ChemformationChemformationVolume 12, Number 26
Friday, September 13, 1996
Chemformation is published weekly by the Office of the Department Chairman. Please convey items of interest (or mailing list changes) to Linda Earle, Room 18-393, Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617/253-4080; 617/258-7500 (fax) or email to lkn@mit.edu Back issues of Chemformation can be accessed via the Chemistry Department Website. The next deadline for issue is Tuesday, September 17.
Visit the Chemistry Department Website at http://web.mit.edu/chemistry/www/
Welcome to the Department!!
Professor Tim Swager and his Research Group
The Department of Chemistry is pleased to welcome Professor Timothy Swager and his group. Tim is back at MIT where he was a postdoctoral fellow under Professor Mark S. Wrighton from 1988-1990. Stop by and say hello to members of the Swager research lab: Dr. Khushrav Crawford, Postdoctoral Associate in Room 18-124, extension 8-6537; Dr. Dan Fu, Postdoctoral Associate located in 18-128, extension 8-6537; Dr. Bing Xu, Postdoctoral Associate located in 18-123 at extension 8-6538; Mr. Richard Kingsborough located in 18-108, extension 8-6537; Ms. Lynn Lopez de Leon, Research Assistant located in 18-110 at extension 8-6536; Mr. Scott Trzaska, Research Assistant located in 18-110, extention 8-6536; Ms. Shitong (Sherry) Shu, Research Assistant located in 18-110 and extension 8-6536; Mr. David Simone, Research Assistant located in 18-126 at extension 8-6536 and Mr. Sean McHugh, Research Assistant in 18-127 at extension 8-6537. (left to right in photo: Lynn, Rich, Prof. Swager, Bing, David, Khushrav, Shawn, Dan, Scott and Sherry).
Welcome Miriam R. Diamond
New Coordinator for Chemistry Education
Greetings from Miriam Diamond!
I'm happy to be on board as the new Coordinator of Chemistry Education. Please stop by my office (Room 2-325) and introduce yourself, if you haven't done so already. I'm interested in hearing about your participation in the Department of Chemistry, and what the Education Office can do to make our students' educational experience even better. During my first few weeks here, I've been involved with Graduate Student Orientation, Teaching Assistant training, the Undergraduate Academic Midway, and the Peer Tutor program. I've also met with new undergraduate Chemistry majors and minors, and am now in the midst of planning the Autumn Party and Tune-Up meetings for TAs. I'm looking forward to working with you in making 1996-97 a productive and successful academic year!
SEMINAR CALENDAR
Please Join Professor Klaus Biemann as He Leads a Discussion on "Past Life on Mars" Fact Vs. Hype
Professor Klaus Biemann, (former Team Leader of the 1976 Viking Search for Organic Compunds Experiments) will lead a discussion on the topic of "Past Life on Mars" Fact versus Hype. The dicussion will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 1996 at 4:00 p.m. in 6.120. Refreshments will be served in the foyer of 6-120 at 3:30.
Recruiting Annoucement
The Department of Chemistry and the Chem Club will once again be sponsoring preparation sessions for the Fall '96 Recruiting season on Thursday, September 12. This year's sessions will be conducted by the ACS Career Services and will be in the form of a morning workshop and an afternoon one-on one review/critiquing of résumés which will require sign-up.
The Morning Session (9AM-12 Noon), will be conducted as a Workshop "Conducting an Effective Job Search" with Professor Edward S. Kostiner from the Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, as the presenter. Professor Kostiner has served as Department Head at the University of Connecticut from 1985-93 and Chair of the Council Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs. He is currently a Councilor from the Connecticut Valley Section and is active as a Career Consultant.
The Afternoon Session (1-5 PM) will be a one-on-one review of résumés. If you are interested in having your résumé reviewed, please sign-up on the Placement Board outside of the Headquarters Office (18-390) and leave a résumé with M.-T. Kouo or Kitty Valleli in 18-390 by Monday, September 9. We will forward your résumé to Professor Kostiner.
