The Roger Williams University student affiliates of the American Chemical Society hosted community outreach events, encouraged science education on and off campus, supported student research, and held a number of campus activities. As part of our outreach efforts, our chapter hosted a science night at the local elementary school, judged the local high school science fair, and ran sessions at a local “STEM for Girls” conference sponsored through the American Associated United for Women. We organized a movie night showing “Hidden Figures” as a part of social justice week with a discussion about the role of women and diversity in STEM fields. To support underclassmen chemistry students, study sessions were held before their midterm with volunteer peer tutors and pizza in the spring and fall semesters. This fall, we welcomed distinguished lecturer Dr. Andreas Andersson, from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for his talk on “<i>The Effects of Climate Change & Ocean Acidification On Coral Reef Biogeochemistry: What Does the Present Tell Us About the Future?</i>” and we will welcome Sam Kean as a distinguished lecturer in this spring. As part of our recreational activities, we participated in the ACS Program in a Box webinars each semester, visited a local observatory, visited the Boston Science Museum, and attended a lecture by science education advocate Bill Nye. At our weekly meetings, our chapter performed visual science demonstrations including fluorescein extraction from highlighters, super chilled water, and hydrophobic sand. We hosted our annual alumni wine tasting event, which offers the opportunity for graduating students to communicate and network with alumni. Students presenting their research at the national meeting also presented their work at the Bridgewater State Undergraduate Environmental Symposium and at the RI ACS local section meeting.

Inspiring scientists of the future: Encouraging diversity in the STEM fields

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.