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What's New in Boston Getting Ahead Morton Z. Hoffman and Robert Lichter Scott Szczesny, Jillian Savoy and Megan Driscoll NESACS Exchange Reflections on an with Germany Academic Job Search Morton Z. Hoffman, Ruth Tanner and Michael Strem Anne McNeil Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:56 PM Page 2

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The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. Contents Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01360. 1-800-872-2054 What's New in Boston______4 (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. e-mail: mcash0953(at)aol.com NESACS Election Results ______5 Any Section business may be conducted via the business office above. Greetings from the Section Chair______5 NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org NESACS Members Active in Meeting Symposia ______6 Sathish Rangarajan, Webmaster ACS Hotline, Washington, D.C.: NESACS Exchange with Germany ______7 1-800-227-5558 Officers 2007 NESACS Medicinal Chemistry Section ______8 Chair: Mukund Chorghade Frequent Flyer: Reflections on the Academic Job Search ______10 14 Carlson Circle, Natick, MA 01360 508-651-7809 and 308-3891 Getting Ahead: Advancing your Career______12 Chorghade(at)comcast.net Chair-Elect: Philanthropic Gesture Leads to International Friendship ______15 Marietta Schwartz Chemistry Department, Umass-Boston Why I Love Organic Chemistry ______16 Boston, MA 02125 617-287-6146; marietta.schwartz(at)umb.edu Green Chemistry in Africa ______17 Immediate Past Chair: Patricia Mabrouk The ACS Scholars Program ______18 Chemistry Department, Northeastern University Boston, MA 02115 Chemistry Exams Bring Students Together ______19 613-373-2845; p.mabrouk(at)neu.edu Secretary: ALMA Local Chapter: an Update ______20 Michael Singer Sigma-Aldrich My Research Experience______20 3 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01360 508-651-8151X291; msinger(at)sial.com History of Pencils ______21 Treasurer: James Piper Report From Council______25 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451 978-456-3155, piper28(at)attglobal.net NESACS Chemical Education Opportunities ______27 Auditor: Anthony Rosner Historical Notes ______29 Archivist: Myron S. Simon Rowland Institute for Science ______30 20 Somerset Rd. Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 Harvard's Collection of Scientific Instruments ______31 Romysimon(at)mindspring.com Trustees: Cover: Joseph A. Lima, Esther A. H. Hopkins, A view of downtown Boston and Rowe's Wharf from the Harbor Walk. Michael E. Strem Photo by Morton Z. Hoffman. Councilors Alternate Councilors Deadlines: Term Ends 12/31/2007 October 2007 Issue: August 17, 2007 Thomas R. Gilbert Arlene W. Light November 2007 Issue: September 14, 2007 Michael J. Hearn Timothy B. Frigo Michael Singer Mary Mahaney Pamela Nagafuji Mark Froimowitz Term Ends 12/31/2008 Doris I. Lewis Patrick M. Gordon The Nucleus is published monthly, except June and August by the Northeastern Section of the American Morton Z. Hoffman Michael P. Filosa Chemical Society, Inc. Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text Christine Jaworek-Lopes Lawrence Scott Mary Burgess Liming Shao must be received by the editor six weeks before the date of issue. Donald O. Rickter S.B. Rajur Editor: Michael P. Filosa, Ph.D., editor, ZINK Imaging LLC, 1265 Main Street, Term Ends 12/31/2009 Waltham, MA 02451 Email: Michael.Filosa(at)zink.com; Tel: 781-386-8479. Catherine Costello Julia H.Miwa Associate Editors: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Patricia Mabrouk Alfred Viola Sheila E Rodman, Konarka Techologies Inc., 116 John St. Suite 12, Lowell, MA Michaeline F. Chen Jerry P. Jasinski 01852 email:srodman(at)konarka.com tel 978-569-1414 Dorothy J. Phillips Eva B. Binnun Amy Tapper Barney Grubbs Board of Publications: Vivian K. Walworth (Chair), Mary Mahaney, David Cunningham Business Manager: Karen Piper, 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451, Tel: 978-456-8622 All Chairs of standing Advertising Manager: Vincent J. Gale, P.O. Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, Committees, the editor Tel: 781-837-0424; FAX: 781-837-1453 of THE NUCLEUS, and Contributing Editors: Morton Hoffman, Feature Editor; Dennis Sardella, Book Reviews the Trustees of Section Calendar Coordinator: Sheila Rodman, email: srodman(at)konarka.com Funds are members of the Photographers: Morton Z. Hoffman and James Phillips Board of Directors. Any Coun cilor of the American Chemical Society Proofreaders: Donald O. Rickter, Myron S. Simon, Vivian K. Walworth, E. Joseph Billo residing within the section area is an ex officio Webpage: Webmaster: David Cunningham, david_cunningham(at)uml.edu member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2007, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus Summer 2007 3 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:56 PM Page 4

What’s New in Boston? Corporate Patrons and Golf Iridium By Morton Hoffman [[email protected]] Astra Zeneca R&D Boston Genzyme Drug Discovery & Dev and Robert Lichter [[email protected]] Hovione This article appeared in the Journal of Chemical Education IBM and is reprinted with permission of the editor. IRIX Pharmaceuticals If you were last in Boston for the ACS convention-oriented area. Johnson-Matthey Pharma Solutions National Meeting in 2002, or have not Lyophilization Service of New England The Loci of the ACS Meeting been here since the meeting in 1998, Merck Phasex Corporation you should be aware that many The most important thing to remember is that all of the technical Sepracor changes that have taken place in this Strem Chemicals, Inc. venerable city will have an impact on sessions and most of the social events this year will NOT be held at the cozy Zone Enterprises your visit in August. Most of the Corporate Sponsors and Golf changes are the result of the Big Dig, and conveniently located, but woefully too small, Hynes Convention Center at Rhodium the multi-decade urban highway proj- Aerodyne Research, Inc. ect that is the largest, most complex, the Prudential Center and the adjacent hotels in the Back Bay. Rather, those Cambridge Isotope Laboratories and most expensive in U.S. history. Cambridge Major Laboratories parts of the meeting will be in the new Now virtually complete after the New England BioLabs, Inc. expenditure of upwards of $15 x 109 of Boston Convention and Exposition Pfizer mostly federal funds (we thank you for Center (BCEC) and the adjacent Sea- Sigma-RBI paying your taxes!), except for wrong- port and Westin Waterfront hotels in Shasun Pharma Solutions ful death lawsuits, investigations of the South Boston Seaport District, Donors and Golf Tungsten corruption and fraud, and the cleaning which is about three miles away. Consulting Resources Corp. up of the detritus that has piled up However, ACS governance and many Dishman Pharmaceuticals (which will probably take another cou- of the divisional committee meetings and Chemicals Limited WILL ple of decades), the elevated Central be held in the hotels in and Houghton Chemical Company around the Prudential Center. ACS Organix, Inc. Artery that separated the North End Vertex and the waterfront from the rest of the housing options include the South city is now gone, resulting in an area Boston hotels, some downtown hotels, that is brighter and airier than before. which are 1-2 miles from both loci, venient to enjoy. Be sure to visit the The Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and the Back Bay hotels with which booth of the Boston Convention and extends to Logan Airport, and the most people are acquainted from previ- Visitors Bureau in the BCEC for a list South Boston Seaport District, under ous meetings. We have been assured of other activities and places to visit. which is a network of tunnels and that shuttle buses will ply the streets of interchanges, is in the process of being Boston during the days and evenings South Boston Seaport District of the meeting between the major converted from a tired industrial When you tire of the technical ses- hotels and the BCEC. wasteland into a nascent business- and sions and the exposition and you want The walk between the BCEC and to get some food, there are some South Station in Downtown along decent choices in addition to the food Summer Street takes about 15 minutes. Save the Date! court at the BCEC. Notable are the The street, which passes through a following restaurants along Northern commercial area with few touristic Avenue, most of which provide water 6th Annual Undergraduate amenities, is wide with a fair amount views and al fresco dining that are less Environmental Research of automotive and pedestrian traffic than a 15-minute walk from the Symposium during the workday; it is apt to be BCEC: Anthony’s Pier Four, The Daily somewhat desolate on weekends and in Saturday, November 10, 2007 Catch, Harpoon Brewery, No Name the evening. Although the Seaport Restaurant, Yankee Lobster. There is a Bridgewater State College District around the BCEC and the adja- food court in the World Trade Center, Undergraduate research posters cent hotels will be fairly active at night some restaurants along Seaport Boule- (including completed, in progress, and during the summer because of concerts vard and Congress Street, and, of proposed research) in all environmen- and other events at the Bank of Amer- course, the upscale eateries in the tal disciplines are welcome. ica Pavilion, it will differ from a casual hotels. Please email Ed Brush stroll along Newbury Street and the One nice feature of the Seaport (ebrush(at)bridgew.edu) to add your other Back Bay byways you may be District and the adjacent downtown name to our email distribution list. A used to. Yet, because Boston is a area is the Harbor Walk along the formal “Call for Abstracts” will be sent small, compact city, these and other N electronically in September. opportunities are still relatively con- Continued on page 32 4 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:56 PM Page 5

2007 Welcome to Boston! NESACS Greetings from the 2007 NESACS Chair, Mukund S. Chorghade

ELECTION On behalf of our section, may I extend The topical focus areas – medicinal a very warm welcome to you and your chemistry, pharmaceutical and organic Chair-Elect families as you participate in a celebra- synthesis were areas where the chemi- E. Joseph Billo 405 tion of Chemistry and History. We are cal enterprise in our area has a well very proud of our cultural, historical, deserved reputation for excellence. We Secretary scientific and technological contribu- were fortunate in having the support of Michael Singer 405 tions to society: our section is blessed several pharmaceutical companies in Trustee with a talented membership represent- the area; a group of distinguished ven- ing all the diverse disciplines in Chem- dors added luster and flavor to the dis- Esther A.H. Hopkins 399 istry and who are employed in the cussions. So, join us for the ACS Councilor/Alternate strategic triad of academia, industry meeting and future events. We invite Thomas R. Gilbert 364 (##-3 yrs) and government. We have organized a all of you to collaborate, debate and group of dedicated volunteers to assist parley, share ideas and your wisdom Pamela M. Nagafuji 328 (##-3 yrs) you at the ACS meeting: I am confi- and build your networks. Michael Singer 323 (##-3 yrs) dent that our section members will A visit to Boston would not be Robert L. Lichter 321 (##-3 yrs) welcome with the warmth, cordiality, complete without visiting our historical Timothy B. Frigo 312 (#-3 yrs) friendship and gracious hospitality that sites, cultural attractions and partaking David Cunningham 312 (#-3 yrs) has been the hallmark of our traditions of the many offerings of this wonderful and the well-spring of our progress. city. So, please visit the Freedom Mark Froimowitz 272 (#-3 yrs) Our section membership partici- Trail, the Lexington Green, the old Eriks Rozners 263 (#-3 yrs) pates in many activities at the National North Bridge in Concord and the USS Mukund S. Chorghade259 level and has also spearheaded many Constitution. Take your family for a ## Elected Councilor innovative programs that highlight the cruise; enjoy fine dining at the many # Elected Alternate Councilor many benefits of chemistry to civic superb and multi-ethnic restaurants and community groups. We offer catering to every taste. See Fenway Director-at-Large excellent career guidance to profes- Park (the home of the Boston Red Sox) Stephen Lantos 379 sionals in our field: our career services and take a campus tour of our fine aca- programs focus on timely assistance demic institutions. Nominating Committee and counsel to employment seekers at Above all, please resolve to come Dorothy J. Phillips 295 all levels. Our NESACS blogs have back and to answer a quiz question: Jerry P. Jasinski 200 become justifiably renowned. We have Who made the first nitrite (nightride)? David Cunningham 170 participated in US-Germany academic The answer of course, is Paul Revere!! exchanges that have set an admirable N Pamela M. Nagafuji 157 Mukund Chorghade standard for other sections. Recently Esselen Award Committee we organized an inaugural “Advances Arthur S. Obermayer 234 in Chemical Sciences Symposium”. Charles E. Kolb 230 Under the auspices of these conferences, eminent scientists from the 2007 Norris Alfred Viola 223 strategic triad of academia, govern- Sean Lu 122 ment and industry will deliver plenary Award Richards Medal Committee lectures. This year’s conference brought together 200+ scientists for a Daniel G. Nocera 246 scholarly event focusing on medicinal Awarded to Professor Diane Dagmar Ringe 238 chemistry, organic synthesis and Bunce Barry L. Karger 223 methodology. This year’s plenary lec- Professor J. Donald Smith, Chair of the Peter Jacobi 124 turers included luminaries such as Norris Award Committee has Robert Grubbs (Caltech), William announced that the 2007 winner of the Underlined Candidates won election to N Greenlee (Schering Plough), Eric Norris Award for Outstanding their respective positions. Jacobsen (Harvard), Steven Ley (Uni- Achievement in the Teaching of Chem- versity of Cambridge), Mark Murcko istry will be Professor Diane Bunce of N (Vertex) and Tomi Sawyer (Pfizer). Catholic University of America.

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NESACS Members Active in Boston ACS Meeting Symposia

Members of the Northeastern Section unusual program in detail elsewhere in ment output. NESACS Chair, Mukund have organized and are major partici- this issue. Following the symposium Chorghade, CEO of Chorghade Enter- pants in at least five exciting and var- will be a reception in the Lighthouse prises, will discuss the multi-discipli- ied symposia at the 2007 Boston ACS Ballroom 2 of the Seaport Hotel, at nary nature of biotechnology and its meeting. At 8:45 AM on Sunday, which many of NESACS’s activities effect on the job market. Susan Wol- August 19th, in the Seaport Hotel, will be highlighted. lowitz, Vice President of Medivation, Plaza B, former NESACS Chair and On Tuesday, August 21st, from Inc, will address the changing land- current Councilor, Mort Hoffman, will 8:00 to 11:00 AM, the Younger scape of dosage forms, including deliver the keynote address, “Explor- Chemists Committee and the Division industry needs and science challenges. ing the High School-College Inter- of Business Management are sponsor- Later that afternoon, from 2:00 to face,” at the Division of Chemical ing the symposium, Changing Land- 5:00 PM, the Division of Professional Education’s High School Program. scapes of the BioPharma Industry, Relations will hold a Symposium in That same afternoon, from 1:30 to which will highlight the many novel honor of NESACS’s Arlene and Ted 5:00 PM in the Seaport Hotel, Plaza A, accomplishments of the biopharmaceu- Light, the 2007 recipients of the ACS the Division of Chemical Education, tical industry. Symposium organ- Henry Hill Award conferred by the collaborating with many other ACS izer and NESACS member, Michael Division. Organized and moderated by Divisions and Committees, is sponsor- Hurrey, of Vertex Pharmaceuticals has NESACS Chair, Mukund Chorghade, ing the symposium, Connections to gathered an impressive group of pre- the symposium will include Elaine Germany: Research and Education senters. Patrick Connelly of Vertex Diggs and John Sophos of ACS, who Opportunities, at which participants Pharmaceuticals will talk about trans- had worked with the Lights from the in NESACS’s signature German lational product development and the ACS Department of Career Services; Exchange Program will be featured. application of advances in physical Dan Eustace of Multi-Layer Coating The symposium organizer, that self- chemistry and materials science to Technologies and organizer of many same Mort Hoffman, has described this enhance drug discovery & develop- ACS career workshops; and James Burke, former Chair of the ACS Board of Directors. The symposium promises to be a fitting tribute to the Lights’ many contributions to ACS and to the career development of its members. The award will be presented at a reception following the symposium, to which all are invited. And on Wednesday afternoon, August 22nd, the Division of Profes- sional Relations, with the assistance of the Women Chemists Committee, is hosting another symposium, Sisters in Science. Organizer Pam Mabrouk, Past Chair of NESACS, has assembled a distinguished array of speakers who will illuminate accomplishments of African-American women chemists. Jeannette Brown will describe some of her findings during the preparation of her history of African-American women chemists. Esther Hopkins, retired from a variety of careers including those of chemist and patent attor- ney, and who is currently an elected legislator, will describe “a certain rest- continued on page 19

