Chemical Education Today
Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education
News and Notices Positions Available Director, Examinations Institute The Division of Chemical Education (DivCHED) seeks applications to fill the position of Examinations Institute Director. The Institute is responsible for the development, validation, norming, distribution, and scoring of chemistry examinations (the “ACS Exams”) that cover a variety of chemical topics and are used at different levels of education. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Chemistry or Chemical Education and should have demonstrable familiarity with assessment in chemistry. The Exams Institute has many of the characteristics of a small business: successful applicants will be characterized by demonstrable skills in areas such as personnel management, accrual accounting, computer graphics, high-end software for page layout and design, and ancillary software required for Institute operations. Since the Exams Institute is an agency of DivCHED, applicants are expected to demonstrate a working knowledge of the Division of Chemical Education and its programs. Successful applicants must demonstrate the willingness of their home institutions to support the Institute. Institutional commitment must include adequate space configured to the needs of the Institute, release time for the director, and other services detailed in the document “Hosting the ACS DivCHED Examinations Institute”. Applicants who are otherwise qualified but who cannot obtain the necessary institutional commitment may be eligible for a senior faculty appointment at Clemson University, which is prepared to continue to host the Institute. Inquiries, nominations, or requests for application materials should be sent to the Chair of the Search Committee, Donald E. Jones, Chair, Exams Institute Board of Trustees, 3726 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Apt. 108, Washington, DC 20008; phone: 202/364-2740; email:
[email protected]. The search committee will begin considering applicants by December 11, 2000 and expects to name the new director no later than May 31, 2001. Editor, CHED Newsletter DivCHED encourages applications for the position of editor of the CHED Newsletter. The successful candidate must possess excellent writing and editing skills and should be both creative and outgoing. The position calls for someone who has the skills to invite contributions and to decide how best to communicate divisional information to its membership.
Job Description The CHED Newsletter editor is responsible for compiling and editing three newsletter issues annually. (The ACS prints and distributes the fall and spring CHED Newsletters (separates and abstracts) two to three weeks prior to the fall and spring ACS meetings, respectively; the editor publishes
and distributes the winter issue.) A typical newsletter schedule is spring: due at ACS by the end of January; fall: due at ACS by the end of May; winter: editor sets deadline, has newsletter printed and mailed locally using local mailing permit. Newsletter content includes Division news and committee reports, future programs and meetings, awards, announcements, member comments/opinions/reflections, and reports of symposia at national meetings and BCCE conferences. The budget is $7200 annually to cover secretarial support, office expenses, and editor stipend. There is partial travel reimbursement for two national meetings and the BCCE. Printing and mailing expenses for the winter newsletter of approximately $8000 are paid. Applicants should send their CV and a statement of what they could offer the Division in the role of Newsletter editor. All material should be sent (preferably electronically) to Diane Bunce, DivCHED Chair, Chemistry Department, Catholic University, Washington, DC 20064; phone: 202/319-5390; fax: 202/319-5381; email:
[email protected]. For full consideration applications must be received by November 28, 2000; applications received after that date will be considered only if the position has not been filled.
Biennial Conferences Site Chosen for 2004 BCCE Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, has been selected as the location for the 18th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in 2004. The meeting will be held from July 18 to 22, 2004. Tom Greenbowe, Iowa State University, is general chair. Committee members are Marge Legg, St. Ambrose University: assistant general chair (organization); Kathy Burke, Iowa State University: assistant general chair (details); Mark Freilich, University of Memphis: program chair; Bill Harwood, Indiana University: associate program chair; Jeff Hepburn, Dowling High School, and Ken Hartman, Ames, IA: high school cochairs; John Gelder, Oklahoma State University: Web Master; Beth Pulliam, Florida State University, consultant. For further information contact Greenbowe at the Department of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011; phone: 515/294-4050; fax: 515/294-0105; email:
[email protected] or
[email protected]. The address of the Conference Web site is http://www.chem.iastate.edu/BCCE. Host the 2006 BCCE DivCHED requests bids to host the 19th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) in 2006.
BCCE Objectives The goals of the BCCEs are to facilitate the exchange of ideas and to create and maintain contacts among all those
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Chemical Education Today
Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education interested in chemical education. Since each site has unique attractions, the conferences also seek to create an informal setting where families may enjoy various peripheral amenities.
Benefits of Hosting the BCCE Each BCCE offers its organizers an extraordinary opportunity for personal and professional growth. The host institution is able to bring its chemistry program, in both chemical education and traditional research, to the focused attention of more than 1400 high school and undergraduate chemistry teachers from across the nation and beyond. Thus, hosting the BCCE may enhance the ability to recruit undergraduate and graduate students as well as new faculty. The BCCE has been shown to have a positive influence on local K–12 teachers, which may help establish or strengthen co-
operative local programs. Although hosting the BCCE provides its organizers with significant administrative experience, it is the organizers who provide us all with the most precious commodity—an invaluable service to the profession.
