Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Students Participated in National Chemistry Week

On Saturday, October 27, seven students from the Student Affiliate American Chemical Society at IUP accompanied Dr. Nathan McElroy to the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh to participate in National Chemistry Week. This year's theme was "The Many Faces of Chemistry" and represented not only all of the diversity of the field of chemistry, but the diversity of the people who work and teach in the field.

The students chose four different demonstrations, organized them, bought the supplies, and presented them to guests of the museum from 10am to 4:30pm. These demos included: a simple oil & water 'lava lamp'; the result of a broken light bulb in and out of an oxygen rich environment; the properties of ferrofluids; and the popular demonstration of food coloring in milk when mixed with soap (emulsifiers & proteins).

The participating students were:
Mr. Ken Glassford
Mr. Andrew Kerr
Ms. Beth Paladin
Ms. Olivia McGovern
Ms. Kelly Seibert
Mr. Peter Stonehouse
Ms. Caitlin Williamson

This was the third year that IUP's ACS Club has participated in National Chemistry Week at the Carnegie Science Center; the 12th year that the Carnegie held this event; and the 20th anniversary of National Chemistry Week by the ACS.

Special thanks to the Department of Chemistry for supplies and financial support; the Geoscience Department for the use of their van; the other members of the ACS club who helped prepare the demonstrations; and the Dean's office of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics for their financial support.

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