NOBCChE News Online | Fall 2004 | Volume 34 | No. 2

Volume 34 # 2 NOBCChE NEWSOnLine

Fall 2004

National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical EngineersChanging the Faces in Science and Technology

Louis Latimer James West Weldon Hall Tamiika K. Hurst

Samuel Massie William Jackson Tonya Peeples Candyce Boyd

Charles Drew Percy L. Julian Marquita Qualls Krystina Daniels

James E. Evans Greg Robinson Bart Bartlett Allison Pitt

2 - NOBCChE Fall 2004

About NOBCChEAn Ad Hoc Committee for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and

Chemical Engineers was organized in April 1972. The establishment of the committeewas assisted financially by a grant of $850 provided by the Haas Community Fund, anda $400 grant administered through Drexel University. The committee then surveyedBlack professionals to ascertain their interest in establishing a formal organization dedi-cated to the professional advancement of Black chemists and chemical engineers. En-thusiastic questionnaire responses prompted the committee to expand and reconvenein September 1972 to setup a structured organization and to devise a means of secur-ing funds to finance its development.

In December 1973, the Organization's Executive Board met to plan the first na-tional meeting that was held in March 1974 in New Orleans. The national meeting pro-vided a rare opportunity for Black chemists and chemical engineers to discuss issues ofsignificance to their careers, to present technical papers, to formulate priorities and top-ics for future meetings. Practical and theoretical goals began to coalesce, and a nationalprogram was developed. The Organization has held national meetings since 1974.

The official name is the National Organization for the Professional Advancementof Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. The official acronym is NOBCChE (pro-nounced No-be-shay). NOBCChE was incorporated in 1975 under the laws of the Stateof Georgia and has tax-exempt status as a non-profit professional society.

NOBCChE MissionNOBCChE is committed to the discovery, transmittal, and application of knowl-

edge in the fields of science and engineering. The mission of NOBCChE therefore is tobuild an eminent community of scientists and engineers by increasing the number ofminorities in these fields. NOBCChE will achieve its mission through diverse programsdesigned to foster professional development and encourage students to pursue careersin science and technical fields. To this end, NOBCChE will establish educational part-nerships with school districts, municipalities, businesses, industries, other institutionsand organizations in the public and private sectors.

NOBCChE VisionNOBCChE is an influential organization ensuring that African Americans are fully en-gaged in shaping the global scientific community.

3 - NOBCChE/Fall 2004

NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERSPresident

Marquita M. Qualls, Ph.D.GlaxoSmithKlineCollegeville, PA(610) 917-4882

[email protected]

Vice-PresidentRukeyser Thompson, Ph.D.

Dow Chemical CompanyFreeport, TX

(979) [email protected]

SecretarySharon J. Barnes

Dow Chemical CompanyFreeport ,TX


TreasurerDale Mack

Atlanta University CenterAtlanta, GA


National Student Rep.Tamiika K. Hurst

University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI

[email protected]

NOBCChE WebmasterSteven Thomas

[email protected]@midwestnobcche.org

NOBCChE National OfficeHoward University

P.O. Box 77040Washington, DC 20013

(202) 667-1699 / (800) 776-1419

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEECHAIRPERSON

Denise M. Barnes, Ph.D.Snellville, GA

Perry Catchings, Sr.Prime Organics

Lowell, MA

VICE CHAIRPERSON Darrell L. Davis

US Drug Enforcement AgencyDallas, TX

Isiah Warner, Ph.D.Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, LA

Joseph Francisco, Ph.D.Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette, IN

Phillip Merchant, Jr., Ph.D. (Ret.)Exxon Chemical Company

Baytown, TX

Leonard E. Small, Ph.D.Procter & Gamble Company

Mason, OH

Bobby L. Wilson, Ph.D.Texas Southern

Houston, TXREGIONAL CHAIRPERSONS

WESTERN Isom Harrison, Jr.

Lawrence Livermore Na-tional Laboratories

Livermore, CA(925) 424-6105

[email protected]

SOUTHWESTLonnie Fogle (Ret.)

EI DuPont CompanyHouston, TX


MIDWESTKimberly D JacksonProcter & Gamble

CompanyMason, OH


SOUTHEASTJames Grainger, Ph.D.

Center for Disease Controland Prevention

Atlanta, GA(770) 448-4445

southeast@nobcche .org

NORTHEASTPatrick Gordon, Ph.D.

