Hello everyone! The end of 2007 is coming towards us at a great pace. At the end of December, there will be a "quiet" transition as Richard Hartmann takes over the position of Chair for the Rochester Section effective January 1st.
In this November report, I thought it would be fitting for Richard to write an article outlining his vision for the Rochester Section in 2008. This is timely as the Executive Committee is slated to finalize the 2008 budget at our meeting this month. This will give you an opportunity to see the path forward and realize that this new spirit, this new excitement within the Rochester Section does not end with one Chair's term. I was happy to follow a great leader such as Ben Miller (2006) and feel confident that we will continue our new vision into 2008. It is with that confidence that I am proud to present Rich's article at this time.
-Dick Cobb
Hello! Some of you know that I teach chemistry at Nazareth College, which is recognized for its excellent fine arts programs. Over the course of the past seven years here, I have found myself increasingly interested in the work of my colleagues, especially those in the art department. In fact, I have recently started teaching my general chemistry course from the perspective of its relationship to art. I believe making these connections has energized my teaching as well as the interest of my students in a topic that many of them find difficult to grasp.
It is in that same spirit that I have decided to put the theme of Chemistry and Art on my year as chair. High-caliber scientific events such as the Harrison Howe Award and symposia that highlight the research area of the winner as well as emerging technologies in upstate New York will continue. However, I hope to capitalize on the momentum that we have gained recently by reaching out to our members in areas that are not strictly chemical. The joint events with the Corning and Buffalo sections, the monthly mixers at MacGregors, the Science Cafe events like the lecture by Nick Zumbulyadis on the "History of Meissen Blue Porcelain" given at the Memorial Art Gallery, all represent the breadth of who we are as chemists and allow us to interact with one another on a level that is rewarding as well as outgoing. For instance, many of the attendees at Nick's talk were not chemists (or even scientists), and I believe that part of what we do has to include reaching out to the community around us (including friends and family) who may not view chemistry or science in the best of lights.
In order to kick off 2008 with a bang, the speaker at the annual dinner on February 15, 2008, will be Nobel Prize winning chemist Roald Hoffmann. His talk, "Indigo, a Story of Science, Religion, and Culture, of the Natural and the Unnatural" promises to be an exciting entrance into the connections that we all make between chemistry and other areas of interest. As a change in venue from the customary restaurant location, the evening will take place on the campus of Nazareth College where you can come and enjoy dinner, his talk, and a dessert reception all in the relaxed atmosphere of one of the prettiest settings in town.
We are also planning to continue the Science Cafe events on an alternate month schedule on a variety of topics that are sure to pique your interests. I have also enjoyed Dick Cobb's monthly reports and will do my best to carry on in this fine precedent.
I am happy to hear from any of you about your thought, ideas, or concerns in relation to anything pertaining to the local section. I am excited about the year of events that are in store for you, and I look forward to meeting you personally at one of these events and hope that you will join me in making 2008 a productive and rewarding year for the section.
Rich Hartmann
2008 Chair
Rochester Section, ACS
rhartma0@naz.edu
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
