ACS-GHS Director and Communications Committee member Yangwei Liu was recently invited to give a talk about his career journey at Texas A&M University. As Yangwei shared on LinkedIn after the event:

"I had the privilege of being invited by the Texas A&M University SPE: Inspiring Plastics Professionals Student Chapter and the Department of Materials Science & Engineering to give a talk titled “From PhD to Industry.” I took this as a personal trip during my day off, hoping to do something meaningful while taking a moment to step back from work.

I shared an overview of Kaneka North America and the industry, along with my journey transitioning from academia to industry. It was a pleasant surprise to see strong in-person attendance and participants joining via Zoom. Many students shared that they feel anxious in today’s job market and have received rejections.

When discussing how to build relationships, I introduced organizations such as SPE South Texas Section, SPE Polymer Modifiers and Additives Division (SPE-PMAD), and the American Chemical Society Greater Houston Section (ACS-GHS). All of them are relevant platforms for connection and growth. At the same time, I emphasized that the key to networking is not about taking, but about understanding what value you can offer to others.

A few reflections I shared with the students:
• Never stop growing
• Take time to rethink what you believe
• Occasionally step away from your phone and reconnect with life

Hope my experiences and lessons learned can help students avoid a few detours and discover more opportunities. If I can positively influence even one young person’s future, that is more than enough."

You can view the full presentation here, and thanks to Yangwei for sharing his experience with TAMU students and ACS-GHS members.

On March 18, 2026, we were proud to host Kelly Dobos as she presented the first seminar of the 2026 ACS-GHS season. Approximately 20 virtual attendees joined to hear about the history of cosmetic science, from the early pre-industrial development of natural plant and mineral formulations (including lead and mercury compounds!) through the industrial revolution, and the application of scientific principles enabling scale up and consistency of the new cosmetic materials.

Along the way, we learned how and why historical cosmetic development influenced the current regulations governing cosmetic additives and formulators, and the complexities of cosmetic manufacturing today.

Some other interesting tidbits from Kelly Dobos’ talk – Did you know?

• The average person uses at least 6 – 12 products considered cosmetics on a daily basis, including toothpastes, moisturizer/lotion, shampoo and other hair styling products…not just “make-up”!
• Cincinnati was once known as “Porkopolis” because of the many pork processing plants in the city. The abundance of tallow/lard available as a raw material meant that soap manufacturing grew up alongside the meat packing industry in the region.
• William Henry Perkin, who discovered mauvine (aka Perkin’s mauve), was an early proponent of technical salesmanship and would visit his customers to help them troubleshoot the use of his dye materials on industrial scale.
• The development of new cosmetic chemicals sold without proper safety testing had significant negative health impacts for many people, some of which were detailed in a travelling presentation and associated book titled “American Chamber of Horrors” by Ruth deForest Lamb (available to read on the Internet Archive).

If you weren’t able to attend the March seminar and want to see what you missed, Kelly’s slides can be downloaded at the link below. We are incredibly grateful to have hosted her and thank her for sharing her knowledge with us!

Seminar Slides - Cosmetic Science by Kelly Dobos

Did you know? The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) has daily science demonstrations in the Matter and Motion Hall! ACS Fellow and long-time ACS Greater Houston Section member Kerry Spilker puts the spotlight on chemistry as the Docent presenting chemistry demonstrations on Wednesdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (schedule may vary).

Kerry has been recognized for innovative contributions to energy conversion technologies resulting in inventions and the development of biofuels, distributed hydrogen and chemical enhanced oil recovery, as well as her commitment to outreach through chemistry demonstrations and student mentoring that she continues through her work with HMNS.

Why not check out the HMNS during a demonstration day on Saturday, March 28th? You can catch Kerry performing chemistry-specific demonstrations from 3:30 – 5:30 pm, and enjoy other science demonstrations throughout the day!

We had so much fun at La Madeleine last year that this year's Global Women's Breakfast event, sponsored by the Women Chemists Committee, returned to the same location! A small but lively group of 8 women attended - we networked and had many fascinating discussions over breakfast. The conversations ranged from the benefits and drawbacks of AI for job applications and scientific writing, the number of careers where having a chemistry background can be surprisingly useful, and the challenge of communicating the value of science to students of all ages when they ask "but when am I going to use this in the real world?"

Looking for a similar forum for discussion but missed out on this year's GWB? Consider participating in the ongoing Houston EWOC (Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry) Journal Club! Articles are selected to be of general interest to chemists of all disciplines and genders, and ACS-GHS members are welcome to attend. 

The Greater Houston section has concluded the ballot count for our elections and we are pleased to announce the new and returning elected board members of our Executive Committee for 2026.

Incoming Section Chair: Valerie Moore
Chair-Elect: Sunny Jacob
Past Chair: Richa Chandra
Secretary: Matthew Crosley (2026-2027)
Treasurer: Lynn Foster (2025-2026)

Councilors (3-year term):
Carolyn Burnley (2026-2028)
David Germack (2024-2026)
Amber Hinkle (2025-2027)
Reginald Dias (2025-2027)
Caol Huff (2025-2027)

Alternate Councilors (3-year term):
Dawn Friesen (2026-2028)
Obiageli Nwosu (2024-2026)
Kiresha (Reese) Johnson (2025-2027)
Bob Botto (2025-2027)
Tom Malloy (2025-2027)

Directors (1-year term):
Stephanie Daifuku
Elissia Franklin

Yangwei Liu
Falonne (Colbie) Moumbogno

All elected candidates will take office at the January 2026 Transition Meeting, details of which will be shared once confirmed.