Boston, MA(781) 933-8606

[email protected]

PROFESSIONAL CHAPTERSPacific NorthwestPresident:Wayne Martin(509) [email protected]

Brazoria County AreaPresident:Sharon Barnes(979) [email protected]

Chicago MetropolitanPresident:Ed Coleman(773) [email protected]

Atlanta MetropolitanPresident:Bernice [email protected]

Greater Boston AreaPresident:Patrick Gordon, Ph.D.(781) [email protected]

San DiegoPresident:Ron Lewis, Ph. [email protected]

DallasPresident:Ms. Rashida [email protected]

CincinnatiPresident:Judson Haynes(513) [email protected]

South CarolinaPresident:Saphronia [email protected]

Connecticut AmistadPresident:Anthony Spears(203) 677-6422Tony. [email protected]

San Francisco Bay AreaContact:Isom Harrison(925) [email protected]

Greater New OrleansPresident:Chanel [email protected]

DetroitContact:Keith Williams(313) [email protected]

Washington DC MetroPresidentThomas [email protected]

Greater Delaware ValleyPresident:Zackary C. Cross(610) [email protected]

Southern CaliforniaPresident:Sanubo Toeque(323) 899-3731

Greater Baton Rouge Met.Area President:Dr. Robert [email protected]

IndianapolisPresident:

Northern DelawarePresident:Keisha Wilson, [email protected]

New York-NewJerseyPresident:Emmanuel Dada, Ph.D.(609) [email protected]

Gulf CoastPresident:Reginald Christy(713) [email protected]

MidlandPresident:Keith [email protected]

Rochester New YorkPresident:Tommie Royster, Ph.D.(585) [email protected]


Editors' Comments

Facing Changes

r Dr. Tony Dent and Dr. Sibrina Collins t

We begin by thanking all those who provided feedback on our inaugural issue of theNOBCChE News OnLine Magazine. We hope that you will find our second output as en-lightening and enjoyable to read. First, we send our best wishes to Dr. Philip Merchantwho elected to take early retirement from the NOBCChE National Board after nearlytwenty years on continuous service. On another front, congratulations are in order to eve-ryone highlighted in our newest segment - Kudos Korner. We felt that it was high time westarted to pat ourselves on the back for all of our hard work. We encourage you to shareyour future successes with us. Dr. Collins has contributed several articles to this issue, including the second in-stallment of the "Return to Academia" series as well as an interview with her Clafflin Uni-versity department head. The Student Representative, Ms. Tamiika Hurst, has provided uswith a detailed account of the Midwest Regional meeting that was held recently in Min-neapolis and hosted by the University of Minnesota Student Chapter. They are "Making ItHappen" in the mighty Midwest. She has also organized the abstracts of talks presented atthat meeting into our new NOBCChE News OnLine Research Spotlight segment. In addi-tion, she has issued a "call to writers" for submission of articles on chapter affairs andother issues. Please also take note of several fast approaching deadlines, including theDecember 5th date for conference abstracts, fellowship/scholarship support. Perry Catchings asks that we remind our readers of the forthcoming elections forall NOBCChE administrative officers, regional chairs, and three director - at - large posi-tions. Now is the time for all good members to come to the aid of their organization. It'syour chance to lead the way to our future. As a general rule, I never talk about my health to anyone other than my lovelywife, Joyce. When I had the opportunity to participate in a prostate cancer panel discus-sion organized by a focus group, I decided to take their $150 for 90 minutes of work. Afterall, on an hourly basis, it was greater than my $600/day standard consulting fee. On thatpanel, five guys related their varied experiences with their disease. The one thing thatcame across clearly was that men don't generally talk about their ailments. With thatthought in mind, I accepted the challenge to break the mode and relate some of my expe-riences with a larger audience. I hope that others may benefit in some small way fromwhat I relate in that article. But, keep in mind that I see things through the eyes of a physi-cal chemist/chemical engineer whose viewpoint may differ dramatically from the generalpublic. I read Dilbert as a part of my daily routine. As the last leaves fall from our majestic oak trees, we come to the realization that2004 is slipping into the past. We at NOBCChE News OnLine wish all of our readers asafe and Happy Thanksgiving, Joyous Holidays, and a Happy New year. Let us look for-ward to 2005 with great hope. For additional updates, visit us often at www.nobcche.org.

Tony Dent Sibrina Collins


In this issueNational Student Representative Tamiika K. HurstEditors' Comments

Facing Changes 4 Calling All Writers 7Education

President's AddressThe Four Seasons of NOBCChE 6

2004 Science Fair Students andJudgesScience Bowl/Fair Feedback

14

15

Rochester Chapter partners withSchool District

7Feature Articles Sibrina Collins, Ph.D. Claflin University, SC "Return to Academia, Part 2:Teaching and Research

Sibrina Speaks—The NumbersGame

NOBCChE News Talks WithAngela Peters Dr. Sibrina Collins

8

9

13

Regional Meetings Updates

Midwest Regional Meeting

NOBCChE AM 2005 Update

NOBCChE "Night On The Town"Planned Event

10

12

12" Interviewing for a Position in In-dustry: A Quick Guide for thePh.D. Candidate