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The Northeastern Section’s Exchange With Germany

by Morton Z. Hoffman, Ruth Tanner and Michael Strem The Northeastern Section of the ACS the idea of a cooperative program (NESACS), its Younger Chemists between JCF and the NESACS YCC, Committee (YCC), and its Education in which each group would alternate Committee will host a visit to Boston hosting the other in Boston or in Ger- in August 2007 by representatives of many for one week each year. The the Young Chemists Forum (Jung- plan that evolved would have the visits chemikerforum, JCF) of the German built around a symposium at which the Chemical Society (Gesellschaft young chemists would make oral or Deutscher Chemiker, GDCh) as the poster presentations that describe their seventh annual event of the exchange (l-r) Mike Strem (Strem Chemicals, Inc.), research work. There would also be program between NESACS and Lauren Wolf, YCC Chair (Boston University), visits to academic and industrial GDCh. The German delegation of Ruth Tanner (U Mass Lowell), Morton Hoffman research facilities in the geographic fourteen graduates, accompanied by (Boston University) at the NESACS poster at the area, in addition to social and cultural 2005 Exchange in Berlin. Kurt Begitt, Deputy Executive Direc- Photo provided by Morton Z. Hoffman. events that would develop personal tor and Director of Education and Pro- interactions among the participants. fessional Affairs of the GDCh, will 2000, Strem saw an exhibit by the JCF. Upon his return to Boston, Strem spend a week in Boston at the time of He recognized immediately that this presented the idea to the NESACS the ACS National Meeting. group and its members were very simi- Education and Younger Chemists The visit will give the German lar in purpose and organization, mem- Committees and the Board of Directors graduate students the opportunity to bership age, and stage of professional and reported that GDCh would be pre- experience that event, with its associ- career to that of the NESACS YCC. pared to send a group of German grad- ated exposition and social events; In the course of the Chemiedozen- uate students to Boston in 2001. A interact and network with the other tentagung, Strem and Begitt discussed committee to organize the Exchange graduate students in attendance; and continued on page 32 present the results of their research in a scientific forum. The presence of the German delegation at the meeting will spotlight the ACS international efforts, as demonstrated by the close ties that exist between the ACS and the GDCh. Origins of the Exchange The beginning of the connection between NESACS and GDCh occurred when Michael Strem (Strem Chemi- cals, Inc.), a member of the ACS Board of Directors from District I (1997- 2000) and a member of the NESACS Board of Directors, met Kurt Begitt as part of the rapidly developing ACS- GDCh interaction. Begitt suggested to Strem that his company, which is located in Newburyport, MA, and has an international operation, might wish to exhibit its products at the Chemiedozententagung, the annual March meeting of the GDCh at which postdoctoral fellows, who are searching for an academic job in Germany, present their work to interested Ger- man professors. At the meeting in

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NESACS Medicinal Chemistry Section

By S. B. Rajur, CreaGen Biosciences Program Chair, NESACS Medicinal Chemistry Group The New England Section of the Speakers at the May 2007 Symposium on “Lead Optimization Strategies”: Prof. L.V. G Nargund, American Chemical Society (Nargund Research Foundation, Nargund Col- (NESACS) is one of the oldest and lege of Pharmacy, Bangalore, India), Neal most active organizations in the nation. Green, (Wyeth Research, Cambridge, MA), Horst The Medicinal Chemistry Section, an Hemmerle, Discovery Chemistry, (Eli Lilly and active and integral part of NESACS, Co. Indianapolis, IN), Mark T. Goulet, (Merck Research Laboratories, Boston, MA), Raj (SB) focuses on the specific challenges and Rajur, Program Chair, (CreaGen Biosciences, innovative chemistry opportunities in Woburn, MA). Photo provided by Raj (SB) Rajur the pharmaceutical area. Officers of the Medicinal Chemistry Section are cules with target proteins, which in Program Chair, Treasurer, Directors turn can help scientists to design new and Advisors, and these offices may be molecules for the treatment of dia- held by regular NESACS members, on diabetes and oncology. betes. Dr. Murali Ramachandra from councilors and alternate councilors. In 2005, the first Medicinal Chem- Aurigene Discovery Technologies of The Program Chair has the overall istry Symposium was held on May 19th Bangalore, India, talked about the responsibility for inviting speakers, at the Radisson Hotel in Woburn, MA. design and synthesis of DPPIV selecting the venue and arranging the The topic for the day was New Targets inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 dinner. The section conducts an annual for Type-2 Diabetes. With the number diabetes. The social hour, networking long-range planning meeting and three of people diagnosed more than dou- and dinner were part of the program. additional medicinal chemistry meet- bling over the past 15 years, it has The keynote speaker for the evening ings. Each meeting features a sympo- become essential for the medicinal was Dr. Edwin B. Villhauer from sium on a specific topic in medicinal chemistry community to gather and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Edwin told chemistry and associated biology. compare research interests and ideas. the story of Vildagliptin, a compound These symposia, well attended by The lineup of speakers at the sympo- that he designed about 10 years ago, NESACS members and chemistry stu- sium did not disappoint the 110 partici- which is now in Phase III clinical trials. dents alike, involve discussions and pants present. Dr. Javed Iqbal of Dr. The September, 2005 meeting was presentations on cutting-edge research Reddy’s Laboratories in Hyderabad, held at the Cambridge Marriott Hotel topics by well-known speakers from India, spoke on a partial PPAR-gamma on the topic of Ion Channel Drug Dis- global pharmaceutical and biotechnol- Agonist (Balaglitazone) for the treat- covery. Dr. Mark Varney, VP of Drug ogy companies. These meetings are ment of Type-II Diabetes. Dr. John Discovery, Sepracor, was the moderator very interactive, informative and edu- Bondo Hansen of Novo Nordisk A/S, for the program. Dr. Nancy Barta, cational; they serve as networking Denmark, spoke on Preservation of Associate Research Fellow from Pfizer, meetings, specifically for students who Beta Cell Function in Diabetes by spoke on The Role of a 2-δ Calcium are looking to join the biotechnology kir6.2/SUR1 (Openers of KATP Chan- Channel Subunit in the Biological and pharmaceutical industries after nels). The keynote speaker for the sym- Activity of Pregabalin. Dr. Francesco completing their studies. posium was Dr. Steve Tam of Wyeth Belardetti, Director of Ion Channel Of the three annual meetings, two Research, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Tam’s Research at Neuromed, spoke on the are joint meetings with the main sec- talk dealt with Biostructure-based Discovery of Calcium Channel Block- tion and one is conducted independ- Development of PTP1B Inhibitors. ers by Sequential Use of Fluorescence- ently by the Medicinal Chemistry Later in 2005, also in Woburn, 200 Based Screens. Dr. Valentin Gribkoff, Section. participants met to hear the cutting- VP of Biology at Scion Pharmaceuti- With regular meetings and a con- edge research results presented by four cals, spoke on the Discovery and Char- stant flow of prestigious speakers and speakers on the front in the fight acterization of Openers of Neuronal networking opportunities, the Medici- against diabetes. Dr. Mark Tepper, and Smooth Muscle Potassium Chan- nal Chemistry Section remains on the Founder and CEO of CytRx Pharma- nels. The symposium , concluded with forefront of the battle against disease, ceuticals, spoke about how RNAi tech- a keynote presentation by Dr. Mark because such battles are not won sim- nology can be used to develop Suto, VP of Chemistry at Icagen. ply in the laboratory, but require a molecular medicines to treat obesity The 2006 symposia focused healthy exchange of information and and diabetes. Dr. Sridhar Prasad from largely on oncology. The next sympo- ideas. Nowhere has this been more evi- Merck Pharmaceuticals explained how sium was held at the Holiday Inn in th dent than at the several recent Medici- X-ray crystallography is used to under- Woburn, on May 18 . The symposium nal Chemistry Symposia that focused stand the interactions of small mole- topic was New Trends In Oncology, 8 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:56 PM Page 9

hour, networking and dinner were part of the program. September Meeting: The keynote speaker for the evening was Dr. Michael Block, Direc- Building Bridges tor of Chemistry, Cancer Research Center, AstraZeneca R&D, Boston, Between the MA. Michael spoke on the Develop- ment of Selective Aurora A and B Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer. Pharmaceutical The third symposium of 2006 was held on December 14at the Wellesley Industry and Academia College Club, Wellesley, MA, and the topic was antidepressants. Dr. Lee E. — A New Paradigm for Drug Discovery Schechter, Therapeutic Area Head/ Director of Depression and Anxiety The next NESACS Medicinal Chemistry Symposium will be held on Septem- th Research Neuroscience Discovery, ber 20 (Holiday Inn Select Hotel, Woburn, MA) and will focus on the spoke on Novel Approaches to the increasing nexus between academic laboratories and the pharmaceutical indus- Treatment of Depression. Dr. Ewa try. Drug Discovery is increasingly being done in academic settings, as former Malatynska, Johnson & Johnson Phar- industrial scientists and academics apply the research muscle of large research maceutical Research & Development, university/hospital complexes to a number of disease areas. Speakers includ- NJ spoke on Dominant-Submissive ing Dr. Greg Cuny from the Laboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegenera- Relationships in Paired Animals for tion at Harvard Medical School, Dr. David Weaver, Principal investigator at Antimanic and Antidepressant Drug Vanderbilt University Molecular Libraries Screening Center (VUMLSC) and Testing. Dr. Phil Skolnick, CSO and Executive VP of DOV Pharmaceuti- Prof. Iwao Ojima of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery at cals, spoke on Broad Spectrum Antide- Stony Brook University will lead a lively discussion on the opportunities, pit- pressants: Molecules, Mice, and Men. falls and latest research from several top academic drug discovery laborato- N The keynote speaker for the evening was Dr. ries. A detailed program will be announced in the next issue of The Nucleus. Carol A. Zarate, Chief and Clinical Director of the Laboratory of Molecu- lar Pathophysiology from NIMH, who Medicinal Section Application of Structure-Based Drug spoke on Glutamatergic Modulators Design to the Taming of a Protein-Pro- Continued from page 8 for the Treatment of Mood Disorders. tein Interaction Target. The symposium was generously spon- Part I. Participating in the symposium The second symposium for the sored by Sepracor Corporation. was Dr. Hewi-Ru Tsou, Chemical & year also focused on oncology. The These meetings of the best and Screening Sciences Division of Wyeth 100 participants enjoyed hearing cut- brightest medicinal chemistry minds Research in Pearl River, New York, ting-edge research results that were are usually held on the second Thurs- who spoke on Orally Active, Irre- presented by four speakers from the days in May, September and Decem- versible Inhibitors of Human Epider- pharmaceutical industry. Dennis ber. The joint meetings with NESACS mal Growth Factor Receptor-2 France, Vice President of Oncology are typically held in September and (HER-2). Dr. Valeria Fantin from Can- Lead Discovery from ArQule Biomed- December. At the December meeting, cer Biology & Therapeutics, a Division ical Institute, Woburn, MA spoke on the Medicinal Chemistry Program of Merck Research Laboratory, the topic Beyond Biomolecular Screen- Chair, currently Dr. Raj (S.B.) Rajur of Boston, MA, spoke on Targeting His- ing: A Multi-Paradigm Approach in CreaGen Biosciences, Inc. invites the tone Deacetylase: Development of Streamlining Early Oncology Drug Section Chair to address the meeting Vorinostat (SAHA) for the Treatment Discovery. Dr. Beverly A. Teicher, with brief remarks. During the Decem- of Cancer. The third speaker for the Vice President, Oncology Research ber meeting, the Section Chair will also day was Dr. Rusell Petter, VP of Drug from Genzyme Corporation, Framing- speak prior to the keynote presentation. Discovery at Mersana Therapeutics, ham, MA, spoke on the development Cultivating a strong dialogue in Cambridge, MA, who spoke on MER- of a Novel Topoisomerase I Inhibitor the pharmaceutical and biotechnology 1001: A Novel Polymeric Prodrug of for the Treatment of Cancer. Dr. Tomi community has been the goal of the Camptothecin for the Treatment of Sawyer, Head, Chemical Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry Section of Cancer. The keynote speaker was Dr. Senior Director, Pfizer Research Tech- NESACS. The exchange of ideas and Christopher Straub, Novartis Institutes nology Center, Cambridge, MA, spoke research interests may prove to be one for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, on Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors of of the most formidable tools in the MA. Dr. Straub’s talk focused on Oncogenic Protein Kinases: Tackling Inhibitors of Apoptosis Proteins: Selectivity and Resistance. The social Continued on page 22 The Nucleus Summer 2007 9 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:56 PM Page 10

Frequent Flyer: Reflections on the Academic Job Search

By Anne McNeil I recently logged 29,316 frequent flyer advice on how many universities to miles during my search for an aca- which I should apply. When I asked demic position. I was anxious during various advisors I got replies such as take-off (sending out applications), “No more than 20” and “100 would be experienced periods of smooth flying too many.” I set 30 as my goal and with intermittent turbulence (interview- applied to 37. One question everyone ing), and celebrated after the safe land- suggested I ask myself is “If this is my ing (accepting an offer). And as with only offer, would I go here?” I found most trips, I am thankful it is over. As this question difficult to answer with- I reflect, I want to share my experi- out visiting the department because it ences and hopefully provide some felt arbitrary; I have never lived in insight for those about to take this jour- state X, how do I know I would not ney. However, keep in mind that the like it there? In retrospect, I should experience is unique for everyone. tion that I would be most satisfied, pro- have trusted my gut instinct. When I had wanted to be a chemistry fessionally and personally, in an aca- offers started coming in, I canceled professor for at least the past ten years, demic position. Just as pilots use interviews based largely on location. yet every two years, almost as if on a runway lights as evidence they are I was relieved when I got my first schedule, I questioned this decision headed in the right direction, I exam- interview request. Scheduling these and considered other careers. For ined where my career was headed as I interviews quickly became compli- example, once I wanted to become a gained experience and maturity. cated. The advice I got was to priori- lawyer and another time I wanted to be My academic job search began last tize the interviews. I ended up a science journalist. These explo- fall. After compiling a list of approxi- scheduling the interviews in the near- rations always ended with the realiza- mately 65 potential positions, I sought est available date. If I could go back in

