Chemical & Engineering News Digital Edition ... - IMM@BUCT

NOVEMBER 3, 2008
CYBERANXIETY
Preparing for anything
and everything P.18
PRESERVATION
Testing new chemistry
in museum exhibits P.25
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
Long view is uncertain amid downturn P.43
PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

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VOLUME 86, NUMBER 44
NOVEMBER 3, 2008
Serving the chemical,
life sciences,
and laboratory worlds
COVER STORY
EMPLOYMENT
OUTLOOK
Future job market
is uncertain; an
entrepreneurial spirit, an
internship abroad, or a love
of adventure may give job
seekers an edge. PAGE 43
GOVERNMENT & POLICY
17 CONCENTRATES
18 CHEMISTRY CYBERSECURITY
Companies and DHS consider how best to protect
information in their computer networks.
21 STANDARDIZING BIOLOGY
NIST is leading efforts to develop standards for
bioscience measurements.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
22 CONCENTRATES
25 WELL PRESERVED
Smithsonian Institution partners with 3M to test
storage fluid for animal specimens.
QUOTE
OF THE WEEK
“I think a lot of
chemists are
extroverts and
they enjoy going
out into the
world and doing
things. We’re
explorers at
heart.”
SAMUEL P. KOUNAVES,
PROFESSOR OF
CHEMISTRY, TUFTS
UNIVERSITY PAGE 55
25
NEWS OF THE WEEK
8 THIRD-QUARTER EARNINGS
Hurricanes and high costs are factors in mixed
results; some firms fear a recession.
9 QUANTIFYING NF 3
Atmosphere has more of the potent greenhouse
gas than industry estimated.
9 DOW TO SUE CANADA OVER 2,4-D
Quebec’s provincewide ban of pesticide violates
terms of trade treaty, company says.
10 GATES FOUNDATION AWARDS
Grants will support novel approaches to health
problems.
10 CO 2 CAPTURE, SEQUESTRATION
Groups urge faster at-scale testing of technology
at coal-fired power plants.
11 NEW SPIN ON DATA STORAGE
Spin-transition compounds may be the future of
high-density data storage.
11 HUNTSMAN-HEXION DEAL OFF AGAIN
Banks that were to finance merger deal won’t
provide loans to make it happen.
12 MICROFLUIDIC ANALYSIS
New device designs improve speed, spatial
resolution of plug-based systems.
12 RISKS OF BISPHENOL A
FDA’s draft assessment of the controversial
chemical is inadequate, a new report says.
30
30 ESTHER TAKEUCHI
C&EN talks with battery expert and former
industry executive about her move to academia.
31 ACADEMIC R&D SPENDING
Chemistry funding rose 4.3% in 2006, as did
overall science and engineering funding.
THE DEPARTMENTS
3 EDITOR’S PAGE
4 LETTERS
36 ACS COMMENT
COVER: Shutterstock
37 ACS NEWS
62 EMPLOYMENT
72 NEWSCRIPTS
THIS WEEK ON
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
BUSINESS
13 CONCENTRATES
15 R&D IN ASIA
Lilly establishes scientific cadre in China to
coordinate work with local research firms.
16 INSIGHTS
Entertainment industry initiative Stand Up
To Cancer funds collaborations among drug
companies and research centers.
TO THE EXTREME
See how extreme
chemists collect
data from the
deep sea.
PLUS: Take a look at more
statistics on academic
R&D spending in 2006.
WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INST.
CENEAR 86 (44) 1–72 • ISSN 0009-2347

Winner of the
2008 Glenn T.
Seaborg Medal
ACS Publications and the UCLA Department of Chemistry &
Biochemistry are pleased to announce that Accounts of Chemical
Research, Editor-in-Chief Joan S. Valentine has been selected as
the recipient of the 2008 Glenn T. Seaborg Medal.
The Glenn T. Seaborg Medal was established in 1987 by the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry to
honor individuals for their significant contributions to chemistry and biochemistry. The medal is awarded
annually. All recipients are chosen by the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Executive Committee.
Joan S. Valentine is Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA and is a leading figure working at the interface
of inorganic chemistry and biology. Having published over 200 research papers and several books, she pioneered the
chemistry of the superoxide anion, and her discoveries have been fundamental to our understanding of the biological
reactions of dioxygen and its interactions with metalloenzymes. Dr. Valentine is a recipient of several awards,
including the John C. Bailar, Jr. Medal for Research in Coordination Chemistry, and has held numerous distinguished
lectureships in the United States and abroad. Dr. Valentine was also recently elected to membership
in the National Academy of Science.
Please join us in congratulating Editor-in-Chief Joan S. Valentine
on this tremendous achievement!

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Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
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EDITORIAL BOARD: John N. Russell Jr. (Chair);
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Copyright 2008, American Chemical Society
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Volume 86, Number 44
THIS WEEK’S SUITE of cover stories is
C&EN’s annual “Employment Outlook”
feature. The stories were coordinated and
edited by Senior Editor Corinne Marasco,
who also wrote the lead story.
Not surprisingly, Marasco’s interviews
with numerous company representatives
and university department heads revealed
that the economic chaos of recent weeks
has turned the outlook for jobs for chemists
somewhat cloudy. “Although industrial
representatives who spoke with C&EN this
year report that their companies are hiring,”
Marasco reports, “they are doing so
with a ‘wait and see’ attitude toward a possibly
weaker job market in 2009. The exception
is chemical engineers, who continue to
be in high demand at all degree levels.”
Indeed, one hard truth that comes
through in Marasco’s story is that, if your
passion is chemistry and you want a job in
industry, you’d better plan on getting that
Ph.D.—or develop a passion for chemical
engineering. For example, Cary W. Wilkins,
director of recruitment for the Americas
at Shell Chemicals, told Marasco that the
overall market is very good for chemical
engineers at all degree levels and for Ph.D.
chemists, groups that Shell is recruiting.
Eastman Chemical workforce planning
and staffing manager Sharon Cooper says
Eastman is looking to hire B.S., M.S., and
Ph.D. chemical engineers and Ph.D. chemists.
Sue Sun-LaSovage, global university
relations leader for Dow Chemical, calls the
competition for engineering graduates in
the U.S. and Europe “fierce.” Dow is recruiting
for bachelor’s- and master’s-level chemical,
mechanical, and electrical engineers
and Ph.D. chemists with experience.
Marasco also learned that companies are
looking for well-rounded candidates, those
who possess excellent technical proficiency
along with good communication skills
and the ability to work in teams.
The importance of being well-rounded to
career success was echoed by one of the students
interviewed by Assistant Editor Kenneth
Moore for his story on international
internships. Aanchal Raj, a second-year electrical
and computer engineering student at
Carnegie Mellon University who participated
in Rice University’s NanoJapan internship
program, told Moore: “To be a leader in
FROM THE EDITOR
Employment Outlook 2009
science requires much more than just technical
expertise. It requires entrepreneurship
and skills in leadership, communication,
and, most of all, cultural awareness with the
ever-increasing global collaboration.”
Like Moore’s story on international internships,
the other two stories in the “Employment
Outlook” package emphasize the
need for flexibility, daring, and following
your passion in building a successful scientific
career.
Senior Editor Susan Ainsworth’s story
on “Entrepreneurial Trailblazers” profiles
nine women scientists who, for a variety of
reasons, started their own small businesses.
All of the women Ainsworth interviewed
stated that starting a business is not always
easy, but each also expressed deep satisfaction
with their chosen career paths.
Pamela G. Marrone, who founded two
companies focused on pest management—
AgraQuest and Marrone Organic Innovations—eloquently
captured that passion. “I
was driven by a vision and a dream of what
I wanted to accomplish—to change the
world through pesticide products that are
safer and effective,” she told Ainsworth. “I
didn’t think about the barriers or the problems
or challenges. I only thought about the
possibilities and visualized the end game
and the success.”
Associate Editor Linda Wang’s story,
“Extreme Chemistry,” looks at chemists
doing research in exotic locales, like the dry
valleys of Antarctica, in the deep ocean, and
on the rims of volcanoes. George W. Luther,
a chemist who is a professor of oceanography
at the University of Delaware,
told Wang: “Just because you’re a chemist
doesn’t mean you’re limited to doing exactly
what chemists are supposed to be doing.
What’s critical is finding a scientific topic
that you’re passionate about.”
The employment outlook for 2009 is,
without doubt, unsettled, but passion for
your science and flexibility about your career
path can make a world of difference in
a job search.
Thanks for reading.
Editor-in-chief
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 3 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

LETTERS
COFFEE, OLÉ
I ENJOYED reading the article on instant
coffee (C&EN, Sept. 29, page 42). I prefer
fresh-brewed myself and especially my dark
espresso. It would be interesting to compare
the amount of caffeine in dark roasted
coffee and espresso. Is such information
available? Thanks, and have another cup!
Jose M. Sentmanat
Conroe, Texas
I ENJOYED Kenneth Moore’s article on instant
coffee but want to correct one important
fact. General Foods in White Plains,
N.Y., not Kraft or Philip Morris, developed
and introduced freeze-dried Maxim instant
coffee to the marketplace in 1963 as part
of its Maxwell House product line. I know
this as a fact because I was a chemical engineering
co-op student from Northeastern
University working at the General Foods
Technical Center in Tarrytown, N.Y., in
1963. At that time, we were General Foods
and not Kraft or Philip Morris. As my first
co-op assignment, I helped operate the
pilot-plant freeze drier that manufactured
the coffee and also managed the packaging
line where we filled single-serving tins,
under vacuum, that were mailed out for the
initial market tests.
The lineage of General Foods, Kraft, and
Philip Morris is shown below from Wikipedia:
“General Foods Corp. was a company
whose direct predecessor was established in
the U.S. by Charles William Post (Oct. 26,
1854–May 9, 1914) as the Postum Cereal Co.
in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted
in 1929 after several corporate acquisitions. In
November 1985, General Foods was acquired
by Philip Morris Companies (now Altria
Group) for $5.6 billion, the largest non-oil
acquisition to that time. In December 1988,
Philip Morris acquired Kraft and in 1990 combined
the two food companies as Kraft General
Foods (KGF).”
Steven Cohen
Dublin, Ohio
ENERGY’S BEST BETS
RUDY BAUM is rightly concerned about
the lack of consensus on where we go next
in tackling the problems of energy (C&EN,
Oct. 6, page 2). Forming a consensus may
be helped by reviewing the options for
achieving self-sufficiency and, at the same
time, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The U.S. electrical utilities have about
1,600 plants, 70% of which are fired by
fossil fuels, each with a power of about
1,000–1,500 MW. Two highly publicized
renewable power sources are wind and
solar photovoltaics, which generate electricity
only when the wind blows or the sun
shines. Their inherent limitation is the lack
of a method to bank electricity on a multithousand-megawatt
scale. For the passive
periods, these methods require conventional
generators for back-up.
Clean coal by carbon capture and storage
is also highly publicized but hasn’t yet
been tried. Its limitation is that there is no
practical method to store CO 2 at the required
volumes, which are huge. Geothermal
and hydroelectric energy work well but
only at specific locations.
Two promising green technologies for
electricity generation are solar heat and
nuclear power. In modern solar heat technology,
the sun’s rays are concentrated by
mirrors and provide heat-exchange fluid at
about 1,000 o F. This fluid is a continuous
source of steam for power generation even
after sundown. More engineering development
is needed, but nuclear technology
is mature. For more extended use, the
treatment of nuclear waste as practiced in
France should be transferred to the U.S.
Three highly publicized but questionable
green technologies for cars are hydrogen,
natural gas, and ethanol. Their
common shortcoming is the difficulty of
creating an infrastructure for distribution.
Gases must be stored under pressure, and
natural gas supplies are limited. Hydrogen
can now be generated only by involving
CO 2 emissions, and ethanol is a relatively
inefficient source of energy.
The electric car is the technology of the
future. Even with electricity based 70% on
fossil fuels, the plug-in motor causes less
CO 2 emissions than the gasoline engine
and provides much lower operating cost
per mile. Although a gasoline engine is necessary
to charge batteries for long-range
driving, extensive use of plug-in/hybrid
cars will allow spectacular reduction of oil
consumption.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 4 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

The new Administration will have limited
financial resources. It should support
with ample developmental funds and tax
subsidies only those few green technologies
that will provide the greatest beneficial
impact during the next one to two decades.
John L. Gardon
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
MELAMINE-CONTAMINATED MILK
technical specialist on the auditing team at
Gasser Associates, a nuclear energy consulting
group now known as Fire Prevention
Inc. The team would audit the laboratories
that did the alcohol and drug abuse
testing for employees at nuclear facilities.
As the technical specialist, I would audit
the site where the urine specimens were
collected and follow through the chain of
custody to the laboratory. There, I would
audit the laboratory testing procedures.
The specimen was tested by gas chromatography.
If the test was negative, the
person was cleared. If it tested positive, the
specimen was then tested by mass spectrometry.
If the specimen tested positive
by MS, the employee would then be sent to
the medical review officer (MRO). I would
EVERY ARTICLE I’VE READ about the
milk products from China that contain intentionally
added melamine uses the term
“tainted” as if it is equivalent to flavor going
bad because of mold growth or a minor
unintended impurity (C&EN, Sept. 29, page
18). The addition of melamine to fool food
quality control tests of watered-down milk
is intentional and criminal adulteration with
no regard to health consequences. There is
nothing accidental or minor about it.
“Tainted” doesn’t begin to describe
this unforgivable act. C&EN and all other
publications should stop using this descriptor.
After the pet-food scare, people
who continued the use of melamine were
knowingly poisoning human food. The perpetrators
should be held criminally liable
for recklessly causing serious illness and
death in children.
Where melamine or other contaminants
are indeed unintentional contaminants
at levels that are exceedingly low
and not reasonably expected to cause
adverse health effects, the term tainted is
an overstatement. Given enough analytical
power, myriad natural and man-made
chemicals can be found in foods. The question
for such impurities should be, “What
is the scientifically determined level of risk
compared to the cost and benefits of their
removal?” C&EN should make clear the
difference between unintended low-level
contamination and the active adulteration
of food products with the intent to
deceive. Tainted is inappropriate for both
extremes.
Georjean Adams
Woodbury, Minn.
FOILING CHEATERS
“TO CATCH A CHEAT” by Melody Voith
was very interesting (C&EN, Sept. 8, page
23). My experience with drug testing involved
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s
Fitness for Duty program. I was the
more than chemistry
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 5 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

LETTERS
also audit the duties of the MRO. The Fitness
for Duty program was carried out in
compliance with federal law.
My experience along these lines showed
that testing at laboratories for nuclear personnel
was rigidly controlled. The laboratory
would take every possible precaution
to see that a drug user would not get past
the controls set up by the laboratory.
An abuser will try any means to beat
the system, but again, my experience has
shown that the laboratories took every precaution
they could to avoid this.
William Gasser
Quincy, Ill.
BENEFITS OF BREAST MILK
I WAS SURPRISED and delighted to see
the beautiful photograph of a nursing baby
on the cover of your Sept. 29 issue. This is
especially impressive because I still recall
the first controversial breast-feeding photographs
on the cover of magazines about
parenting just a few years ago. As a nursing
mother myself, I was further delighted to
read the insightful and educational cover
story.
I not only learned more facts to support
my gut feeling that “breast is best,” but I
was able to proudly show the issue to my
La Leche League support group, so they
will see the cutting-edge scientific studies
as well. I am an active member of my ACS
local section, and one of my challenges as
a councilor and National Chemistry Week
coordinator has been to involve younger
chemists. This article, which specifically
applies to our younger members who
are now growing their families, is a great
step toward reaching out to this elusive
population of our membership. Kudos to
C&EN!
Abby Kennedy
Oakland, Calif.
I TYPICALLY GLANCE quickly at the cover
picture when I get my new issue of C&EN,
but I admit that rarely does it entice me to
immediately read the related story. This
was not the case with your issue featuring
the science of breast milk. Although you
may be getting notes from readers who find
your photo distasteful or worse, I applaud
you for being willing to boldly feature a
photo that tactfully and beautifully highlights
what is literally one of the most natural
things known to humanity.
As a mother of a beautiful seven-monthold
daughter, I read all the books, took the
prenatal classes, and easily reached the
conclusion that nothing could be better
for my child than the food that I could
provide for her. Science may never be able
to equal the complex advantages of true
mother’s milk (not only providing basic
nutrients but also passing on antibodies
to a child’s developing immune system,
as well as accustoming children to some
chemical components of an adult diet).
Nevertheless, I am happy to hear that
research is ongoing to better understand
how breast milk is able to give so many
benefits both immediately and later in a
child’s life.
Many mothers are unable to provide
milk (or enough milk) to their babies, and
this understanding could be critical in allowing
these children to receive the best
nutritional balance possible. I wonder also
if such research has been conducted on
colostrum, the “pre-milk” substance produced
by new mothers in the first few days
after birth before the actual milk “comes
in.” Colostrum is known to be highly beneficial
to newborns and especially preemies,
so any way to synthetically emulate this for
mothers who are medically unable to provide
it themselves could prove extremely
useful.
Thank you so much for featuring this issue
in such a positive manner. Society has
come a long way in its acceptance of breastfeeding,
but there are still many who shun
this wonderful act and do not understand
its benefits. I hope that your story makes a
few people reconsider such opinions.
Leanna Shuster
Havertown, Pa.
AS AN ACS MEMBER and a lifelong professional
in the field of milk and lactation, I
was delighted to find and read your article
on mother’s milk. An important part of the
story seems to be missing, however.
In contrast to your rather nebulous
characterization of the fat globule surface,
it is known to be covered with projecting
filaments—like whiskers, if you will. This
was shown by the elegant freeze-etch elec-
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 6 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

tron microscopy of Wolfgang Buchheim
as long ago as 1982 and was confirmed
by transmission electron microscopy. In
subsequent studies, the filaments were
isolated and shown to consist of two mucins.
These mucins are both genetically
polymorphic: two alleles, one from each
parent, provide a unique personal signature
that each mother puts on her milk-fat
globules.
I discuss the discovery of these mucins
and their possible health effects in my book,
“Milk: Its Remarkable Contribution to Human
Health and Well-Being” (Transaction
Publishers, 2004, pages 72–73 and 243–245).
Stuart Patton
La Jolla, Calif.
AS A LACTATION consultant practicing
at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia,
I found your article an extraordinary approach
to a favorite remark: “Babies are
born to be breast-fed.” How wonderful
it would be if all the fabulous facts being
discovered and documented by your investigation
team could be directed to the
promotion of breast-feeding rather than to
the improvement of formula.
Engineers, thanks for all you do in a profession
that thinks its way past today to a
better future, bringing changes that benefit
humankind.
Susan J. Gerhardt
Philadelphia
EXPRESSING POLITICAL VIEWS
“NOBEL LAUREATES Support Obama”
points out that 62 Nobel Laureates (14 of
whom are chemistry Nobel Laureates),
support Sen. Barack Obama for president
(C&EN, Oct. 6, page 10). All of these Laureates
are outstanding in their fields of science
and all deserve honor and respect for
their accomplishments.
Their political views, however, are nothing
more than their personal preferences.
Their professional standing lends no additional
significance to their political views;
their views are no more valid than yours
or mine.
Because we live in a democracy, all of
our views have equal weight at the ballot
box. Many eminent scientists can be found
who support Sen. John McCain. Political
attractiveness, like beauty, is in the eye
of the beholder. It is interesting to note
that all 14 chemistry Nobel Laureates are
university professors. It’s well established
that university faculties are politically
quite liberal, and high percentages of these
faculties support Democratic candidates.
Therefore, it is not surprising that these 14
professors support Obama.
Certainly, supporting science is a special
interest of C&EN’s readers. However,
the best candidate is the one that does the
most for our country as a whole, rather
than for any special interest, including
our own.
Michael J. Watkins
Cypress, Texas
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 7 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

news of the week
NOVEMBER 3, 2008 EDITED BY WILLIAM G. SCHULZ & LAUREN K. WOLF
A MIXED
THIRD QUARTER
EARNINGS: Chemical makers struggle
with high costs and hurricanes
HURRICANES TOOK the wind out of thirdquarter
profits for many chemical companies.
But even more daunting is a looming recession
and its likely effects on
earnings for the rest of
this year and next.
Liveris
DOW CHEMICAL
Companies affected by
September’s Gulf Coast
hurricanes handled storm
effects differently in
their quarterly financial
results, which complicated
the mixed earnings
picture. While DuPont
took a charge of $146 million
on earnings and Dow
Chemical excluded $81
million, Celanese included
$15 million of costs
related to Hurricane Ike
in its adjusted earnings.
Even without the hurricane impact, Dow reported
earnings 31.1% lower than the same period one year
ago. Net sales increased 13.4%, but the company saw
feedstock and energy costs surge 48% to $2.6 billion,
THIRD-QUARTER CHEMICAL RESULTS
Accelerating raw material costs and lower volumes hurt earnings
SALES EARNINGS a CHANGE FROM 2007 PROFIT MARGIN b
($ MILLIONS) SALES EARNINGS 2008 2007
Air Products & Chemicals $2,715 $273 14.5% 6.6% 10.1% 10.8%
Albemarle 660 56 13.0 -5.1 8.5 10.1
Dow Chemical 15,411 554 13.4 -31.1 3.6 5.9
DuPont 7,297 513 9.3 -7.1 7.0 8.3
Eastman Chemical 1,819 102 7.5 -4.7 5.6 6.3
FMC Corp. 821 86 30.9 62.3 10.5 8.5
Hercules 606 42 11.4 -20.8 6.9 9.7
Mosaic 4,323 1,185 115.8 287.3 27.4 15.3
Nalco 1,116 57 11.8 54.1 5.1 3.7
Praxair 2,852 355 20.2 16.4 12.4 12.9
Rohm and Haas 2,471 176 12.1 -4.3 7.1 8.3
Terra Industries 790 171 36.2 216.7 21.6 9.3
a After-tax earnings from continuing operations, excluding significant extraordinary and nonrecurring
items. b After-tax earnings as a percentage of sales.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 8 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
the largest year-over-year increase in its history. Although
the company implemented price increases
totaling 22%, the higher prices and weak demand lowered
sales volumes by 5%.
Last quarter, Dow’s geographic diversity —70%
of its sales come from outside the U.S.—offset lower
domestic demand. But in a report to investors, Dow
Chief Executive Officer Andrew N. Liveris warned that
weakness is spreading to the rest of the world. “In our
view, we will likely see a global recession through most
of 2009,” he writes.
Specialty chemical makers such as Albemarle and
Rohm and Haas also struggled with unexpected high
costs. “What’s rescuing them from lack of volume
growth is pricing, but clearly, most are behind the
curve. They try to predict the future by looking at last
quarter,” says Dmitry Silversteyn, senior research
analyst for specialty chemicals at the investment firm
Longbow Research.
Despite the pressure, there were spots of good
news. The agriculture sector continued to benefit from
strong pricing power due to high commodity prices.
Fertilizer makers Mosaic and Terra Industries both
had profit margins above 20% for the quarter.
In specialty chemicals, FMC Corp. and Nalco
bucked the industry trend of decreasing margins. William
G. Walter, CEO of FMC, attributed his company’s
62.3% increase in earnings to strong demand for agricultural
products in Brazil and increased sales of biopolymer
and lithium specialties.
Nalco saw sales increase in all regions, led by a
28.2% jump in Latin America. Overall, earnings at the
company were up 54.1%. Nalco CEO J. Erik Fyrwald
attributed the increase to high demand “in the many
areas where we help customers
to drive energy,
water, maintenance, and
other savings.”
Industrial gas suppliers
Praxair and Air Products &
Chemicals continued their
solid sales and earnings
growth, although margins
tightened. In a report to
investors, Praxair CEO
Stephen F. Angel echoes
Liveris, predicting tough
times ahead. “We expect to
see a contraction in manufacturing
output in the
U.S. and Europe, combined
with slowing growth in Asia
and South America for the
next several quarters,” he
writes.—MELODY VOITH

NF 3 MEASURED
IN AIR
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY:
Levels of the greenhouse gas
exceed industry’s estimates
THE FIRST ATMOSPHERIC measurements of
nitrogen trifluoride, a potent greenhouse gas,
indicate that the man-made gas, which is used
in manufacturing electronics, is much more prevalent
in the atmosphere than industry estimated, according
to researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
(Geophys. Res. Lett. 2008, 35, L20821).
Electronics manufacturers apply NF 3 to clean chambers
used for chemical vapor deposition of key compounds
onto glass or silicon wafers. Laboratory studies
indicate that the process destroys roughly 98% of NF 3 .
NF 3 is considered 17,000 times more potent as a
global-warming agent than an equal mass of CO 2 . NF 3 ’s
warming potential was not evaluated until 2001, so
it is not monitored under the Kyoto protocol. Earlier
this year, atmospheric chemists Michael J. Prather
and Juno Hsu of the University of California, Irvine,
predicted that emissions of NF 3 are likely greater than
industry’s estimates. In addition, production of the
gas has increased with growing demand for electronics
products such as flat-panel displays. Prather and Hsu
therefore called for atmospheric measurements of the
gas (C&EN, July 14, page 6).
Heeding the call, the Scripps researchers used gas
chromatography and mass spectrometry to quantify
NF 3 in archived air samples collected from around the
world over three decades.
NF 3 is notoriously difficult to separate from similarly
volatile atmospheric gases, says Ray F. Weiss,
a geochemistry professor who led the study. To get
around the problem, his team prepared samples by
using a chemical absorbent to remove carbon dioxide
and low-temperature fractional distillation to separate
other gases prior to analysis. Their results show that atmospheric
NF 3 has increased globally from about 0.02
ppt in 1978 to 0.454 ppt in July 2008.
Atmospheric measurements provide an essential
check on emissions estimates, which may have substantial
errors because leakage rates during production
and use are difficult to estimate, says Stephen A.
Montzka, an atmospheric chemist at the National Oceanic
& Atmospheric Administration, in Boulder, Colo.
Mack McFarland, an atmospheric chemist at Du-
Pont, says industry must now determine whether estimates
of total NF 3 use are correct and whether there
are unaccounted emissions such as during production,
transport, or use.
Industrial groups welcomed the Scripps study. “Such
measurement gives us a baseline for gauging our progress
in further reducing NF 3 emissions,” says Robert F.
Brown, spokesman for Air Products & Chemicals, the
world’s largest producer of the gas.—RACHEL PETKEWICH
SCRIPPS INST. OF OCEANOGRAPHY/UC SAN DIEGO
Weiss (left),
coauthor Jens
Mühle, and
colleagues
measured NF 3
levels in air
samples.
DOW CONTESTS
PESTICIDE BAN
TRADE LAW: Company accuses
Quebec of prohibiting 2,4-D
without scientific basis
DOW AGROSCIENCES is challenging Quebec’s
provincewide ban on the residential use of
weed-killing chemicals as a violation of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and
is seeking at least $2 million in compensation from the
Canadian government.
The company, whose 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic
acid (2,4-D) herbicide is widely used to control broadleaf
weeds, contends that the prohibition on lawn and
garden chemicals is inconsistent with the investorprotection
provisions of the trade agreement among
Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. Quebec instituted its
pesticide ban two years ago.
Dow maintains that Canada has breached its obligations
under Chapter 11 of NAFTA, which allows corporations
to sue the federal government of any of the
three countries for enacting laws or regulations that
they believe harm their investments.
Dow alleges that Quebec began a campaign
against 2,4-D in 2002 without any
O OH
scientific basis for a ban. The company
notes that a unit of the governmental
O
agency Health Canada concluded earlier
Cl
this year that 2,4-D can be used safely according
to label directions for a variety of
lawn, turf, and agricultural applications.
“The actions of the government of
Cl
Quebec are tantamount to a blanket
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
ban based on nonscientific criteria, and
we are of the view that this is in breach
to certain provisions of NAFTA,” says Jim Wispinski,
president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences Canada.
The company is seeking compensation of not less than
$2 million, plus legal costs and unspecified damages.
“This action by Dow is a blatant assault on the democratic
process by a vested interest,” says Rick Smith,
executive director of Environmental Defence Canada, a
nonprofit group. “It’s also a boneheaded move from the
company’s own [public relations] point of view. Parents
are not going to look kindly on a corporation that
tries to force pesticides down their children’s throats.”
Pesticide bans are spreading in Canada. In June, Ontario
passed legislation that will prohibit the sale and
use of pesticides for cosmetic use on lawns and gardens
throughout Canada’s most populous province when it
takes effect next spring.—GLENN HESS
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 9 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

NEWS OF THE WEEK
BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
Melinda and Bill
Gates visit a young
patient suffering
from malaria in
Mozambique.
GATES SUPPORTS
HEALTH EXPLORERS
RESEARCH FUNDING: Foundation
awards novel approaches
to health problems
THE BILL & MELINDA GATES Foundation has
handed out the first grants under its Grand
Challenges Explorations program. Launched in
late 2007, the $100 million, five-year program extends
the organization’s Grand Challenges in Global Health
initiative started in 2003 by targeting smaller,
earlier stage projects that explore novel
ways to improve global health.
Phase I awards of $100,000 each were
given to 104 researchers in diverse disciplines
spread across 22 countries. What they
have in common is a focus on drug resistance
or the prevention and cure of infectious diseases,
such as HIV and tuberculosis. About
two-thirds of those selected—from among
4,000 proposals—are university researchers;
others are employed by nonprofit organizations,
government agencies, and companies.
“The quality of the applications exceeded
all of our expectations,” Tadataka Yamada, president
of global health at the Gates Foundation, said last
week when announcing the awards. “It was so hard for
reviewers to champion just one great idea that we selected
almost twice as many projects for funding as we
had initially planned.”
The Explorations initiative uses a streamlined process
that limits applications to just two pages. To be
selected, applicants need to show how their projects
fall outside current scientific thinking and might offer
significant advances, but they don’t have to supply any
preliminary data. Foundation and outside experts reviewed
applications over about three months without
knowing any scientist’s credentials, geographic location,
or affiliation.
Chemical and biomolecular engineering professor
Yen Wah Tong of the National University of Singapore
received a grant for his work on developing molecularly
imprinted polymeric nanoparticles to capture viruses.
“We are grateful that the foundation is providing us
with this opportunity to pursue an unconventional approach,
which other funding agencies may have been
reluctant to support due to the uncertainty in getting
the desired results,” he said after receiving the grant.
Projects that show promise in their first year may
be eligible for another $1 million or more in funding.
The Gates Foundation accepted proposals for a second
round of Phase I grants through Nov. 2. Topics for a third
round will be announced in early 2009.—ANN THAYER
At the Sleipner field
in the North Sea,
CO 2 from natural
gas production gets
injected deep under
the seabed in one of
the world’s largest
sequestration
projects.
SEQUESTERING CO 2
POWER PLANTS: Pressure grows
for greater haste in setting up trial
projects at coal-fired facilities
THE INTERNATIONAL Energy Agency (IEA)
and the nonprofit think tank World Resources
Institute (WRI) have recently issued proposals
and pleas to speed up R&D projects that capture and sequester
carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power
plants. Coal-burning power plants generate more than
20% of the world’s CO 2 and a growing percentage of its
electricity, and they are increasingly becoming targets of
efforts to cut global CO 2 emissions.
The two organizations released
separate comprehensive reports
that offer overviews and provide
guidelines to spur development of
technologies that capture CO 2 at a
power plant, transport it, and inject
it deep underground. The reports
address project financing, regulation,
environmental impacts, monitoring,
liability, and public input.
ØYUIND HAGEN/STATOILHYDRO
IEA notes that globally only four full-scale carbon
capture and sequestration (CCS) projects exist today,
and none of them captures CO 2 from a coal-fired power
plant. To combat climate change due to CO 2 emissions,
the agency recommends that 20 large-scale CCS projects
at coal-fired power plants be in planning by 2010
and in operation by 2020.
Similarly, Sarah Forbes, lead author of the guidelines
from WRI, says, “We need at-scale, 250-MW or larger
demonstration projects now.” WRI developed its
guidelines through workshops and information from
88 stakeholders representing government, business,
community groups, and academia. WRI is now drawing
up similar CCS guidelines specific to China.
The two reports stress that delay will cause CCS to
cost more and be harder to implement while allowing
more coal-fired power plants to be built without CCS
technologies.
Forbes and Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of
IEA—which is a part of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation & Development—also emphasize the
need to create a global solution.
“The window of opportunity is closing for the global
community to cost-effectively address climate change,”
Tanaka says in a statement. “CCS technologies must play
a key role, but they must be proven in the next decade.”
The reports are available at www.wri.org and www.
iea.org.—JEFF JOHNSON
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 10 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

NEWS OF THE WEEK
NEW MATERIAL FOR
DATA STORAGE
MATERIALS SCIENCE: Spin-transition
compounds prove amenable
to nanoscale processing
AFAMILY OF COMPOUNDS endowed with a
property that enables them to be switched
between two magnetic states may form the
basis of future high-density data-storage technologies,
according to researchers in Italy and Germany. Their investigation
demonstrates that molecular spin-transition
compounds can be fashioned into robust micro- and
nanometer-scale structures for data-storage devices
(Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 8596).
In the push to increase the data-storage capacity of
electronic devices, manufacturers have steadily shrunk
the size of the elements that make up the patterns that
represent data. For magnetic hard drives in computers,
the “elements” are magnetic domains—microscopic
regions of the disk surface—which are magnetized during
the data-writing process in specific orientations.
Hard-drive manufacturers continue to pack more
information on disks by “writing smaller,” that is, by
shrinking the domains. But that approach, which has led
to today’s nanoscale domains, cannot be continued much
longer. Smaller domains are known to spontaneously lose
their magnetic orientation, which would lead to data loss.
Faced with that impending size limit, researchers
in various labs are pursuing alternative data-storage
strategies based on the properties of much smaller
entities—individual or small numbers of molecules.
Spin-transition (ST) compounds, such as those based
on Fe(II) species, have been proposed
as candidates for such applications because
their molecules can be triggered by
temperature and other stimuli to switch
between a diamagnetic (or low spin) and
a paramagnetic (or high spin) state.
Until now, however, only limited progress
has been made in developing methods
for processing these compounds and
“drawing” microscopic patterns with
them. In addition, some of those procedures
were found to adversely alter the
materials’ properties.
Now, Massimiliano Cavallini of the Institute of
Nanostructured Materials, in Bologna, Italy; Mario Ruben
of the Karlsruhe Research Center, in Germany; and
coworkers have shown that an Fe(II) phenanthroline
ST compound can be used to form well-ordered and
durable nanoscale patterns and that the material retains
its spin-flipping quality after processing.
Demonstrating the Fe(II) compound’s usefulness
as a nanoscale “ink,” the team employed lithographic
stamping methods to draw a replica of the data-storage
pattern encoded on a compact disc, which consists of
nanometer-thick dots and lines. On the basis of
microscopy, X-ray measurements, and Raman
spectroscopy, the team reports that after patterning,
the material is highly crystalline and can
be induced to switch between magnetic states by
altering the temperature.
“This is a nice piece of work,” says Daniel Ruiz-
Molina of the Center for Investigation in Nanoscience
& Nanotechnology, in Bellaterra, Spain.
In addition to advancing fundamental science,
“this pioneering work will open the door to the
development of a new generation of moleculebased
storage systems,” he says.—MITCH JACOBY
“Written” with an
Fe(II) “ink,” this
CD data pattern
features lines of
submicrometerscale
length and
width (blue, optical
micrograph) and
up to 80-nm height
(orange, AFM
image).
N
N
N
Fe
N
NCS
NCS
Fe(II) phenanthroline
MASSIMILIANO CAVALLINI/
INST. OF NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Banks balk at funding Hexion-Huntsman deal
Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank have
scuttled Hexion Specialty Chemicals’
attempt to close its $10.6 billion acquisition
of Huntsman Corp. on Oct. 28.
The banks told the two companies
they would not provide the necessary
loans because they deemed the solvency
certificate provided by Huntsman Chief
Financial Officer J. Kimo Esplin and
the solvency opinion retained from the
independent financial evaluation firm
American Appraisal unsatisfactory. These
documents assert that the combined
company would be able to pay its debts.
Hexion has been seeking a way out of
the deal since June, when it filed suit in
the Delaware Court of Chancery arguing
that deterioration in Huntsman’s
performance would make the combined
companies insolvent. Huntsman won
court backing for the deal in September
in that suit and has also received rulings
in Texas against the two financing banks,
preventing them from filing suits alleging
insolvency.
By denying the financing, the banks
are rejecting the American Appraisal
opinion that the merged companies
would, as Huntsman has described it,
satisfy “solvency tests commonly used
in transactions of this nature.” Huntsman
points out that Credit Suisse has testified
that it would provide financing as
long as it received an “independent opinion
in which no reasonable lender, acting
in good faith, could object.”
Following the banks’ decision, Hexion
filed a lawsuit in New York City against
Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse asking
the court to compel them to fund
the merger. “Both Hexion and Huntsman
are ready, willing, and able to complete
the merger immediately but have been
prevented from doing so by the banks’
breach,” Hexion CEO Craig O. Morrison
said in a statement.
Should the merger fail to close, Apollo
and the banks face a trial in Texas, set
to begin in February, in which Huntsman
is seeking more than $3 billion in
damages.—ALEX TULLO
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 11 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

