American Chemical Society

Women Chemists Committee

NEWSLETTER
Spring 2013

Leaders Leaders in in Attracting, Attracting, Developing, Developing, Promoting, Promoting, and and Advocating Advocating for for Women Women in in the the Chemical Chemical Sciences Sciences

Chairs Message
For 2013, the Women Chemists Committee (WCC) is continuing to focus on programs to promote the retention of women in the chemical enterprise. At the spring national meeting in New Orleans, the WCC has planned several events aimed at addressing this topic. On Monday morning, April 8th, the WCC will host Judy Giordan at the Women in the Chemical Enterprise Breakfast who will provide a professional development program entitled Personal Branding 101: How to Create Your Brand. This presentation will be centered on learning critical self promotion job skills in order to achieve career success. Following the breakfast will be a full day symposium highlighting the accomplishments of the ten 2013 WCC Rising Star Awardees. The committee is excited to continue this program which acknowledges exceptional mid-career women chemists across all sectors providing opportunity for national recognition. After the symposium, the WCC is hosting a reception to honor the awardees in conjunction with WCC Just Cocktails, an informal networking function which enables mid-career chemists to leverage their energies, mitigate isolation, and share their professional stories. In addition to the above events, on Tuesday, April 9th, the WCC will honor the recipient of the 2013 Garvan-Olin Medal, Dr. Susan M. Kauzlarich Professor of Chemistry at University of California Davis, at the WCC Luncheon. Additionally the WCC will recognize the recipients of the 2013 spring Eli Lilly Travel Award during the WCC/Eli Lilly Poster Session and Reception, prior to the luncheon. The other WCC-sponsored symposium on Wednesday, April 10th, will celebrate the contributions of Heather C. Allen, who was honored with the 2013 ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences for her successful efforts in establishing scholarships for underrepresented young women and as a mentor for encouraging and advancing the professional development of women. The WCC is excited to be continuing our participation with the Chemical Entrepreneurship Council (CEC), in order to provide the resources and skills necessary for chemists to form sustainable businesses. At New Orleans, the WCC, as a member of CEC, is proud to support a multitude of programming, workshops and events targeted to entrepreneurs (and would-be entrepreneurs). This includes a joint effort by BMGT and YCC to both teach how to construct a business plan and value proposition for research and innovation, as well as compete for funding prizes later in the week. Joint efforts with the Chemical Angels Network, a joint networking reception, and WCC's own Branding Yourself working breakfast help round out efforts to connect chemists with the tools, people and funding needed to move their R&D to the next level. Judy Cohen

Inside this issue

ACS Recognizes Rachel Carsons Silent Spring for Landmark Contribution to Chemistry WCC Roadmap for New Orleans Successful Women in Chemistry Series 2012 WCC Rising Stars
2013 Women Chemist Committee Rising Star Award Winners Announced Memorial Gifts Honor ACS Member Fall 2012 Meeting Highlights Spring 2012 Breakfast The Stories of the Garvan Medal Winners

2 3 4 6 6 7 9 10 10 11 12

WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Awards WCC Award Announcements Networking

Women Chemists Committee wcc@acs.org http://womenchemists.sites.acs.org/ American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

ACS Recognizes Rachel Carsons Silent Spring for Landmark Contribution to Chemistry
Rachel Carsons 1962 classic, Silent Spring a book that forever changed the way society and science relate to the world around us was recognized as a National Historic Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society on Oct. 26 during the Rachel Carson Legacy Conference at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pa. Rachel Carson could not have imagined that her words and ideas would so profoundly change the way modern Americans think today, said Nancy B. Jackson, Ph.D., immediate past-president of ACS. Silent Spring presented a new perspective on humans role in the world around them, and the quality, rigor and compelling tone of her book caught the attention of readers nationwide, including policy makers and journalists at the highest levels of influence. Silent Spring led to a paradigm shift of great significance that set the stage for the more sustainable science we practice today. On behalf of ACS, Jackson presented a plaque honoring Carsons Silent Spring to Wenying Xu, Ph.D., vice president of academic affairs for Chatham University. A Springdale, Pa., native, Carson was a life-long naturalist with scientific degrees from Chatham University (formerly Pennsylvania College for Women) and the Johns Hopkins University. Silent Spring, written by Carson in 1962, caused national controversy by challenging the widespread indiscriminate use of agricultural pesticides that was common at the time and arguing for stricter governmental regulations of chemicals. The years following the publication of Silent Spring saw the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the passing of numerous laws protecting the environment and human health, including a ban on domestic use of DDT in 1972 due to its widespread overuse and harmful impact on the environment. Carsons ecological perspective a belief in the interconnectivity of insects, birds, animals and mankind with the environment provided a new framework of understanding where humanity is not the center of life on Earth, but a part of nature. Her work has had profound implications on the practice of chemistry, including the advent of green chemistry, and the design, development and implementation of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of substances hazardous to human health and the environment. The ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement presented a panel during the conference titled, The Impact of Silent Spring Fifty Years of Chemistry Practice. Panelists discussed perspectives on the evolution of the practice of chemistry in academic, industrial and public arenas over the last 50 years. ACS established the National Historic Chemical Landmarks program in 1992 to recognize seminal events in the history of chemistry and to increase awareness of the contributions of chemistry to the well-being of society. Other events recognized through this program have included the home and laboratory of Joseph Priestley, discoverer of oxygen and other gases, who moved from Great Britain to Pennsylvania in 1794; the development of diagnostic test strips by Al and Helen Free, which today help millions of diabetics to self-monitor and manage their diseases; and the pioneering work of Alice Hamilton, whose experiences with Chicagos immigrant workers in the early 1900s led to the origins of occupational hygiene and medicine. For more information about the program, visit www.acs.org/landmarks.