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Frequent Flyer Dudley Herschbach to Continued from page 10 time I would change that aspect. I Speak at ACS Meeting found it amusing to get a request while I was on a different interview. 1986 Nobel Prize Recipient at Silver Circle and Retiree Breakfast I found that every interview was st logistically different; some lasted one on Tuesday, August 21 . day, while others were two full days. Register now, space is limited. At some places I gave my research seminar on the first day and my pro- If you are planning to attend the ACS Dr. Herschbach has been a strong posal seminar on the second day. On National Meeting in Boston, August proponent of science education and one interview I gave the research semi- 19-24, please attend the Silver Circle science among the general public. He nar, immediately followed by the pro- and Retiree Breakfast at the Westin frequently gives lectures to students of posal seminar, at the start of the first Copley Place Hotel, Flying Cloud all ages, imbuing them with his infec- day! For the one-day interviews, my Room, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on tious enthusiasm for science and his st “lunch” was often during the proposal Tuesday, August 21 . playful spirit of discovery. seminar; at one institution they insisted Guest speaker for the breakfast Ticket price for the plated break- I eat some of my lunch before starting event is Harvard University Professor fast is $12.00.Tickets may be pur- and when I started to open the first Dudley Robert Herschbach, who chased during the national meeting item (potato chips), they said “O.K, it received the 1986 Nobel Prize in registration process - or may be added looks like we are all here so let’s get Chemistry Award jointly with Yuan T. to your existing registration. started.” I got savvy and began pack- Lee and John C. Polanyi. Professor Please purchase your ticket as ing a granola bar to eat in the bathroom Herschbach will be talking about soon as possible or before July 27 to squelch the hunger pains. Overall, I developing the next generation of (early registration deadline). A few preferred interviews that lasted 1.5 chemists and what Silver Circle mem- tickets will be available at the door, but bers and retirees can do today to seating is limited, so it’s advisable to days, with the proposal seminar near N the end; it was much easier to respond inspire tomorrow’s chemical scientists. purchase in advance. to questions after previously having met with each person. Some of the turbulence along the way included missing my first appointment on one interview because someone forgot to pick me up at the hotel. On another, I was dropped off 30 minutes before the departure of the last flight home. After a while, the interviews started to blend together and it was difficult to keep the details straight. To battle the confusion, on return flights I asked myself “Would I accept if I got an offer here?” My strategy involved writing two summaries: (1) I summa- rized the entire experience, ranging from the personalities of the colleagues with whom I interacted, the students, the facilities, and whatever was remarkable to me. (2) I also summa- rized the discussion sessions for both seminars; the feedback gave me the opportunity to revise and improve my presentations and ideas. One of the best pieces of advice I received before interviewing was to make a list of questions that were most important to me and ask them more than once dur- Continued on page 24

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Getting Ahead: Advancing Your Career Through Strategic Job Searching

by Scott Szczesny, Jillian Savoy and Megan Driscoll, PharmaLogics Recruiting, Braintree, Massachusetts 02184 At the cornerstone of any successful will outline some simple strategies for term career goals involve moving up pharmaceutical development program advancing your career through a con- the company ladder, making lots of is a well-developed and well- executed tinuous process of proactive job search- money, ensuring your own job stabil- plan. Most pharmaceutical profession- ing. Most people think of job searching ity, or a combination of these things, als would agree that a proactive as posting a CV on the Monster board following this process will allow you approach is a key element to success or submitting resumés to companies to attain your goals more quickly and when dealing with day-to-day develop- via on-line methods. A better approach will help you to avoid getting stuck in ment issues. They anticipate potential is much more strategic and involves a a professional rut. problems and develop systems ahead career- long process which can be bro- I. Establishing an individual of time specifically designed to handle ken down into 5 simple steps: (I) development plan the issues that are bound to surface at establishing an individual development some point. Pharmaceutical profes- plan; (II) gaining new experience to The individual development plan is sionals deal in grey areas on a consis- improve your marketability; (III) creat- your roadmap to success. It is essen- tent basis and have to weigh the ing opportunities within your current tially an outline highlighting your cur- potential risks in decisions they make company; (IV) establishing and main- rent strengths along with the every day. With proper planning being taining an active professional network experience you need to gain in order to such an important part of success, it is to create external opportunities; and attain your long- term career objec- bewildering to discover the substantial (V) evaluating your progress through- tives. The first step in establishing your number of scientific professionals who out the process. This might seem like development plan is to set personal do not apply the same proactive an overwhelming process at first goals. This task seems obvious, but not approach to their most important proj- glance, but, as you will learn, it really many people actually take the time to ect...their own career. involves some simple action items that physically write down their career In the following paragraphs we anyone can follow. Whether your long- goals. Where do you want to be in 5 years? How about in 10 years? When your long- term career goals are written down in black and white, it is much easier to evaluate what you can do this year to get yourself a step closer to reaching them. You may not achieve that Director or VP title that you desire immediately, but the steps you take now will better position yourself to attain that goal in the future. Another benefit of actually writing down your goals is that it will be much easier to realize when you are veering slightly off course. When you recognize a devi- ation early, a slight reorganization of your priorities can usually get you back on track. Conversely, if you are slow to recognize even a small vari- ance from the course, you will end up having to do some major backpedaling. Once you have established your career goals, the second step in creating your individual development plan is to update your resumé. Do not wait until you are applying for a new position in order to do this. You should update your resumé at least once per

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Getting Ahead ties for growth and hiring managers but if that money comes with the hand- seek candidates whose resumés icap of allowing your resumé to Continued from page 12 demonstrate accomplishments in a become stagnant then it is certainly not year. Include new certifications and variety of settings. a sound investment decision. Your title changes that you have received We advise all of our candidates to earning potential over a period of 5, and significant accomplishments in treat their resumé like investments. 10, 15 or more years is significantly which you have taken part. Now is the Every day that you go to work is a lit- greater than the extra $5K or $10K you time for some honest self-evaluation. tle more time and energy invested into would earn this year. The more skills Does your resumé look more qualified your long-term return. We firmly that you can add to your repertoire, the for that Associate Director role you believe that the experience you gain, more marketable your resumé becomes desire today than it did a year ago? especially during the earlier portion of and the greater your future earning Share your resumé with a colleague your career, is significantly more potential will be. whom you respect and ask him or her important than the wage you are III. Creating opportunities within to evaluate it critically. If you were to receiving. That is to say, the difference your current company apply for a senior position in their between making $90K or $100K this organization, what would they say year is insignificant when compared to Now that you have scoped out your about your experience? Do the same what you will earn over the course of individual development plan, evaluate with a recruiter that you trust. Use your your career. Of course, all things being the plan against your current position own judgment, as well as these second equal, everyone would like to make and the potential to grow internally. and third opinions, to identify the more money today. However, if you Understand how far you can advance experience that you are lacking. Identi- are accepting more money to remain in within your firm. Think this through fying your career goals and updating a job with limited growth or learning ahead of time, so that you will antici- your resumé allows you to build your opportunities, you are hampering your pate when it is time to move on. Take individual development plan and begin ability to increase your earning poten- the initiative to create opportunities for to monitor your progress. Because you tial in the coming years. You should yourself within your current role. These know where you want to go (career focus on building your resumé and opportunities can range from promo- goals) and where you are (current expanding your skill set so that you tion or transferring into a new group to resumé), you can map out the experi- can command more money over a simply adding new responsibility to ence you need to gain and interim longer period of time. It would be great your current tasks or gaining a new positions that must be attained in order to earn $5K or $10K more this year, skill by working on a particular proj- to reach your long -term objective. Continued on page 14 Your plan should include any training and coursework needed to gain new skills and projects in your company that can expand your knowledge base. Write out the actions you intend to take to move along your path to advancement, including steps to strengthen the weaknesses you have diagnosed. II. Gaining new experience to improve your marketability Your career goals are established, you have identified your weaknesses and outlined a development plan. That plan likely includes gaining exposure to new things. Why is this important? The more experience and responsibility that you can demonstrate on your resumé, the more attractive you become to both your current employer and other companies. Read the biographies of execu- tives in your field and you will likely see experience in a breadth of areas and within companies both large and small. This is not a coincidence. Dynamic leaders seek new opportuni-

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Getting Ahead Stand up and create them for yourself. bump up against a glass ceiling in their Timing is everything, and the right current role. The truth of the matter is Continued from page 13 time to take on a new challenge is that there is really never a convenient ect. The best managers have develop- always now. This is a powerful state- time to change jobs. Professionals on ment plans for each of their employment,but it rings true in most situa- the fast track are always willing to ees, but, the most successful tions. This includes both taking on new accept new challenges. You can be sure employees make sure that their boss is responsibilities within your current that the Vice President of Research at aware of their goals as well. For company and making a move to a new your company did not get there by instance, discuss your desire to get position externally. chance. There were strategic career involved in an upcoming project or to IV. Establishing and maintaining an moves and goal-oriented time lines set broaden your horizons by taking part active professional network to in place that specifically justify their in the next CMC preparation. We con- create external opportunities elevated position. There were likely stantly hear from candidates who are also times when they chose to strike frustrated that they are not being con- Many employees do not think about when the iron was hot, rather than to sidered for an open position within searching for a new job until they get wait because the timing was not con- their company. However, most of these passed over for a promotion or their venient. It is important to note that candidates admit that they have not company goes through a restructuring. these moves often came along with expressly made their interest in the This is a tragic mistake. The best time significant short-term sacrifices to position known. Make sure that your to look for a new job is when you are reach the long-term goal. Such sacri- boss or the senior management team is happily entrenched in your current fices include relocation to a new city, aware of your desire to be considered position. It is highly unlikely that the accepting a lateral salary move or the for a particular opening or that you right next career step will present itself potential risk of joining a start-up firm would value the chance to work in a at exactly the same time that you or company in transition. These sacri- different part of the organization. If decide that you want to leave your cur- fices can be worthwhile and are often they do not respond positively about rent company. This is why you should necessary in order to continue advanc- your candidacy, find out what experi- always be actively listening for the ing on your projected career path. ence you would need to gain in order right opportunity, even though you may Maintaining an active professional to be considered for similar positions not necessarily be looking. The most network is the most obvious way to in the future. Do not rely on your boss successful people identify and accept increase the likelihood that you will to present these opportunities to you. their next position before they ever hear about interesting opportunities outside your company. Everybody knows that networking is something that they should be doing, but many people are not sure how or why. One of the most common mistakes that people make is to think about networking only when they need something. If you are touching base with your former colleagues, bosses and professors only when you want a new job or need specific answers to a problem you are fac- ing, your network will not bear the fruit you desire. You should keep your network organized in a contact management system to ensure that you have current phone numbers and email addresses and to remind yourself to check in with your peers periodically. Place a call or drop an email when you read news about their company or before heading to a conference. Make them aware of opportunities that exist in your company and they will do the same for you. Networking is a two- way street; it cannot be all take and no give. To keep your network growing, it Continued on page 28

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Philanthropic Gesture Leads to International Friendship

by Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. In the summer of 2006, Dan Eustace (Manager of Health, Safety and Environmental Affairs for Multi- Layer Coating Technologies) found himself with a significant number of journal back issues from his personal subscriptions. These were mainly issues of the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the Journal of the Electrochemical Society. Since the organization to which he had previously donated no longer existed, Dan used the Internet to discover a worthy recipient. He contacted Professor Max- imo Baron, at the Universidad de Bel- (L-R) are M. Clelia Garnelo (bibliotecaria), Dr. Maximo Baron (director), Dr. Lydia Galagovsky grano in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Univerisidad de Buenos Aires), Dan Eustace, and Dr. Carlos Durruty (biblioteca). Maximo was thrilled with the offer, Photo provided by Dan Eustace and six M-bags of journals were sent need and have very limited resources. Galagovsky, a professor at the Facultad on their way. The initial part of this Additionally, my wife, Mary Lou, and de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Uni- story was told in The Nucleus (Sum- I were planning a trip there and I versidad de Buenos Aires, worked wanted to make some contacts in that together to organize several special mer 2006, pages 13, 20). Below is the country. In fact, Maximo and Dr. Lydia Continued on page 24 story of what has happened as a result of that donation. The journals were sent to the Aso- ciaci´on Quimica Argentina (AQA) in June of 2006, and it took about 6 weeks for the journals to arrive in Argentina. LB: What did Maximo say when he received the donations? DE: Dr. Baron is a genuine gentleman with a distinctive formal style. In August of 2006, Maximo emailed me to say ”So, as the saying goes: ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL. As you can guess the six bags arrived safely last Friday, without any inconven- iences. Since you sent them directly to the AQA, as I suggested, we received notice from the Central Post office and one of our staff just went over and picked them up, after a nominal pay- ment.” LB: Why did you single out Argentina to receive your donation? DE: The economy has been very bad in Argentina. They are in desperate

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Why I Love Organic Chemistry By Karla Schallies, Suffolk University, Boston, MA 02108

This is the story of how a biology With this in mind, I planned on having The semester flew like the wind as major learned to love organic chem- a chemistry minor, which would Dr. Wicht helped all of us understand istry. I transferred to the College of require me to take organic chemistry organic chemistry with jokes, by Arts and Sciences of Suffolk Univer- and other extra courses besides the telling us about her own experiences, sity as a junior to complete my biology biology requirements and to do well and by writing everything down on the degree. Suffolk University has many academically. The professor walked whiteboard so that we could under- requirements in the hope of preparing into the classroom, thus interrupting stand each word and its importance. well-rounded scientists. One of the my thoughts, and my first impression One of Dr. Wicht’s famous sayings is, requirements of a biology major is to was that she was young and engaging. “Molecules do not talk,” so we have to complete two semesters of general Her name is Dr. Denyce Wicht and to use our knowledge of chemistry to chemistry and two semesters of organic her I devote this article. understand them and be able to com- chemistry. As my second semester of The class started right away and municate with them. She was also general chemistry was coming to an Dr. Wicht talked about the subject mat- great at finding relationships between end my friends and I started talking ter, the syllabus, and some very impor- the textbook’s ideas and her own ideas about the next step, the organic chem- tant points that were going to help us and how all of this could be practical istry course. Everyone talked about be successful in the class. She empha- in our world. The class was challeng- how complex and difficult the subject sized the importance of thinking and ing, but the first semester went by so is, and, as is understandable, I started practicing everyday to be able to fast that during the winter break I was feeling extremely nervous. I had really understand all of the concepts and eager to start the second semester. I enjoyed my general chemistry class reactions that we were going to learn was looking forward to hearing the and performed well academically, but from that point on. I immediately felt jokes Dr. Wicht had prepared for the many people I know said that the two better and I thought to myself, “There second semester and the new ideas that courses were not related at alland that is hope; this class is not impossible if I she would develop to help us enjoy the getting a good grade in general chem- study hard.” However, students were second part of the class, like the many istry did not necessarily mean that you still a little afraid of the subject. It was reactions and names of compounds. would do well in organic chemistry. I then that Dr. Wicht drew two lines She even used animal sounds to help felt discouraged before the course together as shown here. us remember group names, like the started, Even though I had taken a She asked the group what they thought donkey sound that will always remind basic organic chemistry class during the lines meant and answers started me of the enol group. Everybody in high school back in my country of ori- coming, some funny and some very our class was touched by Dr. Wicht’s gin, Venezuela, I had not taken another accurate. One student suggested she approach to teaching organic chem- class in over seven years. My nervous- had drawn the “greater than” symbol in istry; she made the lectures so enjoy- ness increased and the nightmare of the wrong direction… imagine that! able and involving that the group really failing the course started to wander This was the icebreaker that led to bonded and learned many new ideas around my head. Moreover, I was also laughter and explanations for the entire for their future as chemists. Now I concerned that I, being a non-native class. She explained that arrows and realize that everything she taught was English speaker because my first lan- lines have very specific meaning to really simple because she took the time guage is Spanish, could have problems organic chemists. Specifically, from to explain it to us and made sure we understanding the terminology that here on in organic chemistry, that sym- understood everything at our own pace. was unrelated to what I had learned in bol must mean propane to us. She also Dr. Wicht not only made lectures my general chemistry class. explained that we would never have to interesting, but she also made the labo- My first day of classes arrived be afraid of molecules because we are ratories unique. incredible. She intro- sooner than I expected and, as I was both bigger and smarter than they are. duced Green Chemistry into all of our sitting in the classroom waiting for the She continued to explain more and laboratory procedures, This step professor to come, I had an eye-open- more about molecules and different became of vital importance in my life ing moment. I had really enjoyed tak- analytical techniques. Most impor- as a member of the Suffolk University ing general chemistry and I realized tantly, she taught us that organic chem- Student Affiliate Chapter of the Ameri- that there was no evidence to suggest istry is not a science requirement that can Chemical Society (SU SACS). The that I would not like organic chemistry should make students afraid of chem- SU SACS chapter is very involved in just as well. Not only that, but ever istry or discourage further chemistry Green Chemistry activities and I feel since I had started college I had real- studies, but is simply the study of how that having laboratories that support ized how important chemistry is to the molecules interact in special and these ideas is extremely valuable. The understanding of biological processes. unique ways. laboratory gave me confidence in 16 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 17

