Enter the Everyday Chemistry Video Contest

By Stephanie Prosack, Education Assistant

[http://cen.acs.org/everydaychemistry.html]

Have you ever tried to explain to someone why avocado turns brown when left out too long? What about informing your sibling of the scientific reason behind baking soda and baked goods rising in the oven to produce a fluffy, tasty snack? Or letting your lab mate know how vinegar is a sanitary goddess for all things dirty and stained?

Thanks to C&EN, you can share your knowledge with more than those who are in close physical proximity to you, but with the entire Internet!

It is quite simple, really. To celebrate the 90^th anniversary of C&EN, submit an amusing and informative two-minute video that features a tip or information about chemistry in everyday occurrences. In layman’s terms, the video must include a clear explanation of chemistry and why it is important. Remember, you want everyone to understand your information. It would be best to make sure your grandfather or cousin in fifth grade will not only comprehend, but be engaged with your material.

Recognition will be given to the winner with some enticing prizes including:

                -Paid trip to the 246^th ACS National Meeting in Indianapolis, IN

                -Ticket to C&EN’s 90^thAnniversary event

                -Profile on the ACS Chemistry Ambassadors webpage

                -Showcase in C&EN

                -Feature on ACS Bytesize ScienceYouTube channel

Once you have finalized your masterpiece video, upload it to Youtube, and send your submission to everdaychemistry@acs.orgby July 31, 2013. Don’t forget to practice safety in your video by wearing your goggles and using other safety gear! 

The Graduate Student and Postdoc Reception a great opportunity to network

Joe Z. Sostaric - Program Manager, ACS Office of Graduate Education

Having enjoyed an hour of laughs and reality with Jorge Cham, an estimated 700 graduate students and postdocs turned out for the ACS Graduate Student and Postdoc Reception held just prior to SciMix.

Now, if you were fortunate enough to attend the Jorge Cham lecture, you might be of the impression that any event that involves food and drink would be expected to draw a crowd of graduate students. However, from the surveys that we took of reception attendees at the spring national meeting in San Francisco earlier this year, 70% of attendees came to network with their peers and with representatives from the 20 cosponsoring ACS technical divisions.

Think about this for a moment. Why are you going to graduate school or doing a postdoc? Presumably it’s so you can have a career in chemistry that will be rewarding in all aspects of your life. So how do you get that career started? HINT: Don’t spend too much of your time searching through the classifieds! Networking people, it’s what you have to do. What better way to spend your time then to introduce yourself to the very people in your research field that could one day be on the search committee for the position for which you apply?

The ACS graduate student and postdoc reception is held every Monday evening, just prior to SciMix, at every ACS national meeting. If you attend the national meetings, take advantage of this time to meet with division representatives and with your peers, because you never know. And what the hay! Enjoy some good food and drink too!

Joe Z. Sostaric is program manager in the Office of Graduate Education at ACS. He obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Melbourne, Australia.