Keith Lindblom

Nancy B. Jackson, Ph.D., Immediate-past President of the American Chemical Society, presents the National Historic Chemical Landmark plaque to Wenying Xu, Ph.D., Vice President of Academic Affairs for Chatham University.

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Photo courtesy Chatham University

245th ACS National Meeting New Orleans, LA

Women Chemist Committee

Events Schedule
Monday, April 8
WCC Women in the Chemical Enterprise Breakfast (Ticketed Event) 7:30 am 9:00 am Hilton Riverside, Versailles Ballroom WCC Rising Star Symposium
Sponsored by WCC; Cosponsored by ANYL, COLL, INOR, MEDI, ORGN, PHYS

Tuesday, April 9
WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Award Poster Session and Reception 11:00 am 12:00 pm Hilton Riverside, Grand Ballroom Room D WCC Luncheon (Ticketed Event) 12:00 pm 1:30 pm Hilton Riverside, Grand Ballroom, Room D Women Chemists of Color in Industry
Sponsored by PROF; Cosponsored by SCHB and WCC

Wednesday, April 10
ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Symposium in Honor of Heather C. Allen
Sponsored by COLL and PHYS; Cosponsored by WCC

WCC Roadmap for New Orleans

8:30 am 12:05 am Hilton Riverside, Grand Salon, D24 ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences: Symposium in Honor of Heather C. Allen
Sponsored by COLL and PHYS; Cosponsored by WCC

9:15 am11:40 am Hilton Riverside, Rosedown Women Chemists of Color Forum and Social 10:00 am 12:00 pm Hilton Riverside, Melrose Room WCC Rising Star Symposium
Sponsored by WCC; Cosponsored by ANYL, COLL, INOR, MEDI, ORGN, PHYS

1:00 pm 4:25 pm Morial Convention Center, Room 255

1:30 pm 4:00 pm Hilton Riverside, Grand Salon, D24

1:15 pm3:45 am Hilton Riverside, Rosedown WCC Just Say Cocktails Reception and Open Session 4:00 pm5:00 pm Hilton Riverside, Melrose

WCC Luncheon (Ticketed Event) Tuesday, April 9, 12:00 pm1:30 pm Hilton Riverside, Versailles Ballroom Keynote Speaker Susan Kauzlarich, Ph.D. Regents Professor of Chemistry, University of California -Davis Making Connections, Having Fun, and Being Inspired: My Journey From Student to Professor. Sponsored by the Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal Endowment, the 2013 Garvan Olin Medal is presented by the American Chemical Society to Dr. Sue B. Clark for seminal contributions to understanding chemistry governing behavior of actinides in the environment, and tireless efforts to bring gender diversity to university chemistry departments.
Susan Kauzlarich, Ph.D.

