Amazingly, 2014 is nearly over, and it is time once again for our fall wine tasting event. Join us for a relaxing afternoon of wine tasting at Jalama Wines, a boutique winery in the wine “ghetto” of Lompoc. Jalama’s prize winning wines will be paired with the fabulous cooking of section officers, all chemists, of course. Network with other members of the section, speak to your section officers and get acquainted with the up and coming wine makers of Lompoc. Continue reading “2014 Wine Tasting: Jalama Wines”
Candidate Statements for the 2014 Elections
The statements for the candidates in the 2014 CALPACS elections appear below. You will receive your ballot via email. Thank you for voting!
Chair-Elect:
Continue reading “Candidate Statements for the 2014 Elections”
CALPACS 2014 Fall Luncheon
You are cordially invited to attend the California Los Padres Section of the American Chemical Society’s Fall Luncheon on Saturday, September 27, 2014. We will be honoring local section members who have been members of the ACS for over 50 years, and we will have the pleasure of learning about on-demand drug delivery from Professor Javier Read de Alaniz of UCSB’s chemistry department.
Date: Saturday, September 27, 2014
Time: 11:45 AM to 2:30 PM
Place: Firestone Walker Tap Room
620 McMurray Road
Buellton, CA 93427 (805) 686-1557 (Google Map)
This event is now closed for registration. Please use the contact link above to inquire.
Lunch will be served at approximately 12:20, and lecture at approximately 12:45. Firestone Walker beers will be available to purchase. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to reserve your place. We look forward to your company.
Abstract: The discovery and development of novel transformations for the synthesis of molecular building blocks is a major focus of my research group. Our studies seek to accelerate drug discovery and material synthesis by developing practical and efficient methods, while incorporating renewable resources and environmentally benign protocols. We have also recently become involved in the design and synthesis of a novel photochromic material that enable the use of visible light to control the properties of micelles, polymer surfaces and small organic molecules. A main object of this research is in the areas of drug delivery and using visible light to control catalytic transformations.
Prof. Javier Read de Alaniz received his B.S. degree from Fort Lewis College in 1999 where he conducted undergraduate research under the direction of Professor William R. Bartlett. He obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Tomislav Rovis at Colorado State University in 2006 with a research focus on asymmetric catalysis. Javier then moved to California, where he worked in the area of total synthesis with Professor Larry E. Overman at the University of California, Irvine. Since 2009, he has been an Assistant Professor in the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC-Santa Barbara.
More on the Mole and Standards
CALPACS Councillor’s symposium on the mole at the ACS meeting will be followed by an opinion piece in Chemical & Engineering News. Look for, or read the advanced copy here as a pdf file. Match wits with Al Censullo, if you are, but it is important to give some thought to the standards that underpin our analyses, especially given the rapid pace of technology and innovation.
Refining the Mole
CALPACS Coundillor, Professor Al Censullo, will be the chair of a symposium on the mole at the 248 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco. The symposium will take place in room 133 of the Moscone center on Monday August 11 at 8:30 AM. The symposium program is available here in pdf format.
2014 Chemistry Olympiad and Lecture on Film Photography
Please join us on April 26, 2014, to lend support to all local section chemistry students who will be completing the 2014 American Chemical Society Chemistry Olympiad. The Olympiad is a three part, 4.5-hour exam consisting of three parts that will test students on their knowledge of general chemistry, theoretical concepts, analytical problem solving skills and laboratory skills. Students who perform exceptionally well in this weeks-long test of their chemistry knowledge and chemistry skills will move on to the national and, eventually, the international chemistry Olympiads.
A light lunch will be served at noon, and it will be followed by a lecture by CalPoly chemistry Professor and CALPACS Immediate Past Chair Nanine Van Draanen on the many roles of the natural product alginic acid.
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2014 Time: Lunch at noon, Lecture at 12:30 Place: Winter Hall, Westmont College (Campus Map, Google map) Cost: Free
Your reservation is kindly requested from the form below.
Amazing Alginate Abstract: In this hands-on introduction to molecular gastronomy, the focus will be on sodium alginate. The chemistry of alginic acid and its application to fibers, medicine, and food will be presented. Attendees will have the opportunity to make (and eat!) alginate “caviar.”