Green Chemistry in Africa: Sustainability through Science and Art Amy S. Cannon, Center for Green Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell In January of 2007 a unique event • Highest quality research and occurred in Capetown, South Africa. development and the creation of Forty early career chemists from sev- new chemistry in the area of eral different African countries met to Green Chemistry discuss their research and efforts in • Educational initiatives on Green green chemistry. They discussed the Chemistry at all levels use of indigenous, renewable resources • Introduction of Green Chemistry for the creation of HIV drugs and anti- products and processes into the malaria formulations, along with other market place issues critical to sustainable research • Policies and funding for Green and education on the continent. Meet- Chemistry ing with the African scientists were a group of individuals working in the Further outcomes of the confer- field of green chemistry internation- ence were a Green Chemistry Society ally, there to discus s common oppor- being set up in Kenya; the governing tunities and objectives. Individuals board of the society was developed from UMass Lowell, Yale, UC Berke- before the scientists departed the con- ley, Gordon College, University of ference. The artists came together with Nottingham, Merck, Sappi Fine Paper the scientists to brainstorm ideas Conference attendees came from Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Senegal, Nigeria, the and Rohm and Haas were participants. around communicating green chemistry United Kingdom and the United States. This conference was unique in to a wider audience. A plan was put in Photos provided by Umass Lowell. many ways, but perhaps the most rele- place to bring green chemistry to Africa vant was the participation of a group of through several public art projects. African artists. The general public has During the conference, scientists Organic Chemistry a large role to play in the acceptance, in Africa illustrated their great expert- Continued from page 16 adoption and dissemination of green ise and knowledge in chemistry and chemistry and sustainable practices in knowledge that I use in my everyday society. The public art community is life. It taught me about a wide variety on the “front line” of communication of topics, from global warming to per- with the general public. Therefore, in forming magic shows for kids using addition to the group of chemists, a safer chemicals. group of public artists met to discuss Finally, the most important thing their potential roles in creating a sus- Dr. Wicht taught me was to continue tainable future. Jerry Beck, Artistic working and using all my potential, no Director of the Revolving Museum in matter what class or how hard the sub- Lowell, Massachusetts, helped coordi- ject. This not only gave me the confi- nate the art component. dence to pass the class with a great In a particularly moving portion of John Warner of Umass Lowell with Scientists grade, but it also influenced my deci- the workshop, the scientists attending from South African Paper Products Interna- sion to take advanced organic chem- the conference created and signed the tional, Inc. >From (from left to right): Nelson istry in the following fall semester. I Capetown Declaration, stating: Sefara, Thobile Matona, Happy Maringa, John believe that what makes a professor We, the undersigned individuals, Warner (UMASS Lowell), Palesa Mogoregi. unforgettable is that he or she helps the declare that we will hold ourselves the materials sciences. Africa, with its students understand the material by personally accountable to strive to wealth of resources, provides a won- making it fun, useful for everyday life, advance Green Chemistry, challenge derful place for green chemistry to and challenging enough to be enjoy- our peers to take on the same and call grow. More scientists working toward able. There are not many professors on the governments, academia, indus- a sustainable future will ensure that we like that, which is why I know how try and civil society to advance and meet the challenge of tomorrow. lucky Suffolk University, my friends, support Green Chemistry through: The conference was organized by and I are to have such a dedicated pro- N • The application of the principles John Warner from the UMASS Lowell fessor for organic chemistry. of Green Chemistry Continued on page 22 The Nucleus Summer 2007 17 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 18

eral already hold faculty positions at The ACS Scholars colleges and universities. These numbers are not trivial. Program: Changing The Northeastern Section has participated significantly in the Scholars Program. In the 2005-2006 academic The Face of Chemistry year, 31 Scholars were enrolled in NESACS area colleges and universi- Robert L. Lichter ties. Since the program’s inception, Merrimack Consultants, LLC more than 115 Scholars have attended or are currently attending colleges and I present three axioms: has been the assignment of a mentor to universities in the NESACS area. Of • The U.S. chemical enterprise’s cur- each ACS Scholar to serve as a guide thirty- nine who have already gradu- rent practitioners are responsible for throughout the Scholar’s career. ated, twenty-nine received degrees shaping its future. Along the way ACS augmented its from MIT, nine from Harvard, and one initial investment with an additional from Wheaton. Ten majored in chem- • The future of the enterprise depends $1.5 million in 1998. Equally impor- istry, twenty-one in chemical engineer- on the young. tant, the program has attracted more ing, four in biochemistry, two in • The participants in the enterprise’s than $5.5 million in contributions from materials science/engineering, and two future and in its leadership must be 46 corporations and foundations, eight in environmental sciences/engineering. drawn from every segment of the U.S. ACS Local Sections (including A remarkable seventeen are currently population. NESACS), 30 individuals, and more in graduate school in these endeavors. • Corollary: diversity of the enter- then 60 alumni. All funds go directly One is in law school and planning to prise’s participants is necessary for for scholarships; ACS underwrites the go into patent law. Another, Thomas maintaining its intellectual and costs of administering the program, Epps, III, a 1995-1999 ACS Scholar at economic strength and vitality. managed with extraordinary dedication MIT, completed his Ph.D. in chemical and efficiency by Robert Hughes. In engineering at the University of Min- In 1994, ACS acknowledged that sig- 1991 the Scholars Program shared with nesota in 2004, did a National nificant segments of the United Project SEED the award of the presti- Research Council postdoctoral fellow- States’citizenry—specifically, African gious Presidential Award for Excel- ship at the National Institute of Stan- Americans, Latinos, and AmericanIn- lence in Science, Mathematics and dards and Technology, and is currently dians/Native Americans—were not Engineering Mentoring (that’s “Presi- an assistant professor of chemical drawn to the chemical sciences and dential,” as in President of the United engineering at the University of engineering to the extent that their rep- States). Delaware, where he has already resentation in the population would What has resulted from this received an NSF CAREER award for have indicated. Consequently, under investment of time and significant his research. the leadership of then-President S. money? Since its inception, the pro- While a small handful of the Alan Heininger, ACS set out to address gram as of this writing has supported remaining ten Scholars have not been this underrepresentation. Among other 1,725 undergraduates, slightly more tracked, the rest are employed largely undertakings, and with a $5 million women than men, 55 percent African in the chemical and related workforce. commitment from the ACS Board of American, 39 percent Latino, and 6 Interestingly, of the two who are work- Directors, ACS created the ACS Schol- percent American Indian. Nearly three ing in the financial industry, one is ars Program. The program’s purpose quarters have majored in chemistry or focused on chemically related busi- was to provide scholarships to under- chemical engineering, roughly in equal nesses. It is striking that a larger frac- represented students in two- and four- numbers. Twelve percent are in bio- tion of the Scholars chose to attend year colleges and universities who chemistry, and the rest in related graduate school than the fraction of intended a career in the chemical sci- majors, including environmental sci- chemical sciences and engineering ences and engineering. First awards ences and materials science or engi- bachelors-degree recipients in general. were made in 1995 and have continued neering. Graduates number 791, These stories make clear that the uninterrupted since then. Scholarship roughly in the same demographic and future is in good hands and that the support, currently up to $3,000 annu- disciplinary proportions as their partic- ACS Scholars Program plays a critical ally, is assured for up to four years of ipation in the program. Of those who role in keeping it so. NESACS contin- undergraduate study as long as recipi- have been tracked (a remarkable nearly ues to seek ways to engage the Schol- ents maintain an overall 3.0 grade- 90 percent of the participants), 342 are ars in its activities. A Section ACS point average and show continued in graduate school, and 301 are in the Scholars Committee, now in its early strength in mathematics and science chemical workforce. More than 20 stages, hosted a lunch earlier this year courses. Key to the program’s success have received Ph.D. degrees, and sev- Continued on page 19

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Boston Meeting Chemistry Exams Bring Continued from page 6 lessness.” NESACS Board member Students Together and ACS Councilor, Dorothy Phillips of Waters Corporation, will discuss the By Steve Lantos, Brookline HS, Brookline, MA roads that unite R&D and business careers. Gilda Barabino, Professor at Until his passing in 1970 Avery Ash- dent for this; Simmons has long shared Georgia Institute of Technology, will down was for many years an outstand- a connection to MIT, and their respec- speak on African-American women ing professor of chemistry at MIT and tive chemistry departments collaborate. and research in the Academy. And a tireless supporter of chemical educa- The USNCO has been offered Sharon Neal, Professor at the Univer- tion within the Northeastern Section. nationally to high school students since sity of Delaware will give her view of The NESACS Education Committee 1984, the first year the US participated the life of an African-American woman established an examination contest in in the International Chemistry in academia. Professor Ashdown’s name, and since Olympiad (IChO). Fewer than 1000 stu- These symposia illustrate the 1985 the exam has also served as a dents qualify to take the USNCO, typi- range of interest and engagement that qualifier for the nationally adminis- cally given in mid-April. The USNCO NESACS members display. Be sure to tered United States National Chemistry itself is a three-part exam that consists N attend! Olympiad (USNCO). of 60 multiple-choice questions, an The Ashdown Exam, a challeng- eight-part free response section, and a ing 100-minute/100-question test of two-part laboratory practical test. Sim- ACS Scholars Program students’ chemical knowledge, is typi- mons College hosts the roughly two cally given the first Saturday in April dozen students from across our section Continued from page 18 at Simmons College. Offered to both who typically qualify to sit for the for Scholars in the area. At the same first- and second-year chemistry stu- USNCO. Twenty of the top scorers time, many opportunities exist for indi- dents, the exam has for nearly thirty nationwide are then invited to an inten- vidual NESACS members to touch the years brought together young partici- sive two-week student camp at the lives of these students. The Scholars pants and their teachers to demonstrate U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. are always looking for rewarding sum- their interest and knowledge. Cash From this group four students are ulti- mer employment opportunities. The prizes, Honorable Mention certificates, mately selected to represent the US at program continues to seek financial and books, are given to top scorers. the International Chemistry Olympiad support to sustain itself and to grow. These awards are presented to stu- (this year held in Moscow, Russia). The need for mentors to advise, guide, dents, and their teachers are also recog- The Ashdown Exam draws more and support the students remains vital nized at the annual Education Night than 100 students from nearly 30 pub- to the program’s success. If you are held in mid-May. Although the lic and private schools throughout the interested in working more closely national ACS Exams Institute offers section. Increased participation, espe- with the program or have ideas for standardized 60-question exams to sec- cially from school districts less often activities, please contact Bob Lichter at tions throughout the country for use as represented, is always a goal of the HS [email protected]. Fur- qualifying exams for the USNCO, our Education Committee. We’re inter- ther information about the program is section has historically chosen to write ested in sharing chemical education available at www.chemistry.org/schol- its own lengthier exam. This exam is and fostering involvement throughout ars. meant to challenge our top students, the section. We encourage members to recognizing the high caliber of our sec- spread the word. Acknowledgments: The author is tion’s participants. Teachers who have For additional information, sample indebted to Robert Hughes, ACS traditionally sent students to the Ash- exams from previous years, registra- Scholars Program Manager, for provid- down are familiar with the format and tion, and questions about the Ashdown, ing the data, and to Drs. Pam Mabrouk preparation for the exam. Additional see www.nesacs.org; for additional and Mort Hoffman for their helpful schools and students are encouraged information about the USNCO, see < comments. to participate. http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1 Additional reading: Students often remark after the /acsdisplay.html?DOC=education%5C exam that, although difficult, the test is “Donors Invest in ACS Scholars Pro- student%5Colympiad.html>. good preparation for their Advance gram,” Chemical & Engineering News, Placement (AP) exams. The Simmons Steve Lantos, Chairperson 85, 58 (April 23, 2007) College Chemistry Department has tra- NESACS HS Education Committee “ACS Scholars Celebrate Anniver- ditionally supported the exam and the and USNCO Lab Practical Task Force sary,” Chemical & Engineering News, USNCO by offering rooms, lab space, N N Chair 80, 35-37 (October 17, 2005) and support. There is historical prece- Continued on page

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ALMA Local Chapter My Research An Update Experience by Larry Murphy, Cabot Corporation, Billerica, MA by Amrita Karambelkar The New England local chapter of the topic, date and location; this ensures I peered down at my sample of bacte- Analytical Laboratory Managers Asso- that the local chapter is member- run. ria calmly sitting in the ice bath. ciation is now a little over one year The inaugural meeting of the local Examining the small test tubes, I meas- old. The inaugural meeting was held ALMA chapter was covered in The ured out exact proportions of DNA on April 4, 2006, and membership has Nucleus’ Summer 2006 issue. Since solutions with a microliter pipette. Lab grown to over 55 members. then there have been three more meet- was one of my favorite activities in my ALMA’s unique strength lies in ings. AP classes; I always wanted a front providing a forum for analytical man- The second meeting was held at row seat. At times, I remember being agers to interact with other managers Thermo Electron in Waltham, MA, disappointed when working on labs who have similar problems and are where the topic was Using Bench- with the whole class and everyone willing to share solutions that have marking Metrics to Improve Labora- could not actively participate. I worked in their laboratories. To do this tory Productivity, presented by Dr. enjoyed immersing myself in the ALMA conducts annual conferences Wayne Collins. The reasons for numerous handouts and calculations that focus on effective management of benchmarking were given, along with for assignments ranging from bacteria the analytical laboratory. The confer- some very interesting examples of how transformation to gel electrophoresis. ences include short courses that cover some companies have used bench- My passion for science and research various aspects of managing a labora- marking to improve their products or led me to look for a summer internship tory. The association also publishes a processes. during the summer before my senior peer-reviewed publication, as well as The third meeting was held at year of high school. periodic newsletters. There are six Cabot Corporation in Billerica, MA I secured a volunteer internship in local chapters across the country that where the topic was Restriction of Professor Athan Kuliopulos’s group at enable meeting attendance for those Hazardous Substances (RoHS) ,pre- the Tufts-New England Medical Center who cannot attend the annual meeting, sented by Stephen Green of Mabbet & (NEMC) Molecular Oncology as well as serving as a forum for more Associates. RoHS is a European direc- Research Institute (MORI) laboratory frequent networking and sharing ideas tive with which companiesneed to in Boston for six weeks in the summer about managing an analytical labora- comply in order to place products on of 2006. This was an invaluable expe- tory. The New England chapter is the the European market. This directive rience because my previous knowledge newer of the local chapters and one of places restrictions on new electrical of working in a lab setting was rudi- the largest, drawing on participants and electronic equipment where com- mentary. I was soon taught basic pro- from Rhode Island, Connecticut, Mas- pliance levels must be met for lead, cedures, such as labeling tools sachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire cadmium, mercury, hexavalent correctly and autoclaving instruments. and Vermont. chromium, polybrominated biphenyl Continued on page 36 The New England chapter has (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl now had 4 meetings. The meetings are ether (PBDE) flame retardants. Other about sample tracking, data storage typically held during a weekday morn- parts of the world are implementing and a controlled database to manage ing, usually starting around 9:30 and alternative versions of RoHS. The testing. Information about how to select ending around 12:30. The meetings analytical laboratory needs to know the a LIMS vendor was also presented. start with an informal gathering of regulations in order to support the The next meeting is scheduled for attendees where old friends catch up needs of their businesses. Thursday, September 27, 2007 at E-Ink on news and new friends have an The fourth meeting was held at in Cambridge, MA, where the presen- opportunity to network. Each meeting W.R. Grace in Cambridge, MA, where tation topic will be “Behavioral Inter- has a learning topic. This tends to be the topic LIMS was presented by Glo- viewing for the Analytical Laboratory an active time where not only is the ria Metrick of GeoMetrick Enterprises. Environment,” presented by ALMA presenter engaged but also the audi- Gloria presented an overview of what member Lynne Garone, Senior Direc- ence participates, resulting in an active Laboratory Information Management tor of Analytical Technology at E Ink sharing of information. After the pres- Systems are and what they are not. Corp. entation and question period, lunch is Organizations can get into trouble if served, followed by a session focused they try to have a LIMS do everything, For additional information contact on planning for the next meeting such as documentation or inventory Larry Murphy at Lawrence_Murphy@ N including decisions regarding the next management. LIMS is essentially Cabot-Corp.Com.

