting exchange of the methylene ester groups Instrumentation and Analysis. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (C1 vs C3) versus the methine ester group (C2), Figure 2. (NMR) spectra were obtained on a JEOL ECX-400 MHz in- strument. Quantitative NMR (qNMR)8 was used to determine reaction progress based on theoretical percent yield. In qNMR the quantity of a particular analyte (biodiesel) is determined by comparing the integrated value of an analyte signal of known number of protons to the integrated value of a known internal standard (Figure 3, equations 1 and 2). Maleic acid was used as the reference standard (vinyl protons at 6.3 ppm, 9 Figure 2. Triacyl glyceride transesterification with methoxide: TAG = tri- 2H) , to quantitate the biodiesel formed based on the appear- acylglyceride, DAG = diacylglyceride, MAG = monoacylglyceride, GLY = ance of the -OCH3 methyl ester signal at 3.6 ppm (3H). glycerol, FAME1,2,3 = Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (biodiesel). Continued on page 9
8 The Nucleus March 2016 Summer Scholar pletion. Continued from page 8
Figure 3. Equations used to determine reaction progress by Quantitative NMR. Calibration Curves and Data Handling. Maleic acid was kept constant at 25 mL of a 0.689 M stock solution (0.0172 mmole), and an aliquot of pure biodiesel was added (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 µL) to create five standards. qNMR analysis with normalization of the maleic acid signal for each sample resulted in integrations of the –OCH3 methyl ester signal (3.6 Figure 4. Time course of increasing biodiesel concentration vs time at ppm) for comparison to theoretical integration. A straight line 25oC from the transesterification of 25.1 mmol of vegetable oil. Each data with good correlation R² = 0.9749 was obtained (data not point represents a 25µL aliquot of the reaction mixture, where the maxi- shown). mum observed yield of biodiesel product in this plot would be 0.0753 mmoles, Figure 1. Results and Discussion Acetone-d6 was found to effectively and completely quench the transesterification reaction, with no evidence of side reac- tions over a 24 hour period. Also, maleic acid functions as a suitable internal reference for qNMR quantification due to a clear signal downfield from all other signals of interest, re- sulting in easy and accurate calculations of methyl ester con- centration. The rates of triacylglyceride transesterification were ex- amined at 60oC and 25oC. We initially attempted to study the transesterification kinetics at 60oC as this is the typical tem- perature for biodiesel production. However, it was found that the initial rate of transesterification at 60oC was too fast to measure by our sampling method, and that equilibrium was reached within one minute (data not shown). At 25oC a rapid initial rate was clearly observed that was linear for approxi- mately 25-30% of the reaction as shown by the concentration- time data graphed in Figure 4. The rapid initial rate was Figure 5. 1H NMR spectrum of transesterification reaction taken at equi- followed by a slower reaction phase which reaches equilib- librium. Chemical shifts: maleic acid vinyl protons (2H, 6.4 ppm), C2 rium in approximately 3 hours. glyceryl methine (1H, 5.25 ppm), C1-C3 glyceryl methylenes (4H, 4.1-4.4 ppm), biodiesel –OCH3 methyl ester (3H, 3.6 ppm), methanol (3H, 3.25 To our knowledge, this is the first time a rapid initial phase ppm). Signal at 5.35 ppm is attributed to fatty acyl olefinic protons. has been reported for vegetable oil transesterification. As our data suggest that this rapid phase accounts for approximately Conclusions and Future Work 25-30% of maximum yield, it is tempting to speculate that this We have developed a simple, efficient and reproducible implies a rapid exchange of a C1 glyceryl methylene ester qNMR analytical method to monitor the transesterification of group, followed by slower (rate limiting) exchange of the re- fatty acyl triglycerides. This method will be used to continue maining two glyceryl esters, Figure 2. At this time we were our work to better understand the kinetics and mechanism of not able to determine the equilibrium product composition small-scale biodiesel synthesis, and facilitate the optimization based on the signals of the C1-C3 glyceryl methylene protons of reaction parameters and screening of new catalysts. Our (4.1-4.4 ppm). Furthermore, the C2 methine proton signal results also suggest that room temperature (25oC) is preferred (5.25 ppm) overlaps with the fatty acyl olefinic proton signal for rate studies on fatty acyl transesterification reactions, but (5.35 ppm), Figure 5, making it difficult to accurately integrate more must be done in order to finalize rate analysis and de- the two signals. The equilibrium concentration of biodiesel termining reaction order. Our ongoing work is focused on de- produced at 25oC is approximately 60% of completion, and termining the product distribution over the reaction time underlies the importance for using an excess of methanol and course. The complex mixture may contain tri-, di-, and mono- removing the glycerol product to “force” the reaction to com- Continued on page 13
