This time of year, many people smell me around their houses as they like to bring trees indoors. I'm found in both alpha and beta. What compound am I?

Answer: It's pinene!

                        

(+/-)-α-Pinene                        (+/-)-β-Pinene

I'm an inorganic compound that is insoluble in water, but soluble in dilute acids/bases. I have many uses in industries such as rubber, ceramics, medicine, food, pigments, and coatings. If you put on sunscreen, chances are I protect you! What compound am I?

Answer: Zinc Oxide

ZnO

Experiences in Chemistry and Science Advocacy

Our November seminar with Dr. Allison Campbell is now available on our YouTube channel, or watch below! Learn about Dr. Campbell's research work on biomineralization and how you can be a better advocate for science with officials at all levels of government.

November 10th Virtual Tour Recording:

Did you miss our tour of Argonne National Lab with Tour Guides Dave and Denise Hooper?

Click here to access the recording!

Public tour information – www.anl.gov/tour-the-lab

Request a tour – tours@anl.gov

Education Division Contacts:

www.anl.gov/education

Jessica Burgess (jburgess@anl.gov) Education Outreach

Kelly Sturner (kmoran@anl.gov) Learning Lab Instructor

Enjoy a Podcast:

Have you ever wanted to meet a scientist?  What would you ask them? Want to know more? You can submit a question to askascientistpod@gmail.com.  Alternately, you can visit the podcast website and click on links to listen to scientists on subjects like hydrogeology, soil, microbiology, neurobiology, and the Mars Rover.

Explore with your kids:

In 2019, Professor Robert Winston published a book with questions from children around the world.  Professor Winston provides answers to their question in an illustrated book, Ask A Scientist.

Planning on carving pumpkins this Halloween? Then you know I will be there to provide that famous fall scent. What compound am I?

Answer: cis-3-hexen-1-ol (sometimes called leaf alcohol)

Photo: Mamie Moy, Robert Curl, Jonel Curl and Anne Hightower

On Saturday, October 16th, at the Junior League of Houston, the ACS Greater Houston Section honored members who have received local, regional and national ACS awards including 2021 ACS Fellows, GHS recipients of the Southwest Regional Awards, and GHS members celebrating 50 and 60 years of ACS membership. The hybrid event was attended by ~70 in person and 5 virtual guests. National awardees included Amber Hinkle as the 2021 ACS Volunteer of the Year and Monte Pettitt for being named to the ACS Fellows Class of 2021.  Jennifer Notz was honored for receipt of the Southwest Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching. Local awards were presented to Robert Curl of Rice University – Joe W. Hightower Award; Alicia Doffing – Excellence in High School Teaching Award; Jose Nunez of San Jacinto College -Two Year College Award; Snigdha Chennamaneni – Younger Chemist Award; and Robert Botto – Mamie W. Moy Distinguished Service Award. We were also honored to have in attendance a 50 year member, Thomas Walsh, and a 60 year ACS member, Ivory Nelson. 

2021 Theme – Fast or Slow... Chemistry Makes it Go!

Congratulations to Kinley Lister, 5th grader, at St. Cecilia Catholic School in Houston, Texas. She is the Greater Houston section winner of the National Chemistry Week Illustrated Poster Contest. National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a public awareness campaign that promotes the value of chemistry in everyday life. ACS members and chemistry enthusiasts celebrate NCW by communicating the importance of chemistry. Kinley’s illustrated poem will be submitted to compete at the national NCW competition for grades 3 -5.

Catch our National Chemistry Week presentation on Rocketry Reactions from Estes Industries on YouTube. Learn more about the chemistry behind rocket launches and how a background in science can help you build a career in aerospace and beyond!

Congratulations to Mike Hambrick, John Darley, and Michael Pontikos for winning Estes Star Hopper model rocket kits in our prize draw!

Are you a high school student looking to put your chemistry knowledge to the test, or a chemistry teacher seeking to inspire your students? All interested teachers, students, parents and volunteers can learn more by signing up for the USNCO webinars today!

Introduction to USNCO for Students 

Friday, October 22nd

7:00 pm ET

Registration is now open!

List of student webinars scheduled this year

Let this short clip by Yitian Zhu, from our own Houston metropolitan area and gold medalist of the 2021 International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO), inspire your students to participate:

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanChemicalSociety/videos/536743050770836/

For more information, contact the Greater Houston USNCO coordinator, Dr. Jerry Yang, at acs.ghs.cho@gmail.com.

Did you miss our October seminar with Dr. Roger Bertholf of Houston Methodist Hospital? Now you can catch the recording on our YouTube channel, or watch below! Come for a brief history of clinical laboratory testing equipment and stay for an insightful discussion of why the search for clinical biomarkers for early detection of various cancer tumors early isn't nearly as straightforward as we once dreamed it could be.