ACS COMMENT
National Chemistry Week: Engaging Your Community With Chemistry GEORGE L. HEARD, CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
some of the many wonders of chemistry. began offering minigrants to support outdread hearing. I recently attended the Biennial Conferreach during times that do not fall around A few months ago, a colleague introence on Chemical EducaNational Chemistry Week duced me to the new superintendent of my tion, where I explained the or Chemists Celebrate Earth city’s public schools with this very phrase. Floating Letters activity Day. Thanks to all who subFortunately that declaration was not the that appears on page 9 of mitted applications. For this end of my colleague’s sentence; it was folthis year’s edition of Celyear, 10 grants worth up to lowed by “but when I see what his students ebrating Chemistry, ACS’s $500 each were made availare doing, I want to do it too!” My colleague kid-friendly, hands-on able. The submission period was referring to an outreach activity she activity publication for ends on Sept. 30, and the attended in which middle school students exploring important awardees will be notified in were doing hands-on activities while colchemistry topics. In this November. Inquiries can be lege students talked to them about the experiment, if you place made to
[email protected]. chemistry involved and careers in science. two M&M candies in lukeYou can support National Now is the time of year when volunteers warm water, the colored Chemistry Week beyond the gather to improve the public perception of dyes coating the candies outreach component. Every chemistry. Many of their efforts take place dissolve but form an inyear we offer prizes for K–12 under the umbrella of National Chemistry terface giving a clear line students who create an ilNow is the time Week, which is coming up on Oct. 19–25 of separation between the lustrated poem based on the of year when (www.acs.org/ncw). Every year, I am two colors. Leave them for celebration’s theme, and volunteers gather amazed by the creativity and enthusiasm longer, and the insoluble local volunteers are needed to improve the that our outreach coordinators and volM detaches and floats to to identify the best poems. public perception unteers share in bringing chemistry to the the surface. Conference The community event takes community in a fun, safe, and effective way. attendees were running to advantage of the proximity of of chemistry. The American Chemical Society Comthe meeting’s snack table National Chemistry Week to mittee on Community Activities (CCA) to find M&M’s to try the Halloween and encourages would like to hear from you about how experiment for themselves. you to donate candy (maybe your events turn out. Please write to us at Outreach can be as easy as that. With the leftover candy from your events) to a
[email protected]. Last some candies and plastic food bank or a service that provides candy to year we had reports of CROWD-PLEASER cups, you can get the community members serving overseas. 3,606 volunteers bringSimple demonstrations—such public talking about Coming up soon will be the opportunity ing chemistry to more as an activity that lifts the dyes and exploring chemical for your local section to recognize leadthan 77,000 members of and letters of M&M candies— concepts. Other inexpeners in community outreach with the Local the public, and that was are a great way to share the fun sive, hands-on outreach Section Outreach Volunteers of the Year with only one-third of the of chemistry with the public. activities, along with Award. I hope local section leaders will coordinators reporting Celebrating Chemistry, the take this opportunity to have their outback! Floating Letters activity, standing volunteers highlighted on the Get This year’s theme, and details on how to get Involved, Stay Involved website (www.acs. “The Sweet Side of Cheminvolved in your comorg/getinvolved). istry—Candy,” gives you munity, can be found at Thanks to all volunteers for creating safe an opportunity to draw www.acs.org/ncw. and fun events for the community to disin the public with the And remember, it’s cover and appreciate the joys of chemistry. promise of learning never too late to run Together we can help eliminate the first part more about what goes an event! CCA realof my well-meaning colleague’s statement. into sweets and treats izes that outreach is a and also to use candy year-round effort, and Views expressed on this page are those of as a medium for showing this year the committee the author and not necessarily those of ACS.
GEORGE HEARD
WYMAN TANN EHILL
“I HATE CHEMISTRY.” Those are words I
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SEPTEMBER 29, 2014