Successful Women in Chemistry Series2012 WCC Rising Stars Profiles

Gretchen M. Schroeder, Ph.D. Bristol-Myers Squibb Dr. Gretchen Marie Schroeder one of the 2012 WCC Rising Stars was born in South Bend, Indiana, and raised in Carrollton, Texas. After graduating from high school, Gretchen decided to attend Boston University. After taking organic chemistry during her sophomore year, Gretchen found her calling. Gretchen performed undergraduate research in the laboratory of Professor Kosta Steliou, where she synthesized biotin-derived catalysts for asymmetric epoxidation of olefins, for which she received an undergraduate award for distinction in research. During the summer, Gretchen chose to diversify her research experience at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, where she worked as a summer intern in molecular biology labs examining molecular pathways controlling development of the heart. Gretchen graduated summa cum laude from Boston University in 1997 and then joined Professor Barry M. Trosts research group at Stanford University. Gretchens doctoral work centered on the palladium-catalyzed asymmetric allylic alkylation of prochiral nucleophiles and the application of these methods to the total synthesis of natural products, including (+)-allocyathin B2. While at Stanford, Gretchen earned numerous awards including a National Science Foundation & Division of Organic Chemistry Graduate Research Fellowships. Her work in Professor Trosts lab resulted in nine articles being published in peer-reviewed journals. After graduating from Stanford University in 2002, Gretchen accepted a discovery chemistry position at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Princeton, New Jersey, where she joined the Oncology Chemistry Group. She has had the privilege of working with a number of talented project teams on a variety of oncology targets including the Eg5 mitotic kinesin motor protein, c-Met kinase, JAK2, and the Bcl-2 family of proteins. Notably, she is co-inventor of two compounds in human clinical trials. Gretchen was awarded the 2012 ACS WCC Rising Star Award for Excellence in the Design and Synthesis of Novel Oncology Agents Resulting in Various Clinical Candidates. In her free time, Gretchen enjoys spending time outdoors and can usually be found running, rock climbing or hiking with her dogs. What should people look for in a satisfying career? I believe the key to a satisfying career is finding something that you love to do at a place that you enjoy doing it. Both are essential. What do you like best about your current work? I love the challenges that present themselves in drug discovery. A medicinal chemist experiences countless setbacks and failures. Just when you think you have the ideal compound with the right target potency and attributes to create a drug, a piece of data comes in that throws you a curve ball. The sometimes unpredictable nature of drug discovery makes the successes even more rewarding. Dr. Annaliese Franz University of California Davis Dr. Annaliese Franz, 2012 WCC Rising Star, developed an interest in science very early in life. As a young child, she was always inquisitive and enjoyed many kinds of hands-on activities. In high school, her focus turned to chemistry. Along the way, several amazing and inspirational teachers as well as her parents provided invaluable support, she says, not because I was the top student but probably because they recognized my passion for science. A passion for science is certainly evident in Annalieses approach to her work and her record of accomplishment. After earning a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of California, Irvine in 2002, she completed postdoctoral appointments at Harvard University and then continuing at the joint Harvard/MIT Broad Institute. In 2007, she joined the Department of Chemistry at UC-Davis as an assistant professor where she currently mentors a large group of students in a very active research program focused on synthetic methodology, organosilicon chemistry, and asymmetric catalysis. Among the things she most values about her position are being able to pursue new ideas and learning something new every day. She also finds it very satisfying to work with graduate and undergraduate students, sharing and discussing research ideas with them and seeing them develop satisfaction in their own research. While she acknowledges that finding a good work/life balance can be a challenge, Annaliese follows the work hard, play hard motto. She says I would rather pour on the steam to write another grant, pursue new collaborations, or devote extra time to mentoring my students and then later engage in a true escape, such as a trip to Costa Rica or a visit with my family. She also enjoys devoting a certain portion of her time to outreach activities, especially to promote science to girls, but she considers these to be on the fun side of the work/life ratio rather than work because they typically involve an inspirational group of people who contribute to her love of chemistry. She also makes time in her regular routine for jogging with her dogs, hiking, and gardening. Annaliese believes its important to find a career where you can get caught up in your work and lose track of time because you are so excited about the ideas and the people you work with. In addition, she advises, Be passionate and dont spend too much time comparing yourself to someone else. There is always someone who is farther along than you or more successful in one way or another. Ask your own questions, find your own answers, and look for the ways you can best contribute to chemistry and science.

Ellen Keiter

Kelly George

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Successful Women in Chemistry Series2012 WCC Rising Stars Profiles

Continued from page 4 Dr. Megan Sassin U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Dr. Megan Sassin, Research Chemist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and 2012 WCC Rising Star awardee, traces her interest in chemistry to her high school years. She says she found the subject especially appealing because it allowed her to use both her creative and methodical natures to solve a wide variety of problems. She was also drawn to it because of the many options it offered both for specialization within the discipline and for the type of position one could pursue. Megan ultimately chose to specialize in electrochemistry, earning a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine in 2007 followed by a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship in the Advanced Electrochemical Materials section at NRL. Megan is currently a staff scientist at the NRL where she focuses on the design, fabrication, and characterization of multifunctional 3D electrode architectures for energy-storage applications. Megan obviously has found her niche as she is truly excited to go to work every day; especially on days when she knows she will be in the lab. Megan describes the most satisfying aspects of her current work as solving problems, having the flexibility to pursue what interests her, making a difference in the world, and presenting the findings to an audience. Regarding that last point, Megan added, After all, I did attend a performing arts high school, so I like to be on stage! Megan identified several individuals who have been important in her development as a chemist, beginning with three of her undergraduate professors at Southwestern University who encouraged Megan to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry and continued to provide valuable support while she was in graduate school. Megan also singled out her postdoctoral adviser at NRL, Dr. Jeffrey W. Long, as well as her current section head, Dr. Debra Rolison who promotes a positive work atmosphere and challenges every member of her team to reach their full potential. Finally, Megan credits her husband (a fellow chemist) who, by his full support of her choice to be a research chemist, makes it possible for her to have it all. Megans dedication to science extends well beyond her own career. She is also active in efforts to promote broader participation of women in the discipline. While a graduate student at UC-Irvine, Megan founded a chapter of Iota Sigma Pi, the national honorary society for women in chemistry, and she is currently president of NRLs Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) chapter. To anyone seeking a satisfying career, Megan offers three points of advice: 1) find a subject that excites you and you are passionate about; 2) find a work environment/team that suits you; and 3) find a place that lets you use your skills and, at the same time, provides ample opportunities to learn new skills. Dr. Malika Jeffries-EL Iowa State University Prof. Malika Jeffries-EL, a 2012 WCC Rising Star, has always been interested in understanding and learning how things work. Malika participated in a summer science program for girls and discovered that becoming a chemist was one way to study how things work. After receiving her first periodic table, Malika became excited about all of the possibilities for combining elements and was encouraged by her mother to pursue science. At Wellesley College, Malikas organic chemistry professors, Drs. Jean Fuller and David Haines, influenced her towards a path in chemistry. After completing her Ph.D. at George Washington University, Malika spent one year at Smith College as a Mendenhall Fellow, and received a post -doctoral fellowship to work at Carnegie Mellon with Professor Richard McCullough. Malika joined the chemistry department at Iowa State University in 2005, and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2012. Malikas research focuses on the development of organic semiconductorsmaterials that combine the processing properties of polymers with the electronic properties of semiconductors. Malika has authored over 20 publications, and has won numerous awards including the 3M untenured faculty award, Emerald Honors for most promising minority scientist, the Lloyd Ferguson Award from National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE), and an NSF CAREER award. To date, she has mentored over 30 students and postdocs. Malikas keys to success are to "stay curious, work hard, and build a great network. Chemistry is not done in a bubble." She also finds ways to balance work and life, even though that can sometimes be a challenge. Malika has friends who convince her to take breaks, and she makes time for exercise and hobbies to relieve stress. Malika has important advice for future generations of women who want to go into the chemical profession expose yourself to many aspects of the field and love the science. You do not need to decide on your field of specialty early in your career. For example, Malika was initially interested in forensic chemistry, but switched her focus to materials science after learning about conjugated polymers. She encourages young scientists to explore all of their options; in addition to traditional careers in industry or academia, there are many opportunities for chemical professionals.

