American Chemical Society Students Receive National Honors

Angelo State University’s student affiliates chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has received a Commendable Award from the national ACS Committee on Education for the chapter’s activities during the 2013-14 academic year.

This marks the ninth straight year the ASU chapter has received a year-end award from the national ACS. Additionally, for the fourth straight year, the ASU chapter has received a Green Chemistry Award for outreach activities from the national ACS.

The ASU chapter and other award-winning chapters were honored at the 248^th ACS National Meeting on March 22 in Denver, Colo.

For its Commendable Award, the ASU chapter was recognized for its participation in chemistry outreach activities, attendance at national meetings, and fundraising and social events. Chapter members annually take part in ASU Science Days, Mole Day, Earth Day and National Chemistry Week activities. They also conduct a campus speaker program, have regular fundraising events and frequently include local and area high school students in their activities. Members also present their research at various organizational meetings, including the national ACS and Texas Academy of Science.

For its Green Chemistry Award, the ASU chapter was recognized for its participation in at least three green chemistry activities during the 2013-14 academic year. “Green Chemistry” is a movement that encourages the design of processes that reduce the usage of hazardous or environmentally unfriendly substances, advancing the idea of sustainability in the chemical industry and in research.

Faculty sponsors for ASU’s student chapter are Dr. Edith Osborne, associate professor of chemistry, and Kevin Boudreaux, senior instructor of chemistry. Chapter president is Iván Peña, a senior chemistry major from San Angelo.

ACS is the world’s largest scientific society. It is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress, and is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. More information is available online at www.acs.org.