COVER STORY
CONTENTS M Jack Stocker, University of New Orleans Ulrike Diebold and Larry Byers, Tulane University Jerry Merchant, PPG Eric Broussard, Xavier University Cheryl Stevens, Xavier University, and Ed Stevens, University of New Orleans Saundra Y. McGuire, Isiah M. Warner, and Luigi G. Marzilli, Louisiana State University William L.Strayham, DuPont N. Dale Ledford, University of Southern Mississippi 24 Gerald R. Ehrman, DuPont 25 Bruce C. Gibb, University of New Orleans 26 Nitsa and Zeev Rosenzweig's group, University of New Orleans
CRISIS AND COURAGE C&EN interviews Gulf Coast scientists in the aftermath of this fall's hurricanes
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HERE IS S O M E T H I N G I N HUMAN NATURE THAT DRAWS
us together in times of crisis. Family, friends, neighbors, and strangers work together to help each other. Tragedies often show people at their best, and chemists' stories of the recent Gulf Coast hurricanes on the pages that follow are fine examples to illustrate the teamwork and concern that mark the closeness of our larger chemistry family. C&EN reporters interviewed students, professors, and chemical company employees. We heard stories of fear and loss. Several interviewees fought back tears as they told of the devastation and their desire to get back home—or what's left of home. But they all told stories of hope. This collection of profiles will give readers a brief, and sometimes
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poignant, glimpse into the lives of chemical scientists whose lives were wrenched loose from their moorings by Katrina and Rita. Very little is back to normal physically or emotionally But spirits remain strong. C&EN's coverage tells only a few of the stories of the chemical community's courage during crisis. Many more tales could have been included, such as that of PPG's Don Handy, pictured above as he helped in New Orleans' rescue efforts just days after Hurricane Katrina hit the area. Hurricane Katrina struck while many American Chemical Society members were in Washington, D.C., for the society's national meeting. ACS governance and staff are particularly concerned about victims of the hurricanes and stand ready to offer assistance to those in need. Please visit chemistry.org/Katrina for more information.— LINDA RABER C&EN
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