Section News & Happenings

In Memoriam

Apr 20, 2021

Photo of Charles P. Lazzara Courtesy of Deborah K. Field

We remember long time Pittsburgh ACS Member and Charles Lazzara. Chuck joined the ACS in 1965.

From the March 29, 2021 issue of C and E News by Linda Wang

Charles P. Lazzara, 78, died Jan. 10 in Pittsburgh.

“Charles P. Lazzara was an intelligent and dedicated scientist who made great contributions to the field of mine safety. He was team lead on the Mine Rescue and Response team at the time of his retirement, after 36 years of service. During his time at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, he earned the Distinguished Service Award. He was a devoted husband and loving father, whose main priority in life was his family and friends. He was active in his church and community.”—Deborah K. Field, daughter

Most recent title: Supervisory physical scientist, US Bureau of Mines/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Education: BS, chemistry, Northern Illinois University, 1964; PhD, physical chemistry, Loyola University Chicago, 1969

Survivors: Daughter, Deborah K. Field; son, David; three grandchildren

National Chemistry Week 2020 Goes Virtual and Celebrates 100K Participant Milestone!

Apr 19, 2021

National Chemistry Week 2020 Goes Virtual and Celebrates 100K Participant Milestone!

COVID forced us to improvise – but it did not impede our vision to offer our annual NCW chemical outreach program to students in the Pittsburgh region!

In 2020, the ACS Pittsburgh Local Section continued its 22-year partnership with the Carnegie Science Center to host a virtual ChemFest celebration!  Through a ‘telethon’ delivery approach, classrooms from across the region were invited to participate in the two-day event on October 22 & 23, 2020 following the theme “Sticking with Chemistry.”  Chemistry enthusiasts from the Pittsburgh area joined in to remotely offer demonstrations, at-home activities, lab tours & videos, and career discussions.

A total of 126 educators participated in the 2-day telethon, reaching an estimated 4800 students with our content.  During a given 15-minute interval of programming, an estimated 400-675 students were watching.  In many ways this surpasses the impact of our traditional face-to-face program!  Responses we received from educators indicated that this experience was a much-needed supplement to both virtual and in-person teaching this year.  We are thrilled to have reached and impacted so many students.

This year also marks a milestone achievement:  Since its inaugural run in 1999, the ChemFest/NCW program has reached over 100,000 students in the Pittsburgh region!  We were on target to hit this number in 2020 and we are delighted that we were still able to achieve this goal despite the restrictions caused by the pandemic.

For more information on ChemFest, visit the Carnegie Science Center website:  https://carnegiesciencecenter.org/educators/themed-field-trips-chemfest/

Call for Project SEED Virtual Summer Camp Volunteers

Apr 2, 2021

Call for Project SEED Virtual Summer Camp Volunteers

The 2021 Project SEED Virtual Summer Camp (June 21 to July 30) will immerse 450 high school students from across the country in STEM and chemistry-related research with a focus on lab preparedness, exposure to chemistry careers, and college readiness.

Volunteers are needed to make this year’s camp possible and training will be provided!  Choose one (or more) opportunities that interest you:

  • Camp Manager: Oversee 20-30 campers and host weekly meetings.  Assist cabin leaders.  Total time commitment ~ 66 hrs.
  • Mentor:  Work closely with 6-10 students. Share research, teach students how to read/analyze publications, tour the lab, and build relationships. Total time commitment ~ 6 to 18 hrs.
  • Speaker:  Present topics such as research, professional development, college readiness, or careers in chemistry. Total time commitment up to 3 hrs.

Apply at:  http://bit.ly/VSCVolunteerPortal.  DEADLINE is April 30, 2021.

For more information, email [email protected], or click on this link:  SEED Virtual Program – Volunteers.

Congratulations to Pittsburgh Section Member Shanti Swarup – National ACS Tess Award Winner

Mar 16, 2021

Congratulations to ACS Pittsburgh Section Member and Associate Fellow at PPG, Shanti Swarup.  He is the winner of the 2021 Roy W. Tess Award in Coatings, sponsored by the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering. The award honors contributions to coatings science, engineering, and technology. Swarup is being honored for developing unique polymers used in commercial coatings. He will receive a plaque and a $3,000 cash prize.  Congratulations, Shanti!