Chemformation

The Weekly Newsletter of the MIT Chemistry Department

Volume 15, Number 33

Friday, December 3, 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.

It¼s that time of year again! Please come and join us for the fun and festivities of the annual Chemistry Department Holiday Party, which will be held on Thursday, December 16, 1999 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Sala de Puerto Rico at the MIT Student Center. There is no admission charge. Mark your calendars now for this festive event! Please bring families, significant others and friends.

Professor John Essigmann This Year¼s Recipient of the Mutation Research Award After having been nominated by the American Chemical Society, John M. Essigmann, MIT Professor of Chemistry in the Division of Biological Chemistry and of Toxicology in the Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Health, has been selected to be this year¼s recipient of the honorary Mutation Research Award for Scientific Excellence. Professor Essigmann is being recognized for his long-standing contributions to understanding: 1) the fundamental mechanisms of mutagenesis by DNA lesions formed by radiation and chemicals, 2) the design of selective toxins that block DNA repair, and 3) mechanisms of action of the anticancer drug cisplatin. This award is conferred annually by the Elsevier Publishing Company (which publishes Mutation Research), and will be presented to Professor Essigmann at the ACS¼s annual meeting in December 2000.

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.

Plan to join us for the MIT/Bruker Symposium on Structural Chemistry: Crystallographic Chemical Analysis and NMR to be held on Saturday, January 8, 2000 beginning at 8:45 a.m. in Room 6-120 and ending at 4:00 p.m. The symposium will include a poster session with the best entry receiving a $300 prize. Details regarding the program¼s agenda, invited speakers, poster competition and advance registration will be featured in the next issue of Chemformation. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Bill Davis at wmdavis@mit.edu or Cliff Brown at cab@mit.edu.

Other Announcements

Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program ‚ The Environmental Protection Agency invites applicants for its year 2000 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards Program. Three focus areas are identified: 1) the use of alternative synthetic pathways for green chemistry such as catalysis/biocatalysis, natural processes including biomimetic synthesis, and alternative feedstocks that are more innocuous and renewable; 2) the use of alternative reaction conditions for green chemistry such as the use of solvents having a reduced impact on human health; and 3) the design of chemicals that are, for example, less toxic than current alternatives or inherently safer with respect to accident potential. These awards are honorary only; recipients will be recognized in a ceremony to be held at the National Academy of Sciences next year. A copy of the flyer and application form is available from the Headquarters office or via the internet at www.epa.gov/greenchemistry.

Associate Editor, Science ‚ The American Association for the Advancement of Science seeks candidates for the position of Associate Editor in the Physical Sciences for the periodical Science. Applicants should have a broad range of research experience in physics, chemistry, or materials science. Duties include reviewing, selecting and editing manuscripts, and fostering contacts with the scientific community. The position is for either AAAS¼ Washington, DC or Cambridge, UK office. Contact: Mr. Gregory Stokes, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, Human Resources Department, Suite #100, 1200 New York Avenue, Washington, DC 20005.

Applications for most faculty positions should consist of a curriculum vitae, outline of research interests, and three letters of recommendation to be sent directly to the specific university or college. You will find more detailed information regarding these and other positions in a binder located at departmental headquarters.

Florida International University seeks applicants for two tenure-track positions in the areas of Biochemistry and Inorganic Chemistry for the 2000-2001 academic year. Candidates will be expected to establish externally funded research programs with a focus on biomedical or environmental chemistry. More information is available at www.fiu.edu/ogs/chemistry. Contact by December 9: Biochemistry or Inorganic Chemistry Search Committee, Department of Chemistry, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199.

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.

University of Cincinnati has an opening for a tenure-track position in the field of Mass Spectrometry to start September 1, 2000. Candidates should have strong instrumental interests and skills. Contact by December 15: Professor Thomas H. Ridgway, Search Committee Chair, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 210172, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172.

New College/University of South Florida seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in Physical Chemistry starting August 2000. A strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and to a research program with undergraduates is essential. Contact by December 31: Profesor Paul Scudder, Division of Natural Sciences, New College of USF, Sarasota, FL 34243-2197.

Mills College seeks applicants at the Assistant Professor level in the area of Analytical/Environmental Chemistry. Contact by January 15: Professor John Brabson, Chair, Chemistry Search Committee, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613.

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.

University of Houston seeks applicants for two positions in Organic Chemistry to begin in the 2000-2001 academic year. One position is the M.D. Anderson Chair in Organic Chemistry, and the other is at the Assistant Professor level. Contact: Professor B.M. Pettitt, Chairman, Departmentof Chemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-5641.

The University of Connecticut¼s 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.

Kansas State University seeks candidates for a postdoctoral research associate in Spectroscopy/Microscopy. Research will focus on single molecule spectroscopic experiments with sol-gel-derived silicate glass films. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2000. Contact Professor Dan Higgins, Dept. of Chemistry, Willard Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66508-3701.

The University of Toledo seeks candidates for a postdoctoral assistant position in Synthetic Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry. Applicants should be able to demonstrate research experience in the synthesis and characterization of inorganic and organometallic reagents. Salary will be $24,000 per year plus benefits. The anticipated starting date for this position is February 1, 2000. Contact by December 13: Professor Mark R. Mason, Department of Chemistry, University of Toledo, 2801 West Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606-3390 or via mmason5@uoft02.utoledo.edu.

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.