The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a global organization that originated in New York City in 1876 with 35 members. Today the ACS has more than 151,000 members with 185 chapters in the United States alone. The ACS chapter at Jewell is dedicated to giving students majoring in chemistry and biochemistry the support they need to excel in their courses and to transition into careers that fit their skills and desires.
Chemistry professor and department chair, Jason Morrill acts as the faculty advisor for the ACS at Jewell. This year’s president is Alyssa Hash, a senior majoring in biochemistry. Acting as vice president is Megan Hall, a senior chemistry major. Juliann Smith, the organization’s treasurer and a biochemistry senior, can help you to become a member of the club. As the organization’s treasurer, Juliann Smith can help establish your membership.
Jewell’s ACS chapter provides opportunities for chemistry and biochemistry students to network with influential members of the chemistry community, build their resumes and to perform meaningful research.
Each year the ACS hosts regional conferences where students can network with chemists throughout the midwest and the Great Lakes regions. In addition to attending workshops and research symposia on the latest chemical research, students can win awards for presenting their own research in poster sessions at the conference. The opportunities associated with ASC membership are even more obvious with the Midwest/Great Lakes Regional Meeting (MWGLM) is being held at St. Charles Convention Center in St. Louis this year. Membership in the ASC affords students the opportunity to access this close-to-home resource without much hassle.
If you are interested in chemistry and the ACS, keep an eye out for a newsletter that will be released soon. This newsletter will contain information on the upcoming ice cream social in March. Attending the ice cream social would be a wonderful opportunity to get to know the current ACS members and to find out if joining Jewell’s chapter is right for you.