NEWS OF THE WEEK
COURTESY OF RUSTEM ISMAGILOV
DROPLETS The chemistrode
delivers (top) and picks up
(bottom) solvent plugs at a surface.
PLUGGING ALONG
MICROFLUIDICS: Design advances
improve spatial and temporal
resolution of plug-based devices
TWO RESEARCH GROUPS report new device
designs that improve the speed and spatial resolution
of plug-based microfluidic analysis.
Plug-based microfluidic devices use aqueous solvent
droplets, or plugs, in an oil stream to deliver reagents
and transport samples. In these devices, samples
contained in plugs do not easily disperse or mix with
adjacent samples, but the new designs improve the performance
of such systems still further.
In one of the studies, Rustem
F. Ismagilov and coworkers at the
University of Chicago report a new
plug-based microfluidic device
that they call a “chemistrode”
(Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, DOI:
10.1073/pnas.0807916105).
The chemistrode, which is V-
shaped polymeric tubing threaded
through a microfabricated holder,
can deliver reagents in aqueous
plugs to a precisely defined location
on a surface and capture plugs
of molecular signals generated in
response to those reagents. Reagent
plugs travel through one arm of the
V, and response plugs are picked up
by the other. The response plugs
can be split and diverted for parallel
analysis by multiple methods. And
with a single device, one can see what
happens at different positions on a
surface; for example, the researchers
constructed a device with two chemistrodes
spaced 15 μm apart.
“We can essentially stick this device onto a point on a
surface and say ‘I want these chemicals to be delivered to
this spot in this sequence’ and then read out the responses,”
Ismagilov says. His team demonstrated the device by
detecting insulin secretion from pancreatic islet cells in
response to changes in glucose concentration.
The work is a “clever and elegant application of
droplet microfluidics” says Daniel T. Chiu, a chemistry
professor at the University of Washington who also
works with droplet microfluidics. “This method will
find broad use in studying secretions from cells.”
Separately, Robert T. Kennedy and coworkers at the
University of Michigan enhance microfluidic analysis
with a new device that uses a “virtual wall”—an interface
between parallel streams of aqueous buffer and a
fluorocarbon oil—to collect aqueous sample droplets
for analysis (Anal. Chem., DOI: 10.1021/ac801317t).
The oil medium transports the droplets from a sample
source. At a point of contact, sample droplets transfer
from the oil stream to the aqueous stream, where they
can be analyzed electrophoretically.
The design makes possible two types of “injectors”
for sample transfer prior to electrophoresis: a “discrete
injector” and a “desegmenting injector.” The discrete
injector extracts sample from individual plugs as they
pass, enabling sampling of more than 800 individual
plugs in a row. With the desegmenting injector, the
plugs recombine into a continuous stream that can be
monitored by up to 1,000 sequential injections into an
electrophoresis channel.
The discrete injector is useful for applications such
as high-throughput screening, in which each droplet
is treated as a separate sample. And the desegmenting
injector works well for applications that don’t require
every droplet to be analyzed, such as microdialysis.
“Kennedy’s team has introduced two powerful tools
for analyzing the contents of individual droplets in segmented
flows,” says Robin L. Garrell, who studies microfluidics
at UCLA. “By being able to desegment the
flow, it’s now possible to examine the composition of
droplets over time, a valuable tool for monitoring reactions
and for microdialysis sampling.”—CELIA ARNAUD
RISK ASSESSMENT FDA advisory panel finds agency’s review of bisphenol A inadequate
An FDA draft safety assessment of bisphenol
A (BPA) is inadequate according to
a report released on Oct. 29 from a subcommittee
of the agency’s Science Board.
The report finds that FDA excluded numerous
credible scientific studies and
recommends that FDA reassess the risks
of the controversial plastics chemical with
new methods.
The safety of BPA, a known endocrine
disrupter found in polycarbonate plastic
bottles and canned food linings, has
been at the center of a congressional
investigation and media firestorm since
concerns about its health effects at low
doses came to the forefront in April.
FDA responded to the report with a
statement saying that it agrees “additional
research would be valuable” and
that it “is already moving forward with
planned research to address the potential
low dose effects of bisphenol A.”
Environmental groups and some members
of Congress applauded the report.
“Unlike FDA, the Science Board had the
sense to recognize that the totality of scientific
evidence should be evaluated when
determining the safety of a potentially
hazardous chemical,” Rep. John D. Dingell
(D-Mich.), chairman of the House Committee
on Energy & Commerce, said in a
statement. The American Chemistry Council,
an industry group, urged FDA to finalize
its BPA assessment promptly and said it
“and its member companies will comply
with FDA’s direction.”—BRITT ERICKSON
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 12 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

BUSINESS CONCENTRATES
BLAST AT CANADIAN
CELANESE PLANT
Celanese’s AT Plastics unit has declared
force majeure for specialty plastics made
at its Edmonton, Alberta, site, after an explosion
and fire on Oct. 24. Nine workers
were injured in the incident, treated, and
released from the hospital. AT Plastics was
part of Celanese’s 2005 purchase of Acetex
and generated some $225 million in sales
for Celanese in 2007. Celanese has yet to
determine the cause or financial impact of
the explosion.—AHT
ALBEMARLE UNVEILS
CATALYST TECHNOLOGY
MERCK SLASHES JOBS,
CLOSES RESEARCH SITES
Merck & Co. said late last month that it will cut its workforce by about
12%, eliminating approximately 7,200 positions across the company’s
worldwide operations. The firm expects to complete the cuts by the end
of 2011. The company also disclosed that it will shutter research facilities
in Seattle; Tsukuba, Japan; and Pomezia, Italy. Merck, which now has approximately
57,000 employees worldwide, expects the current job cuts to
yield cumulative pretax savings of $3.8 billion to $4.2 billion from 2008
to 2013. The company anticipates a pretax restructuring cost of between
$250 million and $450 million in the fourth quarter of this year. Like most
major drug companies, Merck faces many pressures, including a dropoff
in new drugs, impending patent expirations, and declining revenue
for products in its portfolio. The firm has in recent years closed five of its
manufacturing facilities around the world.—RM
Albemarle researchers have developed a
proprietary catalyst activator that doubles
productivity and lowers costs compared
with conventional single-site polypropylene
and polyethylene
metallocene
catalyst systems. Albemarle’s
ActivCat
technology, which
Polypropylene
is based on aluminoxane
cocatalysts,
produces resins with properties similar
to those made with standard methylaluminoxane/silica-type
catalysts, according
to the company.—MSR
EVONIK ADDS MORE
PEROXIDES
Evonik Industries will spend just more
than $60 million to build a hydrogen peroxide
plant at the Triunfo petrochemical
complex near Porto Alegre, in southern
Brazil, primarily to serve the paper and
pulp industry. Construction is planned to
start in mid-2009, and the plant should
come onstream in early 2011. The new facility
will have capacity of 40,000 metric tons
per year.—PLLS
DC CHEMICAL FORCED
OFF SODIFF BOARD
South Korea’s DC Chemical has issued a series
of angry protests after Sodiff Advanced
Materials, a company in which it is the largest
shareholder, booted DCC’s representative
off the board. Sodiff, a manufacturer
of specialty gases used in the electronics
BASF
industry, alleges that DCC was stealing its
technology. But DCC, a manufacturer of
industrial chemicals and polysilicon
used in solar cells, says it
helped Sodiff survive a financial
crisis and claims that Young Kyun
Lee, the second-largest shareholder
in Sodiff, is attempting
to seize control of Sodiff. DCC
currently owns 26% of Sodiff; its stake will
increase to 37% when its convertible bonds
come due on Dec. 1.—JFT
BASF COLORS
CONCEPT CAR
Automaker Mazda unveiled an environmentally
friendly urban concept car at the
Paris International Motor show last month.
Dubbed Kiyora, which in Japanese means
clean and pure, the light, fuel-efficient car
is designed to appeal to young European
drivers. It features transparent polycarbonate
doors and a paint finish developed
by BASF Coatings.—MSR
GLAXO TO BUY GENELABS
TECHNOLOGIES
GlaxoSmithKline has reached a definitive
agreement to buy Genelabs Technologies
for $57 million. Genelabs is a Redwood City,
Calif.-based drug discovery firm now focusing
on novel compounds that selectively
inhibit replication of the hepatitis C virus.
The two firms already have a partnership to
develop a vaccine against hepatitis E.—MSR
LINDE EXPANDS IN
CHINA, SWITZERLAND
Industrial gases supplier Linde will undertake
projects to expand supplies to customers
in China at a cost of $22 million and in
Switzerland at a cost of $56 million. Linde
plans to build a third air separation
plant in Ningbo, in eastern China,
to supply Ningbo Steel beginning in
2009. Also in Ningbo, Linde will construct
a pipeline by 2010 to supply
oxygen and nitrogen to a polyvinyl
chloride factory now under construction
by Korea’s Hanwha Chemical.
In Muttenz, Switzerland, the
firm will construct a 500-ton-per-day
liquefied nitrogen, oxygen, and argon
plant by late 2010 to supply chemical
and pharmaceutical customers in the
area in which the Swiss, German, and
French borders meet.—MSR
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 13 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

BUSINESS CONCENTRATES
MAXYGEN CUTS COSTS
AND SHIFTS STRATEGY
Maxygen is cutting costs while exploring
options for selling assets, partnering,
or making other business arrangements.
The Redwood City, Calif.-based firm will
eliminate about 30% of its workforce in
early 2009 and retain about 65 employees.
Remaining staff will focus primarily on the
MAXY-4 program with Astellas Pharma
to treat immune disorders; a small team
will continue other protein drug discovery
efforts for autoimmune diseases. The
company won’t advance its MAXY-G34
product, now in Phase II development for
chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, unless
it finds a collaborative partner to share
costs. Maxygen says it will end 2008 with
about $200 million in cash, no debt, and a
25% stake in biocatalyst technology developer
Codexis.—AMT
CEPHALON LICENSES
ACUSPHERE PRODUCT
Cephalon is paying $20 million in up-front
financing to Acusphere for an exclusive
worldwide license to AI-525, a preclinicalstage
injectable form of the anti-inflammatory
drug celecoxib, which is the active
ingredient in Pfizer’s Celebrex. The formulation
uses Acusphere’s drug delivery technology
for hydrophobic drugs. The deal
includes a $15 million milestone payment
and royalties on sales if AI-525, which targets
postoperative pain relief, is approved.
Cephalon also has an option to license Acusphere’s
Imagify, a cardiovascular imaging
agent based on perflubutane-containing
polymer microspheres. If exercised, Cephalon
would pay Acusphere $40 million
upon FDA approval of Imagify, as well as
royalties.—AMT
GERMANY’S MERCK
SETS NEW LICENSES
Merck kGaA has taken two new licenses
to beef up its pharmaceuticals pipeline.
It has obtained an exclusive worldwide
license from San Diego-based Lpath Inc.
to develop and commercialize Asonep,
a monoclonal antibody now undergoing
Phase I clinical trials for various types of
cancer. Merck Serono will provide Lpath
up to $23 million in up-front payments
and R&D funding to support Lpath’s
completion of the Phase I evaluation.
Further payments could amount to another
$450 million if Asonep is approved
in multiple indications. The other licensing
agreement, with Montreal-based
Theratechnologies, covers U.S. rights to
tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing
factor analog being investigated in the
U.S. for the treatment of excess abdominal
fat in HIV patients with lipodystrophy.
Theratechnologies will receive $30 million,
which includes a license fee of
$22 million and an equity investment of
$8 million. Total payments could reach
$215 million.—PLLS
METHYLGENE
WILL RECLAIM
CANCER THERAPIES
MethylGene says that Celgene has terminated
its licensing deal for oncology
histone deacetylase inhibitors, including
MGCD0103, and that it will reacquire the
rights to these development programs.
Celgene picked up the development rights
to several MethylGene drug candidates
when it acquired Pharmion earlier this
year. MethylGene also plans a reorganization
in which it will discontinue discovery
research in order to focus resources on development
of its proprietary drug pipeline.
A phased workforce reduction could eliminate
half of the company’s 109 full-time
jobs by the end of next year. “By streamlining
the organization to focus on development,
we expect to extend our current cash
resources and progress our clinical pipeline
toward nearer-term value-enhancing
milestones,” says Donald F. Corcoran, CEO
of MethylGene.—RM
BUSINESS
ROUNDUP
LANXESS will invest
nearly $50 million to
expand its aromatics
network in Leverkusen,
Germany. The specialty
chemical producer will
increase by 60% production
of cresols, cresol
derivatives, and monochlorobenzene
to support
growing customer demand.
The new capacity
is scheduled for completion
by the beginning of
2010.
MATHESON TRI-GAS,
the U.S. subsidiary of
Taiyo Nippon Sanso, has
opened a helium distribution
center in Irwindale,
Calif., to service both
Asian and local customers
and will shortly open
a second distribution
point in Newark, Calif. The
firm and its partner, Air
Products & Chemicals,
are building a helium
plant that will start up in
2010 in Big Piney, Wyo.,
to boost quantities of the
gas that is in chronically
short supply and is used
in research, medical, and
other applications.
POTASH CORP. of Saskatchewan
is investing
$150 million to increase
its stake in Israel Chemicals
by 1%, to 11%. The
company says offshore
investments, including
its stake in Israel Chemicals
and in Chile’s SQM,
China’s Sinofert, and Jordan’s
Arab Potash, are
worth $4.9 billion and
added nearly $140 million
to its third-quarter
earnings.
VIETNAM will invest
$1.5 billion in a fertilizer
complex on Russia’s Caspian
coast. The plant will
produce 850,000 metric
tons of ammonia and
750,000 metric tons of
nitrogen fertilizer per year.
The deal is one of 12 new
projects, including joint
ventures for oil and gas
exploration, between the
two countries, according
to the Russian News &
Information Agency.
ALBEMARLE has begun
worker consultations regarding
sale of its Port de
Bouc, France, brominated
and fine chemicals site
to International Chemical
Investors group, a private
equity fund that has acquired
14 independent
chemical businesses
since 2004. Albemarle
expects to take a pretax
charge of $25 million to
$30 million on the sale.
LAUREATE PHARMA, in
Princeton, N.J., has landed
a cGMP manufacturing
contract with Tolera Therapeutics,
a biotechnology
company that develops
and markets targeted
therapies for immune
modulation. Under the
agreement, Laureate will
produce Tolera’s TOL101
monoclonal antibody for
use in clinical trials.
ARGONNE NATIONAL
Laboratory; the University
of Illinois, Urbana-
Champaign; the University
of Illinois, Chicago; and
Northwestern University
have formed the Illinois
Center for Advanced
Tribology. The center will
solicit funds from public
and industrial sources
to research lubrication
problems in extreme
medical and transportation
environments.
DANISCO has agreed to
acquire Agtech Products,
a U.S.-based maker of
microbial additives for
animal digestion and livestock
waste treatment for
$42 million. Agtech has
47 employees and annual
sales of $12 million, and
its acquisition is expected
to help the Danish enzymes
maker expand its
animal nutrition business.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 14 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

BUSINESS
CHEMEXPLORER
LILLY DROPS AN
ANCHOR IN SHANGHAI
Senior scientists staff new office COORDINATING R&D in China
JEAN-FRANÇOIS TREMBLAY, C&EN HONG KONG
LAST MONTH, a group of senior scientists
from Eli Lilly & Co. started working out of
an office in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech
Park. Rather than do research themselves,
they are there to provide scientific leadership
to the Chinese firms that Lilly has
tasked with a steadily expanding range of
R&D activities.
“Large multinational drug companies
conduct research in China either by building
their own brick-and-mortar R&D
centers or by building relationships with
contract research organizations,” says
Robert W. Armstrong, a Lilly vice president
in charge of global external R&D. “We are
in the second camp.”
Non-U.S. pharmaceutical companies,
including Novartis, AstraZeneca, Roche,
and GlaxoSmithKline, have built or are in
the process of building their own R&D centers
in China. U.S. drug firms such as Lilly,
Pfizer, and Merck & Co. have generally opted
to take advantage of China’s scientists
by collaborating with third parties there.
Armstrong does not see the new coordination
facility in Shanghai as contradicting
Lilly’s aversion to brick-and-mortar investments
in Chinese research. As the range
and complexity of the R&D services Lilly
purchased in China expanded, the need for
a permanent scientific presence became
clear. For one thing, Lilly can now better
respond when a research partner in China
comes up with lab results that are at odds
with what scientists at the firm’s Indianapolis
headquarters had expected.
More important, the presence of experienced
Lilly scientists in China improves the
firm’s ability to identify promising research
partners. “If we stay in Indiana, we’re going
to be closing ourselves to the ideas that are
elsewhere,” says William W. Chin, the Indianapolis-based
vice president in charge of
discovery research and clinical investigation.
Lilly was motivated to come to China,
Armstrong points out, because both patients
and shareholders are demanding
improvements in Lilly’s ability to bring innovative
drugs to the market in a cost-efficient
way. “We see partnerships as a mechanism
to learn how to do things differently,
not as a substitute for the things that we do
right now” in the U.S., Armstrong says.
Important for Lilly is that the availability
of drug development services in China
is steadily expanding. The same week that
Lilly inaugurated its R&D center, three
others opened biology service facilities in
Shanghai: the U.S. firm Charles River; the
Chinese company PharmaLegacy Laboratories;
and Medicilon-MPI, a joint venture
between China’s Shanghai Medicilon and
Michigan-based MPI Research. Darren Ji,
chief executive of PharmaLegacy, says his
REACHING OUT
In China, Lilly
collaborates with
local research
companies such
as Shanghai
ChemExplorer,
an employee of
which is pictured
here.
company provides preclinical
specialty pharmacology
services.
For the five years
beginning in 2007 and
running until 2011,
Lilly will spend a minimum
of $100 million
on third-party research
in China, says Tony Y.
Zhang, the managing
director of the new Shanghai center who
relocated to China from the U.S. earlier
this year.
THROUGH ITS LOCAL PARTNERS, Lilly
already employs 300 scientists in China, the
majority of them chemists, Zhang points
out. Shanghai ChemExplorer, a member
of the Shangpharma contract research and
manufacturing group, works exclusively on
Lilly projects. About a year ago, Lilly set up
a profit-sharing research collaboration with
Shanghai-based Hutchison MediPharma
(C&EN, Oct. 22, 2007, page 39).
Lilly’s investment in the coordination
center is modest, Zhang acknowledges. It
consists of 5,500 sq ft of office space essentially
devoid of scientific instruments.
Zhang says Lilly’s scientists will make use
of data and instrumentation supplied by
the company’s Chinese partners. There are
10 Lilly senior scientists from Indianapolis
in China now, and Zhang expects that number
could increase to 30.
The group that Lilly has established
in China may be small in number, but it
is staffed with “drug hunters,” Chin says.
These are scientists who over the years
have demonstrated the ability to tease
promising drug candidates out of the
reams of data that discovery labs generate
every day. For example, before Peter A.
Lander relocated to Shanghai to become
Lilly’s head of discovery chemistry in Asia,
he was in charge of drug lead generation at
the firm’s headquarters.
Armstrong insists that Lilly employees
in the U.S. don’t feel threatened by the company’s
expansion in China. In response to
cost pressure, “we have been challenged to
do things differently,” he says. “China is part
of a transformation agenda for our R&D.”
According to Armstrong’s colleague
Chin, merely cutting expenses and employees
is not a smart way to contain the cost of
bringing new drugs to market. “We have to
have an innovation engine,” he says. “We
cannot save our way into the new drugs for
our patients of the future.” ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 15 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

BUSINESS INSIGHTS
Come Together
A funding initiative for CANCER RESEARCH taps into a game-shifting trend toward collaboration
RICK MULLIN, C&EN NORTHEAST NEWS BUREAU
CBS EVENING NEWS anchor Katie
Couric is no stranger to the fight
against cancer. Couric, whose husband
died of colon cancer in 1998,
has since advocated vigorously for
early detection, famously broadcasting
her own colonoscopy when
she hosted the “Today Show.”
Earlier this year, she broadened her
target, spearheading an effort to
raise philanthropic dollars for general
cancer research.
She was not alone. ABC’s
Charles Gibson and NBC’s Brian
Williams, Couric’s counterparts at the other major networks,
stood with her for the launch of Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) last
May. With film producer Laura Ziskin and television producer
Noreen Fraser, both cancer survivors, on its board of directors,
SU2C is essentially an entertainment industry initiative. It is also
very much in tune with an important trend in cancer research, one
highlighted by the participation of all three major network news
anchors—the trend toward collaboration.
According to Marge Foti, chief executive officer of the American
Association for Cancer Research, SU2C’s scientific partner, 70%
of SU2C’s approximately $100 million in available money will go
only to partnerships—collaborative research efforts undertaken
by groups of commercial or institutional laboratories that have
traditionally competed against each other. Foti says this is, in part,
meant to foster translational research, the practice of linking clinical
development directly to drug discovery. But mostly, she says,
it reflects a realization that cancer will not be cured within the
walls of disjointed, competitive research labs. “Team science is
something the scientific community says needs to be done going
forward,” Foti says.
LATELY, there is palpable enthusiasm in the cancer research
community. The greater understanding of the genetic nature of
the disease, fostered by the flood of data unleashed in the decoding
of the human genome, has set every major drug company and
research institute to work on new compounds to better target
the disease and work toward a cure. Therapies such as Herceptin,
a breast cancer drug that targets the HER2 receptor, are at the
forefront of a personalized medicine approach,
one that generates drugs catered to individual patients
based on genetic information about their
cancers. And researchers are beginning to explore
the development of combination therapies,
an approach of administering multiple drugs, or
cocktails, that has proven effective in the treatment
of HIV.
It is clear, however, that a new level of collaboration
must be reached in order for researchers
STAND UP TO CANCER
Network news anchors
Gibson (from left), Couric,
and Williams team up for
Stand Up To Cancer.
“When there is
money available to
put collaborations
together, groups
that viewed each
other as competitors
get excited.”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 16 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
to crunch the numbers, design the
clinical trials, and get access to all
of the available compounds needed
to move the most promising drugs
and combinations of drugs to the
market. Connections need to be
made between the traditional islands
of research. Data will need
to be shared by big cancer centers,
and big drug companies will have
to work together in exploring combination
therapies—levels of collaboration
generally thought of as
beyond the pale.
Yet the seeds of such collaboration
are sown in exactly the kind
of partnerships that SU2C seeks to
fund. According to Jeff Hanke, vice
president for cancer research at
AstraZeneca, the major cancer centers with which large drug companies
develop emerging cancer therapies are gaining access to a
wide range of preclinical compounds with leeway to investigate
how they might work together.
With new science comes a new research culture, Hanke says.
“Up until the 2000s, I don’t think people understood how complex
cancer would be. There were no deep insights into the number of
mechanisms involved and how adaptable they are,” he says. “We
have to reach across walls to do things effectively. There is a lot
more dialogue and openness at the major cancer centers. Scientists
are really excited about getting together.”
Thomas J. Lynch, chief of the division of hematology and oncology
at Massachusetts General Hospital, agrees that researchers are
anxious to get together and work across the traditional competitive
boundary lines. And the SU2C grant system will help provide
funding needed to make this happen. “When there is money available
to put collaborations together, groups that viewed each other
as competitors get excited—they can get it done, make it real time,
and help everybody,” Lynch says.
SU2C may be the new kid on the block in cancer research fundraising.
It is likely to get some public attention given its entertainment
industry front office. And public attention, as was shown in
HIV/AIDS research in the 1980s and 1990s, is a powerful force. Its
scientific advisory committee, headed by Nobel
Laureate Phillip A. Sharp of Massachusetts Institute
of Technology and comprising 18 scientists
and two patient advocates, is formidable. Much
about the organization is emblematic of the changes
that are positioning the pharmaceutical enterprise
for breakthroughs in cancer research.
Views expressed on this page are those of the
author and not necessarily those of ACS.

GOVERNMENT & POLICY CONCENTRATES
FDA’S FOREIGN
INSPECTION PROGRAM
NEEDS OVERHAUL
Better data management and more inspections
are needed to strengthen FDA’s
foreign drug facility inspection program,
according to congressional investigators.
The Government Accountability Office
says the agency isn’t sure how many foreign
establishments produce drugs for
the U.S. market (GAO-08-970). Using a
list of 3,249 plants FDA developed in 2007
to prioritize foreign inspections, GAO
estimates that FDA inspects only about
8% of facilities outside the U.S. each year.
“At this rate, it would take FDA more than
13 years to inspect these establishments
once,” GAO notes. Pharmaceutical plants
in the U.S. are inspected on average every
2.7 years. “This report confirms that we
have reason to be concerned about the
safety of imported drugs,” says House
Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman
John D. Dingell (D-Mich.). “Foreign
inspections are alarmingly low.” The
report also indicates that FDA is failing to
promptly conduct follow-up inspections
after serious violations—such as product
impurities or record-keeping problems—
are found in foreign facilities. From 2002
through 2007, FDA issued 15 warning
letters to foreign drug producers but reinspected
only four of the facilities, the
report notes.—GH
SENATORS ASK EPA
NOT TO ISSUE AIR RULE
EU LISTS CHEMICALS OF CONCERN
Following submissions from various European Union member countries,
the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has put 15 chemicals on its candidate
list of “substances of very high concern.” The list is part of the EU’s
new regulatory program under the Registration, Evaluation & Authorization
of Chemicals (REACH). “The inclusion of the substances in the list
generates immediate new legal obligations” for companies producing,
marketing, and using them, ECHA Executive Director Geert Dancet says.
As of Dec. 1, 2011, a producer has to notify ECHA when a product contains
more than 0.1% by weight of a substance on the candidate list, or when
use totals more than 1 metric ton per year. Companies must also provide
sufficient information on the safe use of the chemical or product to customers
and consumers who request it. Inclusion on this list, some project,
will encourage producers to develop more benign replacement chemicals.
Publication of the list is “a welcome start, but a drop in the ocean,” given
“the hundreds of well-known dangerous substances present in products
used every day across Europe,” according to a statement released by a coalition
of environmental and consumer public interest groups.—PLLS
Because a federal court recently overturned
a key Clean Air Act regulation, two powerful
Senate Democrats are asking EPA not
to issue a pending related rule that would
relax some emissions controls on power
plants. The pending rule, which the Bush
Administration says it will finalize in coming
weeks, is expected to boost air pollution
from coal-fired power plants. This in turn
is likely to pressure state environmental
regulators to impose more stringent emissions
controls on other industries, possibly
including chemical plants, to maintain air
quality. Proposed in 2005, the pending rule
would allow utilities to renovate and expand
the operating capacity of older power plants
without having to install modern air pollution
controls. EPA said any increase in annual
pollution from power plants due to these
proposed changes would be offset by another
regulation called the Clean Air Interstate
Rule (CAIR). But in July, a federal appeals
court threw out CAIR (C&EN, July 21, page
12). EPA needs to withdraw the pending rule
because CAIR no longer exists, say Sens.
Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who chairs the
Senate Environment & Public Works Committee,
and Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), who
chairs the panel’s Subcommittee on Clean
Air & Nuclear Safety.—CH
DOE UPGRADES USER
FACILITIES’ CONTRACTS
On Oct. 27, the Department of Energy announced
that it has streamlined access
to user facilities, which offer researchers
access to unique and expensive equipment
and expertise, by making changes to
technology transfer contracts. The new
contracts clarify wording and provide a
universal document that all DOE user facilities
can employ. The two standardized
contracts are designed to make it easier
for university and industry scientists to
use DOE’s research facilities. Under the
proprietary agreement, users pay full cost
for lab equipment use, and with limited
exceptions, the researchers will retain
all rights to the data and new inventions.
For noncommercial and precompetitive
research, researchers can use DOE’s equipment
and collaborate with lab scientists
under the nonproprietary agreement, but
all data would be publicly available. The department
hopes these contracts will speed
up processing time, get researchers on-site,
and increase collaborations. Researchers
who already have contracts to use DOE
facilities can expect the agreements to be
executed as originally written.—RFHB
GROUP PROMOTES USE
OF GREENER CHEMICALS
Executives from the electronics, health
care, retail, and building sectors are
joining with health and environmental
advocates to promote the development
and use of safer chemicals. On Oct. 29,
the Business-NGO Working Group for
Safer Chemicals & Sustainable Materials
unveiled principles designed to encourage
chemical producers to supply compounds
with low to no toxicity and which degrade
into innocuous substances. The principles
call for manufacturers to identify the
chemicals that are used to make or are
contained in a product and for buyers to
request chemical data from their suppliers.
In addition, they call for manufacturers
to determine the hazards of substances
in their products; use chemicals with
inherently low hazard potential; and target
persistent, bioaccumulative, or toxic
compounds for elimination. Roger McFadden,
vice president of product science and
technology for Corporate Express, an arm
of office products retailer Staples, explains
that the principles “mark a significant step
toward incorporating green chemistry into
consumer goods.” —CH
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 17 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SHUTTERSTOCK
GOVERNMENT & POLICY
CYBERSECURITY
Chemical sector FACES UNCERTAINTY about
how to protect critical information
ROCHELLE F. H. BOHATY, C&EN WASHINGTON
PERHAPS YOU KNOW all too well the casualties
of cyber war—loss of time, money,
and maybe even your identity. In what
seems to be a pandemic, cyber attacks on
both individuals and organizations are increasing
in frequency, sophistication, and
the collateral damage they cause.
Cybersecurity is of particular interest
to the chemical industry not only because
a cyber attack on a company could directly
affect its business operations, but the possibility
of an attack also places the company
under heightened scrutiny by federal
regulators who will consider such threats,
among other factors, in assessing chemical
facilities’ vulnerability to a terrorist attack.
For these reasons, chemical industry trade
associations have developed cybersecurity
programs to help their members comply
with federal regulations and mitigate vulnerabilities
to cyber attacks.
Despite these programs, however, companies
will be seriously challenged in deciding
what steps to take because of the ever-changing
tactics of cyber attackers, the cost of cybersecurity,
and the fact that the Department
of Homeland Security will decide companies’
cybersecurity on a case-by-case basis.
“The chemical sector is not alone in being
vulnerable to cyber attacks,” says Sue
Armstrong, acting director of DHS’s Infrastructure
Security Compliance Division.
But an attack has the potential to cause
more direct physical damage and injury to
the chemical sector than to other sectors
such as banking and finance, she adds.
“An attack on a chemical facility could
have devastating consequences regardless of
the type of attack,” Armstrong notes. Types
of scenarios could range from cyber attacks
such as hacking to physical actions such as
bombing. For this reason, she explains, DHS
is implementing a regulatory program now.
DHS’s cybersecurity efforts are part
of its role in assessing and ensuring that
chemical installations are secure, thereby
decreasing the possibility that terrorists
will exploit them in an attack. Under a set
of rules known as the Chemical Facility
Anti-terrorism Standards (CFATS), DHS
has preliminarily ranked more than 7,000
facilities into four tiers according to risk of
a terrorist attack (C&EN, July 7, page 7).
Ranked facilities are in the process of
submitting additional security and vul-
“If someone decides specifically to go after
your organization, it is going to be very
difficult to prevent them from breaking in.”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 18 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
nerability information to DHS that the
department will use to determine each
facility’s final ranking. DHS has identified
18 criteria, including cybersecurity and
perimeter security, that companies must
address for this assessment.
The additional data from preliminarily
ranked facilities are due to DHS by the end
of the year. This means that DHS expects
to collect thousands of assessments from
the chemical industry—assessments that
not only include details about each company’s
cybersecurity problems but that also
become cybersecurity risks themselves.
The security risk of information submitted
by the chemical industry through
DHS’s online system is something DHS
takes very seriously.
“The systems that collect all this information
from industry under the CFATS
program are hosted at federally owned
sites, on dedicated subnetworks that
have been hardened to meet or exceed”
stringent federal security and encryption
standards for information processing,
Armstrong tells C&EN.
Even so, some cybersecurity experts
question just how secure these data really
will be. The method that DHS uses to “encrypt
communications with the chemical
industry does not in itself provide much
insight into the overall security of the
information exchange,” says Ronald W.
Ritchey, a cyber associate with consulting
group Booz Allen Hamilton. He adds that
attackers would tend not to focus on the
encryption systems—because they are
hard targets—but instead would focus on
attacking elements such as workstations
or servers used to create, store, process, or
transmit the information.
For classified government systems such
as DHS’s, the “risk is low” for a cyber attack,
says Andy Singer, a principal cyber
campaign and intelligence consultant with
Booz Allen Hamilton. But the system may
be a prime target for espionage because of
its “aggregate value,” he adds.
For example, hacking into a single site that
houses a database of chemical companies’
information has more bang for the buck than
hacking into a single company’s website.
But, Ritchey points out, any network can

e exploited, even those considered lowrisk.
“If someone decides specifically to go
after your organization, it is going to be very
difficult to prevent them from breaking
in,” he says. This gives the chemical sector
reason to be concerned that DHS’s system
could be breeched, resulting in an unintended
dissemination of high-risk facilities’
security and vulnerability information.
Although DHS requires high-risk facilities
to address cybersecurity challenges,
including cybersecurity in a plant’s overall
security profile is a good business practice,
says Christine Adams, director of the
Chemical Sector Cyber Security Program
for industry trade group American Chemistry
Council (ACC) and a senior information
systems manager at Dow Chemical.
The fact that much of the chemical industry
is made up of automated processing
plants that handle large quantities of dangerous
materials not only makes it a target
for terrorist attacks but for cyber attacks,
too, according to Ritchey and Singer.
And adding to industry’s vulnerability
are the sector’s extensive computer networks,
which circle the globe and provide
FUELING CONCERN is the fact that the
Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently
examining thousands of cyber attacks.
Already, the FBI has noticed that the usual
suspects are evolving, changing tactics, and
increasing the sophistication of their attacks.
For example, in the past, cyber assailants
did not associate with each other, but now
virtual gangs are a growing threat, according
to Shawn Henry, assistant director of the
FBI’s Cyber Division. Hackers are banding
together to pool their expertise and carry
out coordinated attacks, he said at a briefing
in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 17.
Cyber experts with Booz Allen Hamilton
also agree that attackers’ tactics are changing
to become more sophisticated and,
they say, more prevalent.
When it comes to breeching a system,
Ritchey says targeting an individual who
has broad access within an organization
with the intention of stealthily extracting
information or waging an attack is the
simplest way for a cyber assailant to affect
companies in the chemical industry. He
says the industry is extremely vulnerable to
such “targeted phishing attacks.”
For example, Ritchey explains, a company
employee could receive an e-mail that
says: “Hey Joe, I saw you talking on such and
such a topic. The attached report might interest
to you.” The attached file may in fact
be interesting, relevant, and appear completely
authentic, Ritchey says, but when Joe
opens the file, his user profile, computer, or
network could be compromised without Joe
even knowing. “At this point the attackers
have control,” Ritchey tells C&EN.
This scenario could cause problems for a
company and for its employees, who could
become suspects if information such as
user names and passwords were used by
perpetrators to coordinate an attack.
The fear of what terrorists might do
if they had access to valuable business
information or learned how to remotely
control a manufacturing process is one of
the reasons that DHS has included cybersecurity
when evaluating a chemical facility’s
risk of attack, agency officials note.
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more access points for intruders to hack.
“Networks are meant to be open,”
Singer says. This makes them perhaps
impossible to secure unless a “fortune” is
invested to secure them, he adds. Software
companies are working to alleviate some of
the security vulnerabilities that arise from
developing open-source systems, he says.
For the chemical industry, an attack such
as a virus or worm could have far-reaching
implications. Illegal tapping of a company’s
internal networks could allow unintentional
access to highly valued trade secrets
and other intellectual property, personnel
and financial information, and inventory
data. In addition, a computer malfunction
could cause a manufacturing or control
process to go wrong, according to Singer.
Over time these attacks could degrade
their business, Singer says. A single attack
may not appear to be catastrophic, but it
could cause a company to go out of business
if the problem becomes repetitive, he adds.
Unintended access to manufacturing
and control processes is what probably
keeps industry representatives up at night,
Ritchey notes.
A cyber attack targeting manufacturing
and control processes could limit product
output or cause chemical reactions to go
bad, according to Eric C. Cosman, a member
of ACC’s Chemical Sector Cyber Security
Program Steering Team and an engineering
solutions architect at Dow.
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TO HELP chemical companies combat
some of these threats, ACC and the Synthetic
Organic Chemical Manufacturers
Association (SOCMA) have each developed
programs. These programs focus on
the business and information technology
aspects of cybersecurity along with manufacturing
and control processes.
Adams tells C&EN that the first thing
members of the chemical sector should
do is a risk analysis of their cyber infrastructure.
She encourages industry to take
a holistic approach when thinking about
threats, rather than focusing on one type of
cyber assailant or attack.
To help companies, ACC’s cybersecurity
program offers guidance about educating
employees on cybersecurity issues, computerizing
inventory control processes,
and segregating networks such as manufacturing
control and business.
Although the ACC and SOCMA programs
do represent good business practices
for cybersecurity, DHS’s Armstrong says
the agency does not endorse either program.
She adds that trade groups’ cybersecurity
programs instituted by companies
may or may not meet CFATS standards.
She underscores that high-risk chemical
facilities will be looked at on an individual
basis and that DHS will not provide prescriptive
cybersecurity measures.
For its part, ACC says it is committed to
working with DHS to make sure its program
will meet the needs of the chemical sector
so that it can comply with DHS regulations.
ACC is working “to develop the right information-sharing
mechanisms and to understand
the relevant information that needs to
be shared with DHS,” Adams says. This, in
turn, should help DHS complete the national
threat analysis and understand the state of
the chemical industry, Adams notes. ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 20 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

