Chemformation

The Weekly Newsletter of the MIT Chemistry Department

Volume 15, Number 32

Friday, November 19, 1999

Chemformation is published by the Office of the Department Chairman. Please convey items of interest (or mailing list changes) to Cliff Brown, Room 18-390, Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617/253-4080; 617/258-7500 (fax) or e-mail to dab@mit.edu. Back issues of Chemformation can be accessed via the Chemistry Department Website.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that it has awarded this year廣 prestigious Sasakawa Environment Prize to Mario J. Molina, MIT廣 Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Sciences and professor of chemistry. The $200,000 prize was presented to Professor Molina at a ceremony held at United Nations Headquarters in New York on November 17. Previously a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995, Professor Molina is being honored by UNEP not only for his ground-breaking discoveries regarding the chemical reactions involved in the depletion of the atmosphere廣 ozone layer, but also for his major contributions to UNEP廣 efforts to sponsor and gain ratification of global agreements designed to curtail this depletion. Professor Molina廣 research currently centers on stratospheric chemistry and tropospheric pollution.

Do you like to sing? or play an instrument? We are forming a Chemistry Holiday Party Music Group to perform at the Chemistry Holiday Party on December 16th. If you are interested, please contact Professor Cathy Drennan, cdrennan@mit.edu.

Please consider a donation to the United Way. Any amount will certainly be appreciated. If you would like to contribute and have not received forms from the United Way Office here at MIT, kindly contact Allison Kelsey, x3-1803. The campaign runs through the end of December.

Bob DiGiacomo will be coming in on Wednesdays or Thursdays to pick up any glass blowing work that you may have available. Please bring any work to Room 4-064 or call Ed Udas or John Annese at 3-4505. Bob will do the work on a first-come, first-served basis.

American Chemical Society Scholarships ­ The American Chemical Society has called for applications to its 2000-2001 ACS Scholars Program. Full-time African-American, Hispanic, and American Indian students successfully pursuing undergraduate degrees within the areas of chemical sciences are eligible. The ACS is also co-sponsoring (with Bayer, PPG, Glaxo Wellcome, etc.) a number of other scholarship programs for chemical sciences undergraduates next year. Awards valued at up to $2500 per year will be made to approximately 100 applicants. Faculty members are asked to help ACS identify qualified candidates for these awards. Students wishing to apply may obtain a copy of the flyer and application form from the Chemistry Education office.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences Program ­ The Center on Polymer Interfaces and Macromolecular Assemblies (CPIMA) seeks undergraduate applicants for its Summer 2000 Undergraduate Research Program (SURE). Some 24 research positions will be funded in the area of the interfacial science of organic materials. This program is supported by the National Science Foundation. On-line applications are encouraged: www.stanford.edu/group/CPIMA/education. Students wishing to apply should contact: Brenda Waller, CPIMA Education Outreach Coordinator; email: waller@chemeng.stanford.edu, phone: 650-725-3351, fax: 650-725-5558. The application deadline is February 9, 2000.

Christine Mirazayan Internship Program of the National Academy in Washington, D.C. ­ This Internship Program of the National Academy is designed to engage graduate and postdoctoral students in science and technology policy and to familiarize them with the interactions among science, technology, and government. As a result, students in the fields of science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, and law develop essential skills different from those attained in academia, which will help them make the transition from graduate student to professional. For the year 2000, the internship program will comprise two sessions: January 18-April 7 and June 5-August 11. To apply, candidates should submit the application and one letter of reference; the application and reference form are available on the Web at http://national-academies.org/internship. The deadline for receipt of materials is December 1, 1999 for the winter session and March 1, 2000 for the summer. Additional details about the program and how to join the mailing list are also available on the Web site. Questions should be directed to: internship@nas.edu.

Please note that applications for most faculty positions should consist of a resume, short description of research plans, and three letters of recommendation to be sent directly to the specific university or college. You will find more detailed information regarding the positions listed below in a binder located at departmental headquarters.

University of North Dakota seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in the area of chemical education to begin in August 2000 Candidates should be well prepared to mentor graduate students in chemical education and contribute to the introductory chemistry teaching program. Contact by November 30th: Dr. Harmon Abrahamson, Chair: Department of Chemistry, Box 9024: University of North Dakota: Grand Forks, ND 58202, (701) 777-4427.

Bryn Mawr College seeks applicants for two tenure-track positions in organic and experimental physical chemistry beginning next year. Candidates will be expected to develop research programs involving both undergraduate and graduate students. Contact by December 10th: Professor Susan A. White, Department of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010-2899.

Florida State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in inorganic/radiochemistry to begin in August 2000. Contact by December 1st: Professor Ronald Clark, Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4360.

New Mexico State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in organic chemistry beginning Fall 2000. Candidates will be expected to develop a strong research program within their area of organic chemistry and to teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Contact: Dr. Amudhu Gopalan, Chairman, Organic Faculty Search Committee, Box 30001, Dept. 3C, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001.

The University of Connecticut廣 Institute of Materials Science seeks applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in its Polymer Program. Contact: Polymer Search Committee, Institute of Matierals Science, University of Connecticut, 97 North Eagleville Road, U-3136, Storrs, CT 06269-3136.

Louisiana State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in inorganic or physical chemistry. Preference will be given to applicants with research interests in materials, biological, or environmental chemistry. Contact by January 15, 2000: Faculty Search Committee, ATTN: Dr. Randall W. Hall, Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-1804.

Washington State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professorship in radiochemistry. Additional information can be found at http://www.chem.wsu.edu/. Contact by November 29, 2000: Professor Sue B. Clark, Washington State University, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 644630, Pullman, WA 99164-4630.

Agouron Institute Fellowships: The Agouron Institute has announced its sponsorship of a program of Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund postdoctoral fellowships in the field of structural biology. Research proposals should emphasize investigations of supramolecular structure and cryoelectron microscopy. Contact for applications: Ms. Betty Ford, Administrative Director, The Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510; (203) 785-4612. The application deadline is February 1, 2000.

Laser Applications Group/National Institute of Standards and Technology seeks applicants for two-year postdoctoral fellowships in the areas of photophysics, photochemistry, and optics. Start dates will extend from July 2000 through January 2001. Starting salary is $50,000 plus benefits. These fellowships are sponsored by the NIST-National Research Council, and are open to U.S. citizens only. More detailed information and application forms are available on request from NRC: (202) 334-2760, or via http://rap.nas.edu/lab/NIST. The application deadline is January 15, 2000.