Christine Chow

Ellen Keiter

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2013 Women Chemist Committee Rising Star Award Winners Announced

The Women Chemists Committee is pleased to announce the 2013 WCC Rising Star Award Winners! This award recognizes exceptional midcareer women chemists across all sectors on a national level to promote the retention of women in science. The award recognizes up to 10 outstanding women scientists approaching mid-level careers annually at the Spring ACS national meeting. The 2013 award winners will be acknowledged during a symposium to highlight their work on Monday, April 8th, 2013 at the 245th ACS National Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nominations for next year will be due June 1, 2013. Please see the WCC website for details on how you can nominate the next WCC Rising Star. Please join the committee in congratulating the 2013 winners: Gwen M. Gross, The Boeing Company, Excellence in Materials Research related to the Aerospace Industry Jong-in Hahm, Georgetown University, Excellence in the Development of Enhanced DNA and Protein Sensors Joy Haley, Air Force Research Laboratory, Excellence in the Study of Photochemical Reactions using Advanced Spectroscopic Methods Michelle Hamm, University of Richmond, Excellence in the Development of Synthetic Methods for understanding DNA Damage and Repair Sunghee Lee, Iona College, Excellence in the Development and Understanding of the Liquid-Liquid Interface Lisa Marcaurelle, H3 Biomedicine, Inc., For Connecting Synthetic Organic Chemistry to Drug Discovery in order to Transform Medicine Catherine Schmidt Patterson, Getty Conservation Academia, Excellence in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage through the Development of Analytical Techniques Linda S. Shimizu, University of South Carolina, For Development of Supramolecular Structures used to Probe Photochemical Reactions in Confined Environments Seble Wagaw, Abbott Laboratories, For Exceptional Accomplishments in Process Chemistry Research for Drug Development Mary Watson, University of Delaware, Excellence in the Development of MetalCatalyzed Transformations and Innovative Cross Coupling Chemistry

Memorial Gifts Honor ACS Member

As a 52-year ACS member who always sought opportunities to connect with fellow scientists and others, Dr. Marjam G. Behar touched many lives. Numerous donations were made in her memory enough to provide two Project SEED stipends in 2013. Dr. Marjam G. Behar was born in Poland and moved to Portugal in 1930, and then to Cuba in 1939. By the time Marjam was in high school, she was fluent in Polish, Yiddish, Portuguese and Spanish. With a doctorate from the University of Havana, Marjam emigrated to the U.S. in 1955 with her husband (also a chemist) and two year -old son. Marjam worked for 20 years as a researcher in analytical chemistry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and then served for another 21 years as a highly respected grants administrator at the National Institutes of Health, where she led a study section in biophysical and chemical sciences. Marjam was honored with a special symposium on advances in bioanalytical and bioinorganic chemistry at the 213 th ACS National Meeting. Having overcome many obstacles to enjoy a fulfilling scientific career, Marjam was as passionate about helping others as she was about science. Marjam served on the Women Chemists Committee, was a longstanding Project SEED mentor and served as a coordinator of a local Project SEED program. The outpouring of donations in her memory will provide stipends for two Project SEED students to perform summer research in 2013. To make a gift in honor or memory, visit www.acs.org/donate. ACS recognizes these esteemed individuals in the ACS Annual Report.