GOVERNMENT & POLICY
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
STANDARDS
NIST LOOKS TO HELP make biosciences measurements uniform
NEW DISCOVERIES in the biological sciences
and biotechnology have the potential
to transform health care, energy, national
security, the environment, manufacturing,
agriculture, and many more areas that impact
society. But measurement standards
haven’t kept up with the rate of discovery,
making it difficult for research to move beyond
the laboratory.
The National Institute of Standards &
Technology (NIST), well-known for its
metrology expertise in an expansive array
of physical science and engineering disciplines,
is taking the situation seriously and
beefing up its efforts in the biosciences
area. To that end, NIST joined forces with
the University of Maryland Biotechnology
Institute (UMBI) and held a meeting in
October to address the measurement challenges
faced by the biosciences.
The three-day meeting included heads
of metrology institutes from around the
world and people with an interest in providing
confidence in measurements in
complex biological systems. The goal of the
gathering was to help NIST prioritize its
efforts.
“We are sitting at a perfect storm between
the rapid pace of discovery in the
biosciences and the impact that it’s having
on all of the fields of science,” Patrick D.
Gallagher, acting director of NIST, said in
his introductory remarks at the meeting.
NIST has a specific mission “to promote
U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness
by advancing measurement science,
standards, and technology in ways
that enhance economic security and improve
our quality of life,” Gallagher said.
“It’s simply impossible to touch any one
of the major societal areas and not realize
that the biosciences and biotechnology will
be a major player.”
“We are sitting between the rapid pace of
discovery in the biosciences and the impact
it’s having on all of the fields of science.”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 21 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
The measurement challenges posed by
the biosciences are immense, and overcoming
them will likely require international
collaboration. “Biology or biotech is
global today. If we could leverage both human
resources and financial resources to
go after many of these desires for new measurement
tools, it would benefit the global
market,” said Jennie C. Hunter-Cevera,
president of UMBI.
Because of the global nature of this area,
NIST is looking to its counterparts around
the world for input regarding the development
of standards and measurement tools
for the biosciences.
At the meeting, Alejandro Herrero Molina,
director of the European Commission’s
Joint Research Centre Institute for Reference
Materials & Measurements, offered his
views on what are likely to be important metrology
issues in the biosciences in Europe
over the next five to 10 years. He provided
examples such as confirming the authenticity
of food products or detecting fraud,
distinguishing organically grown crops from
conventional ones, and characterizing allergens
both before and after food processing.
Genetic testing, personalized medicine,
and genetically modified crops for nonfood
industrial applications are also important
areas that need standards, he noted.
In general, meeting participants raised
concerns about the lack of access to appropriate
information technology databases,
the inability to transfer data from one type
of measurement platform to another, and
the need for dynamic, real-time measurements.
By creating universal standards,
NIST could help ensure that databases are
connected and can talk to each other, meeting
participants suggested.
Attendees also pointed out that there
are few standards with respect to how genetics
and protein data are assessed. They
specifically noted the areas of synthetic
biology and systems medicine. Developing
such assessment standards is one place
where NIST should focus its efforts, attendees
said.
One important example of the need for
standards in medicine that was raised by
several people at the meeting is the reliability
of routine health-related measurements.
For example, a test as common as
the one for the risk of prostate cancer can
be unreliable because a universal standard
does not exist. “The value you get for
prostate-specific antigen depends on what
calibrator was used. You can go from being
at risk to being so healthy that you can
be ignored on the basis of not a change in
you, but a difference in the standard that
is used,” Craig Jackson, a consultant and
retired biochemistry professor from Washington
University with experience in the
in vitro diagnostics industry, explained to
C&EN after the meeting.
TWO AREAS that NIST is currently thinking
about are standards for medical imaging
and protein measurement science,
according to Willie E. May, director of
NIST’s Chemical Science & Technology
Laboratory. Optical and chemical imaging
tools could allow rapid, real-time measurements,
he added.
Funding this effort will require some
tough decisions. NIST does not have the
staffing and the core competencies needed
to address those areas and so would need
to ask Congress for additional financing,
May noted.
Getting such additional funding may not
be possible in the current budget crunch.
As a result, the agency is also taking a close
look at all of its units, including the chemical
sciences, to see whether some of those
resources can be reallocated to the biosciences.
In fact, NIST already has redirected
funds to get started on developing biosciences
standards.
“NIST has about $6 million specifically
for work in the biosciences,” May said. “We
are doing more than we’ve been appropriated.
So each of the major organizational
units has made decisions to reprogram
some of their existing resources to support
activities in the biosciences.”
The October meeting undoubtedly gave
NIST more ideas to think about as it prioritizes
its next formal request to Congress
for additional money in biosciences.—
BRITT ERICKSON

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CONCENTRATES
DENDRIMERS SHOW
ANTIBIOTIC ACTIVITY
A new class of dendrimers has promising
antibiotic activity, killing prokaryotic bacteria
cells while remaining largely nontoxic
to eukaryotic human cells (J. Am. Chem.
Soc., DOI: 10.1021/ja806912a). Chemistry
and biomedical engineering professor
Mark W. Grinstaff, postdoc Steven R. Meyers,
and colleagues at Boston University
synthesized two anionic amphiphilic dendrimers,
based in part on past evidence
that dendrimers with anionic charges are
relatively nontoxic to animals. The group
patched the dendrimers together from
succinic acid, glycerol, and myristic acid,
and then tested the resulting molecules’
toxicity. One dendrimer in particular was
36 times more toxic to a strain of the grampositive
bacterium Bacillus subtilis than to
human umbilical vein endothelial cells.
The dendrimers form supramolecular
structures in solution, which appear to be
correlated with their toxicity, Grinstaff
says. The researchers believe the dendrimers
could prove to be useful leads in the
search for more effective antibiotics.—EKW
DOUBLE METALLOCENES
Transition-metal cyclopentadienyl sandwich complexes, better known as
metallocenes, have given organometallic chemists a rich assortment of
electronic and magnetic properties to explore ever since ferrocene was
discovered a half-century ago. Jennifer C. Green, Dermot O’Hare, and colleagues
at the University of Oxford have now doubled chemists’ pleasure
by conducting the first comprehensive
study of double metallocenes across a
periodic row (J. Am. Chem. Soc., DOI:
10.1021/ja8057138). Double metallocenes,
M 2 (C 8 H 6 ) 2 , which were first reported
in the 1970s, consist of two metal
atoms flanked by pentalene ligands
(fused cyclopentadienyls). The Oxford
team worked through what proved to be
V V Ni Ni
difficult syntheses to make V, Cr, Mn, Co, and Ni permethylpentalene complexes
and extensively studied their electronic, magnetic, and structural
trends. Structurally, the vanadium complex (shown) displays the classic
metallocene fivefold bonding interaction between the metal and ligand.
It also forges an unusual V≡V bond. At the other extreme, nickel (shown)
exhibits only a threefold bonding interaction with the pentalenes and does
not appear to form a metal-metal bond. Iron surprisingly doesn’t form a
double ferrocene, the researchers found, which is ironic because ferrocene
is the prototypical metallocene and its study gave birth to modern
organometallic chemistry.—SR
NATURAL ENZYME
DEGRADES NANOTUBES
Electron
micrographs
reveal the
enzymatic
breakdown
of carbon
nanotubes.
The potential environmental toxicity of
single-walled carbon nanotubes could
be abated by biodegrading the materials
via enzymatic catalysis using horseradish
peroxidase (HRP) and hydrogen peroxide,
according to a study by Alexander Star and
coworkers at the University of Pittsburgh
(Nano Lett., DOI: 10.1021/nl802315h). Environmental
toxicity is a
potential problem that
could come with the likely
widespread use of carbon
nanotubes and other nanomaterials.
The researchers
incubated carbon nanotubes
with HRP and H 2 O 2 at 4 ºC under
static conditions for 16 weeks. They suggest
that a reactive intermediate produced by interaction
of the enzyme and H 2 O 2 oxidizes
the nanotubes, leading to their breakdown.
The researchers monitored the degradation
with several analytical methods, including
transmission electron microscopy, dynamic
light scattering, gel electrophoresis,
and optical spectroscopy. The nanotubes
became progressively shorter over time,
and globular material appeared within
eight weeks. After 12 weeks, the nanotubes
degraded enough that most of the material
was globular, with very little apparent
nanotube structure. “These results mark a
promising possibility for carbon nanotubes
NANO LETT.
to be degraded by HRP in environmentally
relevant settings,” the authors write. The
toxicity of the resulting breakdown products
remains unknown.—CHA
PEPTIDES INFLUENCE
‘PALEOTHERMOMETER’
An aspartate-rich peptide enhances magnesium
uptake into calcite, a calcium carbonate
mineral, a finding that raises questions
about factors influencing estimates of ocean
temperatures during prehistoric times (Science
2008, 322, 724). Levels of magnesium in
fossil calcites such as those in seashells have
fluctuated over geologic history. Because
more magnesium goes into calcite at higher
temperatures, scientists use the magnesium
content of calcite as a “paleothermometer.”
But calcites of biological origin can contain
levels of magnesium and other impurities
that can’t be accounted for by temperature
alone. To better understand the factors in
play, a multi-institution team led by Virginia
Polytechnic Institiute & State University
geoscientist Patricia M. Dove measured
calcite growth within a chamber in an
atomic force microscope and determined
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 22 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CONCENTRATES
© 2008 SCIENCE
J. AM. CHEM. SOC.
the magnesium content
by mass spectrometry.
In the presence of a carboxyl-rich peptide
similar to ones associated with calcification
in relevant marine organisms, calcite
grew 25 to 50% faster and had up to 3 mol
% higher magnesium content, which helps
account for the discrepancies. A difference
this large corresponds to an offset in temperature
of 7 to 14 ºC.—CD
REDEFINING A PROTEIN
Despite its short length, a molecule consisting
of 10 amino acids designed by a
Japan-based team more closely resembles
a protein than a peptide in structural and
theoretical studies. In
light of examining the
tiny protein, the researchers
propose
that specific
biophysical
properties
based upon
how a molecule
folds should be
the measure
of whether
that molecule
is considered a
Ensemble of
NMR structural
conformations of
the 10-amino acid
protein CLN025.
AFM images reveal
different “steps”
growing from a
dislocation in calcite
in the absence (top)
and presence (bottom)
of magnesium and
carboxyl-rich peptides.
protein, without
any rigid cutoffs with
respect to size (J.
Am. Chem. Soc., DOI:
10.1021/ja8030533).
By rule, the cutoff between
peptides and proteins is currently 50
amino acids. Shinya Honda and colleagues
at the National Institute of Advanced
Industrial Science & Technology (AIST),
in Tsukuba, synthesized the 10-residue
molecule, called CLN025. X-ray crystal
structure information was consistent with
NMR studies in solution, showing that
CLN025 has a well-defined 3-D structure.
In addition, molecular dynamics simulations
of CLN025’s folding process indicate
that the structure the AIST team observed
is considerably more stable than other possible
conformations. CLN025 may prove
valuable for studying microscopic events
in protein folding, says theoretical chemist
Peter G. Wolynes of the University of California,
San Diego.—CD
PROBING HEAT IN
MOLECULAR JUNCTIONS
Israeli researchers have directly measured
the effective temperature of current-carrying
molecular junctions in an electronic
device by using surface-enhanced Raman
spectroscopy (SERS) (Nat. Nanotechnol.,
DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2008.304). Molecular
junctions, which are circuit structures that
consist of a few or even just one molecule
straddling a pair of electrodes, offer extreme
miniaturization advantages for electronic
device designers. But these junctions are
fragile and sensitive to temperature, which
varies with current flow. Only indirect
methods for gauging junction temperatures
have been reported so
far. For example, some methods
are based on measuring the rate at
which chains of metal atoms rupture.
Tel Aviv University chemists
Ori Cheshnovsky, Yoram Selzer,
and coworkers have now prepared
temperature-probe devices in which
4,4'-biphenyldithiol molecules form
junctions with silver electrodes.
The team used a SERS microscope
to measure Raman scattering while
current flowed through those junctions.
Then from the intensity of the measured
Raman signals, which are associated with
molecular vibrations, the group determined
the junction temperature as a function of
applied voltage.—MJ
NEW LEADS FOUND FOR
ALZHEIMER’S THERAPIES
Two research groups have independently
published findings related to Alzheimer’s
disease treatments. Both experimental
therapies target amyloid β, the protein believed
to cause the disease. Weihong Song
of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
and colleagues treated mice with
valproic acid, a compound already used as
an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer for
patients with epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and
other conditions. They found that valproic
acid reduced enzymatic production of amyloid
β by γ-secretase. The treatment prevented
brain cell death and axon damage
and improved memory in mice that were
in early stages of Alzheimer’s (J. Exp. Med.,
DOI: 10.1084/jem.20081588). Li Gan of the
University of California, San Francisco, and
coworkers took another approach. Instead
of limiting the formation of amyloid β, they
opted to increase its degradation in mice.
The researchers boosted the activity of
cathepsin B—an enzyme that breaks down
amyloid β—by reducing levels of cystatin
C, an enzyme that inhibits cathepsin B activity.
The mice in the experiment showed
improvements in learning and memory
(Neuron 2008, 60, 247).—SLR
HYDROGEL-FORMING
PRODRUG AIDS DELIVERY
A water-loving drug modified with a hydrophobic
fatty acid tail has been found to selfassemble
into a hydrogel that can enmesh a
Enzyme
catalysis
BREAKING UP Acetaminophen (blue)
with a fatty acid tail forms a hydrogel that
can carry a second agent, curcumin (red);
an enzyme can release the drugs.
second agent. The hydrogel can then be dissolved
enzymatically, enabling it to serve as
a two-agent delivery vehicle (Biomaterials,
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2008.09.045).
“To the best of our knowledge, there are
no previous reports on developing single
and multiple drug-delivery vehicles from
self-assembled prodrugs,” note Jeffrey M.
Karp of Brigham & Women’s Hospital, in
Boston; George John of the City College of
New York; and coworkers, who carried out
the study. The researchers derivatized acetaminophen
with a fatty acid. This turns the
drug into an amphiphilic prodrug that selfassembles
into a hydrogel. The researchers
showed that the hydrogel can encapsulate a
second agent, the anti-inflammatory agent
curcumin. Exposure to lipase degrades
the hydrogel, releasing the two agents; the
nontoxic fatty acid is a by-product. “This
approach has an advantage over polymerbased
prodrugs that generate polymer fragments
with heterogeneous chain lengths
upon degradation that may present complex
toxicity profiles,” the researchers write.—SB
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 23 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

www.acs.org
PLAN NOW TO ATTEND
THE 237TH SPRING NATIONAL MEETING IN
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, MARCH 22-25, 2009
For the first time Salt Lake City will host the 236th Spring National Meeting
p Hotel rates range between $90 - $229 a night and includes in-room internet access.
p All the hotels are within 7 blocks of the convention center.
p A free city light rail is available that travels through all of downtown including
the convention center area.
NEW PRESIDENTIAL KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Sunday, March 22nd from 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Professor Angela Belcher from MIT will deliver the meeting Keynote Address sponsored
by ACS President – Elect Dr. Tom Lane
PLENARY SESSION
Monday, March 23rd from 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Professors Vicki Colvin (Rice University), Jim Hutchinson (University of Oregon),
George Whitesides (Harvard University), and Grant Willson (University of Texas, Austin)
will deliver their perspectives on the future of nanoscience in the Plenary Session
sponsored by The Kavli Foundation.
In addition to the Keynote Address and Plenary Session, there will be seven in-depth
symposia organized by leading researchers in nanoscience and sponsored by the ACS
Technical Divisions.
NEW EXHIBITION HOURS
The Exhibition will now open on Sunday, March 22nd from 6:00pm-8:30pm
with a Welcome Reception for all attendees immediately following the Keynote Address.
The Exhibition hours have been extended on Wednesday, March 25th from
9:00am-2:00pm.
American Chemical Society

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
3M
SEEKING AN
ETERNAL SOLUTION
Fluorinated fluid is the protagonist of an ongoing
experiment in PRESERVING BIOLOGICAL SPECIMENS
CARMEN DRAHL, C&EN WASHINGTON
AT THE CENTER of the Smithsonian Institution’s
National Museum of Natural
History’s gleaming new Sant Ocean Hall
lies a preserved giant female squid—the
arresting, spineless star among the vibrant
exhibition’s animal specimens. Tentacles
menacingly outstretched and seemingly
frozen in time, the 24-foot squid embodies
humans’ fascination with the briny deep.
But this squid also symbolizes something
else: an ongoing experiment in the chemistry
of preservation, without which the
Smithsonian’s new exhibition would not
have been possible.
The fluids most widely used for longterm
museum conservation are solutions
of alcohols, such as ethanol, and formalin,
a dilute solution of formaldehyde. Museums
worldwide have been preparing and
displaying soft-bodied animals such as
squid in much the same way for centuries,
despite the fire and health risks these fluids
pose. But the Smithsonian was forced to
try a new approach after the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks, when the Washington, D.C., fire
marshal drastically limited the amount of
flammable preservatives allowed in public
buildings.
Museum curators partnered with Minnesota-based
3M to apply a very different
type of fluid to the task—3M Novec 7100
engineered fluid, a safe, nonflammable
hydrofluoroether originally developed for
silicon-chip cleaning and other electronics
industry applications. Although Novec
comes with its own set of challenges, preservation
experts looking for alternatives to
MORE ONLINE
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 25 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
the status quo are
eagerly watching
the Smithsonian’s
experiment to see
what happens.
Alcohol-based
preservatives dehydrate
specimens
while also slowing
EXHIBIT A
The Smithsonian’s
24-foot giant female
squid is preserved in
dilute formaldehyde
and stored in a 3M
hydrofluoroether
fluid.
the rate of decay by killing bacteria. The
only widespread alternative to alcohol
solutions is formalin, a dilute, buffered
solution of formaldehyde that came into
use as a preservative near the end of the
19th century. Formaldehyde is a fixative,
which means that it permeates tissue,
hardening and preventing the specimen
from decomposing. Chemically speaking,
formalin makes cross-links between certain
functional groups, such as basic amino
acid residues.
Unfortunately, these established preservatives
have disadvantages. For example,
museums using flammable fluids have
long had to take extra precautions to reduce
the risk of a blaze. Even in 1858, the
founding donor of Philadelphia’s Mütter
Museum stipulated that his collection of
fluid-preserved human tissues and organs
To learn more about Novec, visit C&EN’s blog, “C&ENtral
Science,” at www.cenblog.org.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CHEMICAL PRINCIPLES
A Hero Preserved In Brandy
An important lesson in tissue
conservation chemistry
emerged from the death of
Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson,
one of Britain’s most revered
military heroes. Nelson was
fatally shot at sea on Oct. 21,
1805, while leading the Royal
Navy to a decisive triumph in
the Battle of Trafalgar during
the Napoleonic Wars. Suspecting
that a state funeral
would be in order for the
adored commander, William
Beatty, the surgeon aboard
Nelson’s vessel, the H.M.S.
Victory, opted to preserve
Nelson’s remains for the trip
back to England instead of
conducting the customary
burial at sea. Beatty later
published the book “The
Death of Lord Nelson,” an
account of the event that explained
his procedure and his
observations in detail.
By the early 1800s, preservation
in liquor was a
well-recognized practice, so
Beatty decided to place Nelson’s
remains in a large cask
filled with brandy. The cask
was lashed to the deck and
placed under guard. Throughout
the voyage to England,
Beatty refreshed the brandy
because the corpse absorbed
a significant quantity of fluid.
He sometimes used defined
ratios of brandy and “spirit
of wine,” a distilled ethanol,
which he obtained at port in
Gibraltar.
Once back home, the British
press roundly criticized
Beatty for failing to preserve
Nelson in rum, which at the
time was believed to be superior
to brandy as a preservative,
says John E. Simmons,
an independent museum
consultant. “The reason
everyone thought rum was
a better preservative was because
it was commonly used,
but rum was commonly used
IN SPIRIT AND STONE A
statue of Lord Nelson adorns
the column at the center of
Trafalgar Square, in the heart
of London.
because it was cheap,” Simmons
explains.
Beatty defended his actions
in “The Death of Lord
Nelson” and laid out the
chemical principle underpinning
good preservation—ethanol
concentration. He wrote:
SHUTTERSTOCK
“There are several kinds of
spirit much better for [preservation]
than rum; and as
their appropriateness in this
respect arises from their
degree of strength, on which
alone their antiseptic quality
depends, brandy is superior.
Spirit of wine, however, is certainly
by far the best, when it
can be procured.”
When Beatty examined the
preserved body weeks after
Nelson’s death, he found
that “it exhibited a state of
perfect preservation, without
being in the smallest degree
offensive.” Beatty’s careful
attention to chemical detail
was vindicated when the
Victory’s officers and other
public figures saw Nelson’s
body for the first time. Beatty
wrote, “All the Officers
of the ship … witnessed its
undecayed state after a lapse
of two months since death,
which excited the surprise of
all who beheld it.” Nelson was
given a state funeral and was
entombed in St. Paul’s Cathedral,
in London.
be housed in a fireproof building, says Anna
Dhody, the Mütter’s curator.
Formalin is less flammable than ethanol
and isn’t as restricted by the fire code in
Washington, D.C., says Brian F. Spatola,
collections manager at the Washingtonbased
National Museum of Health & Medicine,
part of the Armed Forces Institute of
Pathology (AFIP). Most of that museum’s
collection is stored and displayed in formalin.
However, flammability isn’t the only
concern associated with the fluid.
Besides its distinctively unpleasant
odor, formalin is an irritant and has been
linked to certain cancers through animal
tests, which is why some museums are
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phasing it out. Unlike AFIP, the Smithsonian
does not store specimens in jars
of formalin, and the Mütter Museum has
nearly finished moving its specimens out
of formalin and into ethanol.
Safety concerns aside, the aesthetic
qualities of traditionally preserved specimens
leave something to be desired. Ethanol
leaches color from specimens, so “first
they turn brown and then a dingy white,”
while the fluid itself turns yellow, observes
Elizabeth Musteen, the Sant Ocean Hall’s
project manager. Ethanol is less dense
than the specimens, which collapse at the
bottom of storage jars. “For an exhibition,
we put brackets in the jars to raise specimens
up,” Musteen explains. Formalin
also tends to discolor specimens over the
long term, and neither preservative faithfully
retains a specimen’s true texture,
Dhody says.
A more recent goal for museums has
been the ability to preserve DNA, which
comes in handy for classification and other
studies. Ethanol preserves DNA, but form-
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 26 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

CHIP CLARK/SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
alin’s cross-linking mechanism may hinder
its DNA-preserving ability.
Perhaps the most significant drawback
of traditional preservatives is a dearth of
scientific records about them, making it
tough to rationally develop safer, better
alternatives, argues John E. Simmons, an
independent museum consultant and former
collections manager at the University
of Kansas’ Natural History Museum. AFIP
keeps records on the formulas of its preservatives,
and researchers there were engaged
in an active research program in preservation
during the 1940s and ’50s, Spatola says.
However, collections donated to AFIP from
elsewhere are less stringently cataloged.
Simmons contends that research programs
like AFIP’s have historically been
the exception rather than the rule. “In fluid
preservation the tradition has always been
to just try something out,” he says. Many
published preservative formulas reflect
traditions handed down in a given lab,
without much testing of specific variables
to look for improvements, Simmons says.
“There is a general preservation procedure
in place, but the people who prepared specimens”
in the past “often had their own
way of doing things,”
Dhody adds.
PICKLED Millions
of specimens are
kept in alcohol at
the Smithsonian’s
National Museum
of Natural History’s
storage area near
Washington, D.C.
The Smithsonian’s
giant squid
bucks that tradition—it
is a model of
meticulous record
keeping. Photographs
and extensive
documentation chronicle how the squid’s
soft body tissue was injected with formalin
by experts in northern Spain, where the
squid was caught. They also describe the
squid’s journey stateside, where it was
submerged in Novec and where the record
keeping continues apace.
NOVEC 7100 comprises two inseparable
isomeric hydrofluoroethers, methyl
nonafluorobutyl ether, CF 3 (CF 2 ) 3 OCH 3 ,
and methyl nonafluoroisobutyl ether,
(CF 3 ) 2 CFCF 2 OCH 3 . The fluid differs from
both formalin and ethanol in that it’s neither
a cross-linking agent nor a preservative, says
David A. Hesselroth, a 3M chemist. Instead,
Novec is a nonflammable, nontoxic, and
ozone-friendly storage medium for alreadypreserved
specimens, he says. Novec products
have been in use since the mid-1990s,
when they were developed to replace ozonedepleting
chlorofluorocarbons in applications
such as cleaning electronics.
Novec works by forming a chemical
envelope around preserved specimens,
explains Joseph Koch, marketing manager
for 3M’s electronics materials division. The
fluid has very low surface tension, so “it
completely spreads around a specimen’s
surface, displacing water in all the nooks
and crannies,” he says. Novec’s low water
solubility keeps the fluid from getting
cloudy over time, and it doesn’t leach color
from specimens the way alcohol does.
Musteen can vouch for that. “You can
still see the squid’s brick-red skin as clearly
as on the day it was caught, and the fluid
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 27 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
COURTESY OF JOHN SIMMONS
POSTERITY’S PRICE
A drastic change in color
is evident in this small
tree frog, shown before
(left) and after it was
fixed with formalin and
stored in 70% ethanol.
itself is crystal
clear,” she says.
Smithsonian
preservation
experts knew
exactly how to
prep the squid
for its Novecfilled
resting place because of the tests
3M scientists and museum veterans performed
beforehand. For their earliest tests
on whether Novec might fit the preservation
bill, 3M scientists started small. “We
went to a bait shop and picked up a dozen
night crawlers,” which are earthworms
primarily used for fishing, Hesselroth
recalls. Worms in Novec degraded significantly
after 10 weeks, leading the teams
to conclude that Novec itself couldn’t be
used as a preservative. After follow-up
tests on fish, shrimp, and small squid, they
found that the best results came from first
fixing specimens in formalin and then
moving the fixed specimens into Novec—
a procedure ultimately carried out for the
giant squid.
Unfortunately, Novec isn’t a perfect
solution. The fluid is denser than water,
and unrestrained specimens will float to
the tops of tanks, where they could decompose.
Restraining a specimen to keep
it submerged in the fluid could cause tension
damage to it over the long term. To
H 3 CO
O
OH
NH 2
O O
B
H 3 CO NHBoc
H 3 CO
O
H
NHBoc
N
2-546
N
2-550
N
2-531
CH 3
H 3 CO OH H 3 CO NHBoc H 3 CO
I N I N
H 3 CO
N
OCH 3
OCH 3
2-579
2-524
2-613
H 3 CO
I
N
NH 2
H 3 CO
CN
N
NH 2
Br
N
OCH 3
H
O
2-536
2-545
2-571
H 3 CO
OH
NH 2
H 3 CO
CN
NHBoc
H 3 CO
N 2HCl
2-554
N
2-530
H 3 CO
O
N B
O
2-597
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 28 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

minimize that risk, Smithsonian scientists
used a metal screen to reinforce the part of
the squid attached to the main restraining
bracket and broad transparent straps to
better distribute tension on the tentacles,
says Michael Vecchione, a zoologist and
Sant Ocean Hall curator. “The edges of the
straps could still cut into the tissue,” he
admits. To avoid these challenges, “ideally,
you’d want a storage fluid that has the same
density as seawater,” he comments.
IN ADDITION, because Novec has a high
vapor pressure and boils at a lower temperature
than ethanol, museum staff had to
take extra precautions to minimize evaporation,
including using specially designed
jars that could keep an extra-tight seal on
the specimen and lighting that does not
give off a lot of heat, Musteen says.
“Will we ever abandon alcohol entirely?”
Musteen asks. “No, mostly because we
don’t have 200 years to test new things
out.” For all the flaws of the established
technology, museum experts know that
formalin and ethanol keep specimens preserved
for the long haul, Musteen says. For
“Will we ever abandon alcohol entirely?
No, mostly because we don’t have
200 years to test new things out.”
that reason, the Smithsonian doesn’t currently
store one-of-a-kind or other highly
valuable specimens in Novec. “People
know that if they put a specimen into formalin
or ethanol it’ll still be there” for years
to come, Spatola says.
Despite the challenges that come with
using Novec, Simmons emphasizes that
it offers some improvements over established
fluids. For one thing, he notes, it remains
clear while preserving a specimen’s
color. And Novec’s nonflammability is a
significant plus, he says.
Tests on the giant squid and Novec continue,
even while the animal is on display.
Every organization that donated specimens
for the new exhibition had the same
request: “They wanted us to get lots of data
on Novec fluid,” Musteen says. “They are
looking for alternatives to alcohol, just like
we are.” Specially designed needle ports
in the squid’s display case permit periodic
sampling of the squid’s tissue and the surrounding
fluid. The sampling is “similar
to the sort of biopsy a person might get to
test for cancer,” Musteen explains. Smithsonian
experts will test the Novec fluid to
see whether any compounds are leaching
from the squid and examine the squid’s
tissue under the microscope to check for
changes to cellular structure.
“I’m excited to see the Smithsonian’s
staff tackle fundamental issues in fluid
preservation,” Simmons says, but he cautions
that it will take a long time to build
a reliable knowledge base about Novec or
any new fluid that might come along. “This
is very much an experiment,” Vecchione
says. “We’re very interested in seeing how
it will all turn out.” ■
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 29 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

