Section News & Happenings

Please find more information here.

Get to Know a Member – Alysia Mandato

1. What is your work and ACS (if applicable) title?

I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. I am advised by Professor Sunil Saxena, and I study the biophysical chemistry of proteins and DNA using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. I served as the Secretary of the Pittsburgh Section in 2021 and 2022. I have been The Crucible newsletter editor since 2020, but I’m excited to be passing it on to serve in my new role as 2023 Chair- Elect!

2. How many years have you been in the ACS?

4 years

3. What is the biggest benefit of ACS Membership?

The biggest benefits are the variety of people I get to meet with interests in science and chemistry – chemists, students, and the general public!

4. What did you want to be when you were a child?

A Disney princess!

5. What made you fall in love with Chemistry?

My research experiences in college with a wonderful mentor. He taught me that chemistry gives us the ability to solve large problems at the atomic levels!

6. How did you get into your current position?

I thought I was going to be a medical doctor throughout high school and most of college until I became involved in research with my undergraduate professor. I fell in love with the process of research and loved being in the lab, but I didn’t know that graduate school was an option until near the end of my junior year of college! I ended up applying to many PhD programs, and I chose Pitt because I loved being in Pittsburgh. I’m very grateful for the people I’ve met and experiences I’ve had by being a part of Pittsburgh.

7. Which chemist, part or present, would you like to meet and why?

Marie Curie! It would be incredible to hear about her resilience and passion for chemistry. I would be so nervous though!

February 2023 Issue of The Crucible

We are pleased to provide the February 2023 Issue of The Crucible. If you have something you would like included in future issues, please email Niharika Botcha at [email protected].

Get to Know A Member – Edward P. Zovinka, Ph.D.

1. What is your work and ACS (if applicable) title?

Professor, Inorganic Chemistry, Served as Councilor, Chair-Elect and 2023 Chair

2. How many years have you been in the ACS?

35 years!

3. What is the biggest benefit of ACS Membership?

Meeting so many great people!

4. What did you want to be when you were a child?

A baseball player and a veterinarian

5. What made you fall in love with Chemistry?

Great Teaching by my General Chemistry professor, Dr. Ben Huddle!

6. What is your favorite part of your career?

Learning new science with amazing students and colleagues

7. Which chemist, part or present, would you like to meet and why?

Svante Arrhenius! He discovered ions, acids, global warming, had to fight for his PhD, and the list goes on! Plus, what a great name! Although if you look at pictures, he appears a bit of a stern sort of person…

Fun fact about Ed: He is a published author! Real Chemistry Experiments: 40 Exciting STEAM Activities for Kids (Real Science)

Published in the January 2 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, 2023 ACS National Award winners—Part I

Neil M. Donahue

2016 Pittsburgh Award Winner and Lord University Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University Neil M. Donahue won the 2023 National ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology. This award is sponsored by the Aerodyne Research and the ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry and will be presented for the inception and development of the volatility basis set to represent organic particulate matter in the atmosphere.

From C and E News:
Donahue on his scientific hero: “My father, Thomas Donahue, was a real rocket scientist who started the use of sounding rockets with leftover ordinance. He ultimately discovered that ‘Venus was all wet,’ and this was the title he wanted for the article describing findings of the Pioneer Venus Multiprobe.” What Donahue’s colleagues say: “Neil has been a principal player in virtually every important intellectual development in the field of atmospheric chemistry and aerosol formation over the past 2 decades. His work has consistently shifted the paradigms of atmospheric chemistry.”—John Seinfeld, California Institute of Technology

Peter Wipf

2012 Pittsburgh Award Winner and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh Peter Wipf won the 2023 National ACS Award for Creative Work in Synthetic Organic Chemistry. The award is sponsored by MilliporeSigma and will be presented for the discovery of innovative methods in heterocyclic and strain-release chemistry and the development of novel strategies to synthesize complex natural and unnatural molecules.

From C and E News:
Wipf on his most memorable project: “Two of my students discovered serendipitously an early-transition-metal-mediated cascade reaction that introduced nine new C–C bonds. When we thought about possible mechanisms, we speculated that a bicyclo[1.1.0]butane might serve as a key intermediate. Amazingly, this actually turned out to be the case, and it started a still ongoing, most stimulating research effort on the chemistry of bicyclobutanes in my lab.”
What Wipf’s colleagues say: “Peter’s work has contributed significantly to virtually every aspect of modern organic synthesis. He is one of the scientific leaders in this field, and dozens of his novel small molecules are used as probe molecules for biological pathways and as therapeutic lead structures.”—Dennis Curran, University of Pittsburgh

This biography was provided by Kimberly Woznack of PennWest.

January 2023 Issue of The Crucible

We are pleased to provide the January 2023 Issue of The Crucible. If you have something you would like included in future issues, please email Niharika Botcha at [email protected].

This biography was provided by Leigh Ann Humbert of PPG.

You are cordially invited to the 2023 ACS Pittsburgh Section Kickoff Dinner

Click here to download the event flyer. Dinner registration below.