Dr. Alveda J. Williams, and Dr. Rukeyser S. Thompson

The History of A Prostate CancerPatient Dr. Anthony Dent

20

17

DepartmentsAbout NOBCChENOBCChE MissionNOBCChE Vision

222

People in the News

Dr. Philip Merchant ResignsNOBCChE Board 16

NOBCChE Organization

Membership Form

3

27

NOBCChE News OnLine ResearchSpotlight - Abstracts from TheMidwest Regional Meeting

22 NOBCChE Elections Committee'sCall for Nominations

16

Kudos Korner 16


President's AddressThe Four Seasons of NOBCChE

Each season isassociated withsomething. Win-ter is cold, harshand sometimesbrutal; spring sig-nifies renewaland growth;summer equatesactivity and en-ergy; and fall issynonymous with

change. Just as each season is im-portant to the life cycle, what each sea-son signifies is vital for sustaining anorganization. If we examine the life cy-cle of NOBCChE, imagine the monthsand years prior to April 1972 as thewinter season; the founding of the or-ganization as a spring season; and thedevelopment of programs, scholarshipsand community outreach as the sum-mer season. As we continue to focusupon the theme “Redefining the Face ofScience and Technology”, it undoubt-edly speaks to NOBCChE’s fall--a sea-son of change.

As with the change of any sea-son, it is prompted by some stimuli.Decreasing temperatures and theshortening of days initiate the changingof the leaves in the fall. Likewise, theincreasing multidisciplinary nature ofthe chemical sciences and satisfyingthe needs and expectations of themembership are the stimuli forNOBCChE’s changing role in the globalscientific community.

I recently attended a workshopwhere there was a discussion of thebook ‘Beyond the Molecular Frontier:Challenges for Chemistry and ChemicalEngineering’. I would recommend thisbook to anyone who works in thechemical sciences. This book exam-ines the state of the chemical sciencesand poses challenges that must be ad-

dressed to ensure the success of our dis-cipline. While individual contributions willcontinue to be valued, not surprisingly, itwill take the collaborative efforts of acade-mia, governmental agencies, private sectorand nonprofit organizations to solve thepresent and future scientific problems.

Though our organization has beenregarded as one for chemistry and chemi-cal engineering, we recognize the emerg-ing interface of biological fields with thechemical sciences. Just a few years agothe two areas were easily distinguishable.Today, however, we have the fields ofbiomedical engineering, earth and atmos-pheric science and forensic chemistry.There are even journals devoted to‘chemical biology’-- or is that ‘biologicalchemistry’! It is critical that we embrace and un-derstand this multidisciplinary nature. It isalso important that we engage in effectivepartnerships to help shape the direction ofchemistry. We must take an active role ininfluencing science policy by becomingmore involved with our local, state, andnational governmental officials. Further-more, we must continue to expose our stu-dents, particularly those at HistoricallyBlack Colleges and Universities (HBCU),to research opportunities that address themultidisciplinary nature of chemistry.

I love to see the many hues of theleaves in the fall. Though it is an indicationthat winter is on its way, the process bywhich the leaves undergo the color changeassures that the trees will be well preparedfor the upcoming season. Likewise, Ihave a strong appreciation the varied ofcolors of chemistry. This, too, is an indica-tion that we will be well prepared to ad-dress the complexity of the scientific chal-lenges ahead.I’d like to hear how your views onNOBCChE’s role in “Redefining the Faceof Science and Technology”. I welcomeyour comments on how NOBCChE can


better serve you and the chemicalcommunity. Please email me [email protected] or leave yourcomments in the Contact Us section onthe website.

.Marquita M. Qualls, Ph.D.

NOBCChE President 2003-2005

CALLING ALL STUDENT WRITERSAs the 2004 -2005National StudentRepresentative, Iam encouragingyou to commit tocontributing arti-cles to theNOBCChE OnlineNews Magazine.Some topics forstudents to ex-

plore could include, but is not limited tosuch topics as:

1. Chapter highlights2. Research/summer Intern Experi-

ences3. Selecting a Research Advisor4. Tips for Preparing to Attend

NOBCChE Conferences5. Does an HBCU Experience Pre-

pare you for PhD/MD/MS Train-ing at a Majority School?

6. Time Management: Don't be a"Skilled Time Mismanager"

7. Non-Traditional StudentsI strongly encourage and support EACHstudent chapter to submit an articleduring this and the upcoming academicyear. Articles should be no more than 2pages (~800 words) with a photo (jpegfile). The tentative schedule ofNOBCChE News Online publicationdates is:

Nov 15, 2004Feb 15, 2004May 15, 2005Aug 15, 2005Nov 15, 2005

DEADLINES would be the 1st of each ofthese months.