The Nucleus March 2016 9 NSYCC Meets the Next Generation of Scientists By Catherine Rawlins, NSYCC Chair-Elect Science” at the Brighton Public Library on December 5th 2015 with over 50 children in attendance. Valerie Ivancic, NSYCC Webmaster, designed four ex- periments for the participants that were simple and safe for ages 12 and under. Each table was decorated like the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Raven- claw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. At the Gryffindor table Matt Rosienski and Alicia Lee (Clark University) showed Alicia Lee and Matt Rosienski at the Gryffindor table Photo credit: Astha Bilimoria the kids how to make their own silly putty using cornstarch, Elmer’s glue, Borax, and food coloring dye. Mean- while at the Slytherin table Felicia Lucci Ray Borg (right) helps Jerry Gilligan (left) with (NSYCC Chair) had set up a nano- a demonstration - Photo credit - Catie Rawlins science demonstration with toy fuel cell In the Fall of 2015, the NSYCC re- cars and a scanning tunneling micro- ceived a grant from the ACS Committee scope that showed students atoms. Va- on Community Activities to host an out- lerie was at the Hufflepuff table showing reach event. The goal was to give back the iodine clock reaction using apples to the community in some way to spread for the Vitamin C and the potatoes as science to a wider audience and engage starch. Last but not least the Ravenclaw Sarah Lach at the Ravenclaw table the future generation of scientists. We table had a milk dispersion experiment Photo credit: Astha Bilimoria had two successful endeavors in 2015 with food coloring dye and dish soap and it has inspired us to seek out more demonstrated by Sarah Lach and Astha events like this in the future. Thanks to Bilimoria (Clark University). Each child our Career Chair, Ray Borg, we collab- was provided their own pair of glasses orated with graduate student Jerry Gilli- and glove to be “safe like a real scien- gan who has fostered connections with tist”. There was also arts and crafts table local schools, especially East Boston where they could paint their own magic High School. He works closely with Dr. wands and decorate their safety glasses. Kristen Cacciatore’s Advanced Place- It was great to see the children show so ment Chemistry class to bring a more di- much enthusiasm with the different ex- verse and interactive perspective to the periments! Several kids said they want to be scientists someday; to quote one “I science curriculum. The three of us Valarie Ivancic at the Hufflepuff table spent an afternoon in November per- want to be an Ologist and study every- Photo credit: Astha Bilimoria forming demonstrations of chemistry thing that ends in -ology!” Approxi- kits from Flinn Scientific such as “The mately six different K-8 schools were Disappearing Rainbow” and “Amor- represented, many from Winship Ele- phous Monster Foam.” These same kits mentary which is a block away from the will be used by the students for their an- library. We received great feedback nual Science Day where they will con- from parents and children alike and we duct and explain the experiments in already looking to plan another one for front of the parents and teachers. We 2016! ◆ hope to continue this connection with Q. Exactly, how many awards and Jerry and East Boston High School and scholarships does NESACS sponsor? visit again! A) One b) Two c) Many For our main outreach event of the year, www.nesacs.org/awards Felicia Lucci at the Slytherin table we hosted an event titled “The Magic of Photo credit: Astha Bilimoria