Dr. Marjam G. Behar

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Fall 2012 Meeting Highlights

WCC 85TH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM The Women Chemists Committee was proud to celebrate our 85th Anniversary during 2012! To celebrate, the WCC hosted a symposium featuring past WCC-chairs at the Philadelphia National Meeting in August, 2012. The symposium started with current WCC chair Judy Cohen presenting WCC celebrating 85 years of advocating for women scientists in the chemical enterprise. Judy gave an overview of the history and the origins of the WCC and discussed two of the current efforts being undertaken by the WCC which include the Non-tenure Track Faculty Task Force (NTTF) and its own Awards Task Force. Following Judys talk the other past-chairs of the WCC highlighted or discussed a portion of the WCC mission statement with the audience. Dawn Brooks (2009 WCC Chair) presented, Eli Lilly/WCC Travel Award Program: Attracting women into the chemical sciences. The Eli Lilly travel award was created by Chris Bodurow in 1989. This program was of particular importance to Dawn as she was a recipient of the Eli Lilly award in 1997 during her graduate work. Dawn commented that many of the winners, including herself, have reported the award receipt and travel to a national meeting to be a pivotal experience in their careers. Dawn completed her section by highlighting past award winners and providing updated on their current positions. Frankie Wood-Black (WCC Chair 19982000) presented, Recognizing the efforts and contribution of others: How the little things make a big difference. Frankie described many ways in which supervisors or co-workers can give recognition to others. The benefits to recognition include enhancement of all of the following: well-being, motivation, inspiration, reflection, growth and achievement. Recognition can take the form of awards, press, thank you notes, tokens, photos, etc. Frankie spoke about the importance of making recognition specific, including what behavior or results is being recognized and why it is being recognized. Amber Hinkle (WCC Chair 2006-2008) presented, Sharing career advice from successful women chemists, in which she spoke about the Development portion of the WCC mission. Amber summarized many of the career development initiatives pioneered at WCC that led the way for other ACS committees to include similar programs. Amber reflected upon the WCCs pioneering speed networking breakfast held in 1993, which led the way for speed networking events to become common events at national meetings. Carolyn Ribes (WCC Chair 2003-2005) presented, Understanding the longevity of WCC: Root cause analysis. Carolyn used a tool called Cause Mapping from Think Reliability to examine success statements made during interviews with women affiliated with ACS and the WCC. Carolyns goal was to link the WCC Success to the ACS Strategic Goals. For each of the four ACS Strategic Goals, Carolyn showed layers of cause and factors that contribute to success. Carolyn also pointed out that the first three female ACS Presidents had all worked at some time on the WCC. Janet Bryant (WCC Chair, 2010) presented, Lost Knowledge: Complexities of and essential elements for retention of midcareer STEM professionals. Janet spoke about the importance of retaining mid-career professional women chemists. She discussed the loss of knowledge and institutional memory, which occurs through turnover, reassignments, poor documentation, restructuring, etc. Janet then linked the importance of retaining mid-career chemists to the WCC programs such as Just Cocktails and the work WCC does in collaboration with the YCC and the Senior Chemists. The WCC was honored to have Helen M. Free (WCC Chair 1970-1972, ACS President 1993) as the final speaker in our symposium. During her talk titled, Bits of WCC history from the past, Helen reflected on how the status of women chemists has changed over the past forty years. Helen recounted the circumstances of the official change of the committees name from the Womens Service Committee to the Women Chemists Committee based upon a request made to council in the Fall of 1971. Subsequent to that in the Spring of 1972 WCC report to council the following statement was included, The WCC is to request the national meetings office to furnish badges with pins for half day session tickets. The pocket inserts are very unhandy for women who have no jacket pockets. To help demonstrate how things have changed for women, Helen reported a number of statistics about women in the chemical sciences. However, Helen commented that the current statistics reminded her of the phrase, Youve come a long way baby, but you still have a long way to go. Helen concluded that the WCC has achieved the objective of providing a mechanism for increasing and including the participation of women in the ACS at the national, local, and divisional levels and she congratulated the WCC. For those of you who were registered for the Fall 2012 meeting, but were unable to attend the symposium, you can access the symposium presentations at ACS Presentations on Demand: http://presentations.acs.org/common/ presentations.aspx/Fall2012/WCC/WCC001 Kim Woznack

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Fall 2012 Meeting Highlights

2012 FALL WOMEN CHEMIST COMMITTEE LUNCHEON
The Women Chemists Committee (WCC) Luncheon offered an excellent networking opportunity for the Fall National meeting attendants during the Philadelphia ACS Meeting on August 21, 2012. Ms. Judy Cohen, the 2012 WCC Chair, presented the 12th Overcoming Challenges Award to Ms. Jade Bing, a Biochemistry major from Rider University. Jades acceptance speech offered a truly inspirational story about how she has succeeded in overcoming both physical and financial challenges, and is off to an impressive early career in chemistry. After years of physical therapy, Jade overcame childhood paralysis of her limbs, a result of GuillainBarr syndrome, and even secured a spot on Riders Division I Field Hockey team! Jade has also overcome significant financial hardships. After her familys home was destroyed in a fire, Jade had to put her athletic career on hold in order to work full-time while continuing to go to school full-time. Congratulations again to Ms. Jade Bing, a truly deserving recipient of the 12th Overcoming Challenges Award. Jades speech was then followed by the keynote address, delivered by Dr. May Shanaa, Group Vice President & VP of Growth Strategy at Ashland Specialty Ingredients. May gave an uplifting and motivating keynote address, How I Got Here, where she shared the following advice from her own career path.