20 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 21

National Chemistry Week Events

Celebrating The Many Faces of Chemistry & 20 Years of NCW

October 21, 2007 – Museum of Science Boston • Phyllis A. Brauner Memorial Lecture by Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea. Professor Shakhashiri has captivated audiences with his scientific demonstrations at a variety of locations including Boston’s Museum of Science, the National Academy of Sciences and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington. Taking place in Cahners Theatre (2nd floor, Blue Wing) at 1 pm and at 3 pm. • Kicking off National Chemistry Week 2007 Festivities Join us in a variety of hands-on activities related to the yearly theme. Taking place from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on October 21, 2007 in the lower level of the Blue Wing.

October 27, 2007 – Boston Children’s Museum From 11 am – 4 pm, NCW volunteers will be on-hand throughout the museum to perform demonstrations and assist in hands-on activities related to the yearly theme.

September 15 – October 10, 2007 K-12 students participate in the NCW poster competition. Visit www.nesacs.org and http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=ncw\ncw_index.html for more information.

October 21 – 27, 2007 Grades 1-12 may participate in the puzzle contest. See www.nesacs.org or the October 2007 issue of the Nucleus for the puzzles and contest information.

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History of Pencils Letter to the By Alfred Persson, MD Editor In ancient Rome, scribes used a stylus with developing a method of drilling a made of lead to make marks on round hole in a cedar stick and sliding Dear Dr. Filosa, papyrus. They called these devices pen- a core of graphite into the hole. His I noted with great interest the review of cillus or “little tail”. The only similarity father used Henry’s idea in his pencil “Nontraditional Careers for Chemists: to the objects we use today for writing factory in Concord, MA. Henry used New Formulas in Chemistry,” by on paper is their size and their name. pencils manufactured in his father’s Lynne A. O’Connell in the April issue In the early 1500s an enormous factory to write Walden. of the Nucleus. deposit of pure graphite was discov- At this time cedar was the main It might interest your readers to ered at Seathwaite Falls near Borrow- wood used. At first it was cedar from know that the photographs used in this dale, England. It is the largest deposit the mountains of New England, but book were taken by Dana Lipp, a of pure, high-grade graphite ever dis- soon Western Cedar became the wood member of the NESACS. Dana earned covered in the world. It was soon dis- of choice. On March 30, 1858, Hymen a B.S. in Chemistry from Bridgewater covered to be an excellent medium for Lipman of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania State College and has, himself, had a marking sheep and for making into was granted a patent for attaching an nontraditional career in chemistry sticks for use as writing instruments. eraser to the end of a pencil. Prior to working both as a chemist and as a When it was discovered that that “Indian Rubber” was sold for use photographer specializing in technical graphite was also very useful for mak- as an eraser. Lipman’s patent was chal- subjects. His website, describing his ing molds for cannon balls, the British lenged and invalidated because it was work, can be found at: http:// Crown took over the mine. The mine not considered a “new” idea but just www.danalipp.us/. was guarded around the clock and only the combination of two known devices. Regards, graphite that was smuggled out was In the early 1800s the best Frank Gorga used for pencils. graphite for making pencils came from By the early 1700s the “lead” was China. In China, yellow is the color of Frank R. Gorga, Ph.D. square and the pencils were encased in royalty. L. & C. Hardtmuth of Austria Professor, Dept. of Chemical Sciences Bridgewater State College wood. Most of the graphite came from colored their pencils yellow to reflect N China. Almost all the pencils were this. Most of the rest of the world’s Bridgewater, MA 02325 made in England or Germany. They pencils at the time were either natural used powdered graphite mixed with wood or painted brown. Medicinal Section sulfur and antimony. During the With the advent of the word Napoleonic era German and English processor pencils have became less Continued from page 9 pencils were not available in France. In popular, but in 1912 two billion pencils fight against diseases like diabetes as 1795 a French chemist named Nicolas were manufactured and sold world- we continue to gather the best and Jacques Conte patented a method of wide. most innovative thinkers in the fields mixing graphite with various amounts Reprinted with permission from of pharmaceutical research and of clay and hardening them in a fur- “Grandpa’s Newsletter”, April 2007, biotechnology. nace. After the defeat of Napoleon, by Alfred Persson. The current officers of the medici- Conte’s method of making pencil nal chemistry group are as follows: became the norm. It is this method that Note from Don Rickter; About 2.8 bil- Program Chairs, Dr. Raj (SB) Rajur, lion pencils are now manufactured in is used today to make almost all pen- N CreaGen Biosciences, Inc., Woburn, cils. the U.S. annually and Dr. Liming Shao, Sepracor, Marl- The graphite cores were placed in borough, MA. The Program Chairs a wood case to give them stability. A Green in Africa thank Dr. Norton P. Peet for his role in groove was cut in a piece of wood and Continued from page 17 introducing the symposium topics and the graphite inserted into the groove. speakers and chairing the sessions. This was then covered with a flat piece Center for Green Chemistry and Dana- ¶Following are the board members of of wood and the two parts glued Lee Smirin from the UC Berkeley Col- the Medicinal Chemistry Section: Drs. together. The first pencils were square, lege of Natural Resources. Funding for Jim Burton, Tim Frigo, Mark but when mechanical sharpeners the conference was provided by Sappi Froimowitz, Patrick Gordon, Ernest became available round pencils were Fine Paper, Rohm and Haas, Merck, Groman, Barry Morgan, Pamela Naga- developed. The Kendeda Fund, The Seldon Fund fuji, John Nestor, John L. Neumeyer, Henry David Thoreau, the tran- and the ACS/GCI Chemrawn XIV Jim Quick, Craig Siegel, Michael N N scendentalist philosopher, is credited international activities program. Singer, and James Weinberg.

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4th Annual Women Chemists Committee Golfand Tournament Northeastern Section (held in conjunction with the 234th National ACS meeting in Boston, MA) All proceeds from this tournament support WCC and NESACS programs August 22, 2007 Golf - 2 pm Buffet Dinner - 7 pm Awards - 8 pm Brookline Golf Club at Putterham Meadows Cost: $100 per golfer Or $400 per foursome

For more information contact: Marilou Cashman at Mcash0953(at)aol.com or by telephone (800)-872-2054 Sponsored by

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Frequent Flyer for a Michigan Wolverine. Philanthropic Gesture Overall, I found interviewing to be Continued from page 11 a tremendously enjoyable experience, Continued from page 15 ing each interview. I also asked the in that I was able to meet many of my events during our trip, in part as a assistant professors at each university scientific heroes, sometimes even hav- thank you for the donation. if they were satisfied with their choice, ing stimulating conversations over din- and if not, why? I was surprised at the ner with them. I met many chemists LB: What did you do with them while candor of their answers. outside my research areas and gained you were there? It is hard to say how many inter- insight into 16 chemistry departments DE: Upon our arrival in Argentina, we views are too many, I can only offer across the nation. As a result, in three received a welcoming phone call from this tidbit: I went for 16 interviews and short months my knowledge of chem- Maximo himself. He was our first now wish I had limited myself to 12. I istry broadened exponentially. It was official tour guide of Buenos Aires; he can say with confidence (and from also encouraging and exciting to meet picked us up at the hotel, walked us to firsthand experience) that three inter- scientists of my generation and discuss the underground, and provided infor- views in one week are too many. It is the future of chemistry. The downside, mal glimpses of various parts of the tempting to squeeze them in, especially of course, is that I put on six pounds city. for those requiring cross-country eating at some of the nation’s best He took us to the headquarters of flights, but I would have been better restaurants. the AQA, where we had coffee and off making another trip or staying over It turns out that the layover cookies and were formally greeted by the weekend. As the interviews wound between my two journeys has no clear the staff. Maximo showed me where down, I reflected on the earlier ones transition. Since making this decision the journals were in the library. It was and contacted the previous search I have experienced a gentle tug-of-war a fledgling collection of various older committee chairs. In some cases, I between preparing for the future and items; a library shelf was filled with withdrew my application and in others, finishing my post-doctoral research the recent addition. I asked where I was in their pool of project. March was recruiting season, After about an hour he rode with candidates and what was their time- April brought the first grant deadlines, us back to the hotel and asked me if I frame. Everyone was on a different and May has been occupied with pur- would be willing to meet the executive schedule and so I had to make some chasing equipment and advising (from committee of the AQA in three days. decisions without having complete a distance) my first two graduate stu- It seemed as though I was in for information. dents. It’s quite amazing how quickly more than I had bargained for. There The second visits were simply a the transformation from job seeker to was a sincere appreciation that was lot of fun, despite battling a miserable assistant professor occurs. tangibly felt. head cold at one place (while the tem- Last, I would like to thank the o LB: Did you end up meeting with the perature dipped to -10 F) and being many people (too many to name) who board members? snowed in for an extra two days at have provided guidance throughout my another. I was surprised that my initial career; in particular, I thank my DE: Yes, on the following Tuesday I impressions had been accurate, even research advisors, Professors Timothy was invited to meet and then present though the interviews had taken place M. Swager and David B. Collum, and and lead a discussion with seven months ago. The hospitality was my informal career advisors, Profes- esteemed scientists from all the leading incredible; when I got snowed in, one sors D. Tyler McQuade and Sarah E. institutions in Buenos Aires. Besides professor and I made brownies, relaxed O’Connor. I now forfeit my seat to the Maximo and Lydia, there were Hector in her hot tub, and drank excellent next batch of passengers. For in-flight Torres, Rosaria Sorriano, Neomi Wal- wine. I consider myself incredibly service, they may contact me for assis- soe deReca, Eduardo Castro [presi- N lucky to have found two universities tance at [email protected]. dent] and Carlos Alberto Azize. We where I believe I could be happy and talked about chemistry, the state of our successful. profession, our experiences and cul- In the end, I chose based on best tures. overall fit, which is both multifaceted We spoke about ways of sharing and personal. On February 19th 2007, resources, creating opportunities, and 29,316 miles later, I accepted an Assis- filling gaps and brainstormed ideas on tant Professor position at the Univer- how to help each other. At the end of sity of Michigan, Ann Arbor. I am the discussion, I was invited to write a looking forward to joining a depart- series of articles for their magazine, ment with such outstanding faculty, Industrie y Quimica, on a topic of my students, and staff. Go Blue! And choosing. I took them up on this offer, being a huge college hockey fan, I am and the first article is in the process of happy to be trading in my MIT Beaver Continued on page 26

24 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 25

REPORT FROM COUNCIL

American Chemical Society 233rd ACS National Meeting Chicago, IL March 28, 2007 Election Results Women Chemists Committee was those suggestions arising from the The Committee on Nominations and established to recognize women Governance Review Task Force perti- Elections presented to the Council the chemists and to encourage them to take nent to election procedures. following nominees for selection as an active interest in Society activities; The Petition on Rules for Nominating candidates for President-Elect, 2008: the Younger Chemists Committee Members of N&E for National Offices Pat Confalone, Thomas Lane, William facilitates communication of ideas and would establish a one-year waiting Nugent, and Howard Peters. By writ- attitudes between the governing bodies period following service on N&E ten ballot the Council selected Lane of the Society and younger chemists. before an individual can be nominated and Peters as candidates for 2008 Pres- Petitions for District Director, President-Elec,t ident-Elect. These two candidates will The Council received petitions for or Director-at-Large. The Council stand for election in the Fall National three amendments to the ACS Bylaws VOTED by recorded vote to defeat this Election. for action: the Petition on Election petition. The Committee on Nominations and Procedures 2006, the Petition on Rules The Council VOTED to accept the Elections announced the results of the for Nominating Members of the Com- Petition on Multi-Year Dues. This election to select candidates from the mittee on Nominations and elections petition will allow members paying list of nominees to represent District II (N&E) for National Offices, and the full dues without any of the discounts and District IV on the Board of Direc- Petition on Multi-Year Dues. to pay for periods of two or three years tors for the term 2008-2010. By mail The Council VOTED to split consider- if they wish, at a rate equal to two or ballot the councilors from these dis- ation and action on the Petition on three times the rate for a one year tricts selected Joseph Peterson and Election Procedures 2006 into two period. Council also VOTED to make Diane Grob Schmidt as District II can- parts: Part 1 changes the timing of this petition effective when technical didates, and Eric Bigham and Gregory run-off elections and specifies an elec- components are instituted to offer and Robinson as District IV candidates. tion process for situations in which track the payments, but no later than January 1, 2010. Candidates for Directors-at-Large only one Director-at-Large position is open. The Board of Directors will vote The Committee on Nominations and within 90 days on whether to ratify the Elections announced the selection of Part 2 addresses consistency in approved petitions. the following candidates for Directors- national election procedures. It pro- at-Large for a 2008-2010 term: Janan poses changes to standardize the peti- The Council received one petition for Hayes, Helen Lawlor, Kent Voorhees, tion and election processes for consideration: the Petition on Local and Frankie Wood-Black. The election President-Elect and all Director posi- Section Affiliations. The petition of two Directors-at-Large will be con- tions based on percentages of voting addresses a difference in current Soci- ducted in the fall; ballots will be members. It replaces language speci- ety bylaws regarding the responsibili- mailed to the Council on or before fying a required absolute number of ties of the Committee on Local Section October 10. petition signatures for nomination of Activities (LSAC) and the Committee candidates for President-Elect, and on Divisional Activities (DAC) in Committee Performance Reviews Director-at-Large with language speci- oversight of the establishment of affili- As part of a regular review, the Coun- fying a higher requirement for petition ations by local sections and divisions, cil VOTED to continue the Committee signatures as a percentage of the mem- respectively. The petition grants on Science, the Women Chemists bership for nomination of candidates responsibilities for LSAC parallel to Committee, and the Younger Chemists for these offices. those currently established for DAC. Committee subject to concurrence by The Council VOTED to accept Part 1. Action is expected on the petition at the Board of Directors. The Commit- For Part 2, the Council VOTED to the fall national meeting in Boston. tee on Science provides an organiza- recommit this petition back to the 2008 Member Dues tional framework to facilitate policy Committee on Nominations and Elec- formulation, actions, and planning in tions and ask that it reconsider the sig- The Council VOTED to set the mem- several areas of ACS activity directly nature requirements, procedures for ber dues for 2008 at the fully escalated related to the science of chemistry; the processing electronic signatures, and Continued on page 26 The Nucleus Summer 2007 25 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 26