C&EN TALKS WITH
ESTHER S. TAKEUCHI
Industrial battery CHEMIST-TURNED-PROFESSOR conveys lessons learned
RACHEL PETKEWICH, C&EN WEST COAST NEW BUREAU
WHEN THE TEENAGER, call her Nancy, felt what she thought must
have been a smack in her back by her little brother, she whipped
around to retaliate. But he wasn’t there. That’s when she realized
that the defibrillator implanted in her chest had fired a punch of
electricity to counter a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
Esther S. Takeuchi has met a lot of people whose chests harbor implanted
cardiac defibrillators powered by the lithium/silver vanadium
oxide batteries she helped design during her 22-year tenure at the
medical technology firm Greatbatch, in Clarence, N.Y. Takeuchi says
that stories like Nancy’s exemplify why she initially chose a career in
industry: to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
Last year, she thought about other ways of making differences.
That’s when Takeuchi, then the company’s chief scientist, met the
provost of the nearby University at Buffalo (UB), part of the State
University of New York system. He praised her vast knowledge of
intellectual property and experience with product launches and
asked whether she had considered becoming a professor. “And I
thought, well, maybe I can make a contribution in different ways
than I did at Greatbatch,” Takeuchi recalls.
On Sept. 1, 2007, she switched jobs from company executive to
university professor, ready to share wisdom built during her decades
in industry and to encourage students, in particular women,
to give science and engineering careers a go.
The mild-mannered scientist left Greatbatch on excellent
terms. The company offered the UB Foundation $500,000 to endow
Takeuchi for five years, with no strings attached.
As result, Takeuchi is the Greatbatch Professor of Advanced Power
Sources at UB, and she holds appointments in the departments of
chemical and biological engineering, chemistry, and electrical engineering.
At the moment, she is advising five graduate students.
The chemist is no stranger to UB. After she completed a doctorate
in organic chemistry at Ohio State University, she did two
postdocs in electrochemistry: first at the University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, and then at UB when her husband, Kenneth
J. Takeuchi, accepted an assistant professorship there in the chemistry
department. A year later, she took a job as a bench chemist at
Greatbatch. She rose to battery research group leader and then to
the top ranks of company leadership.
TAKEUCHI HAS ALREADY had a distinguished career. She was
elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2004. She holds
more than 140 patents, which some say means she has more patents
than any living woman in the U.S., but available patent statistics
make that claim difficult to confirm.
As Takeuchi reflects on what she hopes to accomplish during
her transition from company executive to academic professor, she
notes overarching differences between industry and academia
with respect to research freedom and infrastructure.
“I think people need to realize in an academic setting just how
lucky they are that when they find something interesting or when
a project breaks a certain way, they can go in that direction,” she
says. That freedom, however, often comes without the extensive
assistance of support services and personnel common in industry.
“If you need pencils in the lab, you’ve got to go buy them,” she says.
This did not stop her from bringing some corporate mentality
into her university setting. In less than six months, her small UB
research group transformed rooms filled with rusted benches and
broken copy machines into state-of-the-art laboratories. “Everyone
in the academic world said, ‘Wow—that is really fast.’ And I
thought, are you kidding? I wanted it yesterday!”
Takeuchi is still getting used to working with students rather than
with seasoned industry professionals. For example, she says, she has
to remind herself that even though the principles underlying various
battery technologies are thoroughly familiar to her, they are foreign
to her students. “It is fun to be able to explain things to students and
have them understand for the first time,” she says. In the spring, she
will tackle her first teaching assignment—an undergraduate class on
energy storage and electrochemistry.
Takeuchi is also excited about the new opportunities her UB
position will open to her for encouraging other women in the science
and engineering community. Before her appointment, there
was just one other woman professor in her departments. “My view
is that being around, even walking around the building is pretty
significant,” Takeuchi says.
From the time she arrived at UB, she has participated in lunches
and coffee hours set up by female graduate students to “just kind of
talk about what life is like” beyond graduate school, she says.
“Women in particular need to understand that nobody really
does it on their own,” she says, noting by way of example that “the
majority of executives that I came across usually had spouses that
didn’t work outside the home.” She credits her success in juggling
industry and a home life with her husband’s pep talks on tough
days and his flexible hours as a professor.
Takeuchi doesn’t regret her the switch to academics. She has
begun thinking holistically about energy storage, energy transfer,
and new sources of energy. In addition, she recently started collaborations
with colleagues in UB’s medical school to develop new
implantable medical devices.
With Takeuchi involved, chances are those fledgling ideas may
end up boosting a female graduate student’s career or eventually
saving more people’s lives. ■
DOUG LEVERE
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 30 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
GARY MEEK/GEORGIA TECH
ACADEMIC R&D
SPENDING TRENDS
Spending on chemical research and on science and
engineering as a whole ROSE A MODERATE 4.3% in 2006
SOPHIE L. ROVNER, C&EN WASHINGTON
ENTHUSIASM FOR INVESTMENT in
research and development in academe appears
to be waning. Funding continued to
expand in fiscal 2006, the most recent year
for which data are available from the National
Science Foundation, but the outlook
is troubling, particularly in light of the current
economic climate.
Overall university and college spending
on science and engineering R&D rose
just 4.3% to $47.8 billion in 2006. That year
marked the fourth in a row in which spending
rose less than the prior year. Average
annual growth from 1996 to 2006 was 7.6%,
but that strong performance owed a lot to
the 9.1 to 10.9% annual increases that occurred
in the first four years of the current
decade. Growth slipped to 7.9% in 2004
and 5.9% the following year. The 2006 expansion
was the smallest since 1996.
Removing inflation from the statistics
shows that total R&D spending by universities
and colleges edged up 1.0% in terms of
constant dollars between 2005 and 2006.
From 1996 to 2006, spending grew a total
of 67.2% in constant dollars, compared
with 107.2% in current dollars.
For many years, basic research has
soaked up three-fourths of the total outlay
on academic R&D. In 2006, $36.0 billion
was funneled into basic research, a rise of
4.9% in current dollars versus 2005. That
growth pales beside the robust 8.8% annual
average increase during the prior decade.
Applied R&D spending rose a mere 2.5%
to $11.7 billion in 2006, well off the 10-year
annual average increase of 4.5%.
Much of academe’s total R&D budget
is supplied by the federal government. In
2006, the federal sector’s $30.0 billion outlay—which
represented an increase of 2.9%
over the prior year—accounted for 62.9%
of total funding. Institutions provided just
19.0% of the total, followed by state and
local governments, with a 6.3% stake, and
industry, with a 5.1% share.
Each year, science absorbs far more academic
R&D dollars than does engineering,
and 2006 was no different, with 85.2% of
the budget directed to science. The $40.7
TUBULAR Chemical
engineers Sankar
Nair (right) and
Suchitra Konduri of
Georgia Tech—one of
the top investors in
chemical engineering
R&D—study
nanotubes made
from metal oxides.
billion investment
in science was
4.2% higher than
in 2005. The largest
sector by far
continued to be the
life sciences, accounting
for 60.4%
of the total academic
R&D budget.
Spending on the
sector rose 4.4% to $28.8 billion in 2006.
The physical sciences, among them
chemistry, physics, and astronomy, were
allotted just 8.0% of total R&D funding
in 2006. Academe invested $3.8 billion
in this category, an increase of 3.2% over
2005. Investment in chemistry rose 4.3%
to $1.4 billion in 2006. That growth maintained
chemistry’s share at 3.0% of the
total R&D budget.
On a constant-dollar basis, chemistry
spending rose a mere 1.0% between 2005
and 2006. From 1996 to 2006, chemical
R&D spending grew a total of 43.3% in
constant dollars, compared with 77.6% in
current dollars.
From 2005 to 2006, engineering spending
grew at a faster rate than science spending,
rising 5.0% in current dollars to reach
$7.1 billion. Engineering’s 14.8% portion
of the total budget was a smidgeon higher
than the prior year’s share.
Materials engineering spending, which
accounted for 1.3% of the total R&D budget
in 2006, grew 5.2% compared with the previous
year to reach $644 million. Chemical
engineering beat that growth rate, rising
a healthy 8.1% to $547 million, for a 1.1%
share of the total budget.
FEDERAL SUPPORT for chemical engineering
rose more than usual. Between
2005 and 2006, investment in the sector
expanded 6.1% to $313 million. Federally
financed materials engineering spending
grew 4.9% to $387 million. Federal investment
in engineering as a whole rose only
2.7% to $4.2 billion in 2006.
Federal support for science R&D in
academe increased just 2.9% to $25.8 billion
between 2005 and 2006. Within the
science sector, the life sciences gained 3.2%
in funding to reach $18.3 billion in 2006.
Chemistry’s pickings were slim, with federal
R&D backing edging up just 2.6% to
$974 million.
MORE ONLINE
For tables on postdocs and grad students; the source of academic funds; and spending on basic and
applied R&D, chemical engineering, and research equipment, visit www.cen-online.org.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 31 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
For the second year in a row, California
Institute of Technology spent more than
any other school on chemical R&D. Its investment
shot up 16.1% to $34.3 million in
2006. Harvard University’s outlay surged
27.7% to $33.9 million, maintaining its
second-place rank for a second consecutive
year.
The University of California, Berkeley,
climbed from fifth to third place by hiking
its spending to $27.3 million in 2006. UC
San Francisco slipped down one spot to
take fourth as its expenditure shrank to
$25.7 million. Meanwhile, the University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, moved from
seventh to fifth with a $25.0 million outlay.
The University of Texas, Austin; Rutgers,
State University of New Jersey; Georgia
Institute of Technology; Pennsylvania
State University; and Texas A&M University
rounded out the list of the 10 biggest
spenders. Georgia Tech and Penn State
were the only newcomers in this top tier
in 2006; they displaced UC San Diego and
Cornell University.
Harvard benefited from the largest
federal allocation for chemical R&D in
2006. Its $31.7 million allotment marked a
31.4% surge over its share in the previous
year. Second-place Caltech pulled in $28.7
million. The federal government provided
less than $20 million each to the next three
schools, UC San Francisco, UC Berkeley,
and Rutgers.
An outlay of $18.9 million boosted Massachusetts
Institute of Technology into
first place in terms of chemical engineering
R&D spending in 2006. The school’s investment
was 37.2% higher compared with
FIELDS OF ACADEMIC R&D SPENDING
On average, annual growth in spending for chemistry has lagged that for life sciences since 1996
ANNUAL CHANGE
$ MILLIONS 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2005–06 1996–2006
ALL SCIENCES $19,341 $20,534 $21,789 $23,273 $25,518 $27,792 $30,872 $34,094 $36,933 $39,039 $40,684 4.2% 7.7%
Life a 12,717 13,593 14,598 15,632 17,471 19,229 21,439 23,757 25,948 27,604 28,831 4.4 8.5
Physical b 2,259 2,372 2,484 2,606 2,713 2,805 3,017 3,276 3,546 3,704 3,823 3.2 5.4
Physics 988 1,059 1,079 1,149 1,208 1,241 1,287 1,418 1,522 1,604 1,608 0.2 5.0
Chemistry 802 821 877 920 962 1,008 1,129 1,226 1,318 1,365 1,424 4.3 5.9
Environmental 1,489 1,533 1,625 1,692 1,765 1,829 2,017 2,194 2,353 2,551 2,602 2.0 5.7
Psychology & social 1,479 1,522 1,576 1,717 1,816 2,027 2,269 2,444 2,458 2,511 2,578 2.7 5.7
Computer 690 710 747 861 876 956 1,125 1,305 1,404 1,406 1,438 2.3 7.6
Mathematical 289 290 311 314 342 360 388 428 448 495 530 7.1 6.3
Other 419 515 449 452 535 585 616 690 774 769 882 14.7 7.7
ALL ENGINEERING $3,708 $3,839 $4,070 $4,261 $4,555 $5,019 $5,522 $5,993 $6,310 $6,738 $7,076 5.0% 6.7%
Materials 349 389 391 384 399 453 468 548 565 612 644 5.2 6.3
Chemical 317 317 327 349 376 414 431 453 493 506 547 8.1 5.6
TOTAL $23,049 $24,373 $25,859 $27,534 $30,073 $32,811 $36,394 $40,087 $43,242 $45,777 $47,760 4.3% 7.6%
NOTE: Institutional fiscal years. Totals may not add because of rounding. a Includes agricultural, biological, medical, and other life sciences. b Includes astronomy, chemistry,
physics, and other physical sciences. SOURCE: National Science Foundation, WebCASPAR Database System
FEDERALLY FINANCED R&D SPENDING AT UNIVERSITIES
Growth in chemistry spending in 2006 was less than half the average annual increase of the prior decade
ANNUAL CHANGE
$ MILLIONS 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2005–06 1996–2006
ALL SCIENCES $11,609 $12,060 $12,799 $13,656 $14,959 $16,382 $18,634 $21,149 $23,728 $25,067 $25,797 2.9% 8.3%
Life a 7,406 7,765 8,334 8,959 10,069 11,201 12,856 14,652 16,667 17,693 18,268 3.2 9.4
Physical b 1,630 1,684 1,762 1,864 1,916 1,974 2,132 2,356 2,569 2,675 2,705 1.1 5.2
Physics 757 803 818 869 902 927 975 1,088 1,169 1,233 1,213 -1.6 4.8
Chemistry 554 552 587 617 631 660 737 819 921 949 974 2.6 5.8
Environmental 1,007 1,013 1,077 1,103 1,134 1,187 1,291 1,446 1,596 1,727 1,763 2.1 5.8
Psychology & social 682 680 725 782 842 947 1,094 1,222 1,284 1,309 1,340 2.4 7.0
Computer 502 506 514 583 584 644 770 937 1,025 1,022 1,015 -0.7 7.3
Mathematical 208 202 214 210 230 242 269 295 318 346 373 7.8 6.0
Other 174 210 173 156 184 187 222 241 269 295 334 13.2 6.7
ALL ENGINEERING $2,232 $2,256 $2,354 $2,447 $2,579 $2,851 $3,230 $3,610 $3,903 $4,125 $4,236 2.7% 6.6%
Materials 190 222 222 218 227 241 263 314 352 369 387 4.9 7.4
Chemical 174 166 169 180 196 215 230 248 268 295 313 6.1 6.0
TOTAL $13,842 $14,316 $15,153 $16,103 $17,538 $19,233 $21,864 $24,759 $27,631 $29,191 $30,033 2.9% 8.1%
ANNUAL CHANGE 3.8% 3.4% 5.8% 6.3% 8.9% 9.7% 13.7% 13.2% 11.6% 5.6% 2.9%
NOTE: Institutional fiscal years. Totals may not add because of rounding. a Includes agricultural, biological, medical, and other life sciences. b Includes astronomy, chemistry,
physics, and other physical sciences. SOURCE: National Science Foundation, WebCASPAR Database System
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 32 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCHOOL SPENDING ON CHEMICAL R&D
Growth in 2006 among top 50 schools came close to average annual growth of the prior decade
RANK
% FEDERAL ANNUAL CHANGE
2006 2005 $ THOUSANDS 1996 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 FUNDS, 2006 a 2005–06 1996–2006
1 1 California Inst. of Technology $15,599 $15,590 $18,099 $22,968 $29,563 $34,322 83.5% 16.1% 8.2%
2 2 Harvard U 11,362 15,549 19,456 22,135 26,572 33,943 93.3 27.7 11.6
3 5 U of California, Berkeley 14,277 21,787 24,907 25,984 25,666 27,315 72.8 6.4 6.7
4 3 U of California, San Francisco na 27,256 28,798 29,609 26,041 25,664 77.8 -1.4 nm
5 7 U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 12,956 20,962 20,949 21,217 22,603 25,034 65.9 10.8 6.8
6 4 U of Texas, Austin 11,393 22,782 23,382 24,154 25,818 24,247 62.5 -6.1 7.8
7 9 Rutgers, State U of New Jersey 7,523 16,891 15,552 16,416 21,049 23,629 74.9 12.3 12.1
8 18 Georgia Inst. of Technology 8,302 8,948 9,652 14,528 17,930 22,837 45.4 27.4 10.6
9 11 Pennsylvania State U 12,670 17,070 18,214 22,330 20,711 22,652 53.3 9.4 6.0
10 8 Texas A&M U 12,478 18,587 19,703 19,475 21,739 22,448 45.0 3.3 6.0
Total, first 10 institutions $106,560 $185,422 $198,712 $218,816 $237,692 $262,091 69.5% 10.3% 9.4%
11 6 U of California, San Diego 9,683 14,593 17,530 19,638 23,028 21,789 80.1 -5.4 8.4
12 13 U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 7,492 13,446 16,045 16,186 18,521 21,280 74.0 14.9 11.0
13 10 Cornell U 11,712 13,340 20,804 20,600 20,770 21,090 68.9 1.5 6.1
14 37 Indiana U 9,081 13,737 14,701 15,642 11,734 19,684 33.0 67.8 8.0
15 15 U of Colorado 12,701 15,623 15,164 14,960 18,251 19,274 87.4 5.6 4.3
16 16 U of Washington, Seattle b 6,914 13,934 16,947 19,354 18,154 18,716 81.4 3.1 10.5
17 22 U of Michigan 6,007 11,623 15,191 14,901 16,435 18,472 70.2 12.4 11.9
18 14 U of California, Los Angeles 10,859 17,758 19,607 20,453 18,377 18,381 73.4 0.0 5.4
19 25 U of Wisconsin, Madison 12,910 15,214 15,546 17,115 15,710 18,348 63.4 16.8 3.6
20 20 U of Massachusetts, Amherst 9,322 13,387 15,688 18,074 17,088 18,146 61.3 6.2 6.9
Total, first 20 institutions $203,241 $328,077 $365,935 $395,739 $415,760 $457,271 69.5% 10.0% 8.4%
21 17 Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 14,856 18,352 20,184 20,926 17,984 18,142 88.2 0.9 2.0
22 19 Northwestern U 7,476 13,776 16,108 17,704 17,825 17,258 79.8 -3.2 8.7
23 26 U of Pennsylvania 12,855 11,107 11,165 12,435 14,751 16,459 90.5 11.6 2.5
24 21 Stanford U 12,010 17,856 18,097 18,863 16,781 16,283 79.7 -3.0 3.1
25 30 U of California, Irvine 10,127 9,949 10,856 11,315 14,192 16,186 67.3 14.1 4.8
26 12 Louisiana State U 4,761 11,104 14,200 13,409 19,134 15,988 52.2 -16.4 12.9
27 27 U of Utah 6,371 10,349 12,247 13,477 14,251 15,136 66.9 6.2 9.0
28 28 U of Minnesota 7,468 9,372 9,569 12,018 14,222 14,204 70.5 -0.1 6.6
29 34 U of Arizona 5,601 9,253 10,874 11,312 13,046 13,734 74.5 5.3 9.4
30 33 Purdue U 10,927 13,553 13,268 12,776 13,070 13,723 70.0 5.0 2.3
Total, first 30 institutions $295,693 $452,748 $502,503 $539,974 $571,016 $614,384 70.7% 7.6% 7.6%
31 35 U of Chicago 7,791 7,387 8,802 10,083 12,108 13,261 58.8 9.5 5.5
32 32 Michigan State U 6,007 14,142 13,230 13,234 13,692 12,927 63.7 -5.6 8.0
33 29 Arizona State U, Tempe 9,087 8,244 10,162 11,376 14,196 12,840 69.2 -9.6 3.5
34 24 U of Florida 8,182 12,154 11,594 13,011 16,153 12,828 72.0 -20.6 4.6
35 36 Johns Hopkins U c 5,581 10,512 11,330 11,890 12,038 12,693 93.6 5.4 8.6
36 50 U of South Carolina 6,321 12,358 8,911 10,515 8,801 12,627 46.7 43.5 7.2
37 23 Ohio State U 10,784 14,174 15,512 14,423 16,378 12,574 63.0 -23.2 1.5
38 31 U of Pittsburgh 5,904 7,668 9,630 13,025 14,031 12,524 80.1 -10.7 7.8
39 41 U of Akron 7,483 10,091 11,260 10,299 10,618 11,645 32.6 9.7 4.5
40 39 State U of New York, Buffalo 5,630 10,407 12,382 11,898 11,158 11,625 50.3 4.2 7.5
Total, first 40 institutions $368,463 $559,885 $615,316 $659,728 $700,189 $739,928 69.5% 5.7% 7.2%
41 88 U of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras 1,775 1,445 2,439 3,244 5,011 10,843 99.4 116.4 19.8
42 38 Virginia Polytechnic Inst. &
6,737 9,524 11,694 11,332 11,382 10,828 55.6 -4.9 4.9
State U
43 46 Florida State U 5,273 13,709 13,321 13,841 9,351 10,825 41.1 15.8 7.5
44 48 U of Texas M. D. Anderson
na na na 8,465 9,041 10,790 53.7 19.3 nm
Cancer Center
45 54 U of Georgia 6,332 6,735 7,521 8,349 8,511 10,437 32.0 22.6 5.1
46 53 U of Notre Dame 8,030 11,252 10,657 11,325 8,591 9,731 90.1 13.3 1.9
47 42 State U of New York, Stony Brook 6,291 8,203 9,007 10,656 10,191 9,388 64.9 -7.9 4.1
48 58 Washington U 3,856 5,993 6,547 7,473 7,910 9,323 74.2 17.9 9.2
49 56 Emory U 5,031 7,526 10,667 7,734 8,223 9,290 87.5 13.0 6.3
50 61 U of California, Davis 3,589 6,249 7,526 8,455 7,692 9,218 74.9 19.8 9.9
Total, first 50 institutions $415,377 $630,521 $694,695 $750,602 $786,092 $840,601 69.1% 6.9% 7.3%
TOTAL, ALL INSTITUTIONS $802,219 $1,128,859 $1,225,607 $1,317,727 $1,365,306 $1,424,307 68.4% 4.3% 5.9%
NOTE: Institutional fiscal years. a Share of total expenditures funded by the federal government. b Corrected data for 2005 provided to C&EN by the university. c Includes funding
for the Applied Physics Lab. na = not available. nm = not meaningful. SOURCE: National Science Foundation, WebCASPAR Database System
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 33 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOLS WITH MOST FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR CHEMICAL R&D
Top 10 schools’ growth in 2006 funding was more than twice that of the top 50
RANK
ANNUAL CHANGE
2006 2005 $ THOUSANDS 1996 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2005–06 1996–2006
1 2 Harvard U $10,608 $13,637 $17,490 $19,617 $24,109 $31,683 31.4% 11.6%
2 1 California Inst. of Technology 12,478 12,135 15,279 19,685 25,171 28,662 13.9 8.7
3 3 U of California, San Francisco na 20,915 22,787 22,215 19,621 19,962 1.7 nm
4 4 U of California, Berkeley 12,050 15,867 17,078 19,988 19,200 19,891 3.6 5.1
5 6 Rutgers, State U of New Jersey 5,467 11,031 10,992 12,276 16,893 17,695 4.7 12.5
6 5 U of California, San Diego 8,118 11,311 12,749 14,648 18,133 17,451 -3.8 8.0
7 9 U of Colorado 9,442 13,602 13,251 12,843 15,716 16,842 7.2 6.0
8 10 U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 7,616 12,266 12,336 14,295 15,694 16,496 5.1 8.0
9 8 Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 13,735 16,357 17,551 18,774 16,149 16,004 -0.9 1.5
10 12 U of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 6,285 9,294 12,455 12,753 14,707 15,757 7.1 9.6
Total, first 10 institutions $85,799 $136,415 $151,968 $167,094 $185,393 $200,443 8.1% 8.9%
11 11 U of Washington, Seattle a 4,847 8,656 12,522 17,900 15,212 15,243 0.2 12.1
12 7 U of Texas, Austin 6,294 14,104 15,122 16,136 16,523 15,163 -8.2 9.2
13 19 U of Pennsylvania 12,181 10,158 9,505 10,852 12,352 14,892 20.6 2.0
14 16 Cornell U 8,805 8,944 15,897 15,350 13,398 14,528 8.4 5.1
15 14 Northwestern U 5,266 10,134 11,484 13,631 14,549 13,767 -5.4 10.1
16 13 U of California, Los Angeles 9,338 13,074 14,598 15,453 14,666 13,491 -8.0 3.7
17 15 Stanford U 10,509 14,844 15,496 16,668 14,250 12,970 -9.0 2.1
18 18 U of Michigan 4,449 9,041 11,202 11,701 12,628 12,962 2.6 11.3
19 17 Pennsylvania State U 8,294 10,312 11,001 14,573 13,227 12,082 -8.7 3.8
20 22 Johns Hopkins U b 5,293 10,090 10,753 11,028 11,316 11,875 4.9 8.4
Total, first 20 institutions $161,075 $245,772 $279,548 $310,386 $323,514 $337,416 4.3% 7.7%
21 29 U of Wisconsin, Madison 9,318 8,053 9,174 10,830 9,696 11,624 19.9 2.2
22 28 U of Massachusetts, Amherst 5,320 7,103 8,567 10,315 9,857 11,123 12.8 7.7
23 26 U of California, Irvine 7,529 7,196 7,175 6,931 10,281 10,901 6.0 3.8
24 59 U of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras 1,662 1,079 2,380 3,117 4,951 10,779 117.7 20.6
25 27 Georgia Inst. of Technology 4,274 4,356 4,934 8,500 10,201 10,360 1.6 9.3
26 31 U of Arizona 3,912 6,853 8,174 8,758 9,587 10,235 6.8 10.1
27 32 U of Utah 5,949 7,186 7,902 9,164 9,421 10,130 7.5 5.5
28 21 Texas A&M U 7,518 8,450 8,532 8,652 11,642 10,098 -13.3 3.0
29 20 U of Pittsburgh 5,234 6,628 8,516 11,283 11,800 10,037 -14.9 6.7
30 23 U of Minnesota 5,864 6,866 7,051 8,956 11,026 10,014 -9.2 5.5
Total, first 30 institutions $217,655 $309,542 $351,953 $396,892 $421,976 $442,717 4.9% 7.4%
31 33 Purdue U 7,657 8,496 8,219 8,419 8,931 9,604 7.5 2.3
32 24 U of Florida 4,197 7,901 7,262 9,667 10,427 9,237 -11.4 8.2
33 34 Arizona State U, Tempe 4,426 4,401 5,513 6,259 8,430 8,886 5.4 7.2
34 40 U of Notre Dame 7,100 8,886 9,559 10,204 7,730 8,768 13.4 2.1
35 25 Louisiana State U 2,511 7,005 7,470 8,454 10,293 8,344 -18.9 12.8
36 36 Michigan State U 3,839 6,186 7,452 8,358 8,112 8,235 1.5 7.9
37 42 Emory U 3,821 4,615 5,729 6,764 7,345 8,127 10.6 7.8
38 30 Ohio State U 7,827 7,691 8,271 9,461 9,612 7,916 -17.6 0.1
39 35 U of Chicago 6,938 6,020 6,775 7,315 8,213 7,792 -5.1 1.2
40 43 Columbia U 6,475 6,145 7,341 6,655 7,253 7,167 -1.2 1.0
Total, first 40 institutions $272,446 $376,888 $425,544 $478,448 $508,322 $526,793 3.6% 6.8%
41 39 U of Southern Mississippi 3,523 4,597 5,636 5,861 7,741 6,991 -9.7 7.1
42 54 Washington U 3,134 4,470 4,744 5,401 5,625 6,918 23.0 8.2
43 52 U of California, Davis 3,371 4,783 5,488 6,628 6,004 6,908 15.1 7.4
44 49 Colorado State U 4,830 5,705 5,372 6,005 6,531 6,624 1.4 3.2
45 45 Indiana U 6,648 5,584 6,503 6,920 6,766 6,494 -4.0 -0.2
46 48 Yale U 4,848 5,199 5,991 6,348 6,534 6,456 -1.2 2.9
47 57 U of California, Santa Cruz 4,564 4,464 5,055 6,108 5,114 6,443 26.0 3.5
48 38 U of Virginia 4,413 6,498 7,234 8,036 7,748 6,216 -19.8 3.5
49 44 Princeton U 5,979 7,920 7,397 8,271 7,065 6,158 -12.8 0.3
50 50 State U of New York, Stony Brook 4,068 5,735 6,287 7,060 6,486 6,094 -6.0 4.1
Total, first 50 institutions $317,824 $431,843 $485,251 $545,086 $573,936 $592,095 3.2% 6.4%
TOTAL, ALL INSTITUTIONS $553,784 $736,953 $819,409 $920,990 $948,640 $973,740 2.6% 5.8%
NOTE: Institutional fiscal years. a Corrected data for 2005 provided to C&EN by the university. b Includes funding for the Applied Physics Lab. na = not available.
nm = not meaningful. SOURCE: National Science Foundation, WebCASPAR Database System
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 34 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

