SERMACS 2011 features a wide variety of symposia. In addition to analytical, biological, computational, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry symposia, the following specialized topics are also scheduled:
Career Issues for Today’s Chemists
This session will include 20-minute talks based on recent ACS Webinars and will include the following talks: “Job Search Strategies”, “Preparing a Resume”, “Effective Interviewing” and “Career Search Issues for Students”
Connecting Polymer Chemistry and Material Science to NASA Objectives
One of NASA’s objectives is to make the unrealized realizable. This is certainly true for the chemical and materials investigations being conducted by NASA researchers in connection with academia and industry. In this session, representatives from several NASA facilities will discuss materials research projects currently underway and anticipated materials needs for future NASA missions.
Conversion of Biomass to Biomaterials and Bioenergy
As part of the Innovative Projects Grant being awarded to the CELL Division by the ACS, a symposium on the “Conversion of Biomass to Biomaterials and Bioenergy” will be organized at SERMACS 2011 in Richmond, VA from Oct 26-29th. Abstract are invited and can be submitted through http://sermacs2011.org/abstracts/. Kindly note the September 20th submission deadline. The symposium will feature talks from leaders in the biomaterials and bioenergy area, and panel discussions on the current state of the art. On behalf of the CELL Division and ACS, we welcome your participation. Please contact symposium organizers Dr. Lucian Lucia (lucian.lucia@gmail.com) or Mr. Siddhesh Pawar (siddnp7@vt.edu) for further information.
Monty Kier – 45 Years of Computational Medicinal Chemistry
Dr. Lemont (Monty) B. Kier is a pioneer in computational studies for pharmaceutically important molecules: among his many achievements including more than 260 publications and seven books. His first publication applying quantum computational techniques to medicinally active compounds was in 1966. He is the author of Molecular Orbital Theory in Drug Research, a textbook published in 1971 that is still available in numerous languages around the world; he, with longtime collaborator Lowell Hall of Eastern Nazarene College, invented most of the commonly used topological indices for Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR); he was credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with first using and defining the term pharmacophore a concept at the heart of modern drug discovery; and most recently he has been active in promoting cellular automata as a tool for understanding the complex phenomena of solubility, drug recognition, solvent partitioning, etc. This symposium is intended to honor Monty and his wide-ranging contributions to medicinal chemistry.
Nanomaterials
This session sets its focus on the synthesis of nanomaterials (e.g. metal, metal oxide, carbon, boron nitride, and their hybrids) for energy and catalytic applications and the use of nanomaterials as fillers for advanced multifunctional composites with targeted mechanical, electronic, thermal and other enhanced properties.
Nanotechnology Education in the Chemistry Laboratory
This session highlights the many interesting and effective ways that educators can use nanotechnology to teach chemical concepts in the laboratory. Presenters may report their new experiments, pedagogical research and curriculum development (e.g. new courses, minors, etc). Ideas from all levels of instruction are welcome: K-12, two- and four-year college, graduate, professional/workforce development and informal learning. Chemical laboratory can be defined broadly to include a standard teaching lab and also a place for classroom demonstrations, online (virtual) experiments and outreach activities at museums and other venues.
Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
The focus of this session is on scaffolds for tissue engineering including micro and nano fabrication techniques with a specific emphasis on patterned and 3D matrices that highlight biological applications for tissue engineering and the influence of the scaffolds on cell migration, adhesion or differentiation.
Social Media in Science
Science is communicated by individuals and organizations using many new types of social media. These include twitter, blogs, facebook, and various online publishing venues. The symposium presentations should inform the audience of how new types of media are being used to reach specific audiences and the associated strengths and weaknesses.
The full program descriptions can be accessed here.
