ing that Minnesota fish consumption advisory limits for women of childbearing age are slightly tougher than EPA's. Minnesota is considered a leader among states that issue methylmercury fish advisories and have methylmercury control programs. The last major uncontrolled source of mercury emissions in the U.S., and hence of methylmercury contamination, is coal-fired electric utilities. However, when EPA contemplated setting mercury emissions standards for utilities two years ago, Congress stepped in and put the EPA regulatory process on hold until the NRC study was completed. A spokesman with the Edison Electric Institute, a utility trade association, said the industry will work closely with EPA in developing new emission and consumption data. EPA is under a court order to issue a regulatory plan for utility mercury emissions in December. Jeffjohnson
Inorganic Chemistry Editor Passes The Baton This coming January, M. Frederick Hawthorne will step down after 32 years of service as editor of the American Chemical Society journal Inorganic Chemistry. He will be succeeded by Richard Eisenberg, Tracy H. Harris Professor of Chemistry at the University of Rochester, N.Y. Hawthorne and Eisenberg will work together during a four-month transition period beginning this September. Hawthorne, 71, who is University Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles, is the third editor of Inorganic Chemistry. The journal was founded as a quarterly carrying a total of 990 pages in 1962. Under Hawthorne's stewardship, it has expanded in scope to a biweekly featuring more than 6,000 pages per year. He credits much of the journal's success to the interactions of authors and reviewers with the journal's editors. Eisenberg, 57, says he hopes to reinforce Inorganic Chemistry's standing as "the premiere journal in itsfield."He is well-suited for that role, according to Harry B. Gray, a chemistry professor at California Institute of Technology who specializes in inorganic chemistry. Gray, who was Eisenberg's Ph.D. advis-
er 35 years ago, says Eisenberg "is a line," where they post brief essay anbroad-based inorganic chemist who re- swers to homework problems, data from ally knows the territory that's covered experiments, and suggestions on how to by the journal. He's a level-headed, fair- work past obstacles. minded person who will Born in New York be able to judge manuCity, Eisenberg earned an scripts very objectively. A.B. degree in 1963, an He is an outstanding M A the following year, choice for editor." and a Ph.D. in 1967, all in chemistry, at Columbia Eisenberg's research University. He then beinvolves inorganic and organ his teaching career at ganometallic chemistry Brown University, movand, more specifically, caing to Rochester in 1973. talysis and transition-metEisenberg has served al photochemistry relatas chair of the ACS Diviing to solar energy consion of Inorganic Chemversion. He is also deeply istry and its organomeconcerned with science tallic subdivision as well education. Along with as chair of the 1998 GorRochester chemistry pro- Elsenberg don Research Conferfessor James M. Farrar, Eisenberg has developed a first-year ence on Organometallic Chemistry. His chemistry course about energy and the editorial experience includes stints as a environment that is an alternative curric- member of the advisory boards for the ulum for general chemistry. Eisenberg's Journal of the American Chemical Socicurrent "pet project" centers on using an ety, Organometallics, and Inorganic online "newsgroup" as a tool for students Chemistry. Eisenberg is an avid photogto help each other learn. It is intended, he rapher and golfer. A resident of Rochessays, to "bring students together in an ac- ter, he is married and has two sons. tive, vibrant dialogue with each other onSophie Wilkinson
Russian Team Tops At Chemistry Olympiad All four members of Russia's team took home gold medals from the 32nd International Chemistry Olympiad, which concluded last week in Copenhagen. The U.S. team, for the second year in a row, had the single best overall performer. Results of the competition are based on a laboratory practical and a written theoretical exam. Overall, the U.S. took two gold and two bronze medals. Other teams that won two or more gold medals at this year's International Olympiad include China, which earned three golds and a silver; Taiwan and Hungary, which each won two golds and two silvers; and Slovakia and Austria, which both took two golds, a silver, and a bronze. David M. Kurtz, who just finished his junior year at Skyline High School, Idaho Falls, Idaho, topped the field of 2 1 6 students from 5 4 countries, earning a gold medal and a standing ovation for his first-place finish. The rest of the U.S. team put in a strong performance as well. Charles S. Duan, a graduate of Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills, Calif., also won a gold medal. He will attend Harvard University in the fall. Luke C. McSpadden, a recent graduate of the Oklahoma School of Scienc-
es & Math, Oklahoma City, and Albert Wang, a rising senior at Bellaire High School, Bellaire, Texas, each earned a bronze. McSpadden will attend the University of Tulsa in the fall. Last year was the first time that the U.S. won the first-place gold medal; the 1999 team earned two additional golds and a silver. The American students were accompanied in Denmark by two mentors, Nadine M. Szczepanski, a professor of chemistry at MacMurray College, Jacksonville, 111., and Jesse D. Bernstein, a chemistry teacher at Hawken High School, Gates Mills, Ohio. Szczepanski and Bernstein served in the same capacity during a study camp hosted in June by the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. (C&EN, July 10, page 11). At the camp, 2 0 kids drawn from an initial pool of almost 1 0 , 0 0 0 high school students went through intensive training and competitions for the chance to represent the U.S. at the International Olympiad. The American Chemical Society is the primary sponsor of the U.S. team. Next year's International Olympiad will be held in the Czech Republic. Sophie Wilkinson
JULY 17,2000 C&EN
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