TOP 25 UNIVERSITIES IN 2006 R&D SPENDING
Top schools invested only 2.5% of their R&D funds in chemistry
RANK
LIFE
PHYSICAL
ENVIRON-
MENTAL
MATH &
COMPUTER OTHER
2006 2005 $ MILLIONS SCIENCES a ENGINEERING SCIENCES b CHEMISTRY c SCIENCES SCIENCES SCIENCES TOTAL
1 1 Johns Hopkins U d $702 $467 $140 $13 $40 $97 $53 $1,500
2 3 U of Wisconsin, Madison 508 93 56 18 83 21 72 832
3 4 U of California, Los Angeles 610 52 59 18 11 23 57 811
4 2 U of Michigan 481 152 41 18 11 12 103 800
5 5 U of California, San Francisco 770 0 26 26 0 0 0 796
6 8 U of Washington, Seattle 542 75 34 19 92 7 29 778
7 6 U of California, San Diego 404 83 50 22 127 68 22 755
8 7 Stanford U 389 149 73 16 20 30 19 679
9 9 U of Pennsylvania 547 33 33 16 1 11 52 676
10 10 Duke U 554 35 18 6 14 11 26 657
11 12 Ohio State U 373 135 28 13 9 47 60 652
12 13 Cornell U 411 77 90 21 6 32 33 649
13 11 Pennsylvania State U 201 236 64 23 53 43 48 644
14 14 Massachusetts Inst. of
173 220 98 18 27 54 29 601
Technology
15 17 U of Minnesota 435 55 28 14 14 24 38 595
16 18 U of California, Davis 426 59 24 9 26 12 26 573
17 16 Texas A&M U 263 162 38 22 71 16 18 569
18 21 U of Florida 390 93 34 13 10 10 28 565
19 20 Washington U 491 15 17 9 5 8 12 548
20 15 U of California, Berkeley 181 148 106 27 10 9 93 546
21 22 U of Arizona 253 80 149 14 11 12 31 536
22 23 U of Pittsburgh 459 21 19 13 1 7 23 530
23 19 Columbia U 368 38 34 8 58 11 22 530
24 24 U of Colorado 288 37 64 19 91 10 24 513
25 25 U of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 129 125 57 25 42 85 39 476
Total, listed institutions $10,347 $2,641 $1,379 $421 $834 $658 $953 $16,812
TOTAL, ALL INSTITUTIONS $28,831 $7,076 $3,823 $1,424 $2,602 $1,968 $3,460 $47,760
NOTE: Institutional fiscal years. Totals may not add because of rounding. a Includes agricultural, biological, medical, and other life sciences. b Includes astronomy, chemistry,
physics, and other physical sciences. c Included in physical sciences. d Includes Applied Physics Lab expenditures.
SOURCE: National Science Foundation, WebCASPAR Database System
spending in 2005. North Carolina State
University placed second, with $16.5 million
in spending. Penn State, Georgia Tech,
and UT Austin rounded out the top five.
MIT also topped the list of schools with
the most federal support for chemical
engineering R&D in 2006. The government’s
$13.2 million contribution to MIT
dwarfed the $8.9 million given to secondplace
Arizona State University, Tempe. The
other top five schools—Penn State, Johns
Hopkins, and the University of Michigan—
received slightly less than Arizona State.
After three years of declines, school
spending on chemical research equipment
rebounded in 2006. Universities and colleges
poured $120.7 million into these assets,
some 7.8% more than in 2005. Meanwhile,
the top 25 schools spent a whopping
57.0% more than they did in the prior year,
bringing their 2006 total to $50.9 million.
Indiana University’s $5.1 million outlay
put it in first place on the 2006 list. The
University of Colorado came in second,
with a $3.8 million investment, followed by
UC San Diego, with $3.6 million in spending.
Harvard and Rutgers placed fourth and
fifth, respectively.
Total federal support for chemical
research equipment slipped modestly in
2006. The government provided universities
and colleges with $79.3 million, or
1.4% less than in 2005. Almost half went to
the top 25 schools, which collected $35.8
million. The largest federal grants went to
the University of Colorado, UC San Diego,
Harvard, UC San Francisco, and Rutgers.
THE NUMBER of students seeking graduate
degrees in chemistry continued a longterm
growth trend in 2006. The year’s 1.2%
rise brought the total to 21,351. The population
of chemical engineering grad students
rose the same percentage, to 7,261 in 2006.
As is usual, about half the chemical engineering
students were foreign, whereas
more than one-third of the chemists were
from outside the U.S.
The number of postdoctoral appointments
for chemists shrank for the second
year in a row, slipping 4.1% to 4,044. Chemical
engineering postdocs fared better:
Their numbers rose 2.8% to 722 in 2006.
Data for this article were drawn primarily
from NSF’s WebCASPAR database of academic
science and engineering statistics,
which can be accessed online at caspar.nsf.
gov. Further information came from NSF’s
annual Academic Research & Development
Expenditures Report, which can be viewed
at www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf08300.
Note that numbers from different tables
may not match because of rounding. ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 35 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACS COMMENT
Putting A Human Face On Chemistry:
Presidential Call To Arms
THOMAS H. LANE, PRESIDENT-ELECT, AND WAYNE E. JONES JR., CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON LOCAL SECTION ACTIVITIES
WE BELIEVE STRONGLY in the ACS vision,
“Improving people’s lives through the
transforming power of chemistry.” It is a
powerful and direct statement that truly
underscores what we as chemists do for
society: help people.
Unfortunately, not everyone understands
or believes that this is what chemists
do. A more common perception is that
chemists “mix things” or “blow stuff up.”
To be successful, to make a dent in the
misperceptions surrounding chemistry,
chemists, and chemicals, ACS needs your
help. Will you commit to helping put a
human face on chemistry by building new
relationships within your communities
and across the globe? If so, the society
needs you to create and provide educational
opportunities and experiences to
help the general public better understand
that anything they can see, touch, taste,
or smell—anything they can perceive—is
composed of chemicals, the raw materials
we use to create substances which improve
people’s lives.
In an effort to help ACS local sections
educate their communities about what
chemists do professionally and the role
chemistry plays in everyday life, the society
has created the Local Section Partnership
Project. Each local section has received a
“presidential call to arms” to start conversations
with people, service groups, and organizations
that might fall outside its usual
interactions. Specifically, ACS wants local
sections to partner, to develop a relationship
with a non-sciencebased
service or community
organization, and to
cosponsor an event that
educates the public about
chemistry. Partnership
examples could include,
but certainly are not limited
to, Big Brothers Big
Sisters of America, Girl
& Boy Scouts of America,
local fire stations, community youth centers,
or nature parks.
Venues like these are rife with people who
are experts at mentoring young people, and
are constantly looking for ways to productively
interact with children. It’s fine to take
youngsters to ball games
or help them conduct car
washes and other such activities,
but why not help them
discover chemistry and how
it improves our daily lives?
Many of these organizations
are looking for innovative
programs and activities for
kids to do, so why not make
them chemistry-based?
Perhaps your student affiliates
chapter could make
contact with some of these
service organizations and
Will you commit to
helping put a human
face on chemistry
by building new
relationships within
your communities and
across the globe?
Jones
discuss how you might team up and do some
chemistry demonstrations for the children.
And while you’re at it, let them know that
as chemists, we create things that improve
lives and we help people.
ACS CHALLENGES YOU to use technology
in creative ways so that your message
will be received and understood by Generations
X, Y, and, most important, Z. It is essential
that we help our youth understand
that the issues facing the planet today are
extremely complicated but that they can
contribute to the solutions by studying
math and science. Give them permission
to be anything that they
choose and help them
understand the tremendous
contributions that
are made today through
chemistry.
Measuring the success
of collaborations such
as these is no easy task.
However, it’s central
to everything we do as
Lane
scientists and engineers. It is imperative
that chemists measure the outcomes of
our work, no matter how hard it might be.
We also believe that we need to measure
perceptions, which is another very difficult
thing to do. If we hope to have a positive influence,
we must understand the attitudes
of people—especially students—toward
science, technology, engineering, and
math. This will require an investment of
time, money, and personal commitment. It
is an investment that we firmly believe will
pay off in the long run for all of society.
Grants of up to $500 are available
through the Committee on Local Section
Activities. More information and application
forms are available on www.acs.org/
getinvolved. What outreach or community
activity would be most effective at putting
a human face on chemistry and how can we
make it happen? We invite you to send us
your comments, thoughts, or suggestions
to maingeek1@gmail.com, tom.lane@
charter. net, or wjones@binghamton.edu.
We really do want to hear from you.
Being connected with your community
is central to spreading the word about the
contributions of chemists and chemistry
to the lives of all citizens. Together, chemists
can extend our hands in friendship and
work to create a better understanding of
the transforming power of chemistry. ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 36 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACS NEWS
OFFICIAL REPORTS
FROM THE
PHILADELPHIA MEETING
The major actions taken by the American
Chemical Society Board and Council during
the national meeting in Philadelphia were
reported in C&EN, Sept. 15, page 48. Following
is the last installment of official committee
reports from that meeting. The first group was
published in the Oct. 27 issue.
BOARD COMMITTEE
REPORTS
OTHER BOARD STANDING AND
JOINT BOARD-COUNCIL
COMMITTEES
CHEMICAL ABSTRACTS SERVICE
The committee met in executive session on
Aug. 15 and in open session with the Joint
Board-Council Committee on Publications
and the Division of Chemical Information
on Aug. 18. Chemical Abstracts Service
(CAS) management reported on a number
of new CAplus and Registry content developments
including record timeliness of
Asian patent coverage and a significant increase
in the number of experimental and
predicted physical properties.
The Web version of SciFinder was discussed
along with an announcement that
SciFinder provides the largest collection of
disclosed chemical synthesis information,
with more than 29 million preparations including
single- and multistep reactions.
During the committee session, Sabine
Brünger-Weilandt, the president and chief
executive officer of FIZ-Karlsruhe, gave an
overview of the STN Partnership and the
FIZ-Karlsruhe business. FIZ-Karlsruhe is
a nonprofit service institution within the
German government, and their task is to
make science and technology information
publicly available worldwide and to provide
related services. CAS and FIZ-Karlsruhe
are partners for STN International. In
related discussion, committee members
learned about new enhancements to the
STN family of products.
The committee continues to fulfill its
responsibilities to provide a conduit for
communication from members to CAS
management. Members relay questions,
concerns, and suggestions from colleagues,
as well as from their own academic or
industrial perspective. CAS management
reports on the response and progress to
committee feedback at each meeting.—
PATRICIA L. DEDERT, CHAIR
CHEMICAL SAFETY
At its meeting in Philadelphia, the Committee
on Chemical Safety (CCS) reviewed the
progress of 2008 activities, which mainly
focused on organization. CCS discussed
final changes to the “Operations Manual,”
a document designed to familiarize committee
members as well as the society with
CCS’s work and what is expected of members,
associates, consultants, and liaisons.
A number of new appointments were
made, including recording secretary and
liaisons to Occupational Safety & Health
Administration (for the Process Safety
Alliance), to the Women Chemists Committee,
to the Academy of Hazardous
Material Managers, to the Local Section
Activities Committee (LSAC), and to the
International Activities Committee (IAC).
The LSAC appointment is in support of the
ACS partnership with the Environmental
Protection Agency on the School Chemical
Cleanout Campaign (SC3). The committee
serves as the ACS representative on the
SC3 campaign and will continue to assist
ACS members who would like to help their
local school districts with chemical management
and disposal.
CCS has numerous publications in print
and works continuously to keep these
updated. The committee discussed final
edits to two publications to be released this
year, “Chemical Safety for Small Chemical
Businesses” and an add-on to “Safety in
Academic Chemistry Laboratories,” which
consisted of a narrated PowerPoint CD on
eye protection.
In late June, the committee completed
a two-year process of developing a list of
chemicals that should not be in secondary
school inventories. This list, along with
recommendations on safe use of chemicals
in secondary schools, has been published
in the document titled “Reducing Risks to
Students and Educators from Hazardous
Chemicals in a Secondary School Chemical
Inventory.” This new resource is available
at the committee website, membership.
acs.org/c/ccs. The committee also continues
to monitor current studies on nanotechnology
safety.
The committee also reviewed the “ACS
Strategic Plan 2008 and Beyond” for additional
projects within the overall scope of
the society’s strategic thrusts.—RUSSELL W.
PHIFER, CHAIR
CHEMISTRY & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The Committee on Chemistry & Public Affairs
(CCPA) advises and recommends ACS
action on public policy matters involving
the chemical sciences and technologies.
This spring, CCPA partnered with the
Divisional Activities Committee to invite
divisions’ comments on the ACS research
funding policy statements to better engage
the expertise of ACS members.
At the Philadelphia meeting, CCPA
members continued the effort by speaking
at the Division of Polymer Chemistry, the
Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry,
and the Division of Chemical Education
meetings about the areas of research funding
important to division members.
In March, CCPA members visited members
of Congress to advocate for increased
science and technology support. Our message
focused on the America Competes
Act, passed last year, which authorizes
doubling research funding at the National
Science Foundation, the Department
of Energy, and the National Institute of
Standards & Technology. CCPA members
visited more than 20 congressional offices,
joining forces with more than 200 scientists
from other scientific organizations,
universities, and business groups to highlight
the importance of research funding to
our nation’s future competitiveness.
Annually, we select two congressional
fellows from ACS member applicants to
work in a congressional office for one year.
These fellows bring informed scientific
perspectives to the issues on the congressional
agenda. Recent graduates as well as
more seasoned midcareer applicants are
encouraged to apply.
Additionally, CCPA is working to involve
the local sections more in advocacy at the
state level, working with the government
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 37 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACS NEWS
affairs staff to recruit a government affairs
committee for each local section, and supporting
a pilot program to rejuvenate advocacy
efforts focusing on science education
at the state level.—KRISTIN M. OMBERG,
CHAIR
CHEMISTS WITH DISABILITIES
The Committee on Chemists with Disabilities
(CWD) met at the 236th ACS national
meeting in Philadelphia on Monday, Aug.
18, and set up a working group to develop
a “CWD User’s Manual” as a guide to new
committee members.
The details of the planned reprint of
“Teaching Chemistry to Students with
Disabilities: A Manual for High Schools,
Colleges & Graduate Programs” were finalized
and a public book release luncheon
is planned for the spring meeting in Salt
Lake City. The committee is developing
ideas to contribute to a symposium as part
of the Joint Subcommittee on Diversity in
support of the thematic program at the fall
2009 meeting in Washington, D.C.
As part of the committee’s ongoing
efforts to improve ACS programs for
chemists with disabilities, the committee
reviewed its collaborations with other
committees including Chemical Safety,
Meetings & Expositions, Community Activities,
Women Chemists, and Economic
& Professional Affairs.—JAMES M. LANDIS
JR., CHAIR
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
The Committee on Community Activities
(CCA) is thrilled to report another successful
Chemists Celebrate Earth Day celebration.
This year’s theme was “Streaming
Chemistry,” which focused on bodies of
water.
More than 130 local sections participated
along with numerous student affiliate
chapters and high school chemistry clubs.
The K–12 students’ illustrated haiku contest
received hundreds of entries. Winners were
awarded cash prizes for their creativity and
artistry with the year’s theme. The celebration
reached more than 13 million people
through various media outlets. Developments
are under way for the 2009 theme,
“Air—The Sky’s the Limit.” In addition,
CCA is exploring ways to integrate sustainability
into its Earth Day theme topics.
On Tuesday evening, CCA presented
ChemLuminary Awards to local sections
that have demonstrated exemplary performance
in the development and implementation
of activities conducted safely
in support of National Chemistry Week
(NCW). Additionally, for the first time, local
sections were recognized with a Chem-
Luminary for their outstanding Chemists
Celebrate Earth Day activities.
Local sections recognized for the excellent
achievements were Cincinnati,
Delaware, Erie, Florida, Illinois Heartland,
Kalamazoo, Midland, Puerto Rico, and
Virginia.
NCW will be celebrated on Oct. 19–25
with its theme, “Having a Ball with Chemistry!”
The theme will focus on the chemistry
of sports. The free publication Celebrating
Chemistry, which is geared toward elementary
school children, features hands-on
activities and articles. The American
Chemistry Council will partner to provide
resources and help promote NCW to its
member companies. CCA approved the
2010 theme title, “Behind the Scenes with
Chemistry,” which will focus on the chemistry
behind movies and television shows.
To finish off the year, CCA will host a
“webinar” for first-year community outreach
coordinators. Selected local sections
will be asked to collect postevent data as
part of evaluating the efficacy of public
outreach efforts.—INGRID MONTES, CHAIR
CORPORATION ASSOCIATES
The Committee on Corporation Associates
(CCA) advises and influences ACS to
ensure that its products and services are
of value to industrial members and their
companies.
The Educational Outreach Subcommittee
reviewed CCA activities with the Undergraduate
Student Roundtable and the
Graduate Student Roundtable, activities
with the Division of Chemical Technicians
and the Committee on Technician Affairs,
mentoring programs from the Committee
on Minority Affairs, and the Preparing for
Life after Graduate School program.
The subcommittee suggested the collection
of a list of best mentoring and
outreach programs at CCA member institutions
to promote chemistry to the
general public using short videos of chemists
in industry and collaborating with the
Department of Career Management &
Development and the Office of Continuing
Education on programs for midcareer
chemists.
The Awards/Finance & Grants Subcommittee
reported that CCA received
one funding proposal totaling $10,000.
Funding was provided for the the ACS
Undergraduate Office ($5,000 for the
CCA Undergraduate Roundtable with an
additional $15 for each additional student
after 100 students for up to $8,250). The
Programs Subcommittee was disbanded
in favor of programming through the
Public Policy and Educational Outreach
Subcommittees.
The Public Policy Subcommittee will
coordinate with the Committee on Chemistry
& Public Affairs on a statement for the
reauthorization of the Toxic Substances
Control Act and will coordinate with other
scientific societies, such as the Council
for Chemical Research, on identifying all
chemical research in the various federal
agencies. The subcommittee will also host
a Science & the Congress briefing in November
on the innovation pipeline, which
will be coordinated with CCA fly-in congressional
visits in support of 2009 science
funding legislation.
CCA will be meeting on Oct. 10–11 in
Washington, D.C., to formulate its strategic
plan for 2009–10, evaluate its ongoing activities,
and initiate new activities. CCA approved
the Global Innovations Imperatives
(Gii)-Water Advisory Group.
Staff reported on the Department of
Industry Member Programs’ activities
since the New Orleans meeting. The report
covered Heroes of Chemistry and Regional
Industrial Innovation Awards programs;
the ACS/Pharma Leaders Meeting (October
2008); Gii programming in New Delhi,
Philadelphia, and Shanghai; and activities
in industrial biotechnology. —ROSLYN L.
WHITE, CHAIR
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
The Committee on Environmental Improvement
(CEI) has engaged with the
board of directors to lay out an imperative
for ACS leadership in sustainability within
the context of ACS strategic goal three on
empowering chemists to address global
challenges.
CEI worked with the ACS Green Chemistry
Institute (GCI), the Committee on
Science, and others to delineate principles,
policies, and programs in this area. The
committee is now addressing the board
request to refine the proposal and more
clearly define activities and outcomes.
At the spring meeting, CEI and the
Committee on Corporation Associates
led a symposium and workshop to identify
incentives and barriers to the industrial
adoption of sustainable chemistry. The
project was an opportunity to cooperate
with GCI, several ACS technical divisions,
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 38 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

and several units of the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers. CEI now is working
to disseminate the outcomes of the discussion
and update the ACS public policy
statement on sustainability.
CEI worked with the Local Section
Activities Committee to host a successful
Science Café at the Philadelphia meeting
highlighting issues related to drinking
water. CEI also continues work with the
Society Committee on Education to include
sustainable chemistry concepts more
completely in curricular materials for undergraduates
and graduate students.
In other public policy activities, CEI is
working on a statement draft on endocrine
disruptors and with the Committee on
Chemistry & Public Affairs to update the
ACS position on energy.—CHARLES E. KOLB
JR., CHAIR
INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
The International Activities Committee
(IAC) was established in 1962 in recognition
of the need for ACS to cooperate with
scientists internationally and to highlight
the application of chemistry to the worldwide
needs of humanity.
At its meeting in Philadelphia, IAC approved
a new charter in culmination of its
April 2008 summit in New Orleans and an
earlier IAC report on reforming its mission,
goals, and structure to explore opportunities
to refine its alignment with the 2008
ACS Strategic Plan and the international
interests of the ACS Board of Directors.
The new IAC Charter, quoted below,
reflects committee interests in developing
mechanisms to activate its collective
expertise and networks to use chemistry
to solve global challenges. It also helps the
society be more welcoming to international
members and appropriately extend
its international networks and its global
partnerships and alliances for the benefit
of society members.
The International Activities Committee
is a resource for proactively advocating,
catalyzing, initiating, and implementing ACS
international activities, conferences, and initiatives
pertaining to education and research &
development of broad scientific understanding,
appreciation of chemistry, and promotion of
the image of chemistry. This will happen in
collaboration with other national and international
organizations.
Specifically, the committee will
■ Study ongoing initiatives and inform
ACS entities on effective practices and projects
related to international activities;
■ Proactively advise and make recommendations
to the board on the science and engineering
policies that transcend national
boundaries;
■ Ensure implementation of board policies
and activities pertaining to global strategies;
■ Catalyze, support, and maintain liaisons
and collaborations between national and international
science and engineering organizations
in concert with other efforts within the
ACS structure;
■ Enable ACS to advocate for scientific freedom
and human rights as they relate to practitioners
of chemical and related sciences; and
■ Identify ways in which ACS can raise the
profile of, and meaningfully and appropriately
be more welcoming to, the global community of
chemical scientists and engineers.
IAC also heard and approved ACS Strategic
Plan-driven charters and operational
priorities from its new subcommittees:
Subcommittee I: Americas, Africa, and the
Middle East; Subcommittee II: Europe;
Subcommittee III: Asia Pacific Rim; and
Subcommittee IV: Scientific Freedom/Human
Rights.
IAC reaffirmed its support of the principles
embodied in the Malta series and looks
forward to receiving information on plans
for Malta 4, which has been scheduled for
November 2009 in Jordan.
Our IAC luncheon speaker was Sharon
Shoemaker of the University of California,
Davis; she presented on and challenged
IAC to think about its role in sustainability,
energy, and food.
IAC welcomed visiting international
dignitaries from the International Union
of Pure & Applied Chemistry, the German
Chemical Society, and the European Association
for Chemical & Molecular Sciences.
IAC Philadelphia meeting participants also
heard updates on its recently catalyzed activities
in Asia, Latin America, and Europe,
including a new 2008 ACS International
Research Experience for Undergraduates
program; in a partnership with PITTCON,
plans to help organize an IAC-facilitated
delegation of analytical chemists from
southern Mexico and Central America to
attend PITTCON 2009 in Chicago; the
ACS Transatlantic Frontiers of Chemistry
Symposium this summer in the U.K.; outcomes
from ACS-contributed technical
content to the 2008 Latin American Federation
of Chemical Associations Congress
in Puerto Rico; and plans for the International
Year of Chemistry in 2011.
IAC received a report on an ACS Visa
Policy Statement expiring in 2008 and
agreed to establish a working group on
the topic in collaboration with the Society
Committee on Education. Finally, IAC discussed
and implemented 2007 CPC guidelines
on optimizing its liaison relationships
with other ACS committees.—NINA I.
MCCLELLAND, CHAIR
MINORITY AFFAIRS
During its meeting in Philadelphia, the
Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA) restated
its mission: To increase the participation
of minority chemical scientists and
influence policy on behalf of minorities in
the ACS and the chemical enterprise.
CMA worked to align its strategic plan
with the ACS 2008 Strategic Plan, focusing
on goal two, as related to involving all
members and scientific professionals in
advancing science education and research.
CMA collaborated with the Joint Subcommittee
on Diversity in providing nominees
for the Diversity Partner Program
pilot developed by the respective subcommittee
of the ACS Board Committee on
Professional & Member Relations (P&MR).
The selected candidates include representatives
from four communities: African
American, Hispanic, Native American,
and Asian. CMA will support the work of
the Diversity Partners as they develop and
implement the program.
CMA received a record number of
nominations for the Stanley C. Israel Regional
Award for Advancing Diversity in
the Chemical Sciences for 2008. To date,
four awards have been presented at the
spring regional meetings and three more
are planned for the fall.
CMA also hosted the reception and luncheon
in Philadelphia honoring the 40th
Anniversary of Project SEED, with sellout
attendance of more than 220 including
more than 100 Project SEED students, ACS
Scholars, coordinators, mentors, and major
supporters.
For the 2009 spring meeting, CMA plans
a symposium on Educational Innovations
for Two-Year Colleges.—LINETTE M.
WATKINS, CHAIR; MARIA G. V. ROSENTHAL,
ACTING CHAIR
PATENTS & RELATED MATTERS
The Committee on Patents & Related Matters
(CPRM) focuses its efforts in three
main areas: providing ACS members and
the general public with information about
patents and other intellectual property issues
important within the chemical enterprise,
nominating notable chemist-inven-
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 39 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACS NEWS
tors for national awards that recognize the
innovations and contributions of chemists
to society, and monitoring legislative and
regulatory developments influencing intellectual
property in ways that impact the
chemical enterprise.
At this meeting, CPRM discussed proposed
legislative and regulatory changes to
the U.S. patent system and the potential effects
such matters might have on industry
and academia as well as on ACS. CPRM also
continued its work on several new educational
tools to assist and inform members
on patent issues and other intellectual
property matters important to a successful
career in the chemical enterprise. Many of
these tools are now available on the committee’s
expanded website, membership.
acs.org/C/CPRM.
Finally, CPRM continued its work with
respect to nominating deserving scientists
for inclusion in the National Inventors
Hall of Fame and for the National Medal
of Technology & Innovation.—ANDREW G.
GILICINSKI, CHAIR
PLANNING
The committee focused on supporting
the ongoing implementation of the “ACS
Strategic Plan for 2008 and Beyond” and
preparing for the plan’s annual revision.
Representatives of the Council Policy
Committee, Divisional Activities Committee,
and Local Section Activities Committee
provided reports on their activities to
engage their important communities.
The committee continued its engagement
with other ACS committees through
consideration of the broad range of strategies
and metrics developed in support of
the plan and began a process for selecting
top priorities to recommend to the board.
Committee members took time to carefully
review each of the goals and the strategies
and metrics proposed to support them.
To ensure that the plan remains responsive
to emerging trends, an environmental
scan was undertaken this summer, and an
interim report was reviewed in Philadelphia.
The committee has also taken into
consideration its continued role in shaping
the plan and the creation of initiatives that
support it.
To reinforce strategic goal number four,
“ACS will be a leader in communicating to
the general public the nature and value of
chemistry and related sciences,” the committee
suggests a key message: “I am proud
to be a chemist because I improve people’s
lives through chemistry.” This should
provide a gateway to discussions on how
chemistry and chemists improve our daily
lives. The meeting concluded with a review
of the progress the society has made in
2008 operations so far this year.—JUDITH L.
BENHAM, CHAIR
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
At the August 2008 meeting, the Committee
on Professional Training (CPT) discussed
three updates and two site visit reports.
With the approval of two new schools, the
total number of colleges and universities
offering ACS-approved bachelor’s degree
programs in chemistry is now 647.
The committee devoted a substantial
portion of its August meeting to refining
the policies for evaluating chemistry
programs under the newly adopted ACS
Guidelines. Departments interested in
obtaining ACS approval will be able to begin
this process under the new guidelines
beginning on Oct. 1. The committee also
updated the content of several topical and
disciplinary supplements to support the
new guidelines, and they will be published
on the ACS website later this fall.
As part of CPT’s efforts to encourage
diversity within the chemistry profession,
a joint subcommittee of CPT and the Committee
on Minority Affairs will hold a workshop
in September with Tribal Colleges
and Native American-serving institutions
that will include participants from 25 colleges
and universities and ACS President
Bruce E. Bursten. Another workshop
will be held in November with Hispanicserving
institutions that will include more
than 40 participants. The structure of these
workshops will parallel that of CPT’s 2004
workshop with Historically Black Colleges
& Universities and other African American-serving
institutions.
The committee has published a report
on its Survey of Ph.D. Programs in Chemistry
in the latest CPT Newsletter, which compares
the current characteristics of Ph.D.
programs with those of a decade ago. A
similar survey of master’s degree programs
is under way.—WILLIAM F. POLIK, CHAIR
PUBLICATIONS
The committee discussed its strategic plan,
which has two focal points: regularly monitoring
the quality of ACS journals to help
ensure that they remain among the most
important information resources for scientific
communities worldwide, and expanding
communication with ACS members
about the committee’s activities, C&EN
procedures, and scholarly communication
issues.
ACS Chemical Biology, Journal of Medicinal
Chemistry, and Nano Letters were
monitored. The next publications to be
monitored are Crystal Growth & Design and
the Journal of Physical Chemistry A, B, and C.
Editor-in-chief reappointments for several
journals were recommended.
The Sales & Marketing Group is working
closely with the Publications Editorial Development
unit to launch the new journal,
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, in early
2009 as well as to revitalize the Journal
of the American Chemical Society (JACS),
including the launch of the new JACS Beta
site and the redesign of the JACS cover and
Web presence in 2009.
C&EN continues to fulfill its mission of
providing readers with news, events, and
trends in the chemical enterprise. A C&EN
special issue on sustainability appeared in
the Aug. 18 issue. Reader satisfaction survey
results remain high, with 93% reporting high
satisfaction in 2008, versus 91% in 2007.
The Subcommittee on Copyright presented
an update on cases and legislation
affecting copyright and intellectual property.
The ACS Publications Division has instituted
a National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Policy Addendum to the ACS Copyright
Form. The revised NIH Addendum pubs.
acs.org/copyright/nih/nih_addendum. pdf
and additional information pubs.acs.org/
copyright/nih are available on the ACS
Publications website.—JOHN N. RUSSELL
JR., CHAIR
PUBLIC RELATIONS
& COMMUNICATIONS
The Committee on Public Relations &
Communications (CPRC) participated in
a pilot workshop for the ACS Communications
Strategic Plan, which will introduce
phase one of the plan to ACS members
later this year and next year at the Salt Lake
City meeting.
Specifically, the workshop discusses
the new look and feel of society materials
and the new tagline, “Chemistry for Life.”
CPRC responded favorably to the workshop
and to new graphic designs introduced with
the tagline for local section newsletters and
other society materials. They asked that
templates using the new look also be developed
for local section websites.
In the area of local section public relations,
the committee had discussions with
the chair of the Committee on Public Affairs
& Public Relations and with the director of
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 40 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

the Office of Public Affairs. One idea that
emerged was possibly closer collaboration
at the local section level between committees
focused on public relations and those
working on government affairs. CPRC is
also looking at opportunities to partner
with the Committee on Chemistry & Public
Affairs. More thought will be given to tools,
training, and other areas where leveraging of
resources could be mutually beneficial.
CPRC presented public relations awards
to the Kentucky Lake Local Section for
outstanding new efforts and to the Illinois
Heartland Local Section for excellent ongoing
programs. In addition, Mickey Sarquis
was honored with the committee’s 2008
Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach.
In Salt Lake City, CPRC will partner
with the Chemical Education Division to
present the symposium “Outstanding Outreach
is Elemental.”—RUSSELL W. JOHN-
SON, CHAIR
SCIENCE
The Committee on Science (ComSci)
received an invitation from the ACS president
and board chair to become more
involved in activities supporting goal three
of the ACS strategic plan, which states
“ACS will be a global leader in enlisting the
world’s scientific professionals to address,
through chemistry, the challenges facing
our world.”
Specifically, ComSci was invited to focus
on the issue of sustainability. The committee
was asked to think about what it could
do on this subject, working with others
inside and perhaps outside of the society,
that would permit ACS to make a unique
and important contribution on global sustainability
matters. ComSci will develop
a proposal responding to this request and
submit it no later than Dec. 1 to the board
for its consideration.
The committee was briefed on the recent
activities of the International Strategy
Implementation Task Force. The sense of
the committee was that Member Network
success will hinge on rapidly increasing the
number of participants within the network
and quickly adding the more advanced
functionalities users expect and value.
The committee was briefed by members
of the Presidential Task Force on ACS Fellows.
Although the committee supports
generally the concept of an ACS Fellows
Program, it has some concerns about the
definition and development of the program.
At the 2009 Salt Lake City national
meeting, ComSci will present a full-day
program, along with a lunchtime session,
on the subject of chemical synthetic
biology.—CAROLYN RIBES, CHAIR
WOMEN CHEMISTS
At the meeting in Philadelphia, the Women
Chemists Committee (WCC) focused on
its goal of attracting women into the chemical
sciences through several established
student award programs.
The committee recognized the five
recipients of the Merck Index Women in
Chemistry 2008 scholarships, seven WCC/
Eli Lilly & Co. Travel awardees, and the
2008 Overcoming Challenges Award winner.
WCC was also delighted to announce
the inaugural recipient of the scholarship
in memory of Priscilla Carney Jones. Additional
committee programming included a
very successful technical session, “Chemist
& Consumer: Women in the Pharmaceutical
Industry.”
WCC would like to thank the Philadelphia
Section for its collaboration on a very
successful local section WCC networking
event, which celebrated the memory of past
section chair Deb Kilmartin. This event was
also cosponsored by the Chemical Heritage
Foundation to launch its new oral history
project on women in chemistry, for which
they are actively seeking suggestions for
eminent women chemists to interview.
With increased focus at the local and
regional levels, WCC is able to reach more
members and increase the relevance of the
society for them. There are now more than
30 local section WCCs, and the number of
WCC activities at regional meetings continues
to grow. To facilitate this growth,
the committee has developed a framework
for planning WCC events, including presentations
on mentoring and networking.
These and other resources are available
to all members on the WCC website and
information will be included in the regional
meeting planning kits.—AMBER S. HINKLE,
CHAIR
YOUNGER CHEMISTS
The Younger Chemists Committee (YCC)
continues to promote its vision to lead
younger chemists into successful careers
and active roles in ACS and the profession.
Our mission is to advocate for and provide
resources to early-career chemists and
professionals in the chemical sciences and
related fields.
YCC continues to develop programming
of interest to younger chemists. In Philadelphia,
programs included “Getting Your
First Industrial Job,” “From Test-Tube to
Start-Up Companies,” and “Opportunities
and Challenges for Non-Tenure-Track
Faculty.” These were recorded so that the
content could be repurposed on the ACS
website for our constituents. YCC also
hosted the 6th Annual YCC Fun Run presented
by ACS Publications at Fairmont
Park and raised $1,500 for the ACS Scholars
program. Looking forward to Salt Lake
City, we are planning symposia on graduate
school challenges, alternative careers in
chemistry, and the chemistry of cooking.
YCC is always looking for new ways to
get younger chemists involved in ACS.
We accomplished this in 2008 through
outreach activities, which include involvement
with the Graduate Education
Advisory Board, committee and divisional
liaisons, and our Leadership Development
Workshop. In addition, we facilitate
online communication with our members
by using tools such as Facebook, MySpace,
Google groups, discussion threads, and
blogs. More information can be found
on the YCC website, www.acsycc.org.—
MICHAEL HURREY, CHAIR
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 41 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

SOCMA
You Are Invited!
Treat your VIP guests to dinner and entertainment
by comedian Kathleen Madigan!
Monday, December 8, 2008 • 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM • New York Marriott Marquis Times Square
SOCMA’s 87th Annual Dinner
More than 500 industry leaders and their VIP customers attend to celebrate the past year’s
successes, and network with the industry’s best.
The evening’s highlights also include honoring the winners of SOCMA’s 2008 Performance
Improvement Awards sponsored by ChemStewards ® .
Sponsor/s:
For nearly a hundred years, SOCMA members have gathered annually in New York for this
event. Join us for networking and dinner featuring entertainment by one of today’s most
popular headliners, Kathleen Madigan. Her hilarious stand-up is a must-see!
For more details, and to register online, visit www.socma.com. Dinner Registration is $315
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at masseya@socma.com or call (202) 721-4165.
Sponsorships are available. Contact Marketing at (202) 721-4185.
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employment outlook
OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2009 AND BEYOND
BIG STOCK PHOTO
THINKING CREATIVELY
ABOUT WORK
Economic turmoil points to a HAZY OUTLOOK; a little imagination can open up job opportunities
MEMBERS OF THE CLASS of 2009 who
will be looking for jobs in the coming year
better get busy. Although it’s too early to
say how the current financial crisis will affect
employment
in the coming
months, job seekers
should do all
they can now to
increase their marketability,
such as
building up their
professional networks
and making
contacts with recruiters
who visit
their campuses.
For our annual
story on employment
prospects,
CONTENTS
A TOUGH JOB MARKET LOOMS 44
It’s business as usual; future is less certain.
BLAZING ENTREPRENEURIAL PATHS 50
Women build businesses on their passion
for science.
EXTREME CHEMISTRY 55
Science mixes with adventure in extreme
environments.
INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS 57
Research abroad offers unique
opportunities for students.
Senior Editor Corinne A. Marasco spoke
with company representatives and university
department heads about their impressions
of hiring for the coming year. All of
the company reps
reported they are
hiring, and department
reps reported
that recruiting
is going forward,
but everyone has
adopted a “wait
and see” position
for next year.
The good news
is that chemistry
is a big field with
numerous applications,
if you let
your imagination
work for you. In this issue, C&EN examines
how chemists are thinking creatively about
work. First, Senior Editor Susan J. Ainsworth
profiles women entrepreneurs who
are building their businesses around their
passion for science. Their experiences
demonstrate the many paths that entrepreneurs
can follow.
Next, Associate Editor Linda Wang profiles
three chemists whose work has taken
them from the heights of the Chilean Andes
to the depths of oceans. What their work
shows is that chemists aren’t limited by preconceived
notions of “what chemists do.”
Finally, Assistant Editor Kenneth J. Moore
surveys research opportunities abroad
for chemistry and chemical engineering
students. These experiences can be useful
talking points on a résumé as the chemical
industry becomes more globalized. ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 43 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
SHUTTERSTOCK
A TOUGH JOB
MARKET LOOMS
It’s business as usual for now; THE FUTURE is less certain
CORINNE A. MARASCO, C&EN WASHINGTON
THIS YEAR’S employment outlook ought
to be labeled, “Caution: Unpredictable
market ahead.”
Last year, when C&EN assessed the job
prospects for graduates looking for jobs in
2008, the consensus among employers was
that hiring was going to be up and the signs
for job seekers were positive. “Chemical
scientists and engineers looking for jobs
in 2008 will be greeted with a job market
that is stronger than it has been in years,”
C&EN reported.
What a difference a year makes. Although
the industrial representatives who
spoke with C&EN this year report that
their companies are hiring, they are doing
so with a “wait and see” attitude toward a
possibly weaker job market in 2009. The
exception is chemical engineers, who continue
to be in high demand at all degree
levels.
The chemical industry isn’t immune
to economic downturns (C&EN, Oct. 6,
pages 7 and 9), but it could take weeks,
even months, for the Wall Street chaos to
have a measurable impact on employment.
Take, for example, the number of jobs
posted on the ACS Careers website (www.
acs.org/careers) as one proxy measure. For
the period Jan. 1 to Oct. 10, 1,033 jobs were
posted. That’s only slightly fewer than the
1,045 jobs posted for the same time period
in 2007, so the economic downturn is not
yet affecting industry hiring.
This year also saw significant business
deals, such as Dow’s announcement that it
will acquire Rohm and Haas and Ashland’s
pending acquisition of Hercules (C&EN,
Aug. 25, page 23), as well as major R&D realignments,
for example, at Pfizer (C&EN,
Sept. 1, page 27). The full impact of those
changes on hiring probably won’t show for
some time, either.
RETIREMENT may be one likely casualty
of the distressed economy. As C&EN reported
in last year’s outlook, companies
plan for generational turnover in their hiring
projections, and that remains a factor
this year. With drops in the stock market
corroding the value of pension
plans, however, more workers
may opt to delay retirement to
attempt to recoup those losses.
“Which way are we going to
move forward?” asks Nick Nikolaides,
manager of doctoral recruiting
and university relations
for Procter & Gamble. “If lots of
baby boomers retire, we’ll need
an incredible influx of new talent.
If they’re not ready to retire
given the economy, then we keep
moving forward and prepare for
whichever way things go.”
For now, Nikolaides doesn’t
see a change in recruiting needs.
The goal, he says, is to “maintain
equilibrium despite the rocky
economy.” Analytical chemistry
remains a focus for P&G when
recruiting Ph.D. chemists; however,
Ph.D. engineers—chemical,
mechanical, materials science,
and electrical—are being recruited in
greater numbers at P&G across the board,
from upstream R&D through manufacturing,
he says.
Nikolaides adds that P&G’s sustainability
focus helps attract talented candidates.
“Scientists can have pretty challenging
technical careers, particularly
when you throw in the challenges that
sustainability can provide. In addition,
we’re looking for more well-rounded individuals
these days,” he says. “Not just
solid technical skills but communication,
collaboration, and similar skills people
need to succeed.”
Troy L. Vincent, vice president of global
staffing and recruiting at W.R. Grace,
agrees that the demand for technically
skilled people is high, especially for chemists
and chemical engineers, even though
there might be “a slight softening” in the
number of companies recruiting.
“Grace will be recruiting chemists and
chemical engineers this year,” he says. “The
chemists will be more at the Ph.D. and master’s
levels, while the chemical engineering
hires will be at the bachelor’s level.” As for
specific fields, Grace is focused on inorganic
chemistry, followed by specialized areas
tied to its businesses.
Grace’s recruiting is directed by the
company’s strategic plans for growth as it
prepares to emerge from Chapter 11 reorganization.
Vincent says that although the
company’s needs this year are the same as
last year’s, the timing and number of hires
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 44 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

