UMN ACS Student Chapter makes connections happen
With the separation caused by COVID, the University of Minnesota (UMN) American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Chapter is actively working to build connections at the University and across the country. From the creation of virtual study groups for first-year chemistry students to intercollegiate outreach events with other ACS student chapters, the goal is to bring students together and create and foster a sense of belonging.
We want to plan events that bring our student members together, said UMN Chemistry Major Kat Graf, vice president of the UMN ACS Student Chapter. "This is why outreach is important. It helps people feel less alone in a time when we need each other."
Collaboration on national events. The National Chemistry Event, Oct. 18-24, and "The Breadth of the Chemical Field: An Intercollegiate SAACS Symposium," Nov. 4-6, are possible because a creative chemist at Emory University set up an online server with many ACS student chapters.
"This server allows us to collaborate cross-country and achieve outreach events that we never would be able to do on our own," said Kat.
The National Chemistry Week (NCW) event, Oct. 19, held in conjunction with Emory University, started with chapter introductions and breakout rooms for students to meet and socialize. Afterward, both chapters used a free kit provided by the ACS NCW based on the theme, "Sticking with Chemistry: Adhesives and Glues, to engage in an activity making slime." Kat Graf distributed kits to participating students on campus and through the mail. An explanation of the chemistry behind slime and its cross linking was shared. Then the 22 participants mixed their polyvinyl alcohol and borax and shared their stretchy, slimy, squishy creations. The meeting concluded with a video explaining how adhesive tapes are made and a flash talk by Alex Kim from Emory University on new adhesives based on sea mussels.
The November symposium will feature three University of Minnesota professors. Additional events planned for this fall include a career presentation by Sherwin-Williams on Oct. 27; an exploration of edible water capsules and a new Green Tycoon app on Nov. 9; and fund with combustion and thermodynamics on Dec. 7.
In addition to events, the UMN ACS chapter launched a study groups initiative, forming virtual study groups for first-year chemistry students in a completely online semester. The initiative sorted nearly 100 students into groups, helping them form connections in their first semester of undergraduate chemistry.
The UMN ACS student chapter is led by Chapter President Amy Choi, Vice President Kat Graf, Secretary Carolyn Dewey, Treasurer William Chan, Outreach Officer Aaditya Nandakumar, Special Events Coordinators Tyler Rife and Kengchit Lam, and is advised by Professor Jane Wissinger.
Interested students can get involved with ACS by sending an email to acs@umn.edu.
"We have plenty of events planned for the fall and spring," said Kat. "We are also always looking for people to propose their own ideas so we can make them a reality."