Report From Council recent activities of the Governance Philanthropic Gesture Review Task Force. Councilors were Continued from page 25 Continued from page 24 informed that since the last Council rate of $136. This rate is established meeting, the task force has met twice being translated into Spanish. pursuant to an inflation-adjustment for- and action teams have been actively LB: Do you have plans to return to mula in the ACS Constitution and addressing those areas under the Argentina? Bylaws. “Advance” category. Councilors also learned that the Council Policy Com- DE: We have made a tentative pro- The Society’s Finances mittee and the Board of Directors posal to return later this year, in fact. The Society ended 2006 with a net VOTED, as recommended by the Gov- We have been invited to visit several contribution from operations of $12.2 ernance Review Task Force, to accept universities and research institutes and million, on revenues of $424.0 million four recommendations under the would like to be a friendly ambassador and expenses of $411.9 million, which “Refine” category. for chemistry. was $7.8 million favorable to the Chemical Professional’s Code of LB: Did you suggest donating jour- approved budget. The favorable vari- nals this way to anyone else? ance was primarily attributable to Conduct DE: Yes, I suggested it to many peo- higher-than-budgeted electronic serv- The Council VOTED to approve the ple. One member offered to donate 30 ices revenue and investment income, Chemical Professional’s Code of Con- or 40 years of the J. Phys. Chem. and as well as expense savings from lower- duct as submitted by the Committee on the J. of the Electrochemical Soc. than-budgeted health care costs and Economic and Professional Affairs. Unfortunately, this large donation reduced IT spending. In addition, the This document offers guidance for never made it to Argentina for logisti- Society ended 2006 in full compliance Society members in various profes- cal reasons. Recently, ten years of with the Board-established financial sional dealings, especially those Tetrahedron Letters were donated by guidelines. involving conflicts of interest. John Buchanon, also to Argentina. We Registration Report Resolutions were more careful this time. As of March 27, 2007, the ACS fall The Council adopted resolutions in LB: What is the most striking thing national meeting had attracted 14,520 memory of deceased councilors and you learned through this experience? registrants as follows: Regular atten- ACS Past Presidents Robert Parry N DE: We are most privileged as scien- dees 7,152; Students 5,059; Exhibitors (1982), and Fred Basolo (1983). tists living and working in the US. I 1,283; Exposition only 573; and realized that I can gain more by shar- Guests 453. ing what I have than by keeping it Future National Meetings Wanted by stored on shelves in my basement. I gained an introduction to some most The Council VOTED to approve dates friendly scientists, an opportunity to be and sites for 2017 national meetings as Nucleus an ambassador for American chemists, follows: April 2-6, San Francisco, Cal- and the appreciation, though not ifornia; and September 10-14, St. Editor directly, of researchers and chemists Louis, Missouri. 10,000 miles away by a small unas- suming act. New Local Section Participants in Charitable The Council VOTED to establish the Fundraising Lisa M. Balbes, Ph.D. has been pro- Snake River Local Section with head- viding scientific writing services, cus- quarters in Boise, ID. This brings the The Nucleus Editor would like to write tomized technical writing workshops, total number of local sections to 190. an article about NESACS members or and seminars on career development their close family who are participating for scientists since 1992, as Balbes Member Statistics in fundraising walks, runs and bicycle Consultants. She authored “Nontradi- ACS closed 2006 with 160,491 mem- rides. Examples of such events include tional Careers for Chemists”, pub- bers, the highest year-end membership the Pan Mass Challenge, the Jimmy lished by Oxford University Press in since 2002. Of the 17,857 applications Fund Walk, Volvo Best Buddies Chal- 2006, and has been a career consultant processed in 2006, more than 1,000 lenge, Special Olympics Ride with the for the American Chemical Society came from the Member-Get-A-Mem- Champions and Susan G. Komen Race since 1993. She can be contacted at N ber campaign, in which many coun- for the Cure. If you are interested in lisa(at)balbes.com. cilors participated. sharing your experience with the readers of The Nucleus please contact the Governance Review Editor, Michael Filosa, at filosam@ N The Council received a report on the verizon.net or 508-359-4242.

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NESACS Chemical Education Opportunities

The Education Committee of the erary is available on the NESACS by the New England Association of Northeastern Section supports and pro- website. Chemistry Teachers (NEACT). This motes academic program activities that Other activities include the North- year, registration grants are being made showcase chemical education for east Regional Undergraduate Day and available to high school chemistry undergraduates at the college/univer- the Northeast Student Chemistry teachers to pay for registration for the sity level and for students and teachers Research Conference (NSCRC). The national ACS meeting in Boston, MA. at the high school level. These pro- ACS Scholars Program is also an A specific program that is spon- grams are also to develop a profes- activity of the Committee that sored for high school chemistry teach- sional outlook toward chemistry acknowledges these chemistry scholars ers is called Connections to Chemistry. among the students actively interested who are studying in the Boston and It is a unique program to connect high in chemistry. Through announcements surrounding areas and encourages their school chemistry teachers to the educa- in THE Nucleus, postings on the participation in the Section’s activities. tional resources of the ACS and to the NESACT website, and e-mail and The NSCRC, co-sponsored with members of the Northeastern Section. direct mailings, information about the Younger Chemists Committee, Several hands-on workshops are these activities is provided to the sec- brings together undergraduates, gradu- offered to showcase the educational tion members, to the student affiliates, ate students and postdoctoral fellows resources that are available for the high and to the educational institutions. from the northeastern region of the school teachers and their students. The The Committee offers financial country for the purpose of celebrating topics last year were Engineering with support for a variety of programs that their accomplishments in research, and Chemistry, Paint Your World (to high- include scholarships for full time for providing a forum for the sharing light the National Chemistry Week undergraduate summer research, and of ideas and scientific understanding. theme), Simplified Data-Acquisition, travel grants that are matched by the Poster presentations are given by the A Winning Chemistry Club (the new awardees’ institutions to attend and to students in addition to oral presenta- initiative to start student affiliate present a paper at the Undergraduate tions. Following the presentations, groups in high school) and Exploring Research Poster Session in the Divi- awards are given for the outstanding Quantum Concepts in Chemistry sion of Chemical Education at the graduate and undergraduate speakers (using a specific data base and com- national spring ACS meeting. In addi- and for the outstanding poster presen- puter program). The evening program tion, the Education Committee and the tations. In addition, a presentation of includes dinner, and keynote address, Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) the Phyllis Brauner Undergraduate and a raffle of ACS logo items, sub- co-sponsor an exchange of chemistry Book Award is given for the best pres- scriptions to the Journal of Chemical students to Germany as the guests of entation by an undergraduate student. Education, memberships in CHED and the Jungchemikerforum (JCF) of the The Northeast Regional Under- in the Chemistry Teacher Connection Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker graduate Day brings together under- (CTC). Participants are given a certifi- (GDCh). While in Germany, they join graduates from all over the northeast cate awarding professional develop- approximately 200 young chemists for presentations by well known ment credits, a year’s subscription to from at least 15 countries at an interna- chemists, for career and resume’ work- ChemMatters and a year’s associate tional conference to either present their shops, and to meet representatives membership in the NESACS. research in a poster session or in a from graduate schools to discuss their A more detailed and complete account seminar format. Tours to German graduate programs in chemistry. In for all of the programs of the Educa- chemical companies are included with addition, a workshop is provided for tion Committee can be accessed at the time for sightseeing. A complete itin- the students to meet and discuss their NESACS website http://NESACS.org. student affiliate organizations and Article provided by Ruth Tanner, Chair, activities. N Looking for seminars The Education Committee also Education Committee, NESACS in the Boston area? sponsors programs for High School Check out the Teachers and awards for Teaching Excellence. In addition, grants are Your one-stop source to career-related NESACS Calendar given to attend professional meetings. links in the Chemical Sciences www.nesacs.org/seminars The Lyman C. Newell Grants provide WWW.NESACS.ORG/CAREERS financial assistance to attend the annual summer conference sponsored

The Nucleus Summer 2007 27 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 28

Getting Ahead Another way to create opportuni- crucial. You will already be doing this ties is to look for reasons to explore a formally at least once per year when Continued from page 14 position rather than looking for reasons you update your resumé. This can also is vital to get out and meet new people. to ignore it. When considering an be done as a part of an annual review Be active in your local ACS chapter or opening at a new company, always with your boss. As you review the whichever organizations align closely keep an open mind. Do not rely on steps that we have outlined, you will with your interests. Do more than just what you have heard about a particular notice a common theme, the need for attend meetings for the free cocktails. employer from others. Just because it self-evaluation. In fact, continuously Write a paper or present a topic. Volun- was not the right environment for assessing your progress is imperative teer to work at a show or lead a discus- someone you know does not mean it and is something you should be consci- sion group. This makes it much easier that you will have the same experi- entious about throughout your working to meet new and successful people and ence. You should always check it out life. Did you reach this year’s goal? to get your name out among your peers. and make your own judgment. Bear in Have you attempted to step outside of You should also make an effort to mind that what you see on a job post- your immediate comfort zone at work establish and maintain relationships ing is not always the full story. Too to be exposed to something new? Did with recruiters who specialize in your many people immediately rule out you gain the experience you desired field. Take their calls and share infor- potential positions based purely on during a particular project? Setting a mation when you can. After a conver- title. What appears on paper to be a goal is the first step but is pointless sation or two, it is easy to differentiate standard Head of Process Chemistry unless you are going to judge your between the couple of recruiters who role might offer much more for the progress against each goal. truly know your field and can be a right candidate. A job description will Remember that job searching is a valuable resource to you versus the list the responsibilities but not neces- career- long process that will evolve ones whose messages can be ignored. sarily the rapid advancement potential over time. Your goals will likely Bear in mind that this relationship is a that exists. Beyond that, titles and change over the course of several two-way street as well. A recruiter’s responsibilities can often be adjusted years, and that is okay. You should be livelihood is based entirely on net- to attract the right candidate. This is constantly planning your development working. If you share information and especially true with smaller companies path, creating opportunities to gain leads with them they will certainly whose hierarchy might not be fully new experience and evaluating your return the favor. When recruiters get a developed yet. Invest the time in a tele- progress to make the necessary adjust- new and exciting search assignment, phone interview or a face-to-face ments. You are certain to have some the first people they call are the ones meeting even if the position does not missteps along the way, but do not they know and rhose who have been appear to be a perfect fit. You may find allow these small obstacles to cloud helpful to them in the past. the role to be more attractive than it the larger view. One or two short stints Monitor the progress of other appeared at first glance. If not, you or lateral moves on your resumé are companies in your locality. Let your have still given yourself exposure to a okay, as long as the bigger picture colleagues and recruiters know of your senior level hiring manager in your demonstrates stability and growth. It interest in a particular firm and you are area and had the chance to make a pos- shows that you are willing to take on much more likely to hear about the itive impression. Stay engaged and challenges and are not afraid to make opportunities that do exist but do not courteous throughout the interview, tough decisions. If you take a proactive pop up on their website career pages. even if it becomes apparent that the approach to developing your career, Recruiters really value relationships position is not right for you. If you do you will remove chance from the equa- with candidates and view them as part- decide that you are not interested after tion and correct any poor choices more ners. They spend a lot of time specifi- the meeting, let the manager know efficiently. Your career will likely last cally targeting companies to uncover with a follow-up phone call or email. 30 or more years. You will not achieve or create opportunities for candidates Recommend a colleague that may be a all of your goals this year or next, but based on the information that they more appropriate fit and tell them you can position yourself for improved share about their interests. More often about your own future interests. This upward mobility and significantly than not, a good recruiter will have the will increase the likelihood that they greater earning potential during the appropriate contacts to get your will think of you for other opportunities next phase of your career. In order to resumé the desired exposure at compa- that arise in their group. They may even do this, you must focus on the experi- nies that intrigue you. Giving them the recommend you for a position that they ence you are gaining now rather than chance to make confidential inquiries are aware of outside of their depart- just the money you are earning. No into specific companies is a fantastic ment or even outside of their company. matter what your long term goals way to create opportunities for your- V Evaluating your progress involve, following this simple process self. As always, staying proactive is the will allow you not only to achieve key to moving forward and achieving Taking the time to evaluate your them, but to achieve them more your goals. progress along the way is absolutely Continued on page 29

28 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 29

anisms His successes were important a deep concern for country and Historical in opening up that field to logical humankind. He was a gregarious and analysis. social person with a happy family life. Notes He won many honors, among His wife of 64 years, Jeanne, passed them the U.S. National Medal of away in 2001. He is survived by their Frank Henry Westheimer Honor, the U.S. National Academy of daughters, Ruth Susan Westheimer of Science Award in Chemical Sciences, Worcester, MA, and Ellen Westheimer 1912-2007 the Robert Welch Foundation Award in of Carlisle, MA. We are saddened to report that Frank Chemistry and the ACS Priestley MSS Westheimer, one of the most innova- Medal. Northeastern Section Awards tive chemists of his generation, died. included the James Flack Norris Award David W. Yesair He was one of the stars of the Harvard in Physical Organic Chemistry in 1970 1933-2007 Chemistry Department during the last and the Theodore William Richards We are saddened to inform you that half of the twentieth century, with Medal in 1976 In 2002 Harvard Uni- David W. Yesair, Ph.D., died on Friday, major contributions to physical organic versity established in his honor the April 20, 2007. David has been an chemistry in the mechanisms of chemi- Frank H. Westheimer Medal for Scien- active member of this Section, and his cal and enzymatic reactions, molecular tific Excellence. loss will be felt keenly. mechanics, photoaffinity labeling, and Frank was a science adviser to David lived his whole life in use of pseudorotation in phosphate President Lyndon Johnson and chaired Byfield, Mass. He went to Governor ester chemistry. the National Academy of Sciences Dummer Academy, took his B.S. Frank was born and received his Committee on Federal Support of degree in chemistry and mathematics early education in Baltimore, MD. He Chemical Sciences which had far-rang- at the University of Massachusetts at graduated from Dartmouth College ing influence on chemistry in the last Amherst in 1954, and his Ph.D. degree summa cum laude in 1932 and took his four decades of the century. in biochemistry at Cornell under Nobel doctorate training at Harvard under J. I can do no better in describing laureate James B. Sumner. B. Conant. When Conant moved into Frank Westheimer to you than to quote His career began at Lederle Labo- the president’s chair Frank completred part of the tribute written by E. J. ratories, but a National Science Foun- his degree with E. P. Kohler, receiving Corey for the Harvard community: dation post-doctoral fellowship sent the degree in 1935. He was a National “ Westheimer’s command of national him off to research in England. In Research Fellow at Columbia that issues was extraordinary. He reasoned 1962 he joined Arthur D. Little, Inc. year, then joined the University of against war, first in Vietnam and then where he stayed for 22 years, rising to Chicago faculty in 1936. During World in Iraq. For four decades, he empha- vice president. He left ADL in 1984 to War II, he was a supervisor leading a sized the need for strong measures form his own company, BioMolecular research program at the National against pollution and global warming Products, Inc. in order to develop a Explosives Research Laboratory. After and in favor of energy conservation, drug delivery system based on his lipid the war he returned to Chicago, and in alternative energy development, and research. Among his honors are fel- 1953 he joined the Harvard faculty. greater support of fundamental lowships in Sigma Xi, NIH and NSF. By 1950 Frank was making con- research. He encouraged fellow He was Chairman of the Gordon tributions not only to physical organic chemists to apply their skills to other Research Conference on Drug Metabo- mechanistic chemistry, but he had disciplines, especially biology and lism in 1983. already set his brilliant mind on the medicine. He pleaded with universities He is survived by his wife of 54 black box of enzymatic reaction mech- to improve the education of nonscien- years, Ruth, three children and their tists by finding new ways to teach sci- families including seven grandchildren Getting Ahead ence. He viewed the problem as and four great grandchildren. complex, but soluble, if the verticality JN and MSS Continued from page 28 of scientific subjects with their numer- quickly. Your resumé will become ous course prerequisites could be dealt increasingly marketable and doors will with by a new kind of teaching for non- Daniel J. Burgess start to open up for you both internally scientists.” We are sorry to report the passing of and externally. Before you know it, Westheimer was admired and Dr. Daniel J. Burgess, a frequent par- you will have built a resumé that your respected as a person by his students ticipant in activities of the Northeast- colleagues will envy and people will and colleagues worldwide. Most would ern Section. Daniel, a retired dentist, be trying to model their career paths to agree on the salient qualities that came to many NESACS monthly pro- mirror your own. Who knows, a defined the man throughout his life: a grams, and made many friends among recruiter may even be calling you for powerful intellect, great personal our members. He was the brother of an exciting Vice President Research N N integrity and courage, extraordinary Mary Burgess. position some day soon. dedication to scientific discovery, and The Nucleus Summer 2007 29 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 30