will be adjusted according to the economic
climate. “The main thing to watch in the
coming months is consolidation within the
chemical industry and what that means for
available talent as deals from the summer
are finalized,” he says.
Meanwhile, business conditions have
already affected the job market in the
pharmaceutical industry, where
hiring is down from historic
norms, according to Steven D.
Young, vice president of basic
research at Merck Research
Laboratories. Although Merck
has just announced elimination
of 12% of its positions worldwide
(C&EN Online Latest
News, Oct. 27), the company
is recruiting for chemists at all
degree levels at its West Point,
Pa., and Rahway, N.J., research
sites, in part due to Merck’s
continuing interest in RNA
interference. Merck will also be
hiring B.S. and M.S. chemical
and biochemical engineers in
vaccines, therapeutic proteins,
and sterile processing.
“Last year, our chemistry
hiring was largely limited to
replacement hires due to attrition,”
Young says. “This year,
we’re looking for organic chemists
who have a background in
synthesis and bioorganic chemistry,
as well as chemists with
biopolymer expertise. We’re
also interested in people with a chemical
engineering or molecular biology background
who have experience in expressing,
purifying, or characterizing recombinant
proteins.”
Young adds that hiring in small-molecule
development and manufacturing
during the past few years has been to fill
critical gaps and has consisted mostly of
experienced people. He anticipates that
new skill sets will help drive new areas of
therapeutic research in proteins, small
molecules, and vaccines.
GlycoFi, a Merck subsidiary in New
Hampshire, is recruiting fermentation and
bioprocess engineers, molecular biologists,
and protein and analytical biochemists at
all degree levels this year, according to Senior
Director Natarajan Sethuraman.
Despite recent economic challenges,
many opportunities still require chemists
and chemical engineers, says Robin Lysek,
a human resources central staffing manager
for Air Products & Chemicals.
STIFF COMPETITION
Job seekers still outnumber job openings
at the ACS Career Fair
TOTAL
CANDIDATES
POTENTIAL
OPENINGS
The company’s needs this year are very
similar to last year’s, she says, and in some
areas, “the need is greater due to growth in
several business areas and due to the anticipated
demographic changes.”
Lysek says Air Products is recruiting
both chemists and chemical engineers at
all degree levels for projects in materials
science, physical chemistry, energy, electrochemistry,
and process engineering.
At the Ph.D. level the company traditionally
recruits both chemists and chemical
engineers, but because of business needs,
they’re recruiting more Ph.D. chemical
engineers this year. She adds that 90% of its
job offers among new hires are accepted.
Chemical engineers will be “aggressively
recruited” at Occidental Chemical in 2009, as
well as mechanical and electrical engineers,
according to company spokeswoman Stacey
Crews. Students with strong academic performance
and intern or co-op experience will
be in demand as employers like OxyChem
plan for the turnover associated with an aging
workforce, she says.
“OxyChem’s recruiting
needs are indicative of a changing
workforce within the
chemical industry as a whole,”
INTERVIEWS
SCHEDULED
EMPLOYERS
2003
New Orleans 1,151 96 305 1,751
New York City 1,374 97 291 1,673
2004
Anaheim 1,281 121 271 1,605
Philadelphia a 1,494 107 303 1,602
2005
San Diego 1,296 88 189 1,291
Washington, D.C . 1,927 97 289 1,685
2006
Atlanta 1,256 72 197 1,199
San Francisco 1,213 104 290 1,499
2007
Chicago 1,456 73 683 1,139
Boston 1,526 126 913 1,839
2008
New Orleans b 942 104 805 1,305
Philadelphia 1,276 85 515 1,210
a The National Employment Clearing House became Chemjobs Career Center beginning
with the Philadelphia national meeting. b Chemjobs Career Center became the
ACS Career Fair beginning with the New Orleans national meeting. SOURCE: American
Chemical Society, Department of Career Management & Development
she says. “As the baby boomers
reach retirement age, the workforce
is transitioning to a new
generation.
“THE CHALLENGE for higher
education is to graduate people
who want to learn how to operate
complex chemical plants
safely, responsibly, and ethically.
Our challenge is to locate and
retain them in order to develop
the next generation of experts
and leaders,” she continues.
The petrochemical industry
is also assessing the competition
for qualified chemical
engineers. “Chemical engineers
are being snapped up by lots of
different companies,” says Cary
W. Wilkins, director of recruitment
for the Americas at Shell
Chemicals. “Even within Shell
they are very versatile and can
fit into many different slots, given their excellent
educational backgrounds.”
Wilkins characterizes the overall market
as very good for chemical engineers at
all degree levels and for Ph.D. chemists,
groups that Shell is recruiting. He says
candidates with a strong foundation in catalysis
and nanotechnology are “the most
sought after.” For chemists at the B.S. and
M.S. levels, however, things are looking flat
and are possibly declining, he adds.
Wilkins says Shell prefers to call the
spots its candidates fill “talent positions”
because “what we’re looking for always
goes beyond just their technical knowledge
and aptitudes” to broader achievements.
“The main thing to watch in the coming months
is consolidation within the chemical industry
and what that means for available talent.”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 45 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
“As the baby boomers reach
retirement age, the workforce is
transitioning to a new generation.”
For example, is a candidate good at working
in groups? Can the candidate look at a
task or a challenge with a broad perspective,
beyond the specifics?
Sue Sun-LaSovage, global university
relations leader for Dow Chemical, also
observes that competition is “fierce” for
engineering graduates in the U.S. and Europe.
“The competition remains strong
in the entry-level job market because of
the smaller pool of candidates,” she says.
“There is a more abundant supply in China
and India.”
Dow is recruiting this year for bachelor’s-
and master’s-level chemical, mechanical,
and electrical engineers. The
company is also recruiting Ph.D. chemists
with expertise in analytical, inorganic,
organic, and polymer chemistry, as well
as materials science. Sun-LaSovage says
Dow’s needs remain as strong as they have
been during the past few years.
Since October, Dow recruiters have
been interviewing on campuses of what
the firm considers to be global strategic
universities, Sun-LaSovage says. “The financial
situation may be reflected more in
next year’s hiring than this year’s, but it’s
too early to tell,” she says. “We review our
implementation plan on an annual basis
to reflect the business condition and economic
environment.” She adds that hiring
plans are typically finalized in May or June
and executed between September and December
each year.
Last year was a successful recruiting
year for Eastman Chemical, workforce
CHEMISTRY DEGREES
Most recent data show increases in
number of all degrees awarded
No. of degrees
11,000
9,000
7,000
5,000
3,000
1,000
1986 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06
Bachelor’s Master’s Ph.D.
NOTE: Data for 1998–99 were imputed using alternative
procedures. Y-axis label is end of academic year;
for example, 1986 is the academic year 1985–86.
Data were collected from degree-granting institutions.
SOURCES: National Center for Education Statistics,
National Science Foundation
planning and staffing manager Sharon
Cooper reports. She characterizes the
market this year as “still good but not as
strong” as in 2007. “We had many positions
to fill last year due to growth, and
we did very well on campus due to the
high demand for technical talent. Because
we were able to hire in advance of the
need, our focus is on a few entry-level
positions and positions with specialized
needs,” she says.
Eastman is looking to hire B.S., M.S., and
Ph.D. chemical engineers and Ph.D. chemists,
Cooper says, particularly in analytical
and organic chemistry. Although the primary
focus is on recruiting chemical engineers,
Eastman continues to have needs for
mechanical and electrical engineers. She
believes there is still a “significant demand
for chemical engineers,” perhaps not so
much in the pure chemical industry as in
the oil and gas industry.
Cooper notes that the number of people
retiring has been lower than Eastman’s
workforce-planning models had predicted,
“which is good from a knowledge management
perspective.” She adds that she feels
good about the firm’s ability to attract the
talent it needs as evidenced by its recruiting
in recent years.
John A. Larock, staffing manager for engineering
and operations, and Emily Niu,
Ph.D. and science staffing manager, both at
DuPont, agree that the job market continues
to look good for new graduates. Larock
says the company’s needs have increased
overall for the past few years, primarily
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WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG NOVEMBER 3, 2008

CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
Downward trend continues in number
of bachelor’s degrees while Ph.D.s
increase
No. of degrees
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
1986 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06
Bachelor’s Master’s Ph.D.
NOTE: Data for 1998–99 were imputed using
alternative procedures. Y-axis label is end of academic
year; for example, 1986 is the academic year
1985–86. Data were collected from degree-granting
institutions. SOURCES: National Center for Education
Statistics, National Science Foundation
However, in comparison with their actual
hires from the class of 2008, respondents
expect to hire about 1.3% more graduates
from the class of 2009.
“Overall, hiring looks flat for now, and
some employers are indicating some movement
to cut back,” says Marilyn Mackes,
NACE executive director. “In August, approximately
one-third of employers said
they were going to trim their college hiring;
in our current poll, however, 52% said they
were going to adjust their college hiring
downward.”
“Turnout was small, compared to years
past,” says Chris Smith, who handles recruiting
for the chemistry and chemical
engineering division at California Institute
of Technology. “This year, about five
because of company growth and employee
retirements. Together, those constitute the
majority of positions that DuPont is trying
to fill.
DuPont is actively looking for chemists
and chemical engineers at all degree levels.
Within R&D, the company is looking for
expertise in polymer and organic chemistry,
materials science, and biosciences,
according to Niu. DuPont is also recruiting
bachelor’s and master’s degree chemists
and biologists.
According to Larock, bachelor’s and
master’s degree engineers are being recruited
in process engineering, process
development, and project engineering. “Innovation
drives us and our products,” he
says. “Each year, a large percentage of our
products are new, and we need that technological
understanding and capability.”
Niu adds that in addition to technical skills,
DuPont looks for inventiveness and a drive
for innovation.
How the economic challenges will play
out is yet to be determined, but Larock says
of the firm, “We’re moving ahead.”
THOSE ECONOMIC challenges, however,
are starting to affect university chemical
sciences departments. In light of volatile
financial markets this past month, the National
Association of Colleges & Employers
(NACE) recently re-polled employers that
had provided hiring projections in August.
The result: Compared with their earlier
projections, responding employers expect
to decrease their hiring levels by 1.6%.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
HUMAN CAPITAL
Talent Management Is Critical To Recruiting
A Sept. 19 story on Business
Week’s website declared that
“a talent strategy is now as
important as a marketing or
finance strategy for corporations
operating in today’s
multi-polar world.” That
strategy must encompass recruiting
and retaining not just
high performers but the entire
workforce. The corporate
recruiters who talked with
C&EN shared some strategies
their companies use to
enhance the overall success
of their recruiting programs.
Recruiters visit campuses
throughout the year, sometimes
making multiple trips.
“We spend a lot of time on
college campuses—career
fairs, company presentations,
meeting with student
organizations—because new
graduates feed our talent
pipeline,” says Robin Lysek
of Air Products & Chemicals.
She says the company visited
about 40 campuses in North
America this year. The company’s
corporate headquarters
is in Lehigh Valley, Pa., and
the company recruits in California,
Texas, Louisiana, and
Florida, close to its locations.
Emily Niu of DuPont
says the company’s particular
needs determine
which schools its recruiters
visit. “The mix of schools may
change, and we cast our nets
far and wide,” she says. “We
also post our positions in
schools that we may not visit.”
Companies recognize
the need for sustainable
programs on campus, Dow’s
Sue Sun-LaSovage says. “Our
leadership realized that if we
have a strong pipeline, we
can get the best talent who
can fill more experiencedlevel
jobs in the future. We’ve
made a commitment to hire
the best people from universities
and to create an employer
brand on campuses.
We try to go not only when
we need to hire.”
Internships play a major
part in a company’s recruiting
program, and it’s easy to
see why. “Intern relationships
help us attract and retain
new college graduates,” as
well as help students learn
about and adjust to working
in industry, Occidental
spokeswoman Stacey Crews
says. The company plans to
increase intern recruitment
for 2009.
Air Products has a robust
co-op and intern program
that employs 100 to 150 students,
Lysek says. “We hope
that exposure to our culture
will encourage them to work
for us after they graduate.”
Converting co-ops and
interns to full-time employees
has been a successful
strategy, Eastman’s Sharon
Cooper says. She says the
company also sends alumni
to campuses to recruit, which
has proven to be a great way
to attract new employees.
A primary challenge for
any company is retaining
talent. Companies such as
Shell, DuPont, Air Products,
and Procter & Gamble have
various career development
opportunities to help new
hires succeed. At Air Products,
for example, new graduates
have the opportunity to
try different assignments in a
rotational program. The program
offers three one-year
assignments in various areas
to help young graduates decide
where they would like to
work within the company.
“We have a learning and
development culture at Shell,
so a new hire will actually continue
growing with us,” Cary
W. Wilkins says. When someone
is assigned to a first position,
the company has already
assessed areas for improvement,
and that information
is used in the first year’s development
plan crafted with
that person’s supervisor. A
new hire may have even been
signed up for a course before
the first day at work.
With 120 scientific disciplines
represented at Procter
& Gamble, the company has
set up Communities of Practice
(CoPs) that are designed
to leverage core competencies
across its businesses.
The mission of CoPs is to
make connections for problem
solving, exploit technological
innovations more easily
across business units and
R&D, stay on top of emerging
technologies, and advance
both individual and collective
technical knowledge. In all,
P&G has 22 CoPs in areas
ranging from analytical science
to wipes and substrate
products.
“CoPs are a really effective
tool to link up the organization,”
says Nick Nikolaides,
manager of doctoral recruiting
and university relations
for P&G. He adds that some
CoPs have seminar series
to bring in speakers or hold
problem-solving and poster
sessions to bring people together,
including people from
P&G locations overseas.
Hiring today means keeping
one eye on the future,
according to recruiters. It
means aligning hiring projections
with business needs
and being dynamic enough
to change as processes and
technology do.
“These are not just jobs
we’re filling,” Shell’s Wilkins
says. “These are employees
who will develop and grow to
fill our business needs beyond
just their first few years,
and, we hope, become leaders
down the line.”
companies came to recruit, which is fewer
than the last several years.” Last year, most
people who interviewed were able to find
employment with the company they were
interested in, she says.
Patricia L. Blum, director of career counseling
and placement services in the School
of Chemical Sciences at the University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, says that although
several companies have scheduled
campus interviews that have not done so in
the past, the number of companies interviewing
is down about one-third, and the
number of students signing up for interviews
is also down in some areas.
Last year, she says, “hiring was strong
early in the fall and then tapered off. During
that time, a few Ph.D. students decided
to take postdocs instead of entering industry,
but those who waited out the lag did
eventually land good positions.”
Both Blum and Smith attribute some
of that decline to the economy. Smith
says many of the companies that usually
come through are not hiring this year. She
adds that the division is short four faculty
members in organic and inorganic chemistry,
which affects how many students
are available on the job market. In Blum’s
experience, several of the companies that
normally recruit are in the middle of hiring
freezes, are lowering hiring numbers,
or are sending fewer recruiters than initially
planned.
Alix Lamia, chemistry program manager
at Columbia University, has also
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 48 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

noticed that recruiters are fewer than
usual this year, even though recruiting
and interviewing are progressing as usual.
“The recruiters who did not participate
mentioned they will not have job openings
this year,” she says. “For example, one
firm scheduled a visit and then canceled
due to a major restructuring.”
At Columbia, 12 recruiters signed up this
year, compared with an average of 19 in previous
years. Lamia attributes the changes
she sees to the economy, which affects the
number of available jobs, and low turnover,
which further limits the number of job
openings.
At the University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, Michael T. Crimmins, chairman
of the chemistry department, reports
that campus recruiting seems “about normal”
but that the number of jobs is lower
and more are available in smaller, start-up
companies.
The changes, he says, are a result of the
“entire pharmaceutical industry in a period
of major reorganization and general
downsizing. A significant amount of their
functions have been outsourced to China
and India, creating many new jobs in those
developing countries but reducing the opportunities
in the U.S. and Europe.”
IN CONTRAST, Timothy B. Luzader of
Purdue University offers some better
news. Luzader, director of the Center for
Career Opportunities, reports that campus
interviewing appears “as robust as it was
this time last year. Our interview space is
booked solid through late October. Early
job fairs on campus were sold out,” and
there were waiting lists of companies that
wanted to participate.
In 2007–08, the number of employers
recruiting on campus was steady compared
with the previous year, whereas the
number of interviews was slightly down,
Luzader says. He attributes the decrease in
interviews more to student selectivity than
economic softening. “Many students feel
that accepting a full-time offer from a company
where they interned is a reasonable
option, so they’re likely to restrict their
interviews only to companies that most
strongly interest them,” he says.
In a May 2007 survey of all of Purdue’s
bachelor’s degree recipients, Luzader
reports that 94% had confirmed postgraduate
plans for employment, further study,
or other plans such as the Peace Corps.
Among chemical engineering graduates,
96% had confirmed postgraduate plans.
For now, “campus recruiting belies
concerns in the economy,” he says. “But
history has shown on-campus recruitment
does not taper off until six to nine
months after an economic downturn. If
that trend holds true, then the outlook
will be a bit gloomier than it has been in
the recent past.”
In any job market—down markets
included—the advice to graduates never
changes. Be more flexible in the job search.
Use resources and contacts that are available
on campus. Employers are still hiring,
even if they aren’t coming on campus, so
networking and direct contact are important.
Know yourself well enough to find a
company that is aligned with your goals
and values. ■
CORPORATION
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 49 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
MARRONE ORGANIC INNOVATIONS
CREATIVE THINKER
Marrone studies
grape plants
treated during a
bioherbicide trial.
compared with 9%
for all privately held
firms, according to
estimates released
in September by the
center for Women’s
Business Research.
Currently, there are 10.1 million firms in
the U.S. that are at least 50% owned by a
woman, the center says, adding that these
firms represent 40% of all privately held
firms. The center, which reports the data
on women-owned businesses by major
industry categories only, estimates that
women own a majority stake in 1.4 million
businesses in the professional, scientific,
and technical services segment alone, says
Sharon G. Hadary, the center’s executive
director.
ENTREPRENEURIAL
TRAILBLAZERS
Women build businesses around their PASSION FOR SCIENCE
SUSAN J. AINSWORTH, C&EN DALLAS
WHILE LAUNCHING the biopesticides
firm Entotech for Novo Nordisk in 1990,
Pamela G. Marrone got a taste of what it
would be like to run her own company. Although
she disliked the corporate politics
and the bureaucracy that surrounded her
role as Entotech president, she found she
loved charting the course of a business in
her dream field.
So five years later, when Entotech was
sold, Marrone took the leap of faith to start
AgraQuest, a company focused on discovering,
developing, manufacturing, and marketing
natural pest management products.
And two years ago, she founded Marrone
Organic Innovations, in Davis, Calif., to
create a new pipeline of products aimed at
the pest management market.
From the start, “I was driven by a vision
and a dream of what I wanted to
accomplish—to change the world through
pesticide products that are safer and effective,”
she says. “I didn’t think about the
barriers or the problems or challenges. I
only thought about the possibilities and visualized
the end game and the success.”
That kind of determination and passion
is something common to many successful
women entrepreneurs, including the
nine contacted by C&EN. Each of them
cites different motivations for delving into
entrepreneurship. Some were looking for
alternatives to unsatisfying careers, while
others sought a means to better balance
work and family responsibilities or a way to
transfer promising technology from the lab
to the marketplace.
Having started businesses in diverse
areas, from biofuels to instrumentation to
pharmaceutical consulting, these women
share their experiences and highlight the
many paths to entrepreneurship that others
like them are increasingly carving out.
Between 2002 and 2008, the number of
women-owned firms grew by 10% per year
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 50 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
STILL, starting and sustaining a business
is not always easy for women. To overcome
the many challenges of entrepreneurship,
women need to have a support system of
contacts, employees, and advisers; solid
business fundamentals; confidence in
themselves; and a motivating vision, according
to those profiled here.
Karen K. Gleason, an associate dean of
engineering for research at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, says her entrepreneurial
spirit was sparked by a desire
to commercialize coating technology developed
in her lab. To accomplish that, she
cofounded GVD Corp., which stands for
Gleason Vapor Deposition, six years ago in
Cambridge, Mass.
The company is built around technology
that enables ultrathin layers of
polytetrafluoroethylene (trademarked as
Teflon by DuPont) to be coated on microand
nanosized substrates. Because the
technology allows coatings to be applied
at cooler temperatures, it can be used on
organic materials such as polymers rather
than only on inorganic materials such as
silicon. The technology is poised to meet
growing demand in markets for medical
devices, membranes, and textiles.
By starting GVD, Gleason says she has
been able to see the technology transformed
from “a novelty” to something that
can really make a difference in more ap-
“You have to be able to creatively
knock down barriers that get in your
way. You can’t just wilt or give up.”

TARGETED GENETICS CORP.
plications than she had imagined. Gleason
benefited from the support of MIT, which
encourages its faculty members to remain
involved in the development of their own
technology, she says.
Given her responsibilities at MIT, Gleason
must play a somewhat limited role in
GVD. The company’s cofounder and president,
Hilton G. Pryce Lewis, who earned a
Ph.D. in Gleason’s MIT lab, runs the company’s
day-to-day operations. That leaves
Gleason free to “ask the bigger questions
and think about the more long-term issues,”
she says.
Like Gleason, BioTools President Rina
K. Dukor cofounded her company to commercialize
a technology that originated
in an academic lab. Studying vibrational
circular dichroism (VCD) as a graduate
student in chemistry at the University of
Illinois, Chicago, she came to appreciate
the technique’s potential use for solving
stereochemical problems, especially in the
pharmaceutical industry. VCD is a measure
of the differential absorption of circularly
polarized infrared radiation by a chiral
molecule, such as a small pharmaceutical
or any biological, including a protein, sugar,
or nucleic acid, Dukor says.
Parker
DOUGLAS LOCKARD
Armour
WHILE LISTENING to lectures on VCD
at a conference, “I realized that everyone
who had worked on the technology was
on the verge of retiring, and if I didn’t
commercialize it, it might never happen,”
Dukor says. She immediately began creating
a business plan for the formation of
BioTools, which she would later cofound
with Laurence A. Nafie, a chemistry professor
at Syracuse University (C&EN,
July 18, 2005, page 32). Today, Jupiter,
Fla.-based BioTools sells VCD spectrometers
and provides services related to the
conformational analysis and absolute configuration
of chiral-organic and proteinbased
drugs to pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies. In the beginning,
“I wanted very much to see this technology
commercialized, knowing that it would
be extremely powerful later on. It was my
calling. It drove me,” Dukor says.
Entrepreneur Pamela R. Contag sees
starting a business as “one way to translate
basic science into an
application I believe
in.” She founded
the first of two companies,
Xenogen in
1995 to pioneer biophotonic
imaging
systems that expedite
drug discovery
and development.
Contag, who has a
Ph.D. in microbiology,
sold the company
to Caliper Life
Sciences in 2006.
In 2005, Contag
founded Cobalt
Technologies, in
Mountain View,
Calif., to develop
biobutanol as a nextgeneration
biofuel.
By combining novel
and patented microbiology, bioprocessing,
and separation technologies, Cobalt aims
to maximize the production of biobutanol,
she says.
As Cobalt’s president and chief executive
officer, “I generally invent and develop
technology and then take on investors
who ultimately direct the company. I put
all my energy into the demonstration of
the technology and business model,” she
says. For Contag, “Entrepreneurial spirit
has to do with necessity,” she says. “The
job needed to be done, and I
was in the right place at the
right time.”
Serendipity also played a
part in H. Stewart Parker’s
move to found Targeted
Genetics, a publicly traded
Seattle biotechnology
company spun off from Immunex
in 1992 to develop
gene-based treatments
for acquired and inherited
disease. But there was more
behind her decision to
found Targeted Genetics,
says the firm’s president
COURTESY OF J. CHEN
and CEO. “I was very passionate about the
work, which is a requirement for anyone
founding a company,” she says.
As one of Immunex’ first employees
in 1981, Parker remembers that she “really
loved the early days at the company
when we were so excited about taking
on these new opportunities and curing
so many diseases.” She had also learned
that her strengths
lie “in looking at a
scenario that is early
and unformed and
making order out of
it.” When she was
considering the offer
to head Targeted Genetics,
she knew that
GROUND-BREAKING
Chen started a
pharma consulting
firm to avoid
relocating her
family, shown here
during a recent
vacation in China
having that role “would restore the passion
I needed to do the job and the passion I felt
for the whole program and for biotech.”
Unlike Parker, other women entrepreneurs
have started businesses to escape
from unsatisfying careers. That was the
case for Rita R. Boggs, CEO of American Research
& Testing, the Gardena, Calif., consulting
company she started 25 years ago. A
former nun, Boggs left the convent in 1973 at
the age of 35 after finishing a Ph.D. in chemistry,
opting to exchange her beloved role of
teacher for a position that might compensate
her for the many years in which she did
not get paid. She accepted industrial positions,
first at Colgate Palmolive’s Research
Center and then at the United States Testing
Co. “Neither was satisfactory to me,” Boggs
says. At a dead end, she followed the sug-
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 51 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
gestion of friends and opened American
Research & Testing, which provides services
including product development, custom
chemical analysis, materials testing, and
contract research. “We consider ourselves
consultants with a laboratory,” she says.
Elizabeth A. Armour, founder and president
of the 15-year-old specialty chemical
consulting firm Armour Associates, also
started working in the chemical industry
at a time when women’s opportunities in
industry were even more limited than they
are today. Having earned bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in biology and an M.B.A. in
marketing and finance, Armour entered the
workforce in the early 1980s and observed
that “few women were being targeted for
upper management roles,” she says.
Although Armour particularly loved her
eight-year stint working in Europe, which
included being part of Rhône-Poulenc’s
specialty chemicals strategic planning
team, “in the back of my mind, I knew that
I would probably not continue in this largecompany
mentality forever,” she says.
Forming Armour Associates, an international
consulting firm with offices in
Hendersonville, N.C., and Paris, allowed
her to make that shift. “I always knew that I
would find something that would allow me
to better use my creativity and networking
skills. I had a strong desire for more flexibility
and to determine my own way.”
Finding a new career path was a necessity
for Sharon V. Vercellotti, who was forced
to leave a university research laboratory
position when “the dean thought my presence
in the same department as my husband
might be problematic.” Vercellotti,
who had already earned a master’s degree
in chemistry, enrolled in business classes
and began to ponder starting her own business,
she says. Shortly thereafter, in 1979,
she and her husband founded V-Labs, a
Covington, La.-based company that continues
to provide consulting, custom manufacturing,
and analytical services focused
on carbohydrates and
polysaccharides. In
addition to carving
out a new career, she
also gained control
over her schedule,
which included her
two small children,
ages 10 and four at
the time of V-Lab’s
inception.
FRESH APPROACH
Gleason (back row,
second from left)
cofounded GVD
Corp., which now
boasts a reactor
that is used for
small-volume
manufacture of
commercial parts.
Balancing work and family responsibilities
was the primary impetus behind Jinling
Chen’s move to start Pharm Expedia, a
pharmaceutical technology development
and consulting firm, in August 2007 in
Houston. After working for major drug
companies including AstraZeneca and
Bristol-Myers Squibb for 15 years in positions
she found both “interesting and enjoyable,”
she opted to follow her husband’s
GVD CORP.
job transfer from New Jersey to Texas. She
then worked for a smaller pharmaceutical
company, Encysive Pharmaceuticals, for
five years, during which time she rose to the
role of senior director of pharmaceutical
sciences.
When Encysive closed its R&D facility
as part of its acquisition by Pfizer, Chen
was without a job. Instead of splitting her
family and uprooting her 15- and 10-year
old sons in a move to the East Coast where
pharma jobs are plentiful, she decided to
start Pharm Expedia.
With a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and
broad project management experience, she
says she has been able to address the challenging
drug development needs of clients.
She has also developed and patented innovative
enabling technologies to enhance
drug delivery and to improve the palatability
of certain medicines, she says. Forming
Pharm Expedia “has been a great way to
take care of my career and take care of my
family at the same time.”
WORK-LIFE FLEXIBILITY is especially
important to many women. Dukor, who
has two children, says she has benefited
from the ability to set her own schedule.
“Even with all my travels, I think I have not
missed anything critical in my children’s
lives. I volunteer for my children’s schools.
I have done science demonstrations. I can
even take time during the day to watch my
son’s high school tennis matches.”
As head of her own company, Boggs was
free to care for her parents before they died
in the early 1990s, she says. “Shortly after
that, I developed breast cancer. Fortunately,
because I had the business and the help
of Barbara Belmont (now the firm’s president)
I was able to manage all of this.”
Despite the benefits, entrepreneurship
brings many challenges. Some entrepreneurs
report that they must wear many
hats—from janitor to salesperson—and
log extensive hours to meet customer
needs. And there’s a huge learning curve,
says Chen, who had to figure out how to
apply for grants and handle tax issues,
for example.
Would-be entrepreneurs must be mentally
prepared to take on the many risks
that accompany this kind of work, Chen
says. In smaller firms, in particular, the uncertainty
of income can be a drawback. As a
consultant or a contractor, “you may have
good contracts for several months or even
several years and then you may have nothing
for a while.”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 52 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

“Responsibility can be the most exhilarating thing
in the world or it can keep you up at night. I find
both to be true, depending on the week.”
To stay afloat in lean times, entrepreneurs
must start with a good business plan,
Boggs says. “I sometimes look at the original
business plan I put together and see a
number of inadequacies. Thank God we
succeeded anyway.”
Boning up on the financial side of business
is equally critical for those entrepreneurs
with degrees in science. Knowing
that entrepreneurship might be in her
future, Marrone, who has a Ph.D. in entomology,
took in-house management
training and business courses offered
by employers earlier in her career.
Others have opted to hire people with
that expertise. Help is also available
through the U.S. Small Business Administration,
which administers the
Small Business Innovation Research
grant program that encourages small
businesses to explore their technological
potential.
For her part, Dukor worked for
roughly 10 years for a medical diagnostics
division of Amoco until she
could save enough to start BioTools.
She and Nafie then raised about
$200,000, partly through the sale of
Dukor’s home, giving them enough to
get started.
Looking back, however, Dukor
says she regrets that she didn’t raise
capital, something she didn’t understand
how to do at the time. “Raising
capital would have given us the funds
not only to make the first prototype
spectrometer, but also to educate
the market,” she says. “Money from an
angel investor would have given us a muchneeded
jump-start and would have put less
strain on family finances.”
When approaching investors, Contag
advises would-be women entrepreneurs
to “choose your venture investors based
on their track record with other female
founders and their treatment of founders
in general.”
In addition, it’s important to “build a personal
board of directors or board of advisers
to advise you over the life cycle of your
company,” Contag says. “Your company
will go through many stages. Plan how you
want your role to develop so that it fits you
V-LABS INC.
and sustains the success of the company.”
At least in the earliest stages of starting
a business, an entrepreneur’s job is to
remain optimistic in the face of the many
challenges that will arise, Marrone says.
“You have to be able to creatively knock
down barriers that get in your way. You
can’t just wilt or give up. That attitude is
really critical.”
When Marrone started AgraQuest,
she says, “I was ahead of the market; the
biopesticides products I
was developing were seen
as snake oils, and I had to
work to change the market
perception.” For example,
the company integrated
biopesticides into conventional
pest management
programs and went
to farms to show growers
that they could get good or
better results compared
with conventional programs, she says.
In another barrier-busting move, Marrone
says she helped start a biopesticide
industry alliance of small biopesticide firms
ONE-STOP SHOP
Vercellotti assaying
samples of
polysaccharides
at V-Labs, the
company she
and her husband
started to provide
consulting, custom
manufacturing, and
analytical services.
that joined with larger companies to support
the passage of the Pesticide Registration
Improvement Act. That piece of legislation
makes the Environmental Protection Agency’s
approval process more predictable, she
says, thereby making it easier for companies
to raise money through investors.
SUBTLE GENDER BIAS from customers,
investors, or potential collaborators is another
hindrance with which some women
entrepreneurs have had to contend.
“Sometimes I feel like people are
surprised when they meet me,” Gleason
says. “They have not necessarily
clued in to the fact that I am going to
be female, and they sometimes assume
that I am somebody’s secretary.
You realize that you are always still
overcoming other people’s perceptions
of you before they are going to
listen to what you have to say. But I
try not to dwell on that so that I don’t
end up with a chip on my shoulder.”
Instead, she adds, “I focus on communicating
my ideas to make sure
that they are taken seriously.”
That can be a challenge, she concedes,
as women are not well represented
in venture capital firms or
in the companies to which Gleason
pitches her technology. “Most of the
people judging you are not women,
something I am used to dealing with
in the environment we have at MIT.”
Marrone says she faces a similar
situation in the agrochemical business,
where relatively few women
hold management positions. The
dynamics of a meeting change dramatically
when there is more than
one woman in a room, however.
“Generally, in a group made up of no
more than one woman, the men will
defer to the most powerful man in
the room, and then you can’t get a lot
of things done,” she says. “But when
you have at least two or three women
in a group, you can actually get down
to work.” In response, Marrone says she
strives to build diversity into her management
team, which is made up of more
women than men.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 53 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

Women entrepreneurs need to constantly
demonstrate their competency
and capabilities, Contag says. Although it’s
critical for women entrepreneurs to have
“a differentiated technology and commercialization
strategy and the ability to execute
on a plan, that’s usually not enough. I
do think that women need to have a betterthan-the-average
skill set to receive the
same considerations as men.
“Most investors like to move to their
comfort zone of an experienced management
team whether you are doing a good
job or not,” Contag adds. “It’s not much
different for men, except that they are often
given the benefit of the doubt—something
from which I don’t think women benefit.”
DUKOR ECHOES this point. She believes
there is still a stigma against women scientists
who want to enter into business.
“People don’t seem to doubt that I am a
good scientist, but I think it is still harder
for women to be taken seriously in the
business world.” It appears that men don’t
face the same biases in business, she says.
Still, women entrepreneurs believe that
gender biases are not as prevalent as they
once were. It is “much easier for women to
be taken seriously now than it was 15 years
ago in what has traditionally been a heavily
male industry,” Armour says. “In addition
to having a good number of women working
in our industry today, we also have
the input of women at strategic levels of
decision-making. That’s a really important
difference right now.”
As a result, it’s easier to find role models
who can be a valuable resource for women
entrepreneurs. Armour, for example, feels
“an obligation to mentor other women and
help them avoid some of the things I encountered.”
And Dukor encourages women
to reach out to male and female CEOs,
many of whom are eager to help those who
want to follow in their footsteps.
Although building networks comes
naturally to community-oriented women,
developing and maintaining a business
network is not a skill that we all have,”
Contag says. However, “it is crucial to our
business.” Vercellotti, for
example, has benefited
from being a member of
the American Chemical
Society’s Division of Small
Chemical Businesses.
Building good relationships
with employees is
equally important, Dukor
says. “I’ve learned to be
totally open and honest
with my employees,” sharing
successes and communicating
problems such
as a temporary need for a
delayed payroll, says Dukor,
who adds that she feels accountable
“for the lives of
every employee.”
At the same time, Dukor
says she has always taken
on “responsibility for the
success of every single
customer who has put their
trust in me.” Especially when BioTools was
new, she wanted to make sure that clients
benefited immediately by applying the
company’s technology to their targeted
applications. “Their success became my
success,” she says.
Even as head of a publicly traded company,
Parker admits that she feels the weight
of increased responsibility to employees,
other shareholders, clients, and patients
who take the drugs developed by Targeted
Genetics. “That responsibility can be the
most exhilarating thing in the world or it
can keep you up at night. I find both to be
true, depending on the week,” she says. “I
don’t mind telling people that it tears me up
when we have had to do layoffs here. And
we had a patient death on a clinical trial last
year that turned out to be unrelated to one
BALANCING ACT
As cofounder of an
instrumentation
business, Dukor
is able to manage
work and family
life, which includes
a 5-K run with
her son, Alan, and
daughter, Anna.
of our drugs, but it
was a horrible event
and a very emotional
event for me.”
Other entrepreneurs
are particularly
burdened by their
responsibility to investors—something
that Marrone counts
as “the biggest downside
to founding a business,” she says. “As
soon as you take investors’ money, you
become beholden to them, so it is naïve to
think that you are still calling the shots.”
Still, Marrone says she is happy to be
divorced from the politics and the bureaucracy
associated with a large corporation.
She finds it “freeing” to be able to “really
set a company’s direction and see my ideas
come to fruition more quickly.”
Dukor, too, embraces the flexibility of
owning her own business. “Basically, I can
commercialize anything I want. There is no
boss to shoot down my ideas. So if I have an
idea in the middle of the night, I can come
in the next morning and put people on it
and try it. I really love that.” ■
COURTESY OF RINA DUKOR
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 54 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
COURTESY OF PHOENIX IPY TEAM
EXTREME CHEMISTRY
Chemists working in extreme environments
mix SCIENCE WITH ADVENTURE
LINDA WANG, C&EN WASHINGTON
SHIVERING INSIDE a tent in an isolated
area of Antarctica, Tufts University professor
of chemistry Samuel P. Kounaves could
barely feel his fingers as he tried to keep the
solution in his pipette from freezing. Outside
the tent, the temperature was −30 ºC.
The barren, cracked land in these so-called
dry valleys looked eerily like Mars.
In fact, that’s the reason Kounaves and
colleagues embarked on this three-week
expedition in December 2007. They wanted
to do a trial run of analytical instruments
that would be taken to Mars by the Phoenix
Lander, and these dry valleys in Antarctica
are similar to some regions of the red planet.
“In chemistry, you think a lot of us just
want to be in the lab, but, in reality, I think
a lot of chemists are extroverts and they
enjoy going out into the world and doing
things,” Kounaves says. “We’re explorers
at heart.”
Kounaves isn’t alone in seeking answers
to scientific questions in such
extreme environments. As chemistry
becomes increasingly interdisciplinary,
chemists are finding more opportunities
to do fieldwork, which has traditionally
been the domain of researchers in the
natural sciences, in areas such as oceanography
and vulcanology. In this stormy job
market, the ability to work at the intersection
of multiple scientific disciplines and
to be imaginative about how chemistry
is applied to big-picture problems could
provide a safe haven.
Fieldwork can take many forms, from a
local half-day trip to a monthlong excursion
to the other side of the world. The
example of Kounaves and two other chemists
working on the far end of the spectrum
demonstrates that there’s no limit to what
chemists can do.
Tamsin A. Mather, an academic fellow
in the earth sciences department at the
University of Oxford, understands the
trials and tribulations of doing fieldwork
in extreme environments. She studies the
atmospheric chemistry of volcanic plumes
and their effects on the environment.
Mather says that the most extreme place
she’s worked in is Lascar Volcano, in the
Chilean Andes. What made it so challenging
for her team is the high altitude, which
MORE ONLINE
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 55 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
COLD ROOM
Inside a tent
in Antarctica,
Kounaves
analyzes
data on soil
samples.
made the climb to the
summit—while carrying
all their equipment—that
much more difficult. Not
only that, but the remotesensing
device they
had brought with them
stopped working. “You always
try to anticipate problems,” she says.
“But of course, things always occur that
you can’t anticipate.”
At the same time, Mather says she
wouldn’t trade the experience for the
world. “I feel privileged to be able to work
in some really beautiful places,” she says.
Mather has also studied the gas geochemistry
of volcanoes in Hawaii, Nicaragua,
and Italy.
IF RESEARCH atop volcanoes isn’t exciting
enough, imagine spending an entire
day in a tiny closet with two other people.
That’s what it feels like in the deep-sea
submersible Alvin, says George W. Luther
III, the Maxwell P. & Mildred H. Harrington
Professor of Oceanography at
the University of Delaware, who studies
sulfur and iron biogeochemistry at hydrothermal
vents.
Alvin’s chamber, essentially a titanium
ball that’s seven feet in diameter, is so small
that only one person can stand at a time.
The other two people have to be lying flat
in the ball, and sometimes their legs get
tangled, Luther says. What’s more, there
are no bathrooms, heating, or air conditioning.
“It’s exhausting going down in Alvin,”
says Luther of the daylong dives. “It’s
one of the most intense days of science
you’ll ever have in your life.”
Inside Alvin, a pilot navigates the submarine
to areas where hot chemicals are spewing
out of hydrothermal vents or farther
down the chimney where all the organisms
are. Using laptops that are wired through
the hull, Luther and the other scientists
collect data from sensors attached to the
outside of Alvin.
“Our goal is to try to understand the
chemistry that these organisms are living in
so we can better understand why they live
in the ecological niches that they live in,”
Luther says. “There’s an awful lot that we
don’t know about how they uptake chemicals
and perform their chemosynthesis.”
Luther’s research cruises have included
deep-sea expeditions in the Mediterranean
Experience what it feels like to sit in the passenger seat of
Alvin, a deep-sea submersible, at www.cen-online.org.