Three ACS-GHS members volunteered at the Houston Food Bank on November 8th, preparing dry goods to be sorted for distribution to the community, offering an opportunity for members to network with one another as they served the community. Joining several community groups from a local high school, businesses, and sororities/fraternities, we contributed to sorting 21 pallets worth of goods (504 boxes, 12,153 lbs). Thank you to our volunteers for supporting and giving back to our local communities here in Houston!

2025 GHS Award Honorees

Back Row: Michael Reynolds, Omar Abdelrahman, Reggie Dias, Larry Dennis, Reese Johnson; Front Row: Claire Conboy, Roxie Allen, Yokabet Gedeon, Heather Burgess

On Saturday, October 25th, at St. John’s School, the ACS Greater Houston Section (ACS-GHS) honored members who have received local and regional ACS awards for 2025. At the local level, we honored Reese Johnson as the GHS Outreach Volunteer of the Year. Omar Abdelrahman received the Younger Chemist Award, Claire Conboy received the Excellence in High School Teaching Award, Yokabet Gedeon received the Two Year College Teaching Award, Kerry Spilker received the Mamie W. Moy Distinguished Service Award, and Michael Reynolds received the Joe W. Hightower Award. As the Hightower winner, Michael gave a short talk called “Soaring on Soybeans – Catalysis for Producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel”.

Several ACS-GHS members were selected for 2025 Southwest Regional Awards which were presented at the Southwest Regional Meeting in Orlando. Roxie Allen was honored for being named the ACS E. Ann Nalley Regional Award for Volunteer Service to the American Chemical Society - Southwest Region. Heather Burgess was named the ACS CHED Southwest Regional Award for Excellence in High School Teaching. Naomi Halas was unable to attend the Orlando meeting but will receive the Southwest Regional Award at the Southwest Regional Meeting in Fort Worth.

GEMS is an inspiring outreach program that introduces young students to the exciting world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through hands‑on activities, interactive demonstrations, and presentations of their own research projects, the girls get to share what they’ve studied and discovered. Our team was proud to volunteer, together with the Brazosport Section, at this year’s event at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on November 8, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, helping make STEM accessible, fun, and engaging for all participants.

Our team hosted a table display with the theme “Water Wonders: Explore, Mix, and Discover,” leading hands‑on demonstrations for the kids. Participants tested water pH using special strips to see if it was acidic, neutral, or basic, explored how chemical reactions can make water hot or cold, and experienced color‑changing magic by mixing acids and bases with indicators to see solutions turn pink and then back to clear. The event also tied into a broader STEM‑pop‑up supported by TikTok and the Houston Museum, which highlighted interactive science activities and brought greater visibility to fun, learning‑driven experiences. Volunteering at GEMS was a wonderful opportunity to spark curiosity, share the excitement of STEM, and help the next generation of scientists explore the wonders of science firsthand.

San Jacinto College South Campus held its Annual STEM Expo on November 13, 2025. About 500 students participated. ACS-GHS representatives held a safety training and conducted experiments for students.

Special thanks to Dr. Connie Gomez, the Department Chair, Physical Sciences, and Interim Department Chair, Life Sciences San Jacinto College (South Campus), and Mr. Jeff Robison, Chemistry Lab Coordinator, San Jacinto College (South Campus).

ACS-GHS volunteers Dr. Micheal Henk, Mrs.Obiageli Nwosu, and a cross section of the students 

Dr. Henk giving a safety training to the students.

National Chemistry week is a public awareness campaign that promotes the importance of chemistry in everyday life, particularly to children. This year the theme was "The Hidden Life of Spices," chosen to demonstrate the chemical properties of spices. Spices are used for many things in our day-to-day life including foods, aromatherapy, making perfumes, health benefits, and more! We partnered with the Children's Museum of Houston to host our event with dedicated volunteers.

Our volunteers in the Matter Factory!

The activities included secret messages with spice, hydrophobic properties of cinnamon and wax paper, cooking spices, Play Doh, and a History of Spices: Earth's Edible Treasures.

The secret messages with spice activity demonstrated the chemistry behind turmeric. Turmeric contains the chemical curcumin, which appears a different color to our eyes depending on the nature of the medium in which it is mixed. An acid would make it turn yellow and a base would make it turn red. When painting a tumeric mixture over a message from a baking soda mixture, the parts that contained baking soda turned red, revealing the message.

The cinnamon activity showcased how wax paper and the essential oils in cinnamon are hydrophobic. The children were given pipettes and observed how water doesn't absorb into the wax paper, but does on the hydrophilic paper towel fibers. When they dipped their fingers into a water cup with a cinnamon layer on top, the cinnamon coated their fingers and kept it dry, while an already wet finger had less cinnamon stuck to the wet surface. Robbyn Pope also brought common household spices for children to smell and learn about.

Our volunteers were very proactive and engaging teaching the chemistry behind these spices. The event started at 9 am and ended at 2 pm with many kids and families visiting throughout the day.

We had another great year hosting this event and look forward to National Chemistry Week 2026!