Chemical society convenes regional meeting in Santa Barbara, October 28-31

Almost 200 research findings are scheduled for presentation at the 37th Western regional meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, in Santa Barbara, October 28-31. Approximately 300 scientists, including Nobel Laureates Sir Harold Kroto, F. Sherwood Rowland and Alan J. Heeger, as well as undergraduate and graduate students are expected to attend the meeting at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort in Santa Barbara (805-564-4333).

As part of the meeting, a regional Education Day will be held on Monday, October 28. This day of symposia and workshops is devoted to science education programs for K-12 teachers, community college instructors, high school students, and college undergraduates. Registration for this day only is $25.00.

Another regional meeting feature is the Women in Chemistry Day on Wednesday, October 31. Dr. Helen M. Free, past President of the American Chemical Society and of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry is the luncheon speaker. Dr. Free, a distinguished chemist who champions women in science, invented and developed the Dip and Read home diabetes test. She is also responsible for improving medical and clinical urinalysis testing.

The Women in Chemistry Day will convene a panel discussion at 10:30 a.m. on October 31 recognizing women and their contributions to science. Presenters include Dr. Free, and Drs. Alison Butler and Sandra Lamb of the University of California at Santa Barbara, and Brenda Makepeace-Cumberland of Goleta, California.

Other meeting highlights include:

A history of lead and its additives in gasoline — Lead was used by petroleum refiners in the early 1920s to enhance the performance of gasoline and eliminate engine knock. Production changes resulting from orders of the U. S. Surgeon General in the late 1920s, led to an expansion of use nationwide by the late 1930s. By the mid-1970s the United States Environmental Protection Agency gradually phased out lead and other alkylleads. However, lead still exists in unleaded gasoline and the researcher will present findings of such on Monday, October 29 at 11:10 a.m. (Richard W. Hurst, Hurst & Associates, Thousand Oaks, Calif., 805-492-7764).

Environmental issues associated with redevelopment of urban oil fields — As a result of an increasing population and decreasing amounts of vacant space, former or unprofitable urban oil fields are being redeveloped into housing tracts and commercial developments. Environmental issues may include:

methane and hydrogen sulfide gas migration and potential accumulation in planned structures; discovery of improperly abandoned oil wells; excavation of crude oil-impacted or oil field waste-impacted soils; and oil field construction debris that may have been buried during past operations.

General chair of the meeting is Richard W. Hurst, Hurst & Associates, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (805-492-7764), and publicity chair is James Pavlovich, University of California at Santa Barbara (805-893-4252). For more information, visit www.2001werm.org.