FALL 2012 WCC WOMEN IN THE CHEMICAL ENTERPRISE BREAKFAST

In Philadelphia, the WCC Women in the Chemical Enterprise Breakfast (formerly the Women in Industry Breakfast) was attended by over 100 people. Even at such an early hour, the conversation was lively and the mood was bright. After a brief time for chatting and eating, the guest speaker, Deborah Lee Smith, presented an hour of tips and tricks to make the most of your LinkedIn profile. Key points from her advice: 1. Make sure that your profile features a clear photo of your face. A missing photo may be just an incomplete profile from your point of view, but people prefer to connect those they could recognize. 2. Accept all of the network invitations that you receive. The more people that you have in your network, the broader your reach. 3. Keep your information fresh and up to date. Dont forget to feature the professional training you attended and to update your title when you get that promotion!

so-called Leaky Pipeline is no longer a problem during the education years, but does become evident further down the academic career track. Some possible factors hindering women from moving into top-level positions include a lack of role models, a lack of critical mass in these upper positions, family responsibilities and a choice/ desire to stick with less demanding jobs. Dr. Lisa Balbes (Balbes Consultants) provided some tips for managing your own professional life. Several of her tips included Try it you might (not) like it, Do what you love and Ask. The take-home message from this presentation was to not be afraid to try something new or to let others know what type of position youre searching for. In many cases, positions have been specifically created for someone based on their skills and interests. Word-of-mouth referrals can also be extremely helpful in finding a new position or gaining additional clients for your own business. As Lisa said, people are your friends, so put your networking skills to good use! Dr. Laura Sremaniak (North Carolina State University) and Dr. Amy Nicely (Parkland College/University of Illinois) provided data and personal perspectives of non-tenure track (NTT) positions at academic institutions. Enrollment at degree-granting institutions has increased 38% from 2000-2008, and with this increase in students, many institutions have increased the size of their adjunct workforce. Laura highlighted the data published in the ACS Committee on Professional Trainings Who is Teaching Whom report from Fall 2010 (available at acs.org). According to the report, only 22% of the tenure-track (TT) faculty were women, while 40-48% of the NTT faculty were women. Amy highlighted data from the Coalition on the Academic Workforces June 2012 report titled A Portrait of Part-Time Faculty Members. This report collected data from over 10,000 NTT faculty across all academic disciplines. Some of the key findings included a lower per-course salary compared to that offered to their TT counterparts, little wage premium based on credentials, minimal support for work outside the classroom, and minimal inclusion in academic decision making. Continued on page 9

Bevin Parks WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY SYMPOSIUM PHILDELPHIA MEETING

During the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia, one day-long symposium focused on a variety of topics related to Women in Chemistry. The symposium was organized by Dr. Ann Nalley (2006 ACS President) and was presided over by Ann and Dr. Donna Nelson. While many wonderful presentations were given, this article will summarize just a few. Ann discussed Solutions to Problems Women in Chemistry Face in their Career Advancement. The introduction of Title VI and Title IX paved the way for equal opportunities for women in both education and employment. Despite these opportunities, there is still a disproportionately low percentage of women in management positions in industry and at the full Professor level in academia. Ann reported that, as of 2008, women are earning half of the Bachelors and Masters degrees and a third of the Ph.D.s in chemistry. This suggests that the

1. 2. 3.

Have a Vision with a defined destination As an Individual: Help yourself to grow

As a leader: balance brain, heart, and courage 4. Embrace being a woman! Many thanks once again to both Dr. May Shanaa and Ms. Jade Bing, for sharing inspirational stories and helpful advice during the 2012 Fall Women Chemists Committee luncheon! Kelly George

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Fall 2012 Meeting Highlights

Continued from page 8 Finally, Laura and Amy highlighted the findings that part-time teaching is not necessarily temporary or preferred, dispelling the possible myth that part-time NTT faculty prefer part-time work over a full-time position. The Women Chemists Committee has formed a task force to continue studying the role of NTT faculty within chemistry departments and to advocate for the increasing population of faculty working in NTT positions. Look for more information in future newsletters as the NTT task force continues its work. (now University). The talk concluded with a discussion of Maries work at Einstein College of Medicine. The next talk focused on the Scientific Life and Contributions of Dr. Marie M. Daly by Linda Meade Tollin. Linda knew Marie as a mentor and studied the research papers of Marie and gave an in depth discussion of her research. The last talk of the symposium was entitled the Legacy of Dr. Marie Daly by Jeannette Brown. In this talk Jeanette spoke about the Ivan and Helen Daly award that was sponsored by Marie Daly at Queens College, her alma mater. Jeannette also spoke about Marie's work in the King Kennedy Program of Einstein College of Medicine. The Ivan and Helen Daly aware program was designed to enable minority students to be eligible to be enrolled as medical students and medical science students at Einstein or other universities. 2. fer to connect those they could recognize. Accept all of the network invitations that you receive. The more people that you have in your network, the broader your reach. Keep your information fresh and up to date. Dont forget to feature the professional training you attended and to update your title when you get that promotion!

3.