All sessions will take place in the Amdur Room (6-233), and refreshments will be served.
The Chemistry Department Announces Academic Year Awards
The awards for Outstanding Teaching by graduate students in Chemistry were presented at a ceremony on Wednesday, August 28th as part of the welcoming ceremonies to new incoming graduate students. Honors were give to Rebecca Carazza Course 5.43 for fall of 1995; Michelle Fisher, Course 5.32 for Spring of 1996; Katherine Franz, Course 5.03 for Spring of 1996; Ann Jones, Course 5.11 for Fall of 1995; Catherine Leatherdale, Course 5.60 for spring of 1996; Dora Paolucci, Course 5.33 for fall of 1995 and Kevin Shea for Course 5.13 in the spring of 1996.
Applications for NSF Predoctoral Fellowships Now Available
Application for NSF Predoctoral Fellowships are available from the Graduate School Office. Electronic application through NSF's Fastlane will be available beginning in early September. We will let you know as soon as the Fastlane process is activated. The application postmark deadline is Thursday, November 7th.
Congratulations to:
Firmenich Career Development Chair- Professor Gregory C. Fu
Professor Gregory C. Fu has been selected as the Firmenich Career Development Professor of Chemistry effective July 1, 1996. The Firmenich Assistant Professorship is an important honor for a MIT junior faculty member and provides encouragement, freedom and visibility at an important time in their career. On behalf of Greg's colleagues as well as students and staff congratulations on this achievement!
1997 Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry - Christopher B. Murray and Professor Moungi Bawendi
Christopher B. Murray and Professor Moungi Bawendi have been selected recipients of the 1997 Nobel Laureate Signature Award for Graduate Education in Chemistry sponsored by Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc. The award will be presented following the Awards Banquest on Tuesday, April 15th, 1997 at the 213th ACS National Meeting in San Francisco, CA.
Professor Klaus Biemann on Medal Named in his Honor
At the awards ceremony of the 44th American Society for Mass Spectrometry Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics in Portland, Oregon in May, Professor Ronald Hites announced the establishment of the Klaus Biemann Medal to be awarded annually by ASMS.
The award will be funded entirely by former students and postdocs and friends of Professor Biemann and will recognize scientists who have made significant contributions to basic or applied MS early in their careers. The award is presented in "honor of Professor Klaus Biemann as an educator and scientist and in honor of his lastin legacy resulting from training of students and postdoctoral associates over his 40 year career." The award will include a medal, a cash award and travel expenses to the annual ASMS meeting where the recipient will present a plenary session.
Welcome to Chemistry's Visiting Professor
Professor David A. Becker
David A. Becker has returned to the department as a Visiting Assistant Professor during the Fall 1996 semester. Dr. Becker is currently Assistant Professor at Florida International University in Miami and received his doctorate at MIT in 1988 with Professor Rick L. Danheiser. Subsequently, Becker was a post-doctoral research associate with Professor Gilbert Stork at Columbia University from 1988-1990 and then went on to Virginia Tech as Assistant Professor. After three years there, he moved to the chemistry department at FIU.
Becker's main research is presently in the area of free radical chemistry and biology. He has recently synthesized and is currently investigating azulenyl nitrones, a novel class of spin trapping agents with the capacity to tag free radicals by yielding highly visible and characteristically colored diamagnetic spin adducts (Becker, D.A. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1996, 118, 905). This work was highlighted in an article in the Science and Technology section of the Feb. 12, 1996 issue of Chemistry and Engineering News (page 25).