Dr. Nanine Van Draanen is Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Before joining the faculty at Cal Poly in 1996, she worked in research and development in the pharmaceutical industry in North Carolina. She earned her Ph.D. at Berkeley in organic chemistry and her bachelor’s degree at California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo.
Second Pi Day Talk on Science and Policy
Please join us on Friday March 14, 2014, (pi day) for the second installment of lectures on science in the public sphere. Our speaker is Dr. Amber Mace, deputy director of the California Council on Science and Technology and policy fellow with the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy. Dr. Mace’s talk will frame some of the factors that lead to a disconnect between scientists and decision-makers and provide a high-level overview of science-based decision-making in California with a focus on climate change and sea level rise. It will also highlight some opportunities for students who are considering careers beyond academia and would like to develop relevant skills and experience to help continue to break down the barriers between science and policy. (Event announcement as pdf file.)
Date: Friday, March 14, 2014
Time: 7-9 PM
Place: Building 180, Room 101, CalPoly San Luis Obispo
Cost: Free.
Please RSVP through the form below.
A complimentary assortment of pies will be served in observance of pi day.
An interactive map is also available from the CalPoly web site.
Annual 50-Year Member Luncheon and Lecture
You are cordially invited to attend the late convocation of the CALPACS annual luncheon honoring the local section’s 50-year ACS members. The 2013 honorees are
Dr. Philip S. Bailey
Dr. Clifford A. Bunton
Dr. Peder J. Estrup
Dr. Norvell J. Nelson
Dr. Fred Wudl
Dr. Galen Stucky
and 60-year member Dr. George Taborsky.
As part of the event, Professor Erik Johansson of Portland State University will deliver a lecture on the history of iron pyrite and the renewed interest in its utility in renewable energy applications.
Continue reading “Annual 50-Year Member Luncheon and Lecture”
Symposium on Careers in Medicinal Chemistry
CALPACS invites you to join a symposium about careers in medicinal chemistry. Industry speakers will talk about all the opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry and how one can make the transition from a graduate program to any one of these career paths. The symposium is “Designed by Chemists New to the Industry to Introduce New Chemists to the Industry!”
Date: Saturday, February 1, 2014
Time: 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Place: University of California, Santa Barbara, Engineering Sciences Building (ESB) room 1001 (Campus Map)
Cost: Free
See complete details and list of speakers in the official event flyer (pdf file). Speaker bios can be found here (pdf file).
Graudate students, undergraduate students and professionals who are considering a career in the pharmaceutical industry are strongly encouraged to attend!
This symposium is organized by Professor Javier Read de Alaniz as part of the American Chemical Society’s Academics to Industry seminar series.
Tour of Firestone Brewery in Paso Robles
Tour of the Firestone Brewery in Paso Robles
Join Los Padres ACS members in Paso Robles on Saturday, January 25th, as we tour Firestone Walker brew house and cellar, and gather for an informal lunch reserved for our group in the Tap Room restaurant. The restaurant features 16 beers on draft, as well as a collection of beers from past “vintage” releases.
Firestone Brewery, founded in 1996 by Adam Firestone, is a four time champion Mid Size Brewing Company at the World Beer Cup, and a three time title holder of Mid Size Brewing Company at the Great American Beer Festival, taking 2013 Gold medals for their Taproom IPA, German-style Pivo Pilsner, and Wookey Jack Black Ale.
The brewery requires flat, closed toed shoes for the tour (if you aren’t’ wearing them, you won’t be allowed on the tour). All touring guests must also be at least 12 years old. The brewery can be chilly, so jackets are recommended.
Each tour can accommodate 15 people. We have reserved two tours to accommodate 30 guests. Please use the form below to reserve a tour time. Please be sure to arrive 15 minutes before your tour’s scheduled start.
A lunch consisting of an entrée, a side order and one non-alcoholic beverage will be provided. You can find the Tap Room menu here. All Firestone beers (including a tasting) may be purchased separately in the Tap Room.
Date: Saturday January 25, 2014
Time: 11:30 – 12:00 for morning tour
12:15 – 1:15 lunch
1:30 – 2:00 afternoon tour
Location: Firestone Walker Brewing Company
1400 Ramada Drive
Paso Robles, CA 93446 (Google map)
(805) 225-5911
www.firestonebeer.com
Cost: $15. RSVP below through January 23.