DAVID PYLE
Sea, the Black Sea, and the Arabian Sea. So
far, he’s done 14 dives in Alvin.
As exciting as their jobs sound, these
chemists are not primarily after the thrill of
adventure. Instead, they say, they’re driven
by the science. “I’m not somebody who
goes out to find tough places to get samples
from just for the sake of it,” Mather says.
“But if the science justifies it, then that’s
very exciting.”
Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that these
chemists are all explorers at heart. Kounaves
says that when he was a child, he
wanted to be an astronaut because he was
fascinated with space exploration. As an
undergraduate at California State University,
San Diego, Kounaves couldn’t decide
between physics, biology, and engineering,
so he ended up majoring in chemistry.
In graduate school at the University
of Geneva, in Switzerland, he focused on
environmental chemistry and immersed
himself in fieldwork. As he studied the environment
on Earth, he began to wonder,
“What about environments on other planets?”
Little by little, he gravitated back to
his childhood dream of space exploration.
Today, Kounaves is the science lead for the
Phoenix Mars mission’s
wet chemistry
lab.
Unlike Kounaves,
Luther
considers himself a
late bloomer in the
world of extreme
chemistry. He
ON THE EDGE
Wearing a gas
mask, Mather sits
on the crater rim of
Villarrica Volcano, in
Chile, after collecting
gas and aerosol
samples.
earned a Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry
from the University of Pittsburgh in
1972 and taught chemistry and physics at
Kean College of New Jersey for 14 years.
While attending scientific meetings, Luther
found himself engaging in conversation
with many oceanographers who were
doing extensive fieldwork. “The next thing
I knew, I found that this was kind of interesting,”
he says.
In 1986, he joined the University of
Delaware’s College of Marine Studies. The
following year, Luther took his first major
MUSTAFA YUCEL
DEEP-SEA EXPLORER
Luther (right) and
Alvin pilot Mark O.
Spear prepare for a
deep-sea dive.
expedition to the
Mediterranean Sea
to study hypersaline
and anoxic
brines at the bottom
of the sea. The
next year, he went
on a research expedition to study chemical
reactions in the Black Sea. After that, he
was hooked. “It’s possible at almost any
part of your career to get involved in this
kind of work,” he says.
At age 31, Mather is the youngest of the
extreme chemists C&EN interviewed. She
says that after receiving an M.S. degree in
chemistry, she decided to pursue research
with a more environmental angle. She also
knew she didn’t want to be in the lab all
the time. She found the perfect match with
her Ph.D. work on volcanic atmospheric
chemistry.
Mather says that doing fieldwork allows
her to stay in touch with the big picture of
what she’s doing. “In my line of science,
if you don’t go out some of the time, you
sort of lose touch a little bit with how the
samples are being collected, and it’s good
to see something through from collection
to analysis to writing the paper. That way,
you get a very thorough understanding of
the science.”
DOING EXTREME chemistry doesn’t have
to interfere with your work-life balance.
The chemists point out that their time in
the field encompasses only a small percentage
of their jobs. Mather says she spends
only about four weeks a year doing fieldwork.
Luther spends one to two months a
year doing fieldwork. And Kounaves is out
in the field for about five weeks every two
years. The rest of the time, the researchers
are back at their universities analyzing data
and writing their papers. Mather says that’s
actually the part of her job she finds most
exciting because “that’s when you start
making sense of the results you pulled in.”
As Kounavis, Luther, and Mather show,
chemists can decide to go extreme at any
point in their career. “The important thing
is to realize that you have the ability to enable
yourself to do these things,” Kounaves
says. “Just because you’re a chemist doesn’t
mean you’re limited to doing exactly what
chemists are supposed to be doing.” What’s
critical is finding a scientific topic that
you’re passionate about, Luther says.
Mather agrees. “You have to enjoy the
science,” she says; otherwise, the fun stops
at the end of the adventure. ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 56 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
BENJAMIN LU
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNSHIPS
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD offer students
unique opportunities for career development,
personal growth, and intercultural exchange
KENNETH J. MOORE, C&EN WASHINGTON
INCORPORATING an internship into
a student’s educational program isn’t a
new idea, but international internships
have been few and far between. Cheryl A.
Matherly, associate dean for global education
at the University of Tulsa, says that
many science students write off going
abroad because they think that they won’t
be able to find the time. Chemistry and
engineering students do, however, have
opportunities to gain international experiences,
which are increasingly important
in the workplace as the chemical industry
becomes more globalized.
According to students C&EN interviewed,
the cultural and educational challenges
posed by international experiences
gave them a sense of personal accomplishment
and independence and helped them
plan their career paths. Employers say they
value students’ ability to survive and thrive
in challenging situations such as adjusting
to life in a foreign country.
During an internship abroad, students
have to be more self-reliant than those
who are merely studying abroad, Matherly
says. When “studying, you have all the cultural
challenges, but you know how to be a
student. When interning, you have to be a
scientist, and you have to cook for yourself
and wash your clothes but also do this in a
place where you can’t read the names on
the bottles to figure out what goes in the
washing machine.”
Matherly is a co-principal investigator
(co-PI) on the National Science Foundation
grant that funds Rice University’s Nano-
Japan program and was previously director
of Rice’s Career & International Education
center before moving to Tulsa. The threeyear-old
program offers a 10-week research
experience in Japan to first- and secondyear
undergraduate engineering students.
The program includes culture and language
courses in addition to academic research.
“There are few programs for freshmen
and sophomore science and engineering
students,” Matherly says, “and there are
GETTING ORIENTED During orientation,
NanoJapan participants traveled to
Mount Nantai, in Nikko. From left, Raj,
O’Connell, Amal El-Ghazaly, Andrea Barrett,
Daryl Spencer Jr., Tiffany Kuo, Tolulope
Ogubekun, Shiv Gaglani, Norman Pai, and
Keiko Packard, the culture instructor for
the orientation.
few programs to attract them to graduate
studies in physical sciences.” NanoJapan
specifically targets students who are interested
in nanotechnology, she says, “to give
them a meaningful and substantial research
experience and to do it at a time when they
still have an opportunity to do something
about it—select courses, have more research
experiences, or study a language. We
built the program as a career catalyst.”
This past summer’s NanoJapan had 80
applicants from universities across the
U.S., but only 16 students were selected for
the program. “We are looking for students
with a strong interest in a relatively narrow
field of research”—carbon nanotubes,
nanoscale semiconductor devices, and
nanophotonics—says Sarah R. Phillips, the
co-PI on the grant who deals with recruitment,
applications, and program planning
for NanoJapan. “We are also looking for
students with a strong interest in Japan,
living there and learning the culture and
language,” she says.
“The grant funding required a heavy
educational component and a strong commitment
to international science to develop
globally savvy scientists and engineers,”
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 57 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
CULTURAL CONFUSION
Working Abroad Is Fraught With Difficulties, But It Is Also Rewarding
“There were a lot of things that were
really shocking about my experience in
Thailand,” says Marguerite (Meg) Desko,
who had an international research experience
at Mahidol University in 2002.
Many people who go abroad experience
culture shock and not just while out in
public. In Desko’s lab, “it was the ambient
temperature of the outdoors,” which
was about 90 ºF, she says. “We had to
run a lot of columns using methylene
chloride, but it evaporated and cracked
our columns. So we had to spray down
the outside of the column with methanol
to keep it cool.”
Because of the temperatures, Desko
initially wore shorts. “They weren’t short
shorts,” she says, but “I was just stared
at; it’s unacceptable for women in Thailand
to wear shorts, so I decided to buy
pants. I had so much trouble because
everyone would say, ‘No, too fat.’ In Thailand,
I’m huge, but in the U.S. I’m considered
petite.”
To adhere to another flustering fashion
fad, Aanchal Raj, a participant in Nano-
Japan 2008 who is studying electrical and
computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon
University, says she tried “to assimilate
to the culture of women riding bikes while
wearing 3-inch heels.” In Japan, she says,
people are generally dressier than in the
U.S.; it’s part of their culture. Almost every
woman wears big heels, and people use
bikes a lot, she adds. “The women look like
they’re going to a party, but they’re riding
bikes to get there,” she says. “I had to try
it—it’s not as difficult as it may seem, but I
prefer my sneakers.”
Raj also experienced her first earthquake
while in Japan and several others
after that. She knew earthquakes
happened in Japan, she says, and she
got used to them but was still scared.
“I went to the beach one day, and there
was an oceanside earthquake,” Raj says.
“They made us come out of the water for
a possible tsunami. Everyone was just
sitting around eating lunch, but there
were helicopters and news crews.” Even
the Japanese friends she was with said
they had never been to the
beach during an earthquake,
Raj relays. Although there was
a slight decrease in water level,
no tsunami hit the beach that
day, she adds.
Benjamin Y. Lu, who is studying
bioengineering at Rice University
and was a NanoJapan
2008 participant, had a different
kind of cultural difficulty in
Japan. He had been to Japan
several times before because he
has family in Taiwan and Japan,
so it was easy for him to adapt
to life in Japan, he says. “But it
was difficult for me to tell people
that I don’t speak Japanese
that well. People assumed I did,”
Lu says. Although he was familiar
with Japanese culture before
the NanoJapan program, Lu had never
been in Japan by himself and says he really
enjoyed the cultural opportunities he
was able to experience. “I went to a sumo
wrestling tournament,” he says. “It was a
lot of fun.”
At the end of the internships, the
NanoJapan students climb Mount Fuji together
as “a metaphor of ‘I survived—I did
this,’ ” says University of Tulsa’s Cheryl A.
COURTESY OF BENJAMIN LU
Matherly, who is involved in running the
program. “It’s quite exciting to see students
who, at the beginning of the summer,
were having difficulty finding their
way around the subway” finish climbing
Mount Fuji by the end of the internship.
Despite the rain and cold they experienced
while climbing Mount Fuji, some
students said the ascent was the defining
moment of their lives so far, Lu says. The
SUMMER SUMO While in Japan for their internships,
Norman Pai (left), Shiv Gaglani (center), and Lu
(right) took in one of Japan’s traditional cultural
experiences: sumo wrestling.
students climbed the mountain at night
to watch the sun rise the day before leaving
Japan. “It was an unforgettable experience,
seeing the sun come up above the
clouds,” Lu relates.
Solongo H. Wilson, who participated in
the German Academic Exchange Service’s
Research Internships in Science & Engineering
Professional program in 2007 and
started a full-time contract position at her
Matherly says. NanoJapan requires a threeweek
orientation in Tokyo that includes an
introduction to nanotechnology. “Students
have varying levels of experience in courses
and research, and for many this is their first
opportunity to study nanotechnology,”
Phillips says.
THE FIRST TIME in a research environment
might be difficult for some students,
but moving to a country in which English
is not the primary language can be much
harder. English is spoken in the more than
a dozen participating university labs that
host the students, Matherly says. And the
NanoJapan program includes Japanese
culture and language courses during orientation
to aid interns in their work and
personal lives while they are in Japan.
However, NanoJapan participant Christopher
O’Connell, a mechanical engineering
student at the University of Rhode Island
who studied ink-jet printing of carbon
nanomaterials at Tohoku University, in
Sendai, says even his prior two years of
Japanese courses were “not nearly enough
for fluent conversation. But the challenge
of the language barrier made the experience
more exciting.”
“The difficulty in communicating is
what I missed the most” after returning
from Japan, says NanoJapan participant
Aanchal Raj, a second-year electrical and
computer engineering student at Carnegie
Mellon University who studied quantum
tunneling in nanomagnets at Tohoku. “It
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 58 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

internship placement company, Hydac
International, in Sulzbach, says: “The
stereo types of Germans as unfriendly
and harsh couldn’t be further from the
truth. The culture is easy to adapt to,
and the people are friendly and helpful.
People want you to be comfortable.”
There are, however, some differences
that are difficult to get used to. Grocery
stores don’t have baggers, Wilson
says, “and if you don’t pack your bags
quickly enough, you get mean looks.”
Also, Germans are energy conscious,
she says. “People freak out if you idle
your car, leave a light on, or leave water
on while washing dishes.” The people
care about recycling and the environment,
she adds.
The hardest thing to adjust to when
she returns from Germany, Wilson says,
will be going from six weeks of vacation
per year to only two weeks.
Sarah R. Phillips, who is involved
in running the NanoJapan program,
says, “Reentry culture shock occurs
for almost everyone who has spent a
significant period of time outside of
their home country.” So much about
the person has changed, she says, “but
their family, friends, and everything
back home really haven’t. That can be a
huge disconnect, and you reach a moment
when it’s difficult to convey all the
changes you’ve gone through.”
“It’s a lot more interesting to be in”
another country, Matherly says, “where
everything is new and novel, rather than
to be back in the U.S.”
Desko agrees. “Something I discovered
throughout my experiences in
Thailand and grad school is that I’m
not going to be satisfied in the lab all
the time. I need more variety,” she says.
“Just living in Thailand gave me that variety
every day.”
was a fun challenge.” For her, the language
barrier and cultural differences allowed
her to understand the difficulties foreign
students face in the U.S.
Many students express that same
sentiment, Matherly says. “The students
remember what a fish out of water they felt
like when they arrived,” she says, and so
they are more sensitive to the experience
of foreign students.
One of Raj’s main reasons for applying
for a NanoJapan internship was the international
aspect of the research experience.
“To be a leader in science requires much
more than just technical expertise,” she
says. “It requires entrepreneurship and
skills in leadership, communication, and,
most of all, cultural awareness with the
ever-increasing global collaboration. And
that’s what NanoJapan offers.”
Indeed, global collaboration is the goal
of the German Academic Exchange Service’s
(DAAD’s) Research Internships in
Science & Engineering (RISE) and RISE
Professional programs. The RISE program
brings Canadian and American undergraduate
science and engineering students to
German university labs to do research with
a doctoral student adviser. And the RISE
Professional program places recent bachelor’s
graduates and current master’s and
Ph.D. students at research facilities within
German chemical companies such as BASF.
Each research experience is conducted
in English, lasts about three months, and
includes a stipend for living expenses.
This past summer, DAAD initiated a pilot
language grant program for a number of its
RISE students to take German-language
courses before starting their internships.
Funded by a variety of government
sources, DAAD offers many opportunities
for educational exchange to and from
Germany. The RISE programs were created
to help balance the exchange figures, says
Martina Ludwig, whose role in the North
American department at DAAD’s headquarters,
in Bonn, includes working with
RISE program participants.
Since the initiation of RISE in 2004,
the number of applications has increased
dramatically, says Peter Kerrigan, deputy
director of DAAD’s office in New York City.
“RISE is probably the most popular of our
grant programs,” he says. Students at the
RISE Professional level have many choices
for practical research experiences, he adds.
“Our goal is to make this the most attractive
option for practical experience,” he says.
RISE was certainly attractive enough
to turn heads at NSF and the American
Chemical Society. NSF was interested
in establishing a multisite International
Research Experience for Undergraduates
(IREU) program that would send U.S. students
abroad and bring foreign students to
the U.S., ACS Committee on International
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 59 NOVEMBER 3, 2008
Activities Chair Nina I.
McClelland says. “Both
the U.S. and Europe
are suffering from
the same syndrome:
Only a small number
of university-bound
students are electing
careers in science. The
EYE-OPENER
Desko, pictured
here at Wat Arun,
in Bangkok,
Thailand, gained
insight into the
country’s culture
during her IREU.
prospect to promote international collaborations
is very appealing to all ends,”
she says.
When Christian Schaffer, director of the
RISE programs, attended the 2006 ACS
fall national meeting in San Francisco, the
idea for an ACS/NSF/DAAD collaboration
was presented to him, McClelland says.
The pilot program ran in the summer of
2007, with 10 students from the U.S. and 10
students from Germany (C&EN, April 23,
2007, page 62).
“THE SUCCESS of the program led to its
expansion,” McClelland says. With reciprocity
from DAAD, NSF provided three
more years of funding for 2008–10. For this
past summer, the program also received
funding from the German Chemical Society
and the European Chemistry Thematic
Network. The extra funding allowed 15 U.S.
students to travel to Germany this summer,
and an additional three U.S. students
“U.S. participants, without exception, have
considered this the experience of a lifetime.”
COURTESY OF MARGUERITE DESKO

EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
COURTESY OF AANCHAL RAJ
went to schools elsewhere in Europe: one
each to the University of Strathclyde, in
Scotland; the University of Perugia, in Italy;
and CPE Lyon, in France. Eighteen European
students express placed at universities
in the U.S., as well. Most students presented
their summer research at the recent fall
ACS national meeting in Philadelphia.
“Feedback from participants, organizations,
and advisers has been overwhelmingly
positive,” McClelland says. “U.S.
participants, without exception, have considered
this the experience of a lifetime.”
DAAD’s Ludwig says most other RISE
students express the same thing. “Feedback
has been very enthusiastic so far,” she says.
Solongo H. Wilson, who participated in
the first year of the RISE Professional program
in 2007 after receiving a bachelor’s
degree in chemistry from the University of
Toronto, says she loved her experience that
summer. “I knew doing research in academia
was not for me because I need to see
a result in a short period of time,” she says.
Studying water saturation behavior of
industrial oils for Hydac International,
in Sulzbach, Germany, she had to deal
with customers and run experiments on a
deadline. “It’s not like writing a report for
school,” she says. “It’s a big step from theoretical
chemistry.”
After her 2007 internship, Wilson returned
to Canada but kept in touch with
her coworkers at Hydac. Her Hydac adviser
eventually offered her a position, and she
returned to Germany to start a two-year
contract that began in January.
Like Wilson, some students use such
internships as a way to get their foot in the
door of a specific company, and the companies
welcome that tactic as prerecruitment.
“BASF’s strategy is to form the best
team in industry,” says Dagmar Klinge, a
scientist and engineer recruiter who deals
with BASF’s interns at the company’s
headquarters, in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
“BASF attempts to keep in contact with
excellent interns; the intent, of course, is to
recruit them for BASF.”
Klinge says the company has about 700
to 800 interns at its headquarters and at
a nearby agricultural research facility in
Limburgerhof. That is up from about 600
to 700 in 2006, and, she adds, the number
is increasing. About two-thirds of the interns
are science or engineering students,
and 1 to 2% are from the U.S. BASF offers
internships on its careers website, but it
also collaborates with DAAD as part of the
DEADLINES LOOM
NanoJapan
nanojapan.rice.edu
Applications open on Nov. 15
Deadline is Jan. 12, 2009
RISE
www.daad.de/rise/en
Applications open on Dec. 8
Deadline is Jan. 31, 2009
RISE Professional
www.daad.de/rise-pro/en
Applications opened on Nov. 1
Deadline is Jan. 25, 2009
ACS IREU
www.acs.org/ireu
Applications open in November 2008
Deadline is Jan. 31 or March 1, 2009
MOUNTAINEERS
Raj climbed Mount
Fuji at night with
other NanoJapan
participants. During
their descent,
they walked down
through the clouds.
RISE Professional
program. “We are
quite pleased with
RISE Professional,”
Klinge says. This
past summer, the
second summer of
RISE Professional,
BASF doubled the
number of internships it offered to students
in the program.
The nature of the project offered determines
the degree level that BASF looks for,
Klinge says. The company prefers master’s
students for its science internships, she
adds, but BASF also considers undergraduates
in their last year. Academic excellence
is most important to the company, she says.
WHEN STUDENTS enter the job market,
having an international research experience
can tip the scales in favor of a candidate
vying for a certain position, Klinge
says. “Sometimes the experience to survive
in a new environment is more important
than the subject” the applicant researched
during an internship, she says.
John Cherkauskas, vice president and
director of Rhodia’s Center for Research &
Technology, in Bristol, Pa., agrees, saying
that having international research experiences
“can be the deciding factor in candidate
selection,” although it is just one facet
in considering a candidate for a position.
Rhodia looks for strong academic achievement,
curiosity, and technical creativity
when hiring students fresh on the job
market, he says, but “a relevant scientific
internship certainly helps.”
“It’s more important that a candidate
with international exposure can convey
some sense of synergy from their internship,
academic training, and perhaps industrial
experience,” Cherkauskas says.
An internship abroad tells recruiters
that you are adaptable, successful in difficult
situations, and likely a good candidate
for their firm. Marguerite (Meg) Desko,
a recent Ph.D. graduate from Stanford
University, says her IREU at Thailand’s
Mahidol University gave her the abilities
to “communicate without language and
be flexible at all times because things just
never worked like they were supposed to”
in Thailand. Her experiences there helped
her think outside the box, she says, and
now that she is looking for employment,
her internship in Thailand is “an unusual
experience that sticks out on your résumé;
people remember you.” ■
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 60 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

