AWARDS Richard P. Swatloski, a graduate student at the University of Alabama in the research group of chemistry professor Robin D. Rogers, was selected for his work on dissolving cellulose in ionic liquids. Cellulose is an abundant renewable organic material, but its applications have ACS
been limited because it is readily soluble in only a few solvents. Swatloski discovered that homogeneous solutions of cellulose in ionic liquids could be prepared without significant cellulose degradation and at high cellulose concentrations by using mi-
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Retired Scientists Cooperative Offers New Opportunities For Older Chemists
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n a letter to friend and psychiatrist Otto Vambutas' vision for RSC is a clearingJuliusburger, Albert Einstein wrote: house of accomplished scientists across "People like you and I, though mortal, disciplines who can be assigned shortof course, like everyone else, do not grow term projects. These scientists are unold no matter how long we live. ... [We] burdened of the need for tenure, adnever cease to stand like curious children vancement, or benefits packages, and before the great mystery into which we they can be available almost any time for were born." varying durations. Like Einstein, most of today's scienAs she sees it, an organization would tists do not lose their insatiable curiosity contact RSC with its requirements, and with the passage of time. Add to that the the cooperative would assign a qualified fact that medical advances continue to scientist from its database, preferably help aging members of society enjoy someone living close to the project localonger, healthier lives. With mind and tion. That scientist would not only receive body intact well past the age of 65, what's an honorarium from the requester, but, a scientist to do when faced with the end more important, he or she would be givof a lifelong career? en a chance to usefully employ his or her time-tested expertise. Vida Vambutas, a retired Ph.D. bio-
chemist and founder of the Retired Scientists Cooperative (RSC), sees a resource waiting to be tapped. "Most of us are still vitally interested in science as long as we live," Vambutas says. Although she initially put her own scientific aspirations on hold to raise a family, Vambutas looked for ways to jump back into science not long after her children were grown. It had been years since she received her Ph.D., but she soon found work as a part-time teacher at Hunter College in New York City. Even while teaching, Vambutas says she "yearned for research" and used several small grants to do limited lab experiments. Just before retiring, Vambutas held a fellowship at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, where she met two colleagues who would later sit on the RSC board of directors. Conversations with her circle of retired or retiring friends showed her that many wished for ways to continue their scientific contributions. The talks inspired her to found RSC, a nonprofit group that matches willing workers with scientific challenges.
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For example, Vambutas says, if a researcher needs to use a specific technique but no one at their institution knows how, RSC could send a retired expert to aid the researcher. This solution would be both less expensive and less time-consuming than sending the researcher to a training course. Retired scientists could also be called on as industry consultants, guest lecturers, or contributors to community education projects. To date, RSC has incorporated, has established a board of directors, and has put an Internet-based registration process in place. However, it is not a fully functional service just yet. With only 150 registered members, mostly from the life sciences, the cooperative is still a ways off from being the broad-spectrum resource Vambutas is striving for. She continues to look for volunteers, both to join the members database and to help with database management, public advocacy, and fund-raising. For more information about RSC, including how to join, visit http://www. retiredscientists.org, send a fax to (718) 631-8357, or send e-mail to RSC1718® earthlink.net.-VICTORIA GILMAN
crowaves or conventional heating methods. The ionic liquids can be extracted from the cellulose products with water, then recovered for reuse. Using ionic liquids to dissolve and reconstitute cellulose reduces volatile organic compound emissions common in cellulose processing, decreases energy requirements, and expands the potential applications for cellulose. Nicolay V. Tsarevsky, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University under the guidance of chemistry professor Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, was selected for his research on improving the control of radical polymerizations in aqueous media. Radical polymerization is the preferred m e t h o d for preparing hydrophilic polymers, which have wide applications in such fields as water purification and drug delivery. Tsarevsky identified polymerization conditions that eliminate competing side reactions—for example, ligands to help stabilize the copper catalyst, thereby suppressing disproportionation, and the addition of large amounts of copper(II) complexes or halide salts to increase the rate of radical deactivation. In addition, he helped design novel catalysts that promote the first atom-transfer radical polymerization reactions of acidic water-soluble monomers. —STEVE RITTER
John Swanson Is Richland Chemist Of The Year
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HE ACS RICHLAND (WASH.) SECTION'S
2 0 0 2 Chemist of the Year is John Swanson. Swanson was honored for his distinguished scientific career and service to the chemical community A native of Washington state, Swanson accepted a position at what is now the Department of Energy's Hanford Site in 1951, after graduating from Reed College with a B.A. in chemistry. For almost 50 years, Swanson made many notable contributions to the field of actinide chemistry. His work has been instrumental in the development of spent fuel processing and separation of transuranic elements. Swanson's work also aided in reducing and treating the waste produced during his years working at the Hanford site. A poster session preceded the June 3 award ceremonies. Technical posters were presented by Swanson's Hanford colleagues and by undergraduates from Eastern Oregon University's ACS student affiliate chapter. • HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