The free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of nitrones are receiving much attention in the pharmaceutical community and Becker is presently collaborating with Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc. (Kalamazoo, MI) to evaluate the neuroprotectant potential of azulenyl nitrones as possible therapeutics in stroke and Alzheimer's disease among other neurological disorders. He is also collaborating within the neurology and dermatology departments at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital with Dr. M. Flint Beal (neurology) and Dr Irene E. Kochevar (dermatology). Becker has also recently entered into an agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb (Wallingford, CT) to employ azulenyl nitrones in experiments aimed at elucidating aspects of the free radical chemistry of enediyne DNA cleaving agents. Professor Becker is located in 18-211 and can be reached at extension 3-1829.
Graduate Student Council Career Fair
The Graduate Student Council is organizing its First Annual Graduate Student Career Fair on November 1, 1996. This Career Fair will allow graduate students to meet company representatives and discuss career options and possible employment opportunities. So far, more than 30 companies have responded positively to our invitation and decided to attend this Career Fair. As you can imagine, such an event requires a lot of manpower (and womanpower) and they need your help. This is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved in a Graduate Student Council activities.
They would like people to volunteer and help out for this event. Every single bit of help counts. These are the kinds of tasks that need to be completed. Each of them probably requires 2 or 3 people. Plans include publishing a resume book which will be handed out to company representatives.
During the Career Fair itself, they need a lot of people to set up tables and chairs, take care of the lunch for company representatives, and finally clean up everything at the end of the day. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Elisabeth at 258-6135, or email her at eprasman@mit.edu. Let her know which part of the organization you are interested in, and approximately how much time you can devote to it.
Update of Chemformation Mailing List
We are in the process of updating our mailing list and with Chemformation being accessible on the Web, please advise us if you do not wish to remain on the mailing list, thank you.
Scholarships/Awards
1997 ACS Women Chemists Committee Travel Awards
The Eli Lilly and Company, Hoechst Celanese Corporation and the Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society are sponsoring a progam to provide funding for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral woemn chemists to travel to scientific meetings in 1997 to present the results of their research. Grants may be applied only to registration, travel and accomodations and are restricted to travel in the US. Grant funds are limited, but there are some funds set aside for undergraduates. Only US citizens and permanent residens are eligible. Preference will be given to those who have not made a previous presentation at a national or major meeting. Applications should be limited to one per research group. Women who have received a prior award under this program are not eligible. The deadine dates are as follows; October 15, 1996 --Meetings between January 1 and June 30, 1997 and March 15th for meetings between July 1 and December 31, 1997. In order to apply for the award, please submit the following: 1. a brief resume of your educational and scientific training;2 an abstract of the work which you have submitted for presentation, using an official meeting abstract form if possible; 3. a letter detailing the reasons you want this award (both scientific and financial), and specifying whether you have made a previous presentation at a national or major meeting; 4. A letter from your advisor confirming your participation in the meeting at which you will be making your presentation, commenting on your technical ability and potential, and listing any other travel support that would be available from the department or research grants; 5. an estimate of your registration, lodging, and travel expenses to the meeting (please indicate auto, train, bus or plane); 6. A completed application that you must obtain through the Staff Liaison at the American Chemical Society. (See address below or call 800-227-5558 ext. 8279) Awards will be based on scientific merit and financial need with the WCC Membership/Awards Subcommittee serving as the selection jury. Please sent your application to: Ms. Cheryl H. Brown, Women Chemists Committee American Chemical Society, 1155 16th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
Applications Invited for the Glenn E. and Barbara Hodsdon Ullyot Scholarship
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) announces the availability of the Glenn E. and Barbara Hodsdon Ullyot Scholarsh Fund. The purpose of which is to advance public understanding of how important the chemical sciences are to the public welfare. The scholarship is for summer of 1997 and offers a stipend of $2,000. Call Ms. Laurel Adelman, Chemical Heritage Foundation at #315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, (215) 925-2222.
Students, Faculty and Staff - Help Get Organized!!!
Give Ed Udas a call at 253-4505 if you need help getting organized or stop by to see him in room 6-026!
Postions
Postdoctoral Fellowships
Faculty Positions