Tamiika K. Hurst

RemindersDeadline for Undergraduate Schol-arship and Graduate FellowshipApplications is December 5, 2004.More Information is Available atOnline at www.nobcche.org

Rochester Chapter Partners withLocal School District Consistent with the mission of thenational organization, the local RochesterChapter of NOBCChE has a history ofmaking a difference. In these critical times,the establishment of key partnerships mustbe part of the strategy to move towardssuccessful educational programs for his-torically underrepresented children. Tothat end, the Rochester Chapter ofNOBCChE has started a Middle GradesSchool Initiative in partnership with theRochester City School District. The goalsof the initiative are to supplement the mathand science curriculum and provide tutor-ing to better prepare the students for re-cently implemented standardized tests.The broader vision is to establish a modelfor learning that can be expanded through-out the Rochester City School District. Three major programs for the MiddleGrades School Initiative are currently beingimplemented. After-school math tutorial,science tutorial and science enrichmentprograms have already demonstrated suc-cess. With help from NOBCChE volun-teers, the Nathaniel Rochester CommunitySchool posted the highest increase foreight graders in the Rochester City School


District passing the 2004 New YorkState Standardized Math Test. A sci-ence bowl team for the same school willrepresent the Northeast Region at theNational Science Bowl Competition inOrlando, Florida.

Return to Academia, Part 2:Teaching and ResearchDr. Sibrina CollinsEditorial Note: This column first appeared onthe Minority Scientists Network(MiSciNet) web-site.

My first full month asan assistant professorof chemistry at ClaflinUniversity was excit-ing and very hectic!Not surprisingly, mybiggest challenge hasbeen learning to bal-

ance the time I spend teaching, grad-ing, mentoring and advising students,attending faculty meetings, and devel-oping a research program. Trust me,24 hours a day is not enough time! But,I am adjusting, nevertheless.Teaching ResponsibilitiesTeaching takes up by far the majority ofmy time. This is as it should be: Claflinis not a research intensive institutionand its focus is very much on teaching.I teach one lecture and three laboratorycourses. Teaching the courses is theeasy part. The challenge is in thepreparation. Reviewing the chaptermaterial, selecting homework problems,and creating exams and quizzes takesa lot of work. But, I am enjoying it. Thestudents are smart and enthusiasticabout the class material. They love tolearn and they ask a ton of questions! Ialso have three wonderful TAs whohelp with the labs. And I work with greatfaculty and staff within Claflin’s Division

of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.They are extremely supportive, and as anew faculty member, I need their kind ofsupport.Developing a Research Program Establishing an undergraduate re-search program at a small liberal arts in-stitution has its advantages and disadvan-tages. The major disadvantage is thatsmall institutions do not have the signifi-cant resources compared to majorityschools. However, being here at Claflinhas allowed me to collaborate with largermajority institutions in the state, such asFurman and Clemson. In fact, I am cur-rently conducting research with two won-derful undergraduates on an NIH-fundedproject. I am also looking into collabora-tions with a colleague at the University ofSouth Carolina. Many majority schools arevery interested in collaborating with facultyfrom minority-serving institutions. This col-laboration allows the faculty at the smallerschool access to important resources toconduct research. In addition, this partner-ship creates a potential pool of minoritystudents to recruit for graduate school atthe partnering majority institution, thus cre-ating the “proverbial pipeline.” Being out of academics and the labo-ratory for a year has created some “rust”on my behalf. However, conducting re-search is like riding a bike. Once you learnhow to conduct research, you never forget!If you are seriously considering returning toacademics after pursuing a “non-research”position, I highly recommend that you keepup-to-date with the scientific literature.One of the wonderful benefits I had as aformer employee of AAAS (American As-sociation for the Advancement of Science),was the opportunity to read Science everyweek. In addition, there were countlessother scientific journals and magazines atmy disposal, and I took advantage of theresources.


Secondly, after reviewing the lit-erature, I would also advise you to be-gin thinking about research projects topursue. Talk to mentors and other col-leagues about potential research ideas.Prior to my interview with Claflin Uni-versity, I considered research ideas thatI wanted to pursue with undergraduatestudents. Moreover, I circulated my re-search ideas among my network ofmentors and peers in the chemistryfield. I received some useful feedback,and successfully obtained start-upfunds(university) for my research. Ihonestly believe the key to being suc-cessful in research is to learn to becreative and innovative. This is notsomething that is taught—you have tolearn this. My advice is do not put your-self in box! I am actually a trained inor-ganic photochemist. But, I have beenexposed to so many other research ar-eas through my postdoctoral appoint-ment at Louisiana State University andmy summer internship at Eastman Ko-dak. A broad scientific background isessential to being successful in re-search.Giving Back and Mentoring Students As you know, few minorities earndoctorates in SMET (science, mathe-matics, engineering, technology) fields,and so one of the many challenges weface as a nation is to prepare thesestudents to excel in graduate scienceprograms. In my inorganic chemistrycourse, there are five students, fourseniors and one junior. One day beforelecturing, I asked what they planned todo after earning their undergraduatedegrees. I asked this question, becauseas editor of MiSciNet I was directly in-volved in an effort to address why sofew minorities pursued graduate de-grees in science. But, I was also justnaturally curious. All except one indi-

cated they wanted to attend graduateschool, and they were really interested inhearing about my experiences. Moreover, Iwas very pleased to find out that two ofthem were interested in attending my un-dergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoralinstitutions for graduate work. I found my-self in a position in which my own careerpath could be of direct help to others ex-ploring theirs. I briefly described my expe-riences at each institution, but I was moreinterested in finding out what my studentsbelieved graduate was really all about. So,I asked them. My students indicated that they real-ize graduate school was going to be “a lotof work” and that they would have to “learna lot of material on their own.” I was verypleased with these responses becausethey illustrated that the students recog-nized that they will not only have to workhard in grad school, but also learn to be-come independent thinkers. This is whatthe graduate school experience is allabout.

