It is summer time, so make sure to remember sun-protection! I have a high refractive index and serve as a pigment. What compound am I?

Answer: It's titanium dioxide!

TiO₂

Congratulations to Yitian Zhu of Seven Lakes High School in Katy, TX for being named to the US Chemistry Olympiad team! Yitian joins three other team members and two alternate team members from around the US who will participate in the 2021 International Chemistry Olympiad, hosted remotely by Japan from July 25 - August 2, 2021.

See the full team announcement and read more about the International Chemistry Olympiad experience at C&EN

Summer time means it's time to start smoking and grilling foods. I help provide that nice aroma for wood and charcoal smoke. Propane is on its own. Hungry yet?  What compound am I?

Answer:  It's syringol!

Merging Olefins and Acrylates in Polymer Synthesis - Benefits and Challenges

The ACS-GHS was proud to host Dr. Eva Harth as our first seminar speaker of 2021 on May 27th. Dr. Harth is Director of the Welch Center of Excellence in Polymer Chemistry at the University of Houston, and spoke to attendees about the development of a single catalyst platform that can build polyolefin-polyacrylate block copolymers. The catalysts used by her group can move from metal insertion olefin polymerization to radical-mediated acrylate polymerization with the flip of a (light) switch! The resulting copolymers have unique mechanical properties with applications in a range of commercial products. Thanks to Dr. Harth for enthusiastically sharing her work with us, and to all our seminar attendees.

2021 Student Awards Program

The ACS-GHS 2021 Student Awards were presented on May 20th. Opening the proceedings was Dawn Friesen, 2021 ACS-GHS Chair, who welcomed the guests and managed the online Zoom event.

The Science and Engineering Fair (SEFH) Chemistry Category winners in both the Senior and Junior Divisions were on hand to present their excellent projects. Larry Dennis, ECH Liaison, recognized the teachers and schools while presenting the student awards in each category. Congratulations to all the SEFH Students on their excellent achievement in the category of Chemistry!

SEFH Junior Division First Place Winner

Sophia Perone and teacher, Janice Horton

SEFH Senior Division First Place Winner

Zhi-Wei “Steven” Zeng and mentor, Ying Feng

Chemistry Olympiad

Students participating in the ACS-GHS Chemistry Olympiad were recognized for their performance and achievements. The U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO) is a multi-tiered chemistry competition in 3 stages. The Local Chemistry Olympiad Competition is open to all high school students. ACS Local Sections choose nominees for the national exam. The nominated students can participate in the National Chemistry Olympiad Competition, which involves three parts administered to more than 1,000 students nationwide.

Top performing student(s) at each school were given a prize by the ACS-GHS beside the national competition qualifiers. This year, 221 students from 26 schools joined in the local competition.

Only the 20 top scoring students from the National Exam qualify for the two-week Study Camp to undergo rigorous training. Based on their performance, four students are chosen to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad. ACS-GHS had two National Study Camp Qualifiers, Phoenix Wu and Yitian Zhu, both from Seven Lakes High School.

Dr. Ding-Shyue (Jerry) Yang, Chemistry Olympiad Coordinator for the Greater Houston Section, presented the awards. Also acknowledged were the teachers’ efforts to make this event possible and successful.

Many thanks to Dawn Friesen, Roxie Allen, Jerry Yang, Lisa Houston and Kerry Spilker for organizing the event. The YouTube link to the ACS-GHS Student Awards recording can be found at: https://youtu.be/8KH4ThxS4Rk.

I am a hydrocarbon in which every carbon atom is equally bonded, or not bonded, to every other carbon. Look at my singlet ¹H NMR. But I don't like keeping permanent. What compound am I?

Answer:  It's bullvalene!

A summary of actions and decisions from the ACS 2021 Spring Council meeting is now available.

Key Highlights:

Earth Day, which takes place each year on April 22^nd,  is celebrated by more than a billion people in 192 countries making it the most widely observed secular event across the globe.

Congratulations to CCEW contest winner, Rosalia Pavelka!

Rosalia shared:

"I started on Saturday Apr 17th by trimming overgrown branches in my front lawn trees. I also checked all the sprinkler heads now that hotter days will soon arrive. I found about 5 that needed to be replaced and was happy to get more efficient ones at Home Depot (Rainbirds). Last, but not least, I have replaced/replanted the few bushes that died from the freezing cold spell last month. And from this campaign I was reminded to clean/wash my bird bath in the backyard. Thank you for that. Birdies can now drink clean, safe water from our patio."

Rosalia will be receiving a $25 gift card.

Thank you all for your participation!

Congratulations to all the 2021 Science & Engineering Fair of Houston (SEFH) winners in the Chemistry category! They will be recognized in a special awards ceremony in May.

 A special thanks to the ACS-GHS members that served as judges for the event.

A little bit of iron cations in my life

A little bit of cyanide anions by my side

A little bit of water is all I need.

What compound am I?

Answer:  It's Prussian blue!