NESACS Promotes Chemistry Connections for High School Teachers for National Chemistry Week

Chemistry Connections at Burlington High School was on Oct. 24, 2011. This is an official International Year of Chemistry (IYC) event.

Prof. Ruth Tanner, Chair elect of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society (NESACS), Keynote speaker Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri, President elect, of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and NESACS Education Chair, Prof. Marietta Schwartz - Organizer of the Conference

This is the 11th year for the Chemistry Connections program with the Burlington High School. There were chemistry teachers from about 40 schools in the Greater Boston area at the Chemistry Connections. Photos of the lecturers for the workshops are shown below:

Program Schedule
3:30-4:00 PM Registration and Refreshments Main Lobby, Burlington High School Welcome, Overview, and Review of the Sessions (Auditorium) Marietta Schwartz, Chair, Education Committee, NESACS Associate Dean, College of Science and Mathematics, UMass Boston Steve Lantos, Chair, High School Education Committee, NESACS Chemistry Teacher, Brookline (MA) High School 4:30-6:10 PM Four Simultaneous Workshops in Two Sessions Session I: 4:30-5:15 PM; Session II: 5:20-6:10 PM Workshop A: Artificial Photosynthesis A Workshop in Solar Cell Design (Room 172) Dr. Jonathan Rochford and Mr. Joseph Harney, University of Massachusetts Boston Workshop B: What is a learning progressions perspective and what do the new Framework for K-12 Science Education and Next Generation Science Standards mean for teaching high school chemistry? (Room 173) Dr. Hannah Sevian, University of Massachusetts Boston Workshop C: Using the Molecular Workbench for Inquiry at the Atomic Level (Room 177) Mr. Dan Damelin, Curriculum & Technology Development, The Concord Consortium Workshop D: pH and Its Effect on the Human Body & the Environment (Room 176) Dr. Jack Driscoll, Mgr. of Marketing & Technology, PID Analyzers, LLC 6:15-6:55 PM 7:00-7:45 PM Dinner (High School Cafeteria) Keynote Address (Lower Library) CHEMISTRY AND SOCIETY CONNECTIONS: Looking Back, Looking Around, Looking Ahead" Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri, University of Wisconsin Madison and ACS President-Elect 4:00-4:25 PM

NESACS Promotes Chemistry Connections for High School Teachers for National Chemistry Week

NESACS Promotes Chemistry Connections for High School Teachers for National Chemistry Week

Dr. Shakhashiri delivering the Keynote address

Keynote Address
Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri

Bassam Z. Shakhashiri is the first holder of the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea at UW-Madison. He is well known internationally for his effective leadership in promoting excellence in science education at all levels, and for his development and use of demonstrations in the teaching of chemistry in classrooms as well as in less formal settings, such as museums, convention centers, shopping malls and retirement homes. The Encyclopedia Britannica sites him as the "dean of lecture demonstrators in America." His scholarly publications, including the multi-volume series, Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry, are models of learning and instruction that have been translated into several languages. He is an advocate for policies to advance knowledge and to use science and technology to serve society. He promotes the exploration and establishment of links between science, the arts and the humanities, and the elevation of discourse on significant societal issues related to science, religion, politics, the economy, and ethics. Professor Shakhashiri is the 2011 President-Elect of the American Chemical Society, and will serve one-year terms as president in 2012 and immediate past president in 2013.

CHEMISTRY AND SOCIETY CONNECTIONS: Looking Back, Looking Around, Looking Ahead
As we get ready to celebrate the sesquicentennial of the Morrill Land Grant Act in 2012 I shall reflect on the contributions of chemistry and chemists to society and discuss the great potential and challenges facing society. Chemistry brings a wide range of goods and functions to everyone and thus is vital to our democracy. Our research and our technology can provide clean water and nutritious food, meet energy demands, and help lead to sustainable development everywhere. And, just as important, chemists can help society develop the will to improve the quality of life on the planet.

NESACS Promotes Chemistry Connections for High School Teachers for National Chemistry Week

Dr. Shakhashiri

Dr. Shakhashiri with the cardboard containing the spectrum

We would like to thank Dr. Bassam Shakhashiri for helping NESACS celebrate NCW, the Burlington High School for hosting the event, Dr. Peter Nassifk for providing lab equipment, projectors & PCs where needed and the many volunteers who took part during NCW. Photos courtesy of Prof. Morton Z. Hoffman, NESACS member

NESACS (http://www.nesacs.org ) is the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society which has more than 7,500 members. The American Chemical Society is the largest scientific society in the world with 163,000 members (http://www.acs.org) . Prepared by the NESACS Public Relations Subcommittee 10/30/11