10 The Nucleus March 2016 National Historic Chemical Landmark Site By Vivian Walworth The American Chemical Society cele- brated its designation of the historic building at the northeast corner of Main and Osborn Streets in Cambridge as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. It is the site of the office and laboratory of Dr. Edwin H. Land, founder of Po- laroid Corporation and inventor of Instant Photography. Dr. Land’s contributions span a wide range, from the invention of sheet polarizers and their application to display of stereoscopic images to one- step photography, innovative imaging chemistry, and new insights into color perception. The celebration took place on August 13 at the nearby MIT Mu- seum which holds the major collection of Polaroid photographic images and materials from the early experimental stages onward.! On August 14 the MIT Museum hosted a public celebration that included both Land’s work and contem- porary instant photography. A session on August 16 during the ACS National Meeting in Boston centered on the chemistry and production of Polaroid’s SX-70 film. The historic building is recognized by the City of Cambridge as a landmark, the oldest intact industrial complex in the city. First constructed in the early 1800s as a brick store, the building was occupied by the Davenport Car Works in 1842. Soon afterward the company added six one-story workshops, and in 1848 added two 2-story brick wings be- hind the front building. !Davenport pio- neered the design and construction of railroad passenger cars with center aisles and reversible seats, and con- structed freight cars and a few steam lo- comotives.! A plaque on the Main Street Continued on page 13
The Nucleus March 2016 11 Report from Rabat Web Streaming Continued from page 2 Continued from page 5 Greetings were offered at the open- ing. Please note that you may have to ing ceremony by Zafra Lerman (Presi- update your Flash plug in (http://get. dent, MCF), Rachid Benmokhtar adobe.com/flashplayer) Benabdellah (Minister of National Edu- For the Audio portion please dial 1- cation, Morocco), Dwight Bush, Sr. 866-678-6823 and enter 3373604# as (U.S. Ambassador to Morocco). Karen the passcode. Betts (U.K. Ambassador to Morocco), On your mobile device please Anne Vasara (Finland Ambassador to download the “OnSync” app by Digital Morocco), Are-Jostein Norheim (Nor- (l-r) Morton Hoffman (Boston University), Samba. After opening click on Join Ses- Abdol-Khalegh Bordbar (University of Isfahan, way Ambassador to Morocco), Lahcen Iran), Masoud Mehrgardi (University of Isfa- sion and input the above link (http:// Haddad (Minister of Tourism, Morocco), han, Iran) www.videoserverssite.com/go/8350179/ Fadila Boughanemi, and Donna Nelson. nesacsmeetings) and follow the steps to Evening receptions were held during the join the meeting.! week at the residences of Ambassadors Please note that the above link will Bush, Vasara, and Norheim. The Moroc- be used for all meetings in the future. can Ministry of National Education, the We hope members who are unable Academy of the Kingdom, and the Has- to attend these meetings will take advan- san II Academy of Science and Technol- tage of this service and still be able to ogy hosted a farewell cocktail dinner. participate. This is the first time a serv- The following multi-session work- ice such as this is being offered by the shops, which were chaired by the listed NESACS. As such there will be glitches organizers, were held: along the way and we would like to • Organic, Organo-metallic, and Me- Distinguished guests: (from the right) Rachid apologize for this in advance. As always dicinal Chemistry: Cathy Costello Benmokhtar Benabdellah, Minister of National we would love to hear from you and re- Education and Vocational Training, Morocco; (U.S.), Masoud Mehrgardi (Iran), Dwight L. Bush, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to Mo- ceive feedback so that we may fix any Mohammed El-Khateeb (Jordan) rocco; Karen Betts, U.K. Ambassador to Mo- issues. Please email me at purohian@ • Energy, Materials, and Nanotechnol- rocco; Anne Vasara, Finland Ambassador to verizon.net or call at 508 735 9693. ◆ ogy for Resource Sustainability: Mar- Morocco; Are-Jostein Norheim, Norway Ambas- sador to Morocco; Fadila Boughanemi, Euro- wan Mousa (Jordan), Ron Naaman pean Commission of the E.U. Not in the picture: ESCO), ACS and the Division of Chem- (Israel), Pierre Karam (Lebanon) Donna Nelson, ACS President-elect ical Education (CHED), the American • Environment: Air and Water Quality: Association for the Advancement of Sci- Chuck Kolb (U.S.), Abdelrahman ence (AAAS), and the Committee of Alamarah Tamimi (Palestinian Au- Concerned Scientists (CCS). Signifi- thority), Abdallah Husein Malkawi cant financial