Rowland Institute From the for Science Editor

by Michael Burns I am writing this at midnight on a Sat- urday as I endeavor to finish this issue In 2002 the Institute before I leave for a week of vacation. I merged with Harvard Uni- want to thank all of those who con- versity, becoming the Row- tributed content or helped me put this land Institute at Harvard. issue together and hope those of you Under its director, Prof. who read this issue of The Nucleus Frans Spaepen, the Institute consider it to be a memorable issue. continues Dr. Land’s vision Mort Hoffman has done his usual of the ideal laboratory: a outstanding job writing articles and broad view of science and an taking photographs. Mort’s photo appreciation for the rich graces the cover and he also had a potential for discovery in the hand in several articles. Bob Lichter as contact between the tradi- chair of the local organizing committee tional disciplines; a dedica- for the National Meeting also con- The Rowland Institute for Science was tion to small-scale laboratory science; tributed significantly with several arti- founded in 1981 by Edwin Land, then an emphasis on technical support of cles bearing his by-line. In fact the President and Director of Research of the highest level for experimentation; local leadership of the Section all made Polaroid Corporation, for the advance- and a desire to let the best minds be contributions as the contributed articles ment of all disciplines of science. It is creative without concern for the demonstrate. However, the contribu- located in Cambridge, Massachusetts vagaries of the funding world. tors to this issue are not just the leader- near the Longfellow Bridge over the Central to the Institute is the Jun- ship of the section such as Mort, Bob, Charles River, a few miles downstream ior Fellows program. Young scientists Myke Simon, Mukund Chorghade, from the main Harvard campus. have the opportunity to perform inde- Ruth Tanner, Raj Rajur, Michael Strem The concept of a relatively small pendent experimental work for five and Steve Lantos. We also have some yet highly productive interdisciplinary years, with full institutional support, new voices in this issue. institution–whose culture is focused on including funding and access to the Last September on a plane headed the success of the group as well as the Institute’s outstanding technical and to San Francisco for the ACS Meeting, individual–was originally conceived scientific resources. Every year we I struck up a conversation with M.I.T. by Dr. Land as a powerful instrument solicit submission by new Ph.D. scien- post-doctoral researcher, Anne McNeil. for scientific advancement. In addition, tists of a CV and a single-page I learned about her search for an aca- he understood the critical importance research proposal for an experimental demic job. I thought this would make a of stable and long- term support of project in any of the natural sciences or great article for The Nucleus once she research projects for enabling the care- engineering, with special attention paid had completed the process. She ful and deep efforts required to explore to interdisciplinary opportunities and expressed an interest in writing such an the implications of an idea. the development of new experimental article. When I followed up many During its first 20 years as an methods. At any given time we have months later, she had accepted a posi- independent research organization, eight to ten such Fellows and their tion at the University of Michigan and Rowland successfully carried out a projects active at the Institute, provid- she was still interested. The result is an wide variety of science research in ing a good part of the exciting scien- article, which should be of value to any chemistry, physics and biology. There tific environment originally envisioned young researcher seeking their first were some notable results during that for the Institute. academic job. time, among which were the first More information about the Insti- Similarly, we also have an article observation of single-stepping by a tute, as well as some history of Edwin by a high school senior, Amrita kinesin molecule along a microtubule, Land, can be found at www.rowland. Karambelkar, on her research experi- pioneering the use of laser tweezers by harvard.edu. You can follow its current ence at Tufts New England Medical Steven Block, automated single mole- research activities as Institute members Center. Mukund Chorghade encour- cule detection and characterization by pursue its motto: imaginative experi- N aged Amrita to write for The Nucleus. Amit Meller, and the amazing feat of mental science. Larry Murphy of Cabot Corpora- slowing the speed of light to a few Tell our advertisers tion responded with an update on the meters per second by Lene Hau. you saw them in the NUCLEUS. activities of the recently formed Continued on page 31

30 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 31

Harvard’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments

By Myron S. Simon For chemists the introduction of new supplied, in the Collection. Inquiries may be made at 617-495- instrumentation is taken for granted as The Collection includes some 2779. We hope that you have a chance, a continuing opportunity to make our 20,000 instruments and other artifacts, during your visit here, to see this won- work easier, faster, and more produc- dating from the 15th Century (needless derful collection. The MBTA Red Line tive. But development of new or to say, not all of which are on display), to Harvard Square will take you there. improved instruments is also an impor- and covers most scientific disciplines. For those interested, the 26th tant aspect of the history of science, Original documents of purchase and Symposium of the Scientific Instru- and a short trip to Cambridge will pro- use are preserved in the Harvard Uni- ment Commission will take place in vide us with an opportunity to see a versity Archives. The public display Cambridge, September 6 to 11, 2007. major example, The Collection of His- began in 1947 with an exhibition in the Harvard and MIT are the hosts. The torical Scientific Instruments at Har- entry hall to the Mallinckrodt Chem- themes are colonial science and its vard. istry Laboratory. In 1989 the Collec- instruments, provincial versus metro- Harvard’s purchase of scientific tion became part of the Department of politan instrument makers, and instru- instruments began in 1764 after a fire the History of Science. The present mentation taken on voyages of in Harvard Hall destroyed the Col- location is in Science Center 136, One exploration or on scientific expedi- lege’s philosophical apparatus. At that Oxford Street, Cambridge. tions. time Benjamin Franklin was called Summer Hours began July 28 and Much of the information in this upon to purchase the most advanced are Monday through Thursday, 11:00 note has been taken from Harvard Uni- N instruments he could obtain in London. AM to 4:00 PM. There is no admission versity publications. You can see the very instruments he charge; it is open to the public. January 2007 Meeting February 2007 Meeting

The Speaker at the NESACS Jeannette NESACS January Chair Brown pre- Meeting, Dr. Yvonne Mukund senting her Connolly Martin Chorghade lecture on (Abbot Laboratories). with "African- The January meeting February American was held jointly with Speaker, Women the Boston Area Group Jeannette Chemists for Informatics and Elizabeth Who Made a Modelling (BAGIM). Brown. Difference." All photos by James Phillips. From the Editor Megan Driscoll of PharmaLogics In addition to the contributors I Recruiting and her team have written have already listed, I have also bene- Continued from page 30 two extensive articles on employment, fited from excellent copyediting and ALMA (Analytical Lab Managers which have been accepted for publica- proof reading by Vivian Walworth, Association) Chapter. Thanks also to tion in The Nucleus. The first was writ- Don Rickter and Joe Billo. My final Lynne Garone of E Ink and co-chair of ten for employers and was published in thanks go to Harvey Steiner of Art ALMA for helping this happen. the December 2006 issue. Now we Related Technology who, ultimately, Amy Cannon responded to a have the complementary article written helps me piece The Nucleus together request made to John Warner with an for employees on strategies for “get- in a form suitable for the printer. Now update on the Green Chemistry initia- ting ahead.” I must move on to the next issue! The tives at UMASS Lowell. I have now edited The Nucleus for editorial process starts anew. I have Dan Eustace, a former colleague 30 months and this will be the twenty- nine straight months and nine issues to at Polaroid, is a rising star in the Sec- fourth issue I have edited. There are put together. I appreciate all your help tion as the story about his role in jour- times I feel this is a solitary endeavor in the past and will continue to need it nal donations to Argentina and his but the support and contributions I in the future. N recent selection as a finalist for two have received to produce this issue MPF ChemLuminary awards demonstrate. prove otherwise.

The Nucleus Summer 2007 31 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 32

New in Boston tage is that you cannot get your money Exchange w/Germany out of the CharlieCard when you go Continued from page 4 Continued from page 7 home, so it is wise to be judicious waterfront. Recently opened are the when loading it up (or give us the ones was formed, comprising Michael Institute of Contemporary Art and the you don’t want !). For those like the Strem as Chair; Ruth Tanner (UMass Moakley U.S. Courthouse on Fan Pier, authors of this article who are long in Lowell), NESACS Education Commit- which feature exhibits and programs. the tooth, or those with disabilities, tee Chair; Morton Hoffman (Boston If you have kids in tow, go to the special reduced-fare (60¢ a ride) Char- University), NESACS Chair-Elect; Boston Children’s Museum on Con- lieCards can be obtained from the “T”. Amy Tapper (Boston University), YCC gress Street. Boats to Provincetown, If you want to take the “T” from Chair; Tim Frigo (Advanced Magnet- water taxis to places along the water- the Back Bay hotels, catch the Green ics, Inc.), NESACS Chair; and Doris front, including Logan Airport, and Line “B” cars on Boylston Street at Lewis (Suffolk University), NESACS ships for romantic dinner cruises leave Dartmouth Street (Copley station) or Immediate Past-chair. Because from the piers along Northern Avenue. Massachusetts Avenue (Hynes station), NESACS would serve as the host of In addition to the ACS shuttle or the “E” line on Huntington Avenue the 2001 Exchange, its Board appropri- buses from the hotels, the Seaport Dis- (Prudential station). Take the Green ated sufficient funds to provide lodg- trict is accessible by foot on bridges Line trains inbound (i.e., toward Park ing, local transportation and meals, and across the Fort Point Channel, by city Street, Government Center, North Sta- excursions for the JCF visitors. buses Nos. 4 and 7, and by the new tion, or Lechmere) to Park Street, go 2001 Exchange (April 27-May 4) subway Silver Line from South Station downstairs to the Red Line and take an Nine German chemistry graduate and Logan Airport. outbound train toward Ashmont/Brain- students from universities in Freiburg, tree. Travel two stops to South Sta- The “T” Hanover, Aachen, Heidelberg, Göttin- tion. From there you can walk or take If you have any subway tokens left gen, Paderborn, Frankfurt, and Kaiser- the Silver Line (for an additional fare) over from previous visits to Boston, slautern, who had been selected by to the World Trade Center stop. Alter- make them part of your family’s inher- GDCh, were accompanied to Boston natively, from Back Bay Station on itance or auction them on eBay; as of by Begitt and three faculty members: Dartmouth Street you can access the this past January they were rendered Carsten Bolm, Rheinisch-Westfälische Orange Line inbound (toward Oak obsolete. Replacing the tokens, the old Technische Hochschule Aachen; Chris- Grove) to Downtown Crossing, where turnstiles, and the change booths has tiane Reiners, Universität Köln; Ter- you can transfer to the Red Line as been an automated system not unlike ence Mitchell, Universität Dortmund. described above for one stop to South that in Washington, DC. Gone, too, is The formal program began on Sat- Station. the $1.25 subway fare, up successively urday, April 28, with the Third Annual There are two “T” options from in recent years from 85¢ and $1.00. Northeast Student Chemistry Research Logan Airport: the Silver Line from Here’s how it works. Conference, which brought together any of the terminals to South Station The fare for a single subway ride continued on page 33 via the World Trade Center, or the free is $2.00; a bus ride is $1.50, including MassPort shuttle bus from the termi- the Sox will play a day/night (separate transfers. You would purchase a nals to the Blue Line (Airport station) admissions) double header at 1 and 7 “CharlieTicket” (Charlie as in the and thence inbound to Government p.m. against the Los Angeles Angels Kingston Trio’s 1950’s song, Charlie Center, where transfer can be made to on Friday, August 17, an evening game on the MTA) at one of the automated the Green Line. There is also boat (7 p.m.) on Saturday, and a day game kiosks within the stations for the num- service from Logan to Downtown (2 p.m.) on Sunday. Then they’re off ber of rides you want to take; the (Long Wharf) as well as to Hull and to Tampa Bay and Chicago for the rest machines accept cash, debit, and credit Quincy out in the ‘burbs. of the ACS meeting. cards. CharlieTickets, as well as cash If you would like to tour Fenway (exact fare only), can be used on the The Red Sox Park when the team is away and see buses. If you are going to use the “T” Since the last ACS meeting in where the Babe pitched, touch the a great deal, it pays to obtain a “Char- Boston, the Red Sox became the World Green Monster, and sop up its 95-year lieCard” from the “T” employees who Champions of Baseball in 2004 by history, check out . website , or at Empire (aka N.Y. Yankees) after hav- convenience store chains such as ing been down 3-0 in the American Welcome to “The Hub.” Go Sox! Tedeschi’s and 7-11, and load it up at League Championship Series, and Morton Hoffman is an Emeritus Pro- the cash/credit card machines or another four straight from the St. Louis fessor of Chemistry at Boston Univer- online. The single-ride fare for Char- Cardinals in the World Series. Those sity; Robert Lichter is Principal and lieCard users is $1.75 on the subway of you who would like to experience a Co-founder of Merrimack Consultants, N and $1.25 on the bus. The disadvan- game at Fenway Park should know that LLC.

32 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 33

Exchange w/Germany A half-day GDCh-NESACS- of historic chemical artifacts, including cosponsored symposium on “Interna- replicas of the laboratories of Lavoisier Continued from page 32 tional Careers for Young Chemists: and Liebig, at the Deutsches Museum, undergraduates, graduate students, and Careers in Germany and in the United and a tour of the research and produc- postdoctoral fellows from the region to States” featured talks by Georg tion facilities of Wacker Chemie in celebrate their accomplishments in Hohlneicher (Universität Köln), Burghausen concluded the visit to research and to provide a forum for the Thomas Schreckenbach (Merck Darm- Munich. sharing of ideas and scientific under- stadt), Christian Schäfer (German Aca- A short flight brought the group to standing. More than 60 posters were demic Exchange Service, DAAD), the Technical University Dresden displayed to the 100 attendees; oral Strem, and Hoffman. Other days were (TUD), where the Euregionale with presentations were given by two of the spent touring the research facilities of representatives from many countries, German students and four Boston-area Bayer (Leverkusen) and the Jülich was held. NESACS students won graduate students. Attila Pavlath, ACS Research Center. nominations in three of the four award President, who was present, gave part Toward the end of the week the categories for oral and poster presenta- of his welcoming remarks in German; group moved on to Aachen for the tions, but, alas, did not bring home the the keynote address was given by two-day GDCh-JCF spring symposium gold. Robert Langer (M.I.T.). (Euregionale) where the NESACS del- 2004 Exchange (April 18-25) Among the scheduled events of egation joined young chemists from The German delegation of 15 the week were dinners; a farewell ban- Germany and other European countries graduate students, including the former quet at which Dudley Herschbach in the presentation of research talks and present chairs of JCF, from univer- (Harvard) spoke; a concert of the and posters; Monica Rixman (M.I.T.), sities in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Boston Symphony Orchestra at Sym- one of the NESACS graduate students, Hanover, Hamburg, and Konstanz, phony Hall; visits to laboratories at received an award for an outstanding among others, arrived with Begitt, set- Harvard and M.I.T. and the facilities of oral presentation. o tled into their lodgings, got 360 views Waters Associates; attendance at the 2003 Exchange of Boston from the top of the Pruden- Kistiakowski Lecture at Harvard given (February 22-March 1) tial Building, and had a traditional by Ahmed Zewail; and, of course, a After the 2002 Exchange, the New England dinner at Durgin Park. Red Sox game at Fenway Park. At the organizers on both sides of the Atlantic Monday, April 19, was Patriot’s Day in end of the week, during a half-day agreed to schedule the visits on a 2- Massachusetts (and Maine); the JCF symposium on chemical education in NESACS:1-GDCh basis, with the group and their YCC hosts joined the the U.S. and Germany, the three Ger- NESACS group traveling to Germany crowd at Fenway Park for a Red Sox- man faculty members were joined as in 2003. Ten graduate and two under- Yankees battle, and then watched the speakers by Sylvia Ware (ACS Educa- graduate students from M.I.T., Boston Boston Marathon runners come tion and International Activities Divi- College, Boston University, Dart- through Kenmore Square. Subsequent sion), Glenn Crosby (Washington State mouth, Tufts, U Mass Boston, and days were spent touring the chemistry University), and Robert Lichter (The UMass Lowell, accompanied by research laboratories at M.I.T. and Camille and Henry Dreyfus Founda- Patrick Gordon (NESACS Alternate Harvard, traveling to Groton, CT, to tion, Inc.). Councilor), Tapper (Genzyme), Strem, visit the R&D facility of Pfizer, and 2002 Exchange (March 9-16) Hoffman, and Tanner, arrived in dining at Christie’s-on-the-Bay in One undergraduate from St. Munich on Sunday, February 23. Fol- Newport, RI. A day was spent at the Anselm College, and eleven graduate lowing the same pattern upon its Museum of Fine Arts, where the ana- students from Boston College, Boston arrival as had the previous Exchange, lytical chemical problems associated University, Brandeis, M.I.T., Dart- the group toured the city and visited with the authentication and preserva- mouth, Tufts, and UMass Boston, who Ludwig-Maximilians University and tion of art and artifacts were discussed. had been selected by NESACS on the the famous Hofbräuhaus. A visit to the That evening the group went to Sym- basis of their applications and letters of research laboratories of the Technical phony Hall for a performance of the recommendation from their respective University Munich (TUM), including Boston Symphony Orchestra. research supervisors, arrived in the 900 MHz NMR, was followed by a On Friday of that week the Ger- Cologne on Sunday, March 10 after an symposium on international careers, man students attended the YCC-organ- overnight flight from Boston, accompa- which featured presentations, in Ger- ized Northeast Student Chemistry nied by Tapper, Strem, Hoffman, and man and English by John Neumeyer Career Fair, where sessions on resumé Tanner; they dispelled jet lag by tour- (NESACS Chair), who had been born writing, interviewing, and searching ing the city during the day and visiting in Munich;, Elsa Reichmanis (ACS for postdoctoral and industrial jobs the University in the evening, where President), Stefan Buchholz (Degussa), were held and representatives from they learned about the Chemiedozen- Hans-Achim Wagenknecht (TUM), regional companies were available for tentagung, which was under way. Schäfer, and Tapper. A fascinating tour continued on page 34

