DED UN 18 O 98 F yyyy N yyyy Y O T R E I T H C E N O yyyy A E S S S L T A E A C R C I yyyyN S M S E E H C C T N IO A January 2003 Vol. LXXXI, No. 5 yyyyC N • AMERI Monthly Meeting Leslie Orgel speaks on RNA and the origin of Life Meeting Report From the November Norris Award Meeting Book Review Robert Burns Woodward by O.T. Benfey and P.J.T. Morris, eds. Summer Scholar Report On conductive DNA electrode linkers 2 The Nucleus January 2003 The Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. Contents Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01760. 1-800-872-2054 (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. Nominations _______________________________________ 4,14 e-mail: [email protected] Philip L. Levins Memorial Prize_____________________4 Any Section business may be conducted via the business office above. Aula Laudis ____________________________________14 NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org Monthly Meeting ______________________________________ 5 Frank R. Gorga, Webmaster Prof. Leslie Orgel speaks on “The RNA World and the Origin of Life” Washington, D.C. ACS Hotline: 1-800-227-5558 Greetings from the Chair________________________________ 6 Officers 2003 Dr. John Neumeyer expresses his concerns: “Ask not what chemistry can do for Chair: John L. Neumeyer you – Ask what you can do for chemistry! Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478 Meeting Report _______________________________________ 7 617-855-3388; [email protected] The Education of Zafra Lerman – from the November Norris Award Meeting Chair-Elect: Jean A. Fuller-Stanley Summer Scholar Report _________________________________8 Chemistry Department, Wellesley College “Development of conductive DNA-electrode links” by Meaghan O’Keefe Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 781-283-3224; [email protected] and Shana O. Kelley of Boston College Immediate Past Chair: Morton Z, Hoffman Book Review_________________________________________ 11 Chemistry Department, Boston University “Robert B. Woodward: Architect and Artist in the World of Molecules” by Boston, MA 02215-2507 O.T. Benfey and P.J.T. Morris, eds. Reviewed by Bernard Miller 617-353-2494; [email protected] Secretary: Letter to the Editor ___________________________________ 13 Michael Singer Sigma RBI What, “TBA”? 3 Strathmore Rd. Natick, MA 01760-2447 National Chemistry Week ___________________________ 13, 14 508-651-8151x291 Report and pictures of the Museum of Science event ____13 [email protected] Treasurer: Northeast Regional Undergraduate Day at B.U________14 James Piper 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451 Board of Directors____________________________________ 15 978-456-3155 Notes of the Meeting of October 10, 2002 [email protected] Auditor: Cover: Dr. John L. Neumeyer, 2003 NESACS Chair Anthony Rosner Archivist: Deadlines: March 2003 issue: January 17, 2003 Myron Simon 20 Somerset Rd. April 2003 issue: February 21, 2003 Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 [email protected] Trustees: Joseph A. Lima, Esther A.H. Hopkins, Michael E. Strem, Councilors: Alternate Councilors: The Nucleus is distributed to the members of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Term Ends 12/31/2003 Term Ends 12 /31/2003 Catherine E. Costello Wallace Gleekman Society, to the secretaries of the Local Sections, and to editors of all local A.C.S. Section publications. William Klemperer Arno H.A. Heyn Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text must be received by the Dorothy J. Phillips Howard R. Mayne editor six weeks before the date of issue. Barbara Wood Alfred Viola Editor: Arno Heyn, 21 Alexander Rd., Newton, MA 02461, Term Ends 12/31/2004 Term Ends 12/31/2004 Tel: 617-969-5712, FAX: 617-527-2032; e-mail: [email protected] Thomas R. Gilbert Timothy B. Frigo Associate Editors: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Patricia H. Hamm Donald O. Rickter Michael J. Hearn Derk A. Wierda Mukund S. Chorghade, 14 Carlson Circle, Natick, MA 01760: Arlene W. Light vacant [email protected] Term Ends 12/31/2005 Term Ends 12/31/2005 Board of Publications: Marietta H. Schwartz (Chair), Patrick M. Gordon, vacant, E. Joseph Billo (Con- Mary T. Burgess Michaeline F. Chen sultant) Morton Z. Hoffman Patrick M. Gordon Business Manager: Karen Piper, 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451, Tel: 978-456-8622 Doris I. Lewis Truman S. Light Advertising Manager: Vincent J. Gale, P.O. Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, Amy E. Tapper Michael Singer Tel: 781-837-0424; FAX: 781-837-8792 All Chairs of standing Contributing Editors: Patricia Hamm, Features; Edward Atkinson, History of Chemistry; Dennis Committees, the editor Sardella, Book Reviews; Marietta H. Schwartz, Software Reviews. of THE NUCLEUS, and Calendar Coordinator: Donald O. Rickter, e-mail: [email protected] the Trustees of Section Proofreaders: E. Joseph Billo, Mukund S. Chorghade, Donald O. Rickter, M.S. Simon Funds are members of the Webpage: Webmaster: Frank R. Gorga, [email protected] Board of Directors. Any Asst. Webmasters: Terry Brush, [email protected] Councilor of the American Chemical Society Kurt Heinselman, [email protected] residing within the section area is an ex officio member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2003, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus January 2003 3 Directions Nominations Corporate Patrons Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. Since the MIT Lot is likely to Philip L Levins Strem Chemicals, Inc. be pretty full and on-street Memorial Prize parking is tight, use the T, if Nominations for the Philip L. Levins Corporate Sponsors possible. Memorial Prize for outstanding per- Aerodyne Research, Inc. Red Line: Exit at Kendall, walk formance by a graduate student on the Cambridge Isotope Laboratories towards Boston on Main St., turn right way to a career in chemical science Consulting Resources Corp. should be sent to the into Wadsworth St. The large building Houghton Chemical Corp. on the left at the corner of Wadsworth Executive Secretary, and Memorial Drive is the Sloan Ctr. NESACS, New England Biolabs, Inc. (less than 500 feet from the T). 23 Cottage St. Natick, Organix, Inc. Driving: MA 01760 Polymedica Corp. Sigma-RBI From Down-town Boston: Cross to by March 3, 2003. Cambridge on the Longfellow Bridge The graduate student’s research *and at the end of the bridge take the should be in the area of organic analyt- right turns into Memorial Drive (west- ical chemistry and may include other New Members bound). Take the first right, into areas of organic analytical chemistry Includes members relocated to the Wadsworth St. and at the end of such as environmental analysis, bio- Northeastern Section Wadsworth Street, turn right into Main chemical analysis, or polymer analysis. Invitation to attend a Section Street. The entrance to the MIT Sloan Nominations may be made by a parking lot is 1/2 block on the right. faculty member, or the student may meeting Parking free after 3:30 pm. submit an application. A biographical You are cordially invited to attend From Back Bay, Brookline, etc.: sketch, transcripts of graduate and one of our upcoming Section meetings as guest of the Section at the social Take Storrow Drive to the Cambridge undergraduate grades, a description of hour and dinner preceding the meeting. St. Exit, stay left and cross the Charles present research activity and three ref- Please call Marilou Cashman for a River on Longfellow Bridge, follow * erences must be included. The nomina- reservation, letting her know that you above. tion should be specific concerning the are a new member. N contribution the student has made to From Cambridge: Take Main St. the research and publications (if any) eastbound. The MIT Sloan parking lot with multiple authors. is on the right shortly after the Kendall Square T-stop, just beyond Wadsworth The award will be presented at the NESACS St. Parking free after 3:30 pm. N May 2003 Section Meeting. N News Tracy T. Moore II, from Cincinnati, OH has been awarded an ACS Schol- arship, sponsored by Proctor & Gam- ble Co. He has chosen to study Biochemical Sciences at Harvard Uni- versity. Welcome to the Section! Bassam Shakhashiri will be receiving the AAAS Award for Public Under- standing of Science and Technology at the February 2003 Annual Meeting of the AAAS in Denver, CO. He is cited P for: “tireless efforts in communicating the nature of science to the public.” Dr. Shakhashiri was the speaker/demonstrator at the very suc- cessful National Chemistry Week Event at the Museum of Science Octo- ber 20, 21. Congratulations! N 4 The Nucleus January 2003 Monthly Meeting The 839th Meeting of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society Thursday, January 9, 2003 MIT Faculty Club, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 5:30 pm Social Hour 6:30 pm Dinner 7:45 pm Evening Meeting, Dr. John L. Neumeyer, Chair, presiding Dr. Leslie E. Orgel, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA The RNA World and the Origin of Life Dinner reservations should be made no later than noon, January 2, 2003. Please call or fax Marilou Cashman at (800) 872-2054 or e-mail at Dr. Leslie Orgel [email protected]. Reservations not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance must be paid. Members, $25.00; Non-members, $28.00; Retirees, $15.00; Students, $ 8.00. Abstract THE PUBLIC IS INVITED. The RNA World and The Anyone who needs special services or transportation, please call Marilou Origin of Life Cashman a few days in advance so that suitable arrangements can be made. Recent X-ray studies of ribosomal Parking: Limited free parking after 3:30 pm in the MIT lot, entering from Main structure provide strong evidence that Street. Meter parking on side streets is free after 6:00 pm there was once an RNA world in which RNAs functioned both as genetic and Next Meeting: February 13, 2003, Holiday Inn, 399 Grove St., Newton, MA.