support was received from (Jordan), Yossi Guttman (Israel) the Carnegie Foundation of New York, • Science and Technology Education: the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Rachel Mamlok-Naaman (Israel), Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. Morton Hoffman (U.S.) The members of the MCF Board of A total of 54 oral presentations were Directors who attended Malta VII were made during the workshop sessions; 21 Zafra Lerman (President, U.S.), Ann posters were on display throughout the Nalley, (Vice President, U.S.), Iona entire meeting. At the end of the con- Ghita Wallin (at left) and Marianne Vikkula of Black (Secretary, U.S.), Morton Hoff- ference, the workshop organizers pro- SLUSH at Aalto University, Finland, partici- man (Treasurer, U.S.), Cathy Costello vided summaries of the talks and pants in the presentation by Olli Vuola (U.S.), Chuck Kolb (U.S.), Leiv Sydnes discussions in their sessions. Proposals ing session, the participants, many of (Norway), and Hassan Bazzi (Qatar). were presented for future action, includ- whom had attended previous Malta Con- More information about MCF and the ing the continuation of existing collab- ferences, enthusiastically endorsed the Malta Conferences can be found at orations on water and education and the motion that Malta VIII be held in 2017. http://maltaconferencesfoundation.org/. development of new ones, the dissemi- Among the sponsors of Malta VII Donna Nelson offered her perspec- nation of the information from the work- were the Organization for the Prohibi- tives about Malta VII and referenced the shops to a broader audience, and the tion of Chemical Weapons (OPCW, Re- views of participants from the Middle search for funding to provide research cipient of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize), East in her ACS Comment, “Building and international exchange opportuni- the United Nations Educational, Scien- Relationships, Building Trust,” C&EN, ties for students and faculty. In the clos- tific and Cultural Organization (UN- Vol. 93 (48), Dec. 7/14, 2015, p. 45. ◆
12 The Nucleus March 2016 Chemical Landmark Stem Journey III Summer Scholar Continued from page 11 Continued from page 7 Continued from page 9 face of the building commemorates the eastern Section of the American Chem- glycerides, free glycerol, biodiesel Davenport plant.! ical Society and Cape Cod Community (methyl ester) and unreacted methanol. The next occupant was an iron College to provide a stimulus and intro- Furthermore, we need to conclusively foundry, Allen & Endicott, which rented duction to the sciences for K-12 students determine the sequence of transesterifi- out space to others, including J.J. Wal- from the Cape and Islands and the South cation for the methylene vs methine car- worth & Company, early manufacturer Shore. We feel that the US needs to im- bons to conclusively identify reaction of plumbing fittings and the iconic Still- prove science, technology, engineering intermediates. Due to the complexity of son wrench.! On October 9, 1876, and math (STEM) education to remain the C1-C3 methylene signals, and over- Alexander Graham Bell and his assis- competitive with the rest of the world. lap of C2 methine signal with fatty acyl tant, Thomas Watson, used the Walworth This will not be truly effective unless we olefinic protons (Figure 5), we will in- telegraph line between the Cambridge inspire young students through pro- vestigate whether 2D NMR can be em- plant and the Walworth office in South grams like STEM Journey. ployed to resolve these signals. Boston to make the first long-distance Keynote Speakers: Acknowledgements telephone call. The Telephone Pioneers Ground-MIT Professor John Leonard This research was supported by a Nor- of America later mounted a celebratory (Mechanical and Ocean Engineering). ris-Richards Summer Scholarship from plaque on the Main Street face of the Professor Leonard has been a key per- the Northeastern Section of the Ameri- building.! son in MIT’s participation in the 2007 can Chemical Society, the Bridgewater In 1927 the Kaplan Furniture Com- DARPA program on robotic vehicles. State University Adrian Tinsley Pro- pany, maker of fine furniture, purchased His interests are artificial intelligence, gram, and a grant from the EPA P3 pro- the building. That company rented some robotics and autonomous vehicles. His gram (SU835696). The JEOL ECX-400 of its space to the Polaroid Corporation talk will be on ”Autonomous Cars.” MHz NMR was obtained through NSF- during the