Sibrina Speaks—The Numbers Game

Editorial Note: This column first appeared on theMinority Scientists Network(MiSciNet) website. Now that I am an assistant professor,I am trying harder than ever to understandwhy so few minorities pursue careers inacademia. First, I recognize that the num-ber of minorities who earn doctorates issmall. During the 1999-2000 academicyear, for instance, a total of 1236 Ph.D.chemistry doctorates were awarded to U.S.citizens and permanent residents. Only4% of these degrees were earned by His-panics, another 4% by Blacks, and only1% by American Indians. The most recentstatistics for 2002 are equally dishearten-ing—Blacks represented 3.7% of PhDchemistry graduates; Hispanics, 3.2%; andNative Americans, 1.0%. These low num-


bers, some argue, inevitably lead to lownumbers of faculty. I recently asked two of my col-leagues, both African Americans: “Doyou think it is possible that many of usshun research careers in academia be-cause we are not trained how to thinkinnovatively and creatively? One col-league replied, “I’m not sure we reallyunderstand what part creativity plays ina career in academia. I think moneymay be a bigger part—the subjectivityof the tenure process.” A second col-league stated, “Well, first, I do not thinkAfrican Americans as a group shun re-search centers, it’s the research institu-tions that shun us. This is because thehiring committees at the big universitiesassume we are not trained to be inno-vative or that a person of color is notcapable of creative thought. And theyabhor criticism of the prevailing re-search practices. Another fact is that—in chemistry and physics particularly—most African Americans are on thefaculties of [Historically Black Collegesand Universities].” Obviously, the reasons behind thelow numbers of minorities working inacademia are complex. But it seems tome that the issue is not that there aretoo few minorities willing to becomeprofessors. The real problem is thatmost students (of all ethnic back-grounds) are turned off to academic ca-reers long before they complete theirdoctorates. These students often seethe negative side of academia ratherthan the positive side. They see theirprofessors working long hours, lookingfor funding, writing papers, teachingand so on. Personally, I believe pro-fessors have to make more of an effortto show their students that a career inacademia can be rewarding.

Dr. Sibrina Collins was the first editor for MiS-

ciNet from 2001-2002. She is now assistant profes-sor of chemistry at Claflin University in Orangeburg,SC. Please send email to [email protected].

Regional Meeting Updates

2004 Midwest Regional Meeting:"MAKING IT HAPPEN"

- Tamiika K. Hurst

Hosted by The University of MinnesotaStudent Chapter, Held October 15th - 17that the Minneapolis Holiday Inn Metrodomeand 3M Company Although this meeting was hosted byone of the newest student chapters ofNOBCChE, a number of key themes wereidentified early on and quickly establisheda unified "agenda" for the meeting. In gen-eral, there seemed to be an apparent dis-play of networking, chapter unity and sup-port, and a quest for academic and profes-sional involvement and development.

The conference kicked off with aposter session and reception. Presentingresearch in chemistry, engineering, biologyand other related fields were more than 35undergraduate students, graduate stu-dents, and professional members. Wow!What a career building and networking op-portunity this gave the conference partici-pants.

For many, the focus of the meetingwas the trip to 3M Corporation.


Our visit opened with a great marketingand recruiting opportunity for the com-pany: A tour of the facility! Did youknow that Thinsulate™ Insulation is amaterial manufactured at 3M? Whatabout orthodontic wires and braces?And for the pet-owners, 3M is a leaderin veterinary x-ray and surgical prod-ucts.The 3M Corporation is also a leader inemploying an eminent community ofblack scientists and engineers. Tenblack minority research scientists andengineers (MD, PhD, MS/BS) sharedpersonal reflections on how his/heracademic successes have lead to pro-fessional advancement at 3M. Despitethe differences in educational trainingand personal development, the com-mon tone was: "Persevere," "Get amentor," "Set goals," "Be flexible," "Findbalance," and "Use your resources."Erica Gaston, President of The Univer-sity of Michigan Student Chapter,summed the talks up well. "When it wasall said….our cups were overflowingwith confidence… Seeing the successthat has come to many people who re-semble us in experiences and skincolor brings an intense motivation to bethe ones to speak at a NOBCChE con-ference in years to come!"