Bevin Parks

Amy Nicely MARIE DALY SYMPOSIUM

The Marie Daly Symposium was held on Wednesday afternoon at the Philadelphia ACS meeting August 2012. The symposium was recorded and is available online to those who were registered for the meeting. Instead of the traditional introductory remarks, the symposium opened with a video of Dr. Marie Daly. The first talk was entitled Mary Letitia Caldwell: Educator, researcher, model, and mentor and was given by Janan M. Hayes and Patricia L. Perez. Mary Letitia Caldwell was the thesis advisor of Marie Daly and her first mentor. Mary Caldwell was also a Garvan Medal winner. Marie wrote an obituary for Mary. The next talk was entitled Dr. Marie Maynard Daly by Jeannette Brown. This was an in depth review of Maries life and work. Jeannette discussed Maries early life, her early work at Rockefeller Institute

In Philadelphia, the WCC Women in the Chemical Enterprise Breakfast (formerly the Women in Industry Breakfast) was attended by over 100 people. Even at such an early hour, the conversation was lively and the mood was bright. After a brief time for chatting and eating, the guest speaker, Deborah Lee Smith, presented an hour of tips and tricks to make the most of your LinkedIn profile. Key points from her advice: 1. Make sure that your profile features a clear photo of your face. A missing photo may be just an incomplete profile from your point of view, but people pre-

Linda Wang/C&EN

FALL 2012 WCC WOMEN IN THE CHEMICAL ENTERPRISE BREAKFAST

Fall 2012 WCC Breakfast

Spring 2013 Breakfast

The spring 2013 Chemical Enterprise Breakfast being held in New Orleans promises to be one of the most exciting yet! Along with the breakfast buffet we will provide food for thought in Branding Yourself or The Tricks of Bragging. The idea of bragging about ourselves is something that many people (especially women) struggle with. Many of us believe that if we are good enough and do our best, we will be noticed without tooting our own horn. Well, it turns out that a little bit of confident and concise personal information sharing, a.k.a. bragging, can be extremely effective if done correctly. Networking and brand building are always aligned; effectively networking with a powerful, yet welcoming, introduction to who you are all in less than 60 seconds can help you impact your career! Judith Giordan, will share her thoughts, ideas and some tricks of the trade with the breakfast attendees, and then YOU will get to practice bragging as you build and have a chance to present your verbal brand in a "60 Second Sketch."

Amber Charlebois and Judith Giordan

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The Stories of the Garvan Medal Winners

I am starting a series of historical write ups of the lives of the past Garvan Medal Winners. When I was researching in the Rockefeller Archives, an archivist directed me to this story. Dr. Gertrude E. Perlmann was born in Reichenberg, Czechoslovakia on April 20, 1912. Gertrude received the Doctor of Science degree in 1936 from the German University of Prague where she studied chemistry and physics under Prof. Reihold Fuerth and Prof. Hans Meger. Gertrude worked with Fritz Lipmann at the Biological Institute of the Carlsberg Foundation in Copenhagen from 1937 to 1939. In 1939, Gertrude escaped the tyranny of Europe to join the physical chemistry staff at Harvard in the Department of Physical Chemistry. From 1941 to 1946, she held a joint appointment as a research fellow of the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard. In 1945, Gertrude became a naturalized citizen and following year, joined Rockefeller Institute as a visiting investigator under a Commonwealth Fund Fellowship. Gertrudes career advanced from research associate in 1947 to assistant professor in 1951 to associate professor in 1958 and finally to full professor in 1973. In 1960, Gertrude spent six months as a visiting professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Gertrude was skilled in the use of electrophoresis for a variety of investigations and was one of the first to realize the possible importance of phosphate in proteins. Gertrude "demonstrated that as little as one mole of phosphate per mole of protein may serve in the stabilizing of the three-dimensional protein structure. She showed that the single phosphate group in pepsin forms a diester linking two sites of the polypeptide chain to form a cyclic loop." The work led Gertrude into a thorough investigation of the properties of pepsin where she correlated the enzymatic activity with structural changes in both pepsins and pepsinogen. Gertrude had been invited to lecture at universities and to take part in symposiums all over the world including the Symposium on Molecular Structure and Biological Function in Stockholm, Sweden and the Antibody Workshop Meeting at St. Mary's Hospital in London, England. Gertrude was the recipient of the Garvan Medal in 1964. The Gavan Medal was presented to Gertrude at the ACS meeting in Detroit by Dr. H. Gladys Swope, chairman of the Women's Service Committee of the ACS (precursor to the Women Chemist Committee). Gertrude received the award for her distinguished service to chemistry and was cited for her research on the structure of pepsin, and enzyme that speeds food digestion for demonstrating the chemical structure of pepsins and its ability to break down food. Gertrude died on September 9, 1974 at New York Hospital from cancer. Note: Information was taken from numerous sources obtained from the Rockefeller Archives