early 1940s.! Founder Edwin Air-Massachusetts State Senator MRI grant 0421081. Land opened a laboratory there and also Dan Wolf or Linda Markum, President References established a training school on the sec- of Cape Air (the only woman President ond floor to train military personnel to 1.Kemp, W.H., Biodiesel Basics and of a North American Airline). The talk Beyond: A Comprehensive Guide to make Polaroid Vectograph stereoscopic will be about “Advances in Aviation.” images in the field. Polaroid provided Production and Use for the Home and Water-Meghan Carroll of the Farm, Aztext Press, 2006. field kits, and Vectograph images were Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute used throughoutWW2 in support of aer- 2.King, Angela G. and Marcus W. will speak on “Autonomous Underwater Wright. “Rudolph Diesel Meets the ial reconnaissance. Vehicles (AUV)” Dr. Land conducted the first exper- Soy bean: “Greasing” the Wheels of iments in one-step photography in his Organizers: Chemical Education.” Journal of Kaplan building laboratory, and he con- The Cape and Islands Council of the Chemical Education 84 (2007): 203- tinued work in his office and laboratory Boy Scouts of America, Northeastern 206. there until his retirement from Polaroid Section of the American Chemical So- 3.Agnew, R., Chai, M., Lu, M. and in 1982. Polaroid had occupied the en- ciety and Cape Cod Community Col- Dendramis, N. (2009), “Making tire building by 1960, and facilities there lege. ◆ Biodiesel from Recycled Cooking Oil included black-and-white and color re- Generated in Campus Dining Facili- search labs, a projection room, and sev- ties,” Sustainability: The Journal of eral additional research laboratories and Award from the Cambridge Historical Record. 2(5): 303-307. darkrooms. Supporting research facili- Commission in 2003. The building is 4. Behnia, M.S., Emerson, D.W., Stein- ties, offices, workshops, engineering de- now managed by MIT and occupied by berg, S.M., Alwis, R.M., Duenas, J.A. partments, and a research library modern Pfizer biotech research and sev- and Serafino, J.O. (2011), “A Simple, occupied nearby buildings.! Polaroid eral development laboratories. Safe Method for Preparation of purchased the Kaplan building in1988 The ACS plaque, which commem- Biodiesel,” J. Chem. Ed., 88(9):1290– and sold it to MIT in1998. In 2014 the orates Dr. Land’s highly productive re- 1292. Polaroid Retirees Association added a search contributions, will join the earlier 5.Morgenstern, Mark; Cline, Jessica; plaque commemorating Dr. Land’s plaques on the building. ◆ Meyer, Sally; and Cataldo, Simon. achievements. Determination of the Kinetics of MIT has fully preserved the exter- Biodiesel Production Using Proton nal facade of the building, renovated the What exactly goes on at NESACS’ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spec- interior, and constructed an 80,000 monthly Board meetings? troscopy (1H NMR). Energy & Fuels. square foot addition. Completed in www.nesacs.org/reports 2006, 20, 1350-1353 2002, the project received a Preservation 6.Guillen, Maria; and Ruiz, Ainhoa. Continued on page 15
The Nucleus March 2016 13 BUSINESS DIRECTORY Call for SERVICES SERVICES Nominations Philip L. Levins Memorial Prize Nominations for the Philip L. Levins Memorial Prize for outstanding per- formance by a graduate student on the way to a career in chemical science should be sent to the NESACS Admin- istrative Secretary, 12 Corcoran Rd., Burlington MA 01803 by April 8, 2016. The graduate student’s research should be in the area of organic analytical chemistry and may include other areas of organic analytical chemistry such as environmental analysis, biochemical analysis, or polymer analysis. Research emphasis must be on novel uses of ana- lytical methods, not routine analysis. Nominations may be made by a faculty member, or the student may sub- mit an application. A biographical sketch, transcripts of graduate and un- dergraduate grades, a description of present research activity and three ref- erences must be included. The nomina- tion should be specific concerning the contribution the student has made to the research and publications (if any) with multiple authors. The award will be presented at the May 2016 NESACS meeting. ◆