The keynote address was enthu-siastically given by Dr. Howard Adams.Dr. Howard G. Adams is Founder andPresident of H.G. Adams & AssociatesInc., a consulting company that pro-vides career, personal and professionaldevelopment services to educational,

governmental, and industrial organizations.Robert Green, Treasurer of the Pur-

due University Chapter quotes, "..the high-light of the Midwest Regional Conferencewas the speech from Dr. Adams, whichwas inspiring, indeed! I am sure that thosewho witnessed the speech "Got up withsomething on their minds..."A conference would not be a conferencewithout a workshop! Master ChemistryDemonstrator, Edward Burton from TheUniversity of Michigan’s Chemistry De-partment, and Keith Williams, formerNOBCChE Regional Chair from WayneState University’s Department of Chemis-try, tagged team to bring us: Safe Chemis-try Demonstrations for Community Out-reach: "Elements of the Future. " Theconference ended with a bang - a trip to"The Mall of America!" Much appreciation is given to TheUniversity of Minnesota and 3M for a nobledisplay of professionalism and commitmentto leadership. THANK YOU! For more information, contact, Ms.Kimberly Jackson, [email protected]

Other Regional Meeting Plans

Southwest Regional Meeting, November19-20, 2004Location: New Orleans, LAContact: Lonnie Fogle,[email protected]

The West Regional Meeting was held,October 22-23, 2004 in Los Angeles, CA.Contact regional chair, Isom Harrison,[email protected], for more information.

The Southeast Regional Fall 2004 Meet-ing dates and location have not been fi-nalized.


Looking Ahead to 2005 inOrlando, FL

The National Conference PlanningCommittee invites you to attend the32nd Annual Conference. This year’sconference will be held in Orlando,Florida, at the JW Marriott Orlando,Grande Lakes, March 20th -26th, 2005.The theme, “NOBCChE: Redefining theFace of Science and Technology,” re-flects NOBCChE’s commitment to helpthe minority community with all theskills that we will need for a secure fu-ture. We invite you to join us in Or-lando, during the week of March 20th

and commit yourself to the task of im-proving the skills that you possess.

Key conference highlights in-clude:

• An engrossing program of tech-nical and scientific presentations• Stimulating presentations on

education, business, and per-sonal and professional develop-ment

• Electrifying speakers• Engrossing workshops including

forensic chemistry, science edu-cators, NASA's Mars Explora-tion, and health issues related toblood disease.

• Thrilling science fair and sciencebowl competitions

• NOBCChE Night, Cirque du So-leil, La Nouba @ Disneyworld

• An Industrial exposition with ~60 in-dustrial companies, academic insti-tutions, and government agencies.

• Annual Awards Banquet

NOBCChE's "Night on TheTown" 2005 Planned Event Mr. Bob Countryman, GeneralPlanning Committee Chair, has ar-ranged ticket reservations for fifty (50)people to attend the Walt Disney spon-sored "Cirque du Soleil" show onTuesday night, March 22, 2005 at 9:00PM at the Disney Complex. The ticketsfor the Show will be in the Tier II LevelSection Seats. The costs of the ticketsare $70.00 inclusive per person. Thiscost IS NOT included in your confer-ence registration, and it is strictly anadditional cost for you to attend thisperformance during the 2005 NationalConference. Bob is trying to secure bus trans-portation, but it is not yet confirmed.This announcement is issued to get acommitment from additional attendees.To date, forty (40) people have com-mitted to attend the show. The re-maining seats are on a "First come firstserve" basis. Please contact BobCountryman by phone at 619-997-0268(M) or at [email protected] if youwish to attend. For all those who wishto attend, please send your checksmade payable to NOBCChE 2005, to

Ms. Bernice GreenCirque Du Soleil TicketsNOBCChE 2005, Box 5102870 Peachtree RoadAtlanta, GA 30305-2918

Reminders2005 Registration Materials Are

Available Online atwww.nobcche.org


NOBCChE News Talks WithAngela Peters by Dr. Sibrina Collins

Dr. Sibrina Collins (sitting) chats with HerDepartment Chairperson, Dr. Angela Peters The fall semester is in full swingat Claflin University (CU)! As usual, thecampus is buzzing with many excitingactivities such as voter registrationdrives and the construction of newdormitories on campus. This particularafternoon at CU is really special to mebecause I had the opportunity to inter-view my department chair, Dr. AngelaPeters, recipient of the 2005 NationalMillennium Award in Teaching at anHBCU. This award is sponsored by theWhite House Initiatives on HBCUs.

As of graduate of Hampton Uni-versity (B.S. and M.S.), and later earn-ing a Ph.D. (Biochemistry) from theUniversity of South Carolina, Petersunderstands the importance of HBCUsand the crucial role these institutionshave in the training of future scientists.We relax in her office and briefly dis-cuss how she manages to balance hercareer and family, her love for teaching,and her outstanding recognition fromthe White House.