For More Information If interested or for specific information contact John Clevenger, BCCE Committee Chair, Truckee Meadows Community College, RDMT 321, 7000 Dandini Boulevard, Reno, NV 89512; email:
[email protected]; phone: 775/ 673-7197; fax: 775-674-7983. Note: See the report of the 16th BCCE on pp 1390–1391, which provides another source of information about these conferences.
Participate in ACS Awards Program The American Chemical Society administers more than 50 awards to recognize the accomplishments of individuals in the chemical sciences. Several awards listed below are of interest to chemical educators. Information about the ACS awards, including complete rules of eligibility, application procedures, and contact information, is easily accessed from the ACS home page: www.acs.org (click on Build Your Career, ACS Awards, List of Awards Administered by ACS). The deadline for award nominations is February 1 (except for the Conant Award, with is December 1). Help ensure that outstanding people are recognized by their colleagues. If you know someone who would make a good candidate for an award, take the time to initiate a nomination.
ACS Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution This award, sponsored by Research Corporation, honors a chemistry faculty member whose research has contributed to the professional development of undergraduate students. Nominees are drawn from tenured faculty of predominantly undergraduate institutions. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate, and travel expenses incurred to accept the award; an award of $4,000 is also made to the recipient’s institution.
ACS Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences The award, sponsored by The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., recognizes individuals who have encouraged the professional development and interest of students, especially minority or economically disadvantaged students, in the chemical sciences and engineering. Nominees may come from any professional setting including industry, academia, government, or other independent facility. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate, and travel expenses to the meeting at which the award is presented. Also, an award of $10,000 is made to an academic institution designated by the recipient.
James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching This award, sponsored by Albemarle Corporation, is intended to recognize, encourage, and stimulate outstanding teachers of high school chemistry in the United States and its territories at both the regional and national levels. Any individual, except a current student of the nominee or a member of the Award Committee, may submit one nomination for a regional award in any given year. Local Sections of the ACS may also submit a nomination for an award in their region. The national award consists of $5000, a certificate, and travel expenses to the regional meeting at which the award is presented. Nominators of each ACS Regional Award in High School Chemistry Teaching recipient for the three years preceding the award year will be invited to submit a nomination for the National Award.
ACS Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences The award, sponsored by The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., recognizes individuals who have encouraged the professional development and interest of women in the chemical sciences and engineering. Nominees may come from any professional setting, including industry, academia, government, or other independent facility. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate, and travel expenses to the meeting at which the award is presented. Also, an award of $10,000 is made to an academic institution designated by the recipient.
George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education The award, sponsored by Union Carbide Corporation, recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to chemical education including training professional chemists; dissemination of information to students, other professionals, and the general public; and the integration of chemistry into our educational system. Activities may include teaching (at any level), educational research, organization and administration, methodology of instruction, establishing instructional standards, influential writing, and public enlightenment. The award consists of $5,000, a certificate, and travel expenses to the meeting at which the award is presented.
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Chemical Education Today
Association Report: ACS Division of Chemical Education CHED Establishes Presence at ACS Regional Meetings DivCHED has recently engaged in a major effort to have a strong presence at ACS regional meetings. This presence is being felt through both programming and the display of CHED and JCE materials. Results thus far are very positive, but volunteers are needed if the initiative is to be successful in the longer term. If you are able to provide assistance in chemical education programming for oral or poster presentations (including providing the names of possible speakers), workshops (for undergraduates, graduate students, or high school teachers), or organizing a display of materials at a regional meeting near you, contact Mort Hoffman (
[email protected]). A schedule of upcoming regional meetings is below. October 25–28: Midwest, St. Louis, MO
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October 25–28: Western, San Francisco, CA
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December 6–8: Joint Southeast/Southwest, New Orleans Mor t Hoffman poses proudly at the Division of Chemical Education’s information table at the Joint Northwest/ Rocky Mountain Regional ACS Meeting, held in Idaho Falls in June 2000.
May 30–June 1: Middle Atlantic, Towson, MD June 11–13: Joint Central/Great Lakes, Grand Rapids, MI
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June 14–17: Northwest, Seattle, WA
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June 24–27: Northeast, Durham, NH
CHED Recognized for Innovative Programs and Outstanding Service The ACS Committee on Division Activities recognizes and honors divisions that offer innovative programs and outstanding service to their members. CHED was honored for its performance as a large division in 1999 and received the award at the ChemLuminary Awards ceremony at the Fall ACS Meeting in Washington, DC. Diane Bunce (right), DivCHED chair, happily displays the poster that describes programs and services to members.
Photos by Morton Z. Hoffman
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Joe Lagowski (left), past chair of DivCHED, receiving the ChemLuminary Award for outstanding division activities from Ed Wasserman, past president of ACS, during ceremonies at the Washington, DC, ACS Meeting.
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