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Summer Scholar Index of Advertisers Continued from page 13 High resolution 1H nuclear magnetic Chemir...... 14 resonance in the study of edible oils Drew University ...... 4 and fats. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2001, 12, 328-338 Eastern Scientific Co...... 11 7. Knothe, G. 1H-NMR Spectroscopy of Fatty Acids and Their Derivatives: Micron, Inc...... 14 Quantification by 1H-NMR. National Center for Agricultural Utilization Re- NuMega Resonance Labs....14 search, Agricultural Research Service. 2005. http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/nmr/ Organix, Inc...... 15 1NMRquan/file.pdf (accessed March 20, 2015) PCI Synthesis ...... 7 8.Peterson, J., “1H NMR Analysis of Rilas Technologies, Inc...... 15 Mixtures Using Internal Standards,” J. Chem. Educ. 1992. 69 (10): 843-5. Robertson Microlit Labs.....14 9.JEOL Resonance Application Note NM090009. “What is qNMR (quan- Tyger Scientific, Inc...... 14 titative NMR)?” 2011. http://www.j- resonance.com/en/images/application /nmr/nm090009e.pdf (accessed Janu- ary 2016). ◆
The Nucleus March 2016 15 Harvard, MAHarvard, 01451 Road 19 Mill AMERICAN CHEMICAL AMERICAN U.S. POSTAGE PAID NONPROFIT ORG. NONPROFIT NORTHEASTERN SOCIETY SECTION
Calendar March 7 March 23 Prof. Peter Zhang (Boston College) Prof. David Beratan (Duke) Check the NESACS home page “Metalloradical Catalysis for Homolytic Radi- “Does Evolution Care About Quantum Mechan- for late Calendar additions: cal Chemistry.” ics? Electrons, Bioenergetics, and Life.” http://www.NESACS.org Brandeis, Gerstenzang 121 4:00 pm Boston Univ., Life Sciences and Engineering Note also the Chemistry Department web Prof. Yi Cui (Stanford) Building, Rm B01 4:00 pm pages for travel directions and updates. Harvard, Pfizer Lecture Hall 4:15 pm March 24 These include: Prof. Joshua Price (BYU) Dr. Molly O’Hagan (Pacific Northwest National http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/chemistry/semina Boston College, Merkert 130 4:00 pm Laboratory) rs.html Harvard, Pfizer Lecture Hall 4:15 pm http://www.bu.edu/chemistry/seminars/ March 8 http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/chemistry/ Prof. Joshua Price (BYU) Prof. M. Kevin Brown (Indiana) events/index.html Tufts, Pearson, Room P-106 4:00 pm MIT, Room 6-120 4:00 pm http://chemistry.harvard.edu/calendar/upcoming http://www.northeastern.edu/cos/chemistry/event Prof. Emily Pentzer (Case Western) March 29 s-2/ UNH, Room N104, 11:10 am Prof. David Christianson (Penn) http://chemistry.mit.edu/events/all March 9 “Structural Biology and Chemistry of Histone http://chem.tufts.edu/seminars.html Deacetylases in Human Disease and Drug.” http://engineering.tufts.edu/chbe/newsEvents/se Prof. Thomas Gunnoe (Univ. of Virginia) Tufts, Pearson, Room P-106 4:00 pm minarSeries/index.asp Harvard, Pfizer Lecture Hall 4:15 pm Prof. Kevin Rice (Colby College) http://www.chem.umb.edu March 16 UNH, Room N104, 11:10 am http://www.umassd.edu/cas/chemistry/ http://www.uml.edu/Sciences/chemistry/Seminar Prof. Xiang Wang (U. Colorado-Boulder) Prof. Jason E. Gestwicki (UCal-San Francisco) s-and-Colloquia.aspx “Bio-Inspired Synthesis of Functional Mole- Boston College, Merkert 130 4:00 pm http://www.unh.edu/chemistry/events cules.” Boston Univ., Life Sciences and Engineering March 30 March 1 Building, Rm B01 4:00 pm Prof. Eric Heller (Harvard) Dr. Keith Faucher (Maquet Getinge Group) “The Looming Battle over Raman Scattering in “The Importance of Chemistry in the Design and March 17 Graphene and Related Carbon Compounds: Manufacture of Medical Devices.” Dr. Michael Z. Hoemann (AbbVie Bioresearch Chemistry vs. Physics Perspectives.” UNH, Room N104, 11:10 am Center) Boston Univ., Life Sciences and Engineering Boston College, Merkert 130 3:30 pm Prof. Liz Nolan (MIT) Building, Rm B01 4:00 pm “Explorations of a host-defense peptide that self- Prof. Matthew S. Sigman (Univ. of Utah) Prof. Daniel Kahne (Harvard) assembles and entraps bacterial pathogens.” Boston College, Merkert 130 4:45 pm Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gateway Park Boston College, Merkert 130 4:00 pm March 21 1002 12:00 pm March 2 Prof. Brian Crane (Cornell) Notices for The Nucleus Prof. Konstantin Sokolov (Univ. Texas-Austin) Brandeis, Gerstenzang 121 4:00 pm Calendar of Seminars should be “Clinical translation of plasmonic nanosensors: Prof. Jonathan Weissman (UCSF) sent to: design, synthesis and applications.” Harvard University, Pfizer Lecture Hall 4:15 pm Boston Univ., Life Sciences and Engineering Xavier Herault, email: xherault(at)outlook.com Building, Rm B01 4:00 pm March 22 ◆ Prof. Amanda Jones (Wake Forest University) Prof. Christopher Chang (UCal-Berkeley) UNH, Room N104, 11:10 am Harvard, Pfizer Lecture Hall 4:15 pm