NOBCChE News OnLine(NNOL): Why doyou believe HBCUs are so important to thetraining of minority scientists?Peters: HBCUs provide minority students(scientists) with a supportive and nurturingenvironment for them to learn. These his-torical institutions lay the foundation andprovide a wealth of subject matter, so thatall students are prepared to be globalleaders. Our students can excel in anyacademic or professional setting. HBCUsproduce leaders—not workers.NNOL: Recently, you received an awardsponsored by the White House Initiativeson HBCUs. Congratulations again for thisaward. Can you briefly describe the criteriafor selection of this award?Peters: The award is based on yourteaching progress, service to the students,community service, professional develop-ment, and research.NNOL: You received the award in Wash-ington, D.C.?Peters: Yes I did. In fact, the National Se-curity Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice gavea brief speech.NNOL: Really?Peters: She sure did, but I did not get achance to speak with her personally.NNOL: What does this award mean to youpersonally and professionally?Peters: This award makes me feel proudto be recognized for something that I lovedoing—teaching. Both of my parents areeducators (K-12 and higher education). Myhusband is an author and motivationalspeaker, who actually trains teachers andprincipals in K-12. So my inner circle isfilled with outstanding teachers and inno-vative teaching strategies.NNOL: You also received funding with theaward. How will the funding be used?Peters: The award money will be used onthe students. We have a student affiliatechapter of ACS with an excellent outreachprogram. We will strengthen the outreach


program by purchasing instruction ma-terials (demonstration kits). In addition,I will also use it for professional devel-opment and travel.NNOL: How long have you been thechair of the chemistry department?Peters: Four years.NNOL: Being chair of the departmentis not an easy position. How difficult is itfor you to balance your career and yourfamily responsibilities?Peters: It is very difficult. Prioritizing,organization, and prayer are key. Ihave turned down many panel reviewsand speaking engagements because ofmy role as a wife and parent. My chil-dren are often in the office with me do-ing their homework. And my husbandoften accompanies me to various sci-entific meetings as well. I enjoy my po-sition, but my family always comes first.

Sibrina Collins was the first editor for MiS-ciNet from 2001-2002. She is now assistantprofessor of chemistry at Claflin Universityin Orangeburg, SC. Sibrina is also the co-advisor for the Orangeburg Student AffiliateChapter of NOBCChE (OSAC-NOBCChE).Please send email to [email protected].

San Jose Sisters Finish FirstAnd Second In Science Fair

Anthony Dent,2004 Science Bowl/Fair Chairman

The 16 students who competed in the 2004Science Fair competitions.

The NOBCChE Science FairCompetition is an event in which indi-vidual students compete for prizes andrecognition based on their presenta-

tions of researched topics chosen by them.Each student is expected to have devel-oped and researched his/her project with-out undue assistance. The 2004 ScienceFair competitions consisted of 16 students,9 in the senior level (10th - 12th grades)and 7 in junior level (10th - 12th grades).

Sisters, Kathryn M. and Krystina Daniels, fromMilpitas High, Milpitas, CA, pose with theircoach and mom, Ms. Gloria Whitaker-Daniels,(Apple Computers) during a break in the Sci-ence Fair judging process. Included among the junior levelcompetitors was 6th grader, Aaron Rhettafrom Los Peseos Middle School in SanJose, CA. Aaron's mother lobbied stronglyfor his inclusion, based on his perform-ances in other competitions. Aaron'sunique status was not revealed to the Sci-ence Fair judges to avoid undue pre-judges. In addition, sisters, Kathryn M. Da-niels (junior level) and Krystina Daniels(senior level), from Milpitas High, inMilpitas, CA, were enrolled by their coachand mom, Ms. Gloria Whitaker-Daniels.This was the first occasion to have threestudents from Northern California compet-ing since the early years of the event. When Mr. Smallwood Holomanand his team of judges had completed theirdeliberations, we had the following win-ners:


Smallwood Holoman (rear left) and his eagerband of Science Fair judges.

Junior level Competition Results1 Aaron Gebrelul, Timbuktu Acad-

emy, Baton Rouge, LA2 Kathryn M. Daniels, Milpitas High,

Milpitas, CA3 Aaron Rhetta, Los Peseos Middle

School, San Jose, CA

Senior level Competition Results1 Krystina Daniels, Milpitas High,

Milpitas, CA2 Faith Brown, Saginaw A&S A,

Saginaw, MI3 Quintisha M Walker, Saginaw A&S

A, Saginaw, MI

Science Bowl/Fair FeedbackWe received the following feedbackfrom one of the 2004 parents whichhave been forwarded on to the newchairperson, Dr. Gloria Thomas.

