Past Events

Centennial Celebration of Central Pennsylvania Chemistry

2024 marks the 100 years since the founding of the local section of the ACS in the region. The yearly poster symposium was combined with a catered dinner and keynote lecture by Dr. Ayusman Sen to celebrate. The event was held on Saturday, November 16.

John P. Reeves Lectureship in Chemistry

The Juniata College Chemistry and Biochemistry Department hosted Dr. Kenneth D. Karlin, the Ira Remsen Professor of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore as their 8th John P. Reeves Lecturer in Chemistry on September 30th – October 2nd. This lectureship brings annually top experts in different subfields of chemistry to Juniata College (JC). Our Reeves lecturer spends three days at JC, gives three talks, and gets immersed in conversations with faculty, students, and visitors. This year’s speaker is one of the world’s leading experts in bioinorganic chemistry.

Fifth Quadrennial Whitmore Lecture on Chemistry Education and Public Policy

Green Chemistry: The Missing Elements

Dr. John Warner

Friday, June 7, 4:30 pm

100 Thomas Building, Penn State University

Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting 2024

June 5-8, 2024

Penn State University Park

For details, please visit: marm2024.org

New Concepts for Powering Organic Chemistry with Electricity

Abstract: Dehydration reactions, such as amide-bond formation and esterification from carboxylic acids, are foundational chemical processes for the discovery and production of medicines, agrochemical, materials, and a range of important organic compounds. They are overwhelmingly accomplished, however, with stoichiometric coupling reagents. The waste generated by these reagents creates practical problems on both small and large scales. Accordingly, leading pharmaceutical companies have highlighted the need for improved methods to accomplish these transformations. To address this problem, our group is developing new catalysts and reagents by leveraging electrochemical design platforms. This talk will highlight our progress on a selection of these transformations.

Better Living through Cannabis?

Gretchen E. Maurer, D.O., M.S. is an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Maurer graduated magna cum laude with Bachelor of Arts in English from Temple University. She completed her Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences with clinical research focus, in addition to a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. A graduate certificate in Cannabis Medicine from Thomas Jefferson University’s Institute of Emerging Health Professions was pursued during residency training at Lehigh Valley Hospital Network Family Medicine Residency. Dr. Maurer has clinical research interests investigating efficacy of cannabinoids as therapeutics, chronic pain management with opioid sparing, harm reduction in addiction medicine, and interventions that improve joy and quality of life in the community. Her educational endeavors involve curriculum development and promotion of research and scholarly work within graduate medical education.

Thermodynamics and water Dynamics in Aqueous Binary Mixtures

Dr. Elizabeth Elacqua

April 27, 2023, 5:30 pm

102 Chemistry Building, Penn State

Merging Organic Synthesis and Macromolecular Chemistry to Design Efficient Catalysts and Diverse Polymers

Dr. Elizabeth Elacqua

April 27, 2023, 5:30 pm

102 Chemistry Building, Penn State

Celebrating Women in Science!

Join us to watch "Lessons from Life and the Laboratory" from the Science History Institute on Thursday, March 23rd, 2023 at 4:30pm. The event will be held in Chemistry 102, on the Penn State University Park campus. Enjoy movie theater snacks and learn about eight women in science who have made lasting impacts on the world around us! The event is Co-hosted between the Central PA Local ACS Section and the Chemistry Climate and Diversity Committee. For those interested in a hybrid option, a zoom link will be provided to those who RSVP. RSVP here: https://forms.gle/D3CZ1aEF2bJ3PaG56

Dissecting the interplay of macromolecular interactions during human DNA replication pathways

Penn State Assistant Professor of Chemistry Mark Hedglin

The talk will be given at 102 Chemistry building at Penn State University Park campus at 5:30pm on Monday, March 20, 2023.

Penn State Assistant Professor of Chemistry Alexey Silakov will present a technical talk titled, "Understanding the inner workings of hydrogen-producing enzymes. Towards carbon-neutral hydrogen production."

The talk will be given at 102 Chemistry building at Penn State University Park campus at 5:30pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Pizza and socializing (including a "networking" scavenger hunt) will follow the talk. Those who pre-register and/or complete the scavenger hunt at the event will be entered into a raffle drawing for the end of the event.

Pre-register for the event by Monday, 27 Feb. at noon to reserve your seat, indicate a pizza preference, and get your name entered into the raffle.

Parking for the event is easily found at the Penn State HUB or Eisenhower parking decks. Details can be found here.