Jeannette Brown

WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Awards

At each of the national ACS meetings, just before the WCC Luncheon and typically very close by, a small poster session is held in honor of the women who have traveled to the meeting using grants sponsored by the Women Chemists Committee and Eli Lilly and Company. Seven women presented their work in Philadelphia. Kristin Nuzzio, a 4th year chemistry graduate student at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, shared her work titled Elucidating the Structure and Functional Dynamics of Membrane -Bound Tissue Factors by Solid State NMR. Kristin is a physical chemist with a biochemistry bent and is hoping to find a postdoctoral position in policy or health. Lisa Anderson, a 4th year chemistry graduate student at University of California, Davis, presented Analysis of Microalgae Lipids. Lisa is an organic bioanalytical chemist and is very interested in pursuing a career in renewable energy and biofuels. Katrina Reiger, a 1st year chemical engineering graduate student at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, shared her work titled Electrospinning of Core/Shell Nanofiber. Katrina is very interested in pursuing a career in industry working towards environmentally -friendly materials. Georgette Lang, a 5th year chemistry graduate student at Texas A&M, presented Synthesis and Characterization of a Series of Diarsine and Diphosphine Gyroscopes. Georgette is an organometallic chemist and is interested in teaching inorganic chemistry at a PUI. Sarah Wildgen, a 3rd year chemistry graduate student at University of Kansas, shared her work on Whispering Gallery Mode Imaging for the Multiplexed Detection of Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers. Sarah is an analytical chemist who would like to work on new methods of disease detection and bioanalytical applications in an industrial R&D setting. Margaret Olson, a 3rd year chemistry graduate student at University of Minnesota, presented her progress in Development of 1,2,4 -Triazole-3 -thiole. Margaret is a medicinal chemist and would like to eventually work with a government laboratory on the research of infectious diseases and biodefense.

Fall 2012 WCC/ Eli Lilly Poster Session

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WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Awards

Sesha Alluri, a postdoctoral research associate with Stevens Institute of Technology, shared her work on Design, Synthesis, and X-ray Crystallographic Analysis of a Novel Class of HIV -1 Protease Inhibitors. Sesha is a synthetic organic chemist and hopes to work in drug discovery. Please join us at the 245th ACS National Meeting WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Award Poster Session & Reception where many of the awardees will present on Tuesday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

This activity is supported by a contribution from Lilly USA, LLC. For further information concerning Lilly grant funding visit www.lillygrantoffice.com.

Bevin Parks

Linda Wang/C&EN

Fall 2012 Travel Awardees

WCC Award Announcements

WCC Rising Star Award This award recognizes exceptional early to mid-career women chemists across all areas of chemistry who have demonstrated outstanding promise for contributions to their respective fields. The award includes the opportunity to present at a WCC-sponsored symposium, travel support, and networking opportunities. The application deadline is June 1, 2013. For more information and to access the online application, visit www.acs.org/diversity. WCC/Eli Lilly Travel Award WCC and Eli Lilly and Company sponsor this award to provide funding for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral female chemists to travel to meetings to present the results of their research. Awards are made on the basis of scientific merit and financial need. In additional to financial support, the award provides networking opportunities for recipients who attend an ACS national meeting. Upcoming application deadlines are February 15, 2013, for meetings between July 1 and December 31, 2013 and September 15, 2013, for meetings between January 1 and June 30, 2014. For more information and to access the online application, visit www.acs.org/diversity. 2013 WCC ChemLuminary Award In 2013 (for activities during 2012), the award will be given for the Best WCC Program for the International Year of Chemistry (IYC) 2011 to recognize a local section which sponsored the most outstanding program as part of the IYC 2012 celebration while meeting the mission of WCC. In 2014 (for activities during 2013), the award will be given for the Outstanding Overall WCC to recognize outstanding efforts in promoting women in the chemical sciences. Your section can be considered for a WCC ChemLuminary Award by self-nominating when submitting your sections ACS annual report or WCC accepts nominations directly from the local section WCCs. Visit http://womenchemists.sites.acs.org for more information on how to submit nominations, in addition to examples of past award -winning events. WCC Overcoming Challenges Award This award recognizes a woman undergraduate from a two -year or four-year institution for her efforts in overcoming hardship to achieve success in chemistry. The application deadline is April 1, 2013. For more information and to access the online application, visit www.acs.org/diversity. Priscilla Carney Jones Scholarship This award provides scholarships for female undergraduate majors in chemistry or related disciplines who are beginning their junior or senior years of study. The application deadline is May 1, 2013. For more information and to access the online application, visit www.acs.org/diversity. ACS PROGRESS / Dreyfus Lectureships This program provides travel support to promising early to mid-career women faculty members in chemistry and chemical engineering departments primarily at research extensive universities to present technical talks at other research extensive universities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information and to access the online application, visit www.acs.org/diversity.

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Networking
WCC Facebook WCC LinkedIn WCC ACS Network Just Cocktails ACS Network Just Cocktails in New Orleans Monday April 8, 45:30 pm Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Grand Ballroom, Room D This event is targeted at mid-career chemists and presents a fun, collaborative time for networking, connections, career advice, etc. Women Chemists of Color Networking Social Monday April 8, 10 am12 pm Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Melrose Join us on Monday morning to network, learn about this ACS initiative, and provide your input. Light refreshments will be served.

WCC Leadership
Chair: Judy Cohen Awards and Recognition: Laura Sremaniak and Amy Nicely Communications & Technology: Bevin Parks Professional Development: Kelly George Programs & Events: Amber Charelbois Program Chair: Amy Debaillie Newsletter Editor: Michelle Rogers Webmaster: Lisa Houston Recording Secretary: Kim Woznack

Editors Note
Thank you for reading the WCC semiannual newsletter. I hope that you find the articles inspirational and informative! If you have an article or an announcement that may be useful to our readership, please feel free to send it to me at wcc@acs.org. We welcome all suggestions.

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