ACS COMMENT
Chemistry Colors Our World: Making Chemistry Magic Again GEORGE L. HEARD, CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Volunteer to help judge your local secof the water—you should see it spread tional meeting in Boston, I was joined by tion’s illustrated poetry competition to out as it forms a thin film on the surface. a number of volunteers from nearby local see how they can go hand in hand. Looking at it from the side, you may see sections at Boston ChilHere is one of my pera rainbow pattern. This film can be lifted dren’s Museum to pressonal favorite outreach up by sliding the bookmark under the surent hands-on chemistry activities that is fun and inface. As it dries, the film sticks to the card, activities to a large group expensive and that rewards making a rainbow bookmark. of community members. participants with an attracOne of the greatest statetive bookmark that they ENGAGING A CHILD with chemistry will ments I heard from a can take home. It is adapted leave them with lasting memories. Revolunteer on that day was from an activity published cently, I was a guest at an event celebratthat he can’t wait to do it by the Nanoscale Informal ing the end of a new after-school program again—the experience of Science Education Network, for kids in my city. Some of the attendees joining with kids engaging which ACS partnered with were invited to come to the stage and talk with chemistry and having in 2012 when the theme of about their favorite experience of the fun cannot be matched. National Chemistry Week program. I believe most in the room were Fortunately, National was “Nanotechnology: expecting stories of practicing basketChemistry Week is just The Smallest Big Idea in ball with a Division I college program or around the corner, and Science.” The use of color designing a personal webpage, so there The color theme our legion of loyal coordi- provides a great makes it an excellent activwere a few jealous eyes in my direction nators and volunteers is ity for this year’s National when the majority of the kids came up opportunity to ready once again to bring Chemistry Week. and explained how much they enjoyed the embrace the the chemistry of color You’re going to need a science experiments they did with my stusynergy between to life for children and bowl of water—I use an aludent volunteers! art and chemistry. minum foil pan—a bottle of communities across the Outreach is not only about the kids—it nation. clear nail polish, and some is important to talk with parents and The theme of National black card stock cut into a guardians during an outreach event to Chemistry Week this year strip the size of a bookmark. keep them informed about the science is “Chemistry Colors Our World,” and it When I have a group of kids doing this acand to ensure that you are conducting is intended to appeal to all of us. I’m sure tivity, I have them write outreach in a safe and fun fashmany of you would have had your intertheir name or draw a picion. Encourage parents to try the COLORING A girl est in chemistry sparked by a magic show ture on their bookmark same activities you are doing at participates in a involving color changes or by seeing a to personalize it. Take home. And if you are giving cophands-on chemistry particularly brilliant display and wanting the nail polish, and place demonstration at Boston ies of the National Chemistry Children’s Museum. to know more about how the colors were one drop on the surface Week publication, Celebrating produced. Fireworks displays, Chemistry, to attendees, point out sunrises and sunsets, rainbows, that the experiments can be done and even the recent appearance of at home. the blood moon can be explained A sincere thank you to all local using fundamental concepts in section coordinators, volunteers chemistry. who help facilitate the outreach The color theme provides a activities, and Chemistry Ambasgreat opportunity to embrace sadors who speak simply about the synergy between art and science. I look forward to hearing chemistry. At a time when there about your successful outreach is tension between the perceived efforts for National Chemistry importance of art and science, Week and beyond! we can bring the two together and show that there can be no art Views expressed on this page without chemistry and that chemare those of the author and not ists can be inspired by the arts. necessarily those of ACS. LINDA WANG/C&EN
WYMAN TANNEHILL
AT THE American Chemical Society na-
CEN.ACS.ORG
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OCTOBER 12, 2015