NanoTube
Your research
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Your reading
simplified
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Your images
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Yourcommunity
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We invite you to be part of our culture of innovation,
collaboration, and discovery. It’s a future – and a
company – worth working for. Get to know us better
and tell us about yourself.
www.biogenidec.jobs/C&EN
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 65 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
T
Nanoscience & Materials
he Department of Chemistry
and the Materials Science Institute
at the University of
Oregon are seeking outstanding candidates
as part of a new cluster of hires
within the fields of materials science
and nanoscience. This exciting opportunity
builds off a decade of program
growth and a strong regional
partnership through the Oregon
Nano science & Microtechnologies Insti
tute (ONAMI). These new hires
will contribute to and benefit from
(i) a thriving culture of institutional
and regional collaboration; (ii) an
exceptional col lection of shared research
instrumentation through the
UO’s Center for Advanced Materials
Characterization in Oregon and the
NWNanoNet; (iii) a new Integrative
Science Complex, including the Lorry
Lokey Laboratories, a 25,000 sq.-
ft. high-performance (nano)materials
characterization and fabrication facility;
and (iv) an innovative graduate
program that supports several large
graduate training grant programs. We
seek candidates with a demonstrated
commitment to working effectively
with students, faculty and staff from
diverse backgrounds.
UO Presidential Chair. Developed
in partnership with ONAMI, this endowed
chair is an exciting opportunity
for a dynamic, collaborative leader to
join a leading program in nano- and
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
materials science within a strong interdisciplinary
environment with stateof-the-art
research facilities. The ideal
candidate is a senior investigator with
a well-established research program
related to the UO’s nanoscale and materials
science programs related to sustainability.
The successful candidate
will be expected to conduct a research
program of national prominence and
to conduct excellent teaching in the
Department of Chemistry.
Nominations should highlight the
candidate’s qualifications and provide
his/her contact information. Applicants
should submit a letter stating
interest in the position and describing
qualifications related to those cited
above, a CV, and the names and contact
information for five references.
In addition, a statement of philosophy
regarding research, education, outreach
and entrepreneurship should
be included. Questions, informal inquiries,
and nominations should be
directed to Prof. David C. Johnson
(davej@ uoregon.edu or 541-346-
4612). Applications should be submitted
to #8319 UO Presidential Chair
Search Committee, Department of
Chemistry, 1253 University of Oregon,
Eugene, OR 97403-1253. Application
materials must be received by
Dec. 1, 2008, to receive full consideration;
however, the search will remain
open until the position is filled.
ONAMI Signature Researcher.
This new position, also created in
partnership with ONAMI, is a tenure-track
Assistant Professor position
in the fundamental science of materials
or nanomaterials. The potential
for establishing a vigorous independent
research program in materials
chemistry and active participation
and excellence in teaching at the undergraduate
and graduate levels will
be the most important criteria for
selection. Applicants whose research
plans complement those of UO and
ONAMI researchers in the areas of
synthesis, structural analysis or physical
investigation of nanostructured
or nanoscale materials will be given
priority.
Applications (including a CV, statement
of research and teaching interests,
and three letters of reference)
for the Signature Researcher position
should be directed to #8320 Materials
Search Committee, Department
of Chemistry, 1253 University of
Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1253.
Review of application materials will
begin on Dec. 1, 2008, and continue
until the position is filled.
The University of Oregon is an equalopportunity
affirmative-action institution,
committed to cultural diversity
and compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
The Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Washington seeks a full-time
tenure-track faculty member to begin Autumn Quarter 2009.
The candidate for this entry-level, tenure-track position should have an excellent record of published research
in the field of materials science and engineering with a research focus on molecular engineering (MolE). MolE
is a broadly defined field associated with the design, fabrication, and delivery of functional molecules and
molecular systems for a broad range of applications including medical, energy, electronics, and photonics.
The candidates’ work should be truly interdisciplinary in nature with potential to establish collaborations with
departments in physical and biological sciences, engineering, and medicine. The selected faculty will have
ample opportunities to collaborate with a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary centers and institutes including
the NSF-STC on Materials & Devices for Information Technology, the NSF-MRSEC on Genetically Engineered
Materials Science & Engineering Center, the NIH-funded Microscale Life Science Center, and the Institute
of Advanced Materials & Technology. A doctoral degree is required. Candidates in the final stages of a doctoral
degree program may be considered. The department seeks candidates at the assistant professor rank;
however, commensurate with the qualifications of the individual, an appointment may be made at the rank of
associate professor. This hiring is contingent upon available funding.
The department, the College of Engineering, and the University of Washington are committed to excellence
in both education and research. UW faculty engage in teaching, research and service. Successful applicants
will be expected to provide innovative and quality teaching that integrates research with instruction. He/she
will be expected to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses within the department and to develop high
quality interdisciplinary research programs. UW currently has the highest level of federal funding of all public
universities. The MSE department has 15 faculty, >100 undergraduates, ~75 graduate students, and 20 postdoctoral
researchers. The department’s research portfolio covers all classes of materials and state-of-the-art
facilities are available in the department and in interdisciplinary research centers on the campus including the
NSF-STC for Materials & Devices for Information Technology and the NSF-MRSEC for Genetically Engineered
Materials. More information about the department is available at http://depts.washington.edu/mse/.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: 01/15/09. Applicants should include the following documents and information
with their letter of application: a detailed resume, a list of publications, clear and concise statements of
teaching and research interests and objectives (3 pg max), and the contact information of three referees.
Evaluation of applicants will start on December 15, 2008.
HOW TO APPLY: Application materials must be submitted via the College of Engineering’s online Faculty
Search Tool at www.engr.washington.edu/facsearch/?dept=Mse. Click on position #AA2229. Questions
may be directed to the search committee by email at montague@u.washington.edu.
The University of Washington is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, is building a culturally
diverse faculty and staff, and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities
and covered veterans. UW is the recipient of a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional
Transformation Award to increase the participation of women in academic science and engineering careers.
UW is the recipient of the 2006 Alfred P. Sloan award for Faculty Career Flexibility and is committed to supporting
the work-life balance of its faculty.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 66 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCED
RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Endowed Professorships in Science, Engineering,
Architecture, and Social Science.
Washington University in St. Louis has launched a bold new initiative to address the challenges of energy and sustainability on a global scale. The International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy
and Sustainability (I-CARES) (http://i-cares.wustl.edu) was created in June 2007 to foster research on energy, environment, and sustainability that cannot be done by single investigators alone. I-CARES
nurtures collaborations within Washington University and with regional and international partners in order to contribute to rapid progress in addressing the world’s energy crisis. Our goals are to:
• Foster research on the development of renewable fuels and alternative energy sources
• Develop innovative technologies for the mitigation of greenhouse gases with an emphasis on clean coal utilization
• Explore transformational ideas, systems and practices related to energy supply and demand, sustainability, and environmental impact.
I-CARES invites nominations and applications for five endowed professorships. The search is focused on tenured appointments at the rank of full professor, although exceptional candidates will be considered
for appointments commensurate with their experience and accomplishments. Applicants should have an internationally recognized research program, a distinguished record of leadership and will be expected
to take a proactive role in fostering fruitful cross-disciplinary interactions among departments and schools university wide.
Washington University is a medium-sized, independent research university. The University is counted among the world’s leaders in teaching and research, and draws students and faculty to St. Louis from
all 50 states of the USA and more than 120 other nations.
Washington University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and strongly encourages applications from women and under-represented minority
candidates. For more information, please contact Marilyn Roberts at icares@wustl.edu.
Metabolic Engineering, Bioprocessing
Preference will be given to individuals with expertise in the creative use of metabolic engineering and systems/synthetic biology in nano-biotechnology and the development of environmentally benign
strategies for the conversion of renewable biomass to chemicals and fuels. See http://eec.wustl.edu/About/facultyopening2.asp for application details.
Ecosystems and Earth Systems Science
Interdisciplinary scholars with expertise in global biogeochemical cycling, terrestrial ecosystems, carbon dynamics, paleoclimatology, or microbial ecology who are interested in understanding the causes and
consequences of anthropogenic alterations to these natural systems. See http://artsci.wustl.edu/About/facultyopeningsicares for application details.
Environmental and Public Policy
Interdisciplinary scholars interested in all aspects of environmental and public policies pertaining to energy, resource use, sustainability, biodiversity, and public health and their impacts on human, economic,
political, and social systems. See http://artsci.wustl.edu/About/facultyopeningsicares for application details.
Global Climate and Aerosols, Atmospheric Modeling, Climate Policy; Carbon Neutral Energy Production and Processing
Preference will be given to individuals with expertise in the following areas: global climate data acquisition and multiscale modeling of atmospheric processes, effect of emissions and aerosols on climate change,
policy for energy/environmental sustainability and carbon neutral enterprise, green chemistry, and environmentally benign chemical processing. See http://eec.wustl.edu/About/facultyopening2.asp for
application details.
Solar Energy Processes and Photoactive Materials
Preference will be given to individuals with expertise in the following areas: third generation PVs, organic and flexible PVs, solar energy storage, solar hydrogen production and storage, photocatalytic processes,
light-matter interactions at the nanoscale, nanophotonics and plasmonics. See http://eec.wustl.edu/About/facultyopening2.asp for application details.
Sustainable Development and Urban Design, Sustainable Architectural Design
Interdisciplinary scholars and or practitioners whose areas of concentration may include, but will not be limited to: sustainable development and urban design; sustainable landscape architecture; advanced
building technologies and sustainable architectural design. http://samfoxschool.wustl.edu/
Fakultät für Chemie
und Pharmazie
In der Fakultät für Chemie und Pharmazie ist am Institut für Anorganische
Chemie eine
W3-Professur für Anorganische Chemie
zum 01.10.2009 zu besetzen.
Der/die Bewerber/in soll in der Lage sein, die Lehre im Fach Anorganische
Chemie in voller Breite zu vertreten. Die zu besetzende Professur
soll die am Institut für Anorganische Chemie und an den benachbarten
chemischen Instituten vorhandenen Forschungsschwerpunkte sinnvoll
ergänzen.
Einstellungsvoraussetzung ist die Habilitation oder gleichwertige
wissenschaftliche Leistung sowie didaktische Eignung.
Diese Professur wird im Rahmen des 200-Professorinnen-Programms
des BMBF ausgeschrieben, so dass sich insbesondere Frauen zur
Bewerbung angesprochen fühlen sollten.
Schwerbehinderte werden bei entsprechender Eignung bevorzugt
berücksichtigt.
Bewerbungen mit den üblichen Unterlagen (Lebenslauf und Darstellung
des wissenschaftlichen Werdegangs, Kopien von Urkunden, Verzeichnis
der Publikationen mit Sonderdrucken der fünf wichtigsten Veröffentlichungen,
Verzeichnis der Lehrveranstaltung, Übersicht über Drittmitteleinwerbung
der letzten fünf Jahre, Forschungskooperationen und
Schwerpunkte der zukünftigen Forschung) werden bis zum 21.11.2008
erbeten an den
Dekan der Fakultät für Chemie und Pharmazie
der Universität Tübingen
Auf der Morgenstelle 8 · D-72076 Tübingen · Germany
Chemistry
CHEMISTRY
FACULTY POSITION
WCMC-Q seeks an experienced chemist with major responsibility for the teaching of a
two-semester General Chemistry sequence (with laboratories) to a select group of highly
motivated undergraduate pre-medical students. In addition to the principal teaching obligation,
the successful applicant will participate in student academic advising, committee
work, and the academic life of WCMC-Q. Research space and research funding support
are available, and active participation in relevant research will be encouraged. Details
regarding the WCMC-Q program and facilities can be accessed at:
www.qatar-med.cornell.edu
Candidates will hold a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry or a closely related discipline and
possess demonstrable teaching skills as well as experience and training in research.
Candidates are expected to be familiar with or have experience in the U.S. higher
education system and must be willing to relocate to Doha, Qatar for the duration of the
appointment. Academic rank and salary are commensurate with training and experience
and are accompanied by an attractive foreign-service benefits package. Qualified applicants
should submit a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest outlining their teaching
and research experience to:
http://job.qatar-med.cornell.edu
* Please select the appropriate position under the Academic options
and indicate job reference # 08-wcmcq-CH.
Cornell University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action educator and employer.
The screening of applications will begin immediately and continue until suitable
candidates are identified. Please note that due to the high volume of applications, only
short-listed candidates will be contacted. Service is expected to begin in August 2009.
Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide names of three references.
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 67 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Tenure-Track Position
▲ ▲ ▲
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
▼ ▼ ▼
College of Natural Sciences &
Mathematics
WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
To start in fall 2009. To teach organic chemistry (along with
another organic faculty) and other undergraduate courses
and to develop a research program with undergraduates.
Ph.D. in organic chemistry required and postdoctoral experience
preferred. ACS-accredited chemistry department.
An assortment of instruments available for teaching and
research. Opportunity for research with graduate students of
biotechnology program. To apply, send cover letter, CV, undergraduate
and graduate transcripts, statements of teaching
and research interests, and three letters of recommendation
to: Dr. Vernon Fletcher, Chair, Organic Search Committee, 101
Hamblin Hall, West Virginia State University, Institute, WV
25112-1000. Review of applications will start by November
15, 2008, and will continue until position is filled. Enquiries:
304-766-3106 or fletchvr@wvstateu.edu. See:
www.wvstateu.edu/chemistry
WVSU is an EO/AA employer. Women and minorities encouraged to apply.
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY invites applications
for an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry.
Responsibilities include teaching and developing
an active and challenging undergraduate research
program. A more detailed outline of the responsibilities
and duties may be found on the University’s web
site (www.csuniv.edu). A Ph.D. in Biochemistry is required.
Teaching experience and experience in supervising
undergraduate research (including grant writing)
is desirable. Applicants should forward a letter
of interest addressing qualifications and compatibility
with the University’s mission, current vitae, and the
names and contact information of at least three references
to applications@csuniv.edu or Human Resources
Office, Charleston Southern University,
P.O. Box 118087, Charleston, SC 29423-8087. Direct
questions regarding the position to Dr. Steve Hudson,
Chair, Physical Science Department (shudson@
csuniv.edu). Charleston Southern University is affiliated
with the South Carolina Baptist Convention and
employs faculty who are professing Christians. Review
of credentials will begin immediately and continue until
the position is filled. Charleston Southern University
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
or ethnic origin, disability or sex.
FACULTY POSITION IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
The Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
at the University of California at Riverside
invites applications for a faculty position at the Assistant,
Associate, or Full Professor level. Applications
are especially encouraged from individuals with research
interest in biotechnology/biochemical engineering
such as biomaterials, bioenergy, biosensors,
and environmental biotechnology. Applicants should
have a distinguished academic record, exceptional potential
to conduct world-class research, and a commitment
to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate
levels. A doctoral degree in Chemical Engineering or a
related field is required. Details and application materials
can be found at www.engr.ucr.edu/facultysearch.
The search committee will review applications beginning
on 12/15/08, and will continue to receive applications
until the position is filled. EEO/AA Employer.
The University of Kansas
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Univer
sity of Kansas (www.pharmchem.ku.edu/), invites
applications for a full-time faculty position at
the Distinguished Professor level for the 2009–10
academic year. The successful candidate should be
eligible for appointment with tenure and be an internationally
recognized scholar in pharmaceutics or a
related scientific discipline whose research programs
directly impact on the design, formulation, delivery,
and development of macromolecular drugs (proteins,
DNA, RNA) and/or vaccines. See http://jobs.ku.edu
for the full announcement.
The candidate should demonstrate a strong record
of research and scholarship commensurate with
rank, for appointment at the level of Distinguished
Professor. Experience in the development of mutually
beneficial entrepreneurial relationships between
a university and the pharmaceutical and business
community will be a preferred qualification. The successful
candidate will be expected to develop and/or
sustain an independent, externally funded research
program that includes multidisciplinary collaborations
and to participate in teaching activities in the
School of Pharmacy’s professional program and in
the department’s graduate program.
Applications will be accepted until the position is
filled. Screening of applications will begin Feb. 15,
2009. Address telephone inquiries about the position
to Dr. Christian Schöneich at 785-864-4880. Applications
including a letter of interest, resume, and names
and addresses of three references should be sent to
Dr. Christian Schöneich, Department of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, The University of Kansas, 2095
Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047-3729. (785)
864-4880. EO/AA Employer.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR POSITIONS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING,
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED
SCIENCES, HARVARD UNIVERSITY
The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
(HSEAS) seeks applicants for openings in Environmental
Sciences and Engineering at the level of
tenure-track assistant professors. Appointments will
be made in hydrology and applied chemistry/chemical
engineering. The positions require the ability to
develop a leading research program and enthusiasm
for teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate
levels. An application, assembled as a single PDF
file, should include a curriculum vitae, separate twopage
statements of research and teaching interests,
up to three scientific papers, and names and contact
information for at least three writers of letters
of recommendation. Applications should be sent to
ESEsearch@seas.harvard.edu. Applications will be
reviewed beginning 30 November 2008. Later applications
are also welcome until the positions are filled.
Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action employer and applications from women and
underrepresented minorities are strongly encouraged.
NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY (TAIWAN), DE-
PARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY invites applications for
several tenure track positions to commence on Aug. 1,
2009 at all levels. We are open to outstanding individuals
in all fields of chemistry. Applicants for positions
at the assistant professor level should have a Ph.D. degree
and a significant post-doctoral experience. The
successful candidates are expected to have a strong
commitment to excellence in research as well as in
teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Additional salary compensation will be provided by
alumni funding of this department. Applicants should
submit a complete Curriculum Vitae, publications
(PDF file), a list of publications, a detailed research
proposal, and three letters of recommendation (including
recommendation from Ph.D. advisor) to Miss
Hsi-Hua Lin, Secretary of Search Committee (Email:
linhh@mx.nthu.edu.tw, Fax: 886-3-5711082, Department
of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University,
Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan. Web site: www.chem.nthu.
edu.tw). All materials are expected to be received before
Dec. 31, 2008.
CHEMISTRY FACULTY POSITIONS – DEPAUL
UNIVERSITY
The Department of Chemistry at DePaul University
invites applications for two tenure-track positions at
the rank of Assistant Professor beginning in Autumn
2009. The first position is in medicinal chemistry for
which candidates should possess a Ph.D. in synthetic
organic chemistry or medicinal chemistry. The second
position is in bioanalytical chemistry. In this case,
candidates should have a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry.
Applicants must be able to teach and conduct research
in a liberal arts environment that emphasizes teaching
excellence and close faculty-student interaction.
Postdoctoral experience is required. The ACS-certified
program at DePaul offers B.S. degrees in chemistry
and biochemistry and several M.S. degree options.
Successful candidates will be expected to teach at all
levels of our program, plus courses in DePaul’s Liberal
Studies Program. The department has modern instrumentation
to support both teaching and research
needs. Send vitae, graduate and undergraduate transcripts,
a statement of education philosophy, an outline
of research interests, and three letters of reference
to Dr. Richard F. Niedziela, Chair, Department
of Chemistry, DePaul University, 1036 W. Belden
Ave., Chicago, IL 60614. Cover letters should clearly
indicate which position is of interest. Inquiries and
application materials may also be sent electronically
to positions@che.depaul.edu. See http://chemistry.
depaul.edu for additional information. Review of applications
will begin on November 17, 2008. The Department
of Chemistry seeks diversity in its faculty. We encourage
applications from women, people of color, and the
members of other historically under-represented groups.
FACULTY POSITION IN CHEMISTRY
The Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University,
seeks at least one tenure or tenured track faculty
members with research interests in any area of chemistry
(including analytical, biological, inorganic, materials,
organic, and physical). Candidates whose research
impacts the University’s Current Research Initiative
in Energy are particularly encouraged to apply. Candidates
should hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and
be capable of truly outstanding teaching, scholarship,
and research. Complete applications will contain a detailed
CV, descriptions of research plans and teaching
interests, and the names of at least three references.
Apply online at: http://www.chem. colostate.
edu/jobs.html. Postdoctoral experience is desirable
in junior candidates, who will be considered first and
should have letters of reference sent electronically to
Professor C. Michael Elliott, Chair, Faculty Search
Committee, chemsrch@lamar.colostate.edu. Applications
complete by November 15, 2008 are guaranteed
full consideration, but applications will be evaluated
until the position(s) are filled. Files of semifinalists
will be available to all Chemistry Department faculty.
Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Colorado State University is an EEO/AA employer.
TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION IN CHEMICAL
EDUCATION
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Arizona
State University seeks applications from highly
qualified candidates for a tenure-track position in
Chemical Education at the Assistant Professor rank,
commencing August 2009. The successful candidate
must hold a Ph.D. degree in chemistry or chemical education
and will be expected to build a strong externally
funded research program in Chemical Education,
develop and teach courses at both the graduate and
undergraduate levels, and participate in governance
and service committees within the department. The
candidate will preferably have experience in non-traditional
methods of instruction such as guided inquiry
and collaborative learning. Arizona State University
has a nationally regarded STEM education faculty
and offers collaborative research opportunities both
within and outside the Department of Chemistry and
Biochemistry. Applicants must submit a curriculum vitae,
a list of publications, a statement of teaching philosophy,
a summary of future research plans, and arrange
for three letters of recommendation to be sent
to: Prof. Ian Gould, Search Committee Chair, Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State
University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604. If possible, submit
all materials electronically to: chemed@asu.edu.
Review of applications will begin November 14, 2008;
if not filled, every two weeks thereafter until search is
closed. A Background Check Is Required For Employment.
Arizona State University is an equal opportunity/
affirmative action employer and is committed to excellence
through diversity. Women and minorities are encouraged
to apply.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 68 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
AT TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY invites applications for
a tenure-track position in Materials. Applicants are
sought at the Assistant or Associate Professor level.
Applicants must have earned a doctorate with a specialty
in polymer engineering/science, or a closely
related discipline, with demonstrated expertise in
nanostructured polymeric materials, multifunctional
polymer nanocomposites, polymeric materials for
energy harvesting, and/or polymer-based sensors.
You will be expected to develop a funded research
program, publish in leading scholarly journals, have a
strong commitment to teaching excellence, supervise
and mentor students, and serve within the university
and through professional societies. The Department
of Mechanical Engineering’s graduate program is
ranked 12th and the undergraduate program is ranked
9th among public universities. Information about the
department is at http://www.mengr.tamu.edu . Applicants
should submit a complete resume, a one-page
statement of research and teaching interests, and a list
of three references (including their postal addresses,
telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses) electronically
via the departmental web site at: http://www.
mengr.tamu.edu/Employment/employment.html. If
electronic submission is not possible, applicants may
submit their application package via standard mail to:
Polymer Science and Engineering Faculty Search
Committee, c/o Dr. Terry Creasy , Department of Mechanical
Engineering, 3123 – Texas A&M University ,
College Station , TX 77843-3123 . Applications will be
accepted until the position is filled. Women and other
under-represented minorities are especially encouraged
to apply. Texas A&M University is an Equal Opportunity
and Affirmative Action Employer
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Boston, Massachusetts
The Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern
University invites applications for tenure-track
faculty appointments at associate and full professor
levels. Applicants for the position must have a Ph.D. in
chemical engineering or a related field, a strong commitment
to excellence in teaching and scholarship,
and a well-funded research program. Preference will
be given to individuals with research interests in the areas
of advanced materials and biological sciences. Potential
areas of interest related to advanced materials
include, but are not restricted to: nano-, micro-, bio-,
and electronic materials, and materials processing
(e.g., crystallization, vapor deposition, and electrochemistry).
Potential areas of interest related to the
biological sciences and bioengineering include, but
are not restricted to: metabolic and tissue engineering,
biological and physical interfaces: science and engineering,
systems biology, stem cell biology, biomedical
engineering, and bioseparations. Responsibilities
include teaching at the undergraduate and graduate
levels, and graduate student supervision. Salary and
rank are commensurate with experience. Applications
from women and minorities are particularly encouraged.
Please send a letter of application, statement of
teaching and research interests, and a current resume
including the names of three references to: Faculty
Search Committee, Patricia Rowe , Department of
Chemical Engineering (342 SN), Northeastern University
, 360 Huntington Avenue , Boston , MA 02115 ,
or email to p.rowe@neu.edu . Northeastern University
is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Educational
Institutional Employer.
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
PHYSICAL/ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
The Department of Chemistry invites applications for
a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level
in Physical/Analytical Chemistry beginning Fall 2009.
We seek an individual who will enthusiastically participate
in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate
(M.S. and Ph.D.) levels and establish a vigorous, externally
fundable research program in the area of specialization.
A Ph.D. degree in chemistry, or a closely related
field, is required; relevant postdoctoral experience
is preferred. Please submit your curriculum vitae, a description
of research interests, and arrange for delivery
of three letters of recommendation. Send application
materials by email attachment (PDF preferred) to
cmsearch@oakland.edu . Additional information can
be obtained at www2.oakland.edu/chemistry/ . Review
of applications will begin November 30, 2008,
and continue until the position is filled. Position is contingent
on the availability of funds. Oakland University
is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications
from women and minorities.
FACULTY POSITION IN CHEMISTRY
The Department of Chemistry at the University of
Central Oklahoma invites applications for a full-time,
tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level
to begin in August 2009. We seek an outstanding colleague
to teach Organic Chemistry lecture and laboratory
courses, and other courses based on background.
The successful applicant will have a Ph.D. in Organic
Chemistry or closely related field, college-level teaching
experience, and an interest in directing undergraduate
research projects. The department is ACS certified,
has 300 undergraduate majors in five programs,
and 14 full-time faculty. AA/EOE. Applicants must be
eligible to work in the U.S. and are subject to a background
check and degree verification. Details and application
at https://jobs.ucok.edu .
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
DEPARTMENT OF ORAL BIOLOGY
POSITION 00038067, RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
The Department of Oral Biology, University of Missouri-
Kansas City School of Dentistry is looking for a highly
motivated and accomplished analytical chemist/biochemist
with knowledge and experience in vibrational
spectroscopy to work within a collaborative research
and teaching environment. The successful candidate
should have experience and/or publications using infrared
and Raman spectroscopy as well as a general familiarity
with other analytical techniques. Experience
in IR/Raman imaging is also important. The candidate
will apply spectroscopic techniques to the characterization
of biomaterials, tissue/material interfaces, and
biological tissues. The position will involve data acquisition
as well as spectral interpretation. Excellent verbal
and written communication skills, an ability to work
effectively as a member of a dynamic multi-disciplinary
research team, and a capacity to multi-task are
necessary. An individual with a Ph.D. degree in analytical
chemistry/biochemistry and 5 years' relevant
experience is preferred. Applicants should send a letter
of interest referring to the position number above, a
CV, names and contact information for three references
electronically to: Dr. Pamela Overman , overmanp@
umkc.edu . The University of Missouri-Kansas City (an
EEO/AA Employer) is part of the University of Missouri,
with an excellent fringe benefits package www.umkc.
edu . UMKC recognizes that a diverse faculty, staff, and
student body enriches the educational experiences of
the entire campus and greater community. To this end,
UMKC is committed to recruiting and retaining faculty,
students, and staff who will further enrich our campus
diversity and making every attempt to support their
academic, professional, and personal success. Women,
minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities
are encouraged to apply. Applicants who are not
U.S. citizens must state their current visa and residency
status. All final candidates will be required to successfully
pass a Criminal Background Check prior to
beginning employment.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOMO-
LECULAR ENGINEERING AT RICE UNIVERSITY invites
applications or nominations for a tenure-track
or tenured faculty position in the general area of complex
systems. Complex systems are at the heart of any
engineering discipline; they are composed of simple
parts governed by relatively simple physical, chemical,
and biological laws, yet they display emergent behavior
such as self-organization, adaptability, dynamical
instabilities, chaotic behavior, and pattern formation.
The successful candidate should have demonstrated
excellence in research and a strong commitment to
both graduate and undergraduate chemical engineering
education. Preference will be given to candidates
with interdisciplinary research interests that complement
and enhance current and emerging strengths of
the Department: advanced materials, complex fluids,
biosystems engineering, energy, and sustainability.
Examples of topical areas include the self-assembly
and processing of nanomaterials, the flow and phase
behavior of complex fluids, the behavior and control
of biological systems and networks, and multi-scale
energy systems. Candidates should have a doctorate
in chemical engineering or a related discipline.
The deadline for applications is January 15, 2009, but
earlier submissions are strongly encouraged. Please
send applications and nominations to: F aculty Search
Committee , Department of Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering, MS-362, Rice University , P.O.
Box 1892 , Houston , TX 77251-1892 , or by E-mail to
chbe-search@rice.edu . The position begins on July 1,
2009, and is contingent on funding approval. Rice is an
Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer and
welcomes applications from women and members of
underrepresented minority groups.
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
TENURE-TRACK ACADEMIC POSITION
INSTRUCTOR FOR PHYSICAL/ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY LABORATORIES
The University of British Columbia Department of
Chemistry seeks to expand its instructional innovation
with the hiring of a dynamic individual for the development
and oversight of modern physical/analytical
chemistry instructional laboratories. The position,
Director of Physical or Analytical Chemistry Laboratories,
expands an overall effort by the Department
to build on its strength in undergraduate education.
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute
strongly to the development of an updated undergraduate
physical and analytical chemistry laboratory
curriculum and will maintain a high standard of performance
as a university educator. Previous experience in
instructional innovation and/or chemistry education
research, in the laboratory and/or classroom will be a
strong asset. This position offers an excellent career
opportunity for a Chemistry PhD with a strong interest
in teaching. Duties include development of laboratory
curriculum and supervision of physical or analytical
chemistry laboratory courses involving approximately
twelve hundred students and twenty-five teaching
assistants per year. Additional areas of responsibility
may include lecturing in physical, analytical, or environmental
chemistry. There may be the opportunity
to work in collaboration with the recently established
Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative. A PhD in
physical/analytical chemistry or related area is required.
The position will be a tenure-track faculty appointment
at the rank of Instructor I. UBC hires on the
basis of merit and is committed to employment equity.
The Department encourages applications from candidates
who have experience working with students
from diverse backgrounds and candidates who have a
commitment to improving access to higher education
for disadvantaged students. We encourage all qualified
persons to apply. However, Canadians and permanent
residents of Canada will be given priority. Applications
should consist of curriculum vitae, a statement of
teaching and laboratory development philosophy, and
evidence of teaching excellence and effectiveness. Applicants
should also arrange for three letters of recommendation
to be sent to: Head, Department of Chemistry
, University of British Columbia , 2036 Main
Mall , Vancouver , BC , Canada V6T 1Z1 , or E-mailed to:
head@chem.ubc.ca . Closing date for complete applications
is December 15th, 2008.
POST-DOCTORAL POSITIONS in computational
chemistry are available in the MCN Lab at the University
of Michigan ( www.umich.edu/~avioli ). The
first project is aimed at studying nanoparticle formation
in high temperatures in the area of health effects
of nanoparticles. The second project is studying complex
mechanisms for high temperature combustion
kinetics in the area of alternative fuels. Candidates
with knowledge in quantum chemistry, kinetics, and
dynamics should apply. Applicants should send CV
and three letters of recommendation to Dr. A. Violi
(avioli@umich.edu ). The University of Michigan is a
non-discriminatory/Affirmative Action Employer.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STANISLAUS invites
applications for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor
of Physical Chemistry in our ACS certified department
beginning Fall 2009. Ph.D. in Chemistry required
with demonstrated potential for excellence in undergraduate
teaching and research. Seeking candidates
who will contribute to department offerings for chemistry
majors, science majors, and non-science majors.
Further details, including application information,
available at http://chem.csustan.edu .
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY’S DEPARTMENT
OF CHEMISTRY invites applications for a non-tenure
track Lecturer in Chemistry. The full text advertisement,
including information about the department,
faculty, and the complete position announcement
with all qualifications and application instructions,
is available at http://cost.georgiasouthern.edu/
chemistry/ . Screening of applications begins December
15, 2008, and continues until the position is filled.
Georgia Southern seeks to recruit individuals who are
committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship, and
professional service within the University and beyond
and who are committed to working in diverse academic
and professional communities. Finalists will be required
to submit to a background investigation. Georgia
is an open records state. Georgia Southern is an
AA/EO Institution. Individuals who need reasonable
accommodations under the ADA to participate in the
search process should contact the Associate Provost.
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 69 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING
FACULTY POSITIONS
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND
BIOCHEMISTRY
WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE (WPI)
Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry invites
applications from scientists working at the interface
of chemistry and biochemistry for two tenure-track
positions starting in August 2009: one at
the ASSISTANT and one at the ASSOCIATE Professor
level. Extending successful faculty recruitment in the
last two years, these are part of a strategic plan to expand
our department within a larger WPI Life Science
research initiative focused in biophysics, green energy,
and regenerative bioscience. These two positions
are part of a planned ‘cluster hire’ of five positions this
year in this initiative. (For more information on this initiative
visit: www.wpi.edu/goto/lifesci). A new $70M
state-of-the-art research facility hosting the Life Science
research departments and WPI Bioengineering
Institute anchors this effort. Successful candidates
for the junior position should have postdoctoral research
experience and are expected to develop a vigorous,
externally funded research program. The ideal
applicants at the Associate level will have an established
record of research productivity, demonstrated
success securing research funding, and evidence
of teaching excellence. The Department of Chemistry
and Biochemistry offers both undergraduate and
graduate (Ph.D.) degrees. WPI is a private, nationally
ranked technological university with a student population
of 4,450, including 1,300 full-time and part-time
graduate students. Worcester, New England’s second
largest city, offers ready access to diverse economic,
cultural, and recreational resources of the region. Further
information about WPI and the department can
be accessed at http://www.wpi.edu. Interested candidates
should send pdf-formatted applications including
a curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching and
research interests, and the names of three references
to Dr. José Argüello at faculty-searchCBC@wpi.edu.
Inquiries can be addressed to Chair, Search Committee,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute
Road, Worcester, MA 01609. Review of applications
will be conducted on a rolling basis and continue until
the position is filled.
TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION IN PHYSICAL
CHEMISTRY
The Department of Chemistry at the University of New
Hampshire invites applications for a tenure-track faculty
position at the rank of assistant professor in any
area of Experimental Physical Chemistry. The Department
has extensive electron resonance facilities and
is active in atmospheric science and nanotechnology.
Candidates with expertise in these areas may enjoy
significant opportunities for collaboration. The Departmental
mission balances research and teaching. A
commitment to high quality undergraduate and graduate
education, and to establishing a vigorous, nationally-recognized,
research program are essential. Ph.D.
required. Interested candidates should send curriculum
vitae, undergraduate and graduate transcripts,
research plans, evidence of teaching proficiency and
philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to
Christopher F. Bauer, Chair, Department of Chemistry,
University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
03824; (603) 862-1550 (FAX 4278), cfb@ cisunix.
unh. edu. Review of applications will commence on November
20, 2008. UNH supports diversity among its
faculty and strongly encourages women and minority
candidates to apply.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY
The Department of Chemistry at Princeton University
invites applications for a tenure-track assistant
professor position in experimental chemistry. Candidates
should have a strong commitment to research
and to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate
levels, and are expected to have completed the Ph.D. in
chemistry or a related field at the time of appointment.
Applicants should submit a description of research interests,
curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and 3
letters of recommendation by November 1, 2008 to:
Ms. Linda Peoples, Assistant to the Chair, Dept.
of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
08544-1009. Princeton University is an equal opportunity
employer and complies with applicable EEO and
affirmative action regulations. For general application
information and information about self-identification,
please see http://web.princeton.edu/sites/dof/
ApplicantsInfo.htm. You may apply online at http://
jobs.princeton.edu.
PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
The Department of Chemistry at Princeton University
invites applications for a senior faculty position
in experimental chemistry. Distinguished applicants
in all areas of experimental chemistry are welcome.
Candidates should have a strong commitment to research
and teaching at the undergraduate and graduate
levels. Application should include a description of
research interests, curriculum vitae, and a list of publications.
Send by November 1, 2008 to: Ms. Linda
Peoples, Assistant to the Chair, Dept. of Chemistry,
Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1009.
Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer
and complies with applicable EEO and affirmative action
regulations. For general application information and information
about self-identification, please see: http://
web.princeton.edu/sites/dof/ApplicantsInfo.htm.
You may apply online at http://jobs.princeton.edu.
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. Department of Chemistry
invites applications for a faculty position in theoretical/
computational chemistry with possible specialization
in condensed-phase systems, biophysics, quantum
chemistry, statistical mechanics or related areas. Appointment
at the Assistant Professor level will be tenure-track.
The successful candidate will be expected
to teach physical chemistry at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels and to establish a strong and innovative
research program. Candidates must complete a
Dean/Senior Executive/Faculty Application at http://
www.sujobopps.com and attach a CV and statement
of teaching philosophy. Send an outline of research
plans, and arrange three letters of recommendation
be sent to: Chair of the Theoretical Search Committee,
Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University,
Syracuse, NY 13244-4100. The review of candidate
files will begin November 30, 2008, and will continue
until the position is filled. AA/EOE
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY. The Department of Chemistry
invites applications and nominations for a faculty
position in organic chemistry. Appointment at
the level of Assistant Professor will be tenure-track.
Successful candidates will be expected to establish
a high-quality, externally funded research program,
and to demonstrate excellence in both graduate and
undergraduate teaching. Applications will be considered
in all areas of organic chemistry, but individuals
with research interests at the organic chemistry/biology
interface are especially encouraged to apply. Candidates
must complete a Dean/Senior Executive/Faculty
Application at http://www.sujobopps.com, and
attach a CV and a statement of teaching philosophy.
Applicants should also send a description of research
plans and have three letters of recommendation sent
to: Chair, Organic Faculty Search Committee, Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse,
NY 13244-4100. Review of candidate files will
begin November 30, 2008, and will continue until the
position is filled. AA/EOE
HENDERSON STATE UNIVERSITY Department of
Chemistry invites applications for a tenure-track asst.
prof. position, specialty open, beginning Aug. 2009. A
chemistry PhD is required; teaching experience preferred.
Load includes freshman courses plus applicant’s
specialty as needed. Send teaching philosophy,
vitae, transcripts, research plans with undergraduates,
and arrange for 3 reference letters to: Martin
Campbell, campbem@hsu.edu. Visit www.hsu.edu/
Affirmative-Action for more information. Deadline
1/15/09. AAO/EOE/ADA
BIOCHEMISTRY, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
TENURE-TRACK, AUGUST 2009. The successful
candidate will be expected to teach general chemistry
and biochemistry courses, and to develop an active research
program involving undergraduate students in
a department offering an ACS-certified B.S. degree.
The Ph.D. degree is required; post-doctoral experience
is preferred. Qualified women and minorities are
especially encouraged to apply. Send cover letter, curriculum
vitae, copies of undergraduate and graduate
transcripts, description of research plans, and statement
of teaching philosophy, and arrange to have at
least three letters of recommendation sent to Chair,
Search Committee, Department of Chemistry, Indiana
University-Purdue University, 2101 E. Coliseum
Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499. Review of applications
will begin December 1, 2008, and continue until
the position is filled. Website is www.ipfw.edu/chem.
IPFW is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative
Action Employer.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOMO-
LECULAR ENGINEERING at the Johns Hopkins University
announces a search for tenure-track faculty
at the Assistant or Associate Professor level. The department
seeks outstanding engineers and scientists
who will create innovative, high-impact graduate research
programs. and who will excel at teaching and
motivating talented undergraduate students. A doctorate
in Chemical Engineering or a related field is required.
Preference will be given to applicants in the following
areas of excellence: Interfaces/colloids/fluidic
systems with applications to nanotechnology, renewable
energy including biofuels, fuel cells and photovoltaics,
and biomolecular engineering. The Chemical
and Biomolecular Engineering Department provides
a highly collaborative environment with departments
in the Schools of Engineering, Arts & Sciences, Medicine,
and Public Health. Candidates should submit a
curriculum vitae, reprints of recent papers, a statement
of research interests and teaching plans, and the
names of three references to: Chair, Search Committee,
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering,
Johns Hopkins University, Maryland 221,
3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.
To ensure full consideration, applications should be
submitted by December 15, 2008. The Johns Hopkins
University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action
Employer. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged
to apply.
THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA seeks to
hire a cluster of faculty members with research and
teaching expertise in the area of Clean Coal. The senior
candidate of this cluster is expected to play a leadership
role as an Endowed Chair holder and Director of
the Center for Clean Coal (CCC). This Center has an endowment
of $7.5 MM with an additional one-time allotment
of up to $2.5 MM for start-up expenditures. The
holder of the Endowed Chair is expected to maintain
an internationally recognized research program, to interact
with industry, federal, and state agencies and
to provide vision and leadership in the selection of the
remaining members of the cluster. His/her record of
achievement should be consistent with the granting of
tenure at the rank of Professor in the Chemical or Mechanical
Engineering Departments. Additional members
of the cluster are also expected to develop strong
educational and externally-funded research programs
in areas related to the Center and to collaborate with
the Endowed Chair holder. Tenured or tenure-track appointments
will be made in either of the two departments
mentioned above at a rank commensurate with
the candidates’ credentials. Applicants are requested
to submit with their letter of application an academic
vitae, names of three references, and a statement of
their qualifications in leading this research and educational
development to the Office of the Dean, College
of Engineering and Computing, Swearingen
Engineering Center, University of South Carolina,
Columbia, SC 29208 or electronically to atkerson@
engr.sc.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately
and will continue until the positions are filled.
The University of South Carolina does not discriminate
in educational or employment opportunities or decisions
for qualified persons on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation,
or veteran status.
PHYSICAL/ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY FACULTY
POSITION
The Department of Chemistry of the University of
Nevada, Reno, seeks applicants for a tenure-track
Assistant Professor in Physical/Analytical Chemistry.
Duties include teaching at the undergraduate and
graduate levels and establishing an active and innovative
experimental research program at the interface of
analytical and physical chemistry. For further information,
the complete position description and qualifications,
and online application instructions, please view
http://www.chem.unr.edu/facultysearch/. Application
review will begin December 7, 2008. EEO/AA.
Women and under-represented groups are encouraged
to apply.
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ACADEMIC POSITIONS
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOMOLECULAR
ENGINEERING
The Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
at National University of Singapore invites
applications for tenure-track faculty positions at all
levels. The Department is one of the largest internationally
with excellent in-house infrastructure for experimental
& computational research. A PhD in chemical
engineering or related areas and a strong research
record with excellent publications are required. Please
refer to http://www.chbe.nus.edu.sg/ for more information
on the areas of interest and for application details.
Applicants should send a full curriculum vitae (including
key publications), a detailed research plan, a
statement of teaching interest, and a list of names of
at least three references to: Prof. Jim Yang Lee, Head
of Department (Attention: Ms. Nancy Chia, email:
nancychia@nus.edu.sg).
SITUATIONS WANTED
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newscripts
DANCING WITH THE DOCTORATES, ANTITERRORISM LINGERIE
Samba-savvy scientists, it’s time
to dust off your dancing shoes.
Nov. 16, the deadline for the 2009
“DANCE YOUR PH.D.” contest, is swiftly
approaching. Sponsored by the American
Association for the Advancement of Science,
the contest is open to anyone who
has or is pursuing a Ph.D. in any scientific
field or in science-related fields, such as
bioethics or the history of science. All dancing-prone
doctorates are eligible, whether
they’re in academia, industry, or have found
employment further afield, in, for example,
patent law or science writing.
“The human body is an excellent medium
for communicating science—perhaps
not as data-rich as a peer-reviewed article
but far more exciting,” notes John Bohannon,
Science magazine’s “Gonzo Scientist,”
who is coordinating the contest.
The inaugural “Dance Your Ph.D.” contest
was held earlier this year in Vienna, and
winners got a year’s subscription to Science.
For 2009, the contest’s organizers
decided to put the competition on a global
stage and offer a much grander prize—their
Ph.D. dance interpreted by a professional
choreographer and performed at the AAAS
annual meeting in Chicago in February.
Winners will also receive two nights’ accommodation
at the meeting.
Boogie-down brainiacs should make
a video interpreting their Ph.D. thesis in
dance form using any style they choose—
be it ballroom, ballet, or the bunny hop—
and post the opus
on YouTube. They
should then e-mail
the relevant details
to gonzo@aaas.
org, and Bohannon
will post the video
on the contest’s
webpage.
Winners will be
selected from four categories: “Graduate
Student,” for those who are currently
enrolled in a Ph.D. program;
“Post-Doc,”
with a Ph.D.
but without
tenure at a university;
“Professor,”
for those with both
a Ph.D. and tenure at a
university; and “Popular
Choice,” which goes to the
video with the highest YouTube
view count by the deadline.
More details and official rules of the
doctorate disco can be found at gonzolabs.
org/dance.
Women wise in the ways of fashion
know that to look good, a lady
needs good foundations. Now,
UNDERGARMENTS could supplement
self-defense, as well as style, thanks to a
new invention brought to our attention
by the patent combers at the Annals of
Improbable Research.
U.S. patent No. 7,255,627 was granted to
Avocet Polymer Technologies on Aug. 14,
2007, for a “garment device convertible to
one or more facemasks.” Invented by Elena
N. Bodnar, of Hinsdale, Ill., and Raphael C.
Lee and Sandra Marijan, of Chicago, the
device is intended to provide protection
from harmful airborne particles.
According to the patent, if a country or
a territory is facing a threat of air contamination,
its citizens need “to have a higher
degree of access to facemasks. However,
it is often inconvenient, impractical or
burdensome for people to carry masks
wherever they go.”
To solve this problem, Bodnar, Lee, and
Marijan envisioned a brassiere that could
do double duty as a pair of facemasks.
“When the garment is used as a bra, the
cup portions are fitted over the breasts and
the straps wrap around the torso to secure
the bra to the body,” the patent explains.
“The front midsection and back midsection
of the bra
are separable.
Each cup of the
bra includes an
air filter. When
the air becomes
contaminated
due to an act of
warfare, terror
or other event,
Double duty for
double Ds: The
the user can
antiterrorism
remove the bra
brassiere.
and detach the
Dance your Ph.D.: cups forming two
Break out your
best moves.
facemasks. The
user then secures
the facemask to
her face and can provide the
other facemask to a bystander.”
USPTO
.BETHANY HALFORD wrote this
week’s column. Please send comments
and suggestions to newscripts@acs.org.
SHUTTERSTOCK
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG 72 NOVEMBER 3, 2008

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