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Exchange w/Germany pants, many from eastern Europe, talks Chemical Education (CHED), Connec- were given by four NESACS students, tions to Germany: Research and Edu- Continued from page 33 including Sarah Chobot, the under- cation Opportunities, on Sunday discussion. The Sixth Annual North- graduate from Boston U, who won the afternoon, 1:30-5 p.m., in Plaza A of east Student Chemistry Research Con- € 250 cash prize and a flight ticket to the Seaport Hotel. ference on Saturday, which attracted attend a scientific conference of her In addition, thanks to an Innova- 130 participants, featured welcoming choice anywhere in the world during tive Projects Grant from the ACS Divi- remarks by Charles Casey (ACS Presi- the following year for the best oral sional Activities Committee to CHED, dent) and a keynote address by presentation. At the farewell dinner, Dr. Marianne Sgoff, a high school Stephen Lippard (M.I.T.). One of the Strem was awarded the Golden GDCh teacher of chemistry in Germany, will German students won a cash award for Pin, which recognizes outstanding come to Boston for the ACS meeting. the best oral presentation. A farewell service to chemistry and the chemical She will speak in the CHED High banquet, including Boston Cream Pie, society, for his work in promoting School Program (The High School- concluded the Exchange. cooperation between ACS and GDCh, College Interface) on Sunday morning 2005 Exchange (April 3-10) including the JCF-YCC Exchange. at 9:10 a.m. on “Challenges of Teach- ing High School Chemistry in Ger- 2006 Exchange (March 12-19) many” in Plaza B of the Seaport Hotel. The Frühjahrssymposium at the NESACS, as the host for this visit, University of Konstanz, which is providing lodging for its guests, and attracted almost 200 participants from has organized excursions, laboratory 15 countries, was attended by one visits, and other events of a scientific undergraduate each from Bridgewater and cultural nature. The costs for State College and Stonehill College, lodging and registration at the meeting and two from Harvard; eight graduate have been partially defrayed by the students were from Tufts, Boston Col- DAC grant and a grant to NESACS lege, Boston University, Dartmouth, from the ACS Local Section Activities Harvard, University of New Hamp- Sarah Chobot (Boston University): awarded Committee. Best Oral Presenttion prize at 2005 Früh- shire, and UMass Dartmouth. Accom- Following is a list of the German jahrssymposium Jungchemikerformum (JCF) panying the group to Konstanz were graduate students, their institutions, the Photo by Morton Z. Hoffman Ivan Korendovych (YCC Chair), Tan- titles of their research posters, and the The NESACS delegation to Ger- ner, Strem, and Hoffman. Dan Killelea divisions and times of their presenta- many consisted of one undergraduate (Tufts) received a third place cash tions. Check the ACS website each from Boston College and Boston award for his oral presentation, and or the meeting pro- University and 10 graduate students Vikki Tsefrikas (Boston College) and gram in C&EN for the locations of from M.I.T., Harvard, Dartmouth, Leland Johnson (Boston University) these sessions. Tufts, Boston University, and the Uni- received certificates citing the excep- versity of New Hampshire; the group tional quality of their research posters. German Delegation was accompanied by Lauren Wolf, During the rest of the week, the Dominik Margraf YCC Immediate Past-chair, Strem, NESACS delegation toured the Chem- Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität, Tanner, and Hoffman. This Exchange istry Department of the University;vis- Frankfurt am Main Eure- had several new features: the ited the Max Planck Institute Materials “Pulsed electron-electron double reso- gionale was replaced by a larger and Research Center in Freiburg; spent a nance: Beyond measuring distances” Früh- more geographically extended day at Altana Pharma; took a guided PHYS, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. jahrssymposium, and the entire week tour of the old medieval section of was spent in a single location, Hum- Konstanz; and relaxed on a boat ride Cathrin Corten boldt University in Berlin, eliminating on Lake Constance to Meerburg to Technische Universität Dresden the need for expensive and time-con- taste the local wines. “Multi-sensitive hydrogel thin films: suming travel within Germany. In From synthesis to application” addition to touring Berlin and Pots- 2007 Exchange (August 18-25) PMSE/POLY, Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. dam, the NESACS group visited the The German Delegation will Eva-Maria Jahn research and development laboratories attend the ACS meeting, display Ludwig-Maximilians Universität of Schering and the chemistry research research posters in the relevant techni- München facilities at the Technical University cal divisions and at Sci-Mix (Monday, “Synthetic approach to natural tRNA Berlin, the University of Potsdam, and 8-10 p.m.), and participate in a recep- modifications” the Max Planck Institute of Colloids tion in their honor (Sunday 5:30-7 ORGN, Sunday, 8-10 p.m. p.m.). Four of the students (and and Interfaces. Helke Döring At the Frühjahrssymposium, Begitt) will present oral contributions in a symposium in the Division of Technische Universität Chemnitz which attracted more than 200 partici- “Kinetic measurements using catalyst 34 The Nucleus Summer 2007 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:57 PM Page 35

Exchange w/Germany “Stereoselective binding of peptides by Group Germany artificial receptors in water: New Continued from page 34 3:45 – Intermission insights into the molecular recognition 3:55 – Kurt Begitt and Jens Breffke, coatings” of biologically relevant substrates” The German Chemical Society and I&EC, Tuesday, 8-10 p.m. ORGN, Sunday, 8-10 p.m. chemical education and research in Naho Fujimoto Franziska Luschtinetz Germany Forschungszentrum Borstel Universität Potsdam 4:20 – Laila Dafik, Younger Chemists “Glycosylceramides: Synthesis and “New perspectives on fluorescence Committee of the Northeastern Sec- biophysical properties” probes for protein single molecule tion ORGN, Sunday, 8-10 p.m. spectroscopy” 4:40 – Morton Hoffman, Study abroad Dominik Albrecht PHYS, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. opportunities in Germany for Amer- Technische Universität München Laila Dafik (YCC Chair, Tufts U) met ican science and engineering under- “Enantioselective intramolecular many of the members of the German graduates [2+2]-photocycloaddition reactions of delegation at the Frühjahrssymposium tetramic acid esters and their structural in Chemnitz, March 22-24, where she Reception (Sunday, 5:30-7 p.m.), homologues mediated by a chiral lac- presented a poster on the activities of Lighthouse Ballroom 2, Seaport tam host” the NESACS-YCC. Hotel ORGN, Tuesday, 8-10 p.m. Symposium (Sunday, 1:30-5 p.m.), At the reception, the research posters Tom Grossmann Plaza A, Seaport Hotel of the German students and posters Humboldt Universität, Berlin The symposium, with CHED as the from JCF, YCC, and other sponsors “DNA-catalyzed organic transfer reac- will be on display, providing an oppor- tion for sequence-specific DNA-detec- sponsoring technical division, has been organized by Hoffman and is cospon- tunity for attendees to speak to the pre- tion” senters in the informal setting. In ORGN, Sunday, 8-10 p.m. sored by the German Chemical Soci- ety, ACS International Activities addition, tables for the display of mate- Philipp Wacker Committee, CHED International Activ- rials by the sponsors of the reception Universität Potsdam ities Committee, ACS Northeastern will also be available. Some short wel- “Conformational analysis and ring cur- Section, Graduate Student Symposium coming remarks will be made, and it is anticipated that some Salutes to Excel- rent effects of porphyrins studied by Planning Committee, Society Commit- lence awards will be presented. molecular modeling” tee on Education, Women’s Chemist The sponsors of the reception are ORGN, Wednesday, 8-10 p.m. Committee, Younger Chemists Com- NESACS, CHED, Graduate Student Jens Breffke mittee, and the ACS President. The Symposium Planning Committee, Humboldt Universität, Berlin schedule is as follows: GDCh, DAAD, the Boston Consulting “No dual fluorescence in trans-4- 1:30 – Welcoming remarks dimethylamino-4’-cyanostilbene Group, and the German Research (DSC)” 1:35 – Eva-Maria Jahn, Biological Foundation. chemistry research at Ludwig-Max- PHYS, Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. Looking Ahead imilians University Jörg-Joachim Nitz Plans are being developed for the Max Planck Institut für Kohlen- 1:55 – Tom Grossmann, DNA as cata- next Exchange in 2008, when a delega- forschung, Mülheim an der Ruhr lyst in organic synthesis: An tion from NESACS will travel to Ger- “Spatially controlled functionalization approach for sequence-specific many for the Frühjahrssymposium in of ordered mesoporous carbons” DNA detection Rostock, March 27-29. We hope that COLL, Monday, 6-8 p.m. 2:15 – Cathrin Corten, Characteriza- the Exchange will continue with Igor Schapiro tion of smart materials synthesized another visit by undergraduates and Universität Duisburg-Essen via controlled radical polymeriza- graduate students from NESACS to “Ab initio molecular dynamics of tion Germany in 2009. We look forward to visual pigment chromophore models” 2:35 – Intermission the opportunity to welcome JCF to COMP, Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. Boston in August 2010 on the occasion 2:45 – Christian Schäfer (DAAD), of the next ACS National Meeting in Funding academic exchange and Hanns Martin Kaiser the Hub. Universität Rostock promoting research in Germany “New synthetic protocols for the 3:05 – Georg Bechtold (German This article was compiled by Morton preparation of unsymmetrical bisin- Research Foundation), Basic Hoffman, Ruth Tanner, and Michael doles” research in Germany Strem. Information obtained from arti- ORGN, Wednesday, 8-10 p.m. cles in The NUCLEUS by Suzann 3:25 – Claudia Jopp (Boston Consult- Hertzler, Lauren Wolf, and Jarred Peter Wich ing Group), The Boston Consulting N Universität Würzburg Blank is gratefully acknowledged.

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Continued from page 20 I learned several new protocols through my work, which will help me in the future, particularly in college lab work. In addition, I had the opportunity to work with sophisticated instruments, which I had never seen before, including a massive centrifuge and spectrophotometer. I had the chance to work under a hood, culturing and split- ting cell plates. My lab experience enabled me to learn by osmosis through my surroundings. The work I did at the MORI lab was part of a large effort by many researchers to develop a new method to combat cancer. My two supervisors at the lab, who guided me in my work, told me that the lab hoped to create a lentivirus vector carrying anti-cancer genes that could provide a new way of fighting the disease. My tasks included incorporating the genes into E. coli DNA, or plasmids, and retrieving the plasmids for use in a lentiviral vector. In the process, the plasmids were repli- cated in the bacteria, grown in culture for days, and purified. I performed several tests, such as gel electrophoresis, to confirm that the correct genes were incorporated in the plasmids. Researchers hope that, in the future, the lentivirus, with the anti-cancer genes, could be injected into a patient with cancer and cure the disease. My volunteer work in the lab Your one-stop source to career-related taught me a few important lessons. links in the Chemical Sciences First, I learned that scientific research WWW.NESACS.ORG/CAREERS of any kind is a slow process, requiring careful observation and patience. I sometimes had to allow hours to pass for culture to grow. Also, I quickly research work was valuable not only in realized that obtaining perfect results enhancing my knowledge of biology was nearly impossible; I dealt with and cancer, but also in teaching me failure in some of my tests. Through basic procedures of lab work and the the process of failure and correction, I scientific process. learned how to troubleshoot. I under- I will be attending MIT this fall stood that science is not a string of suc- and hope to continue work in all fields cesses, but often a hit-or-miss process, of science. My work at the lab only and I would sometimes cross my fin- made me more enthusiastic about gers to see whether a certain experi- research, and I hope to do internships ment had worked. From a scientific in college. I am interested in the bio- standpoint, I learned that chemistry medical and biochemical fields at MIT, was especially important to the under- and I am optimistic about my academic N standing of basic biology. Thus, my dreams for the future.

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The Nucleus Summer 2007 39 Summer 07 NUCLEUS_Don4+:May 07 NUCLEUS 7/11/07 5:58 PM Page 40 Harvard, MA 01451 19 Mill Road Nominations 2008 Richards Medal Award Nominations are invited for the 2008 These materials must be submitted Theodore William Richards Medal electronically in a single Adobe® PDF Award for conspicuous achievement in format file to: any area of chemistry. The Northeast- Professor Gary R. Weisman ern Section of the American Chemical Department of Chemistry Society awards the Richards Medal, University of New Hampshire honoring America’s first chemistry Durham, New Hampshire Nobel laureate and initially presented 03824-3598 in 1932, every two years. [email protected] The medal was last presented in 2006 to Professor Richard Schrock of Nominations must be received by the Massachusetts Institute of Technol- November 1, 2007. Nominators are ogy. The next presentation will be responsible to confirm receipt of their e-mail nomination package.

AMERICAN CHEMICAL made in March of 2008. U.S. POSTAGE PAID NONPROFIT ORG. NORTHEASTERN A nomination package consists of For additional information contact: SOCIETY SECTION a brief curriculum vitae, a list of up to Gary R. Weisman, twenty citations for key publications, phone: 603-862-2304; and a clear and concise nomination let- fax: 603-862-4278; N ter outlining the nominee’s “conspicu- email: [email protected] ous achievements in chemistry.” Calendar The NESACS website Notices for The Nucleus Calendar of Seminars should be sent to: Updated frequently • Late-breaking news • Position Postings Back issues of the Nucleus • Career-related Links • Awards and Scholarships Sheila E Rodman 250 Kennedy Drive www.nesacs.org Unit #403, Malden, MA 02148. E-MAIL: serodman(at)hotmail.com