Dear Anthony and Smallwood,"I just wanted to send a quick

note to thank you for allowing mydaughters, Krystina and Kathryn, toparticipate in the NOBCChE sciencefair last week. They really enjoyedthemselves and were pleasantly sur-prised at the recognition they receivedat the awards ceremony. This was thefirst national competition that they hadparticipated in and they really did notknow what to expect. The result waswonderful for them, and they also met alot of new students interested in sci-

ence. Please let us know of your plans fornext year once you start the preparationand I am sure the girls will want to com-pete and perhaps we can figure out theother details to make it more fulfilling forthe adults.

We were very interested in the Sci-ence Bowl, but did not have a chance toattend to see the competition. Could yousend us some additional information on thetopics used in [the] competition and advise[us] on how best to prepare? Maybe a fewsample questions would help, so we canunderstand the complexity of the questionswould help, so we can understand thecomplexity of the questions. I think wecould pull a team together to representNorthern California/Silicon Valley/San Josearea.

Regards,Gloria Whitaker-Daniels

One of the 2004 Science Fairjudges, Yolanda Brooks, had previouslybeen a NOBCChE contestant, so weasked her to comment from her new per-spective. She had the following remarks:

Hello Dr. Dent,

How are you? I am a sophomore at MSU,and my major is Environmental Microbiol-ogy. I was a judge at the Science Fair anda former participant. The experience at thescience fair was a different experience be-cause I had a chance to be on the otherside of the fence. I think that being part ofthe Science Fair allowed me to see whichprojects had scientific merit. If you wouldlike to know more specifics about my expe-riences, let me know. Thanks for askingabout me. - Yolanda M. Brooks


Kudos KornerHere we wish to acknowledge theachievements and accomplishments ofour members! If something good hashappened in your life and you'd like toshare it with your friends and fellowNOBCChE members, this is the placeto do so. Bring them on!1 Job promotion and Professional

DevelopmentRita Ware utilized the NOBCChE pro-fessional development resources andfound employment through the careerfair held at the NOBCChE IndianapolisAnnual Conference. Congrats Rita!Rita’s comments are as follows:I would like to give kudos to theNOBCChE conference held in Indian-apolis. I attended one of the workshopsthat critiques interviewing skills as wellas the resume. After leaving this work-shop, my skills were polished and Iwent to the job fair. I was hired as anenvironmental scientist for USEPA,Region 6, in Dallas TX and after ayear, I received a promotion.

2. NOBCChE Member Elected NSCCFellow!NY/NJ Chapter President, Dr EmanuelDada, recently was elected a Fellow ofthe Nigerian Society of Chemical Engi-neers in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. He wasinvited to the 2004 Annual Awards/Dinner of the Society to be held in PortHarcourt, Nigeria on 27 November2004. Congratulations on your election.

Dr. Philip Merchant Resigns BoardPosition. We have been informed by Dr.Denise Barnes, NOBCChE BoardChair, that in early September, she re-ceived a letter of resignation from theexecutive board from Dr. Philip Mer-chant. Due to the current personal

commitments, Philip does not have thetime to carry out his duties as a boardmember. Mr. Robert Murff, Eli Lilly, hasbeen appointed to complete Philip's term ofwhich will end on June 30, 2005. Dr. Merchant was the national presi-dent of NOBCChE from 1985 to 1990 andhe served on the board from 1990 to 2004.The national office was created when hewas president. Philip worked hard to pro-mote and progress the organization. Philipworked for ExxonMobil for 30 years as ascientist / manager, and he retired in 2002.

2005 - National ElectionsCALL FOR NOMINATIONSPerry L. Catchings, Sr.

Chair, National Elections Committee Nominations are now being solic-

ited for the 2005 election of three Execu-tive Board Members, and all AdministrativeOfficers and Regional Chairs. The Execu-tive Board vacancies are created by theexpiring terms of Drs. Denise Barnes,Leonard Small, and Mr. Robert Murff. Ex-ecutive Board Members serve a three-yearterm. Administrative Officers and RegionalChairs serve two-year terms. For more in-formation on the requirements for a validnomination, the procedure for self - nomi-nation, visit the NOBCChE website atwww.nobcche.org. Nominations, bio-graphical information, and statements mustbe received no later than January 10,2005. All nominations should be sent to:

NOBCChE National OfficeP.O. Box 77040Washington, DC 20013Fax: (202) 667-1705

The biographical sketches and can-didate statements, along with an electionballot will be mailed by the end of January2005. Again, only individuals whose fullNational dues are paid and received by theNational Treasurer by December 31, 2004will be eligible to run for a National officeand vote in National elections.


The History of A Prostate Cancer PatientDr. Anthony Dent

As a member of PQ Corporation's R&D management team, my medicalbenefits included a PSA blood test and a DRE (digital rectal exam) onceevery year. If it is used in addition to the DRE, a PSA test increases thelikelihood of early prostate cancer detection. (PSA is the abbreviation forprostate-specific antigen, a substance produced by the prostate cells. A

PSA test measures the level of PSA in the bloodstream and is reported as nanograms permilliliter, or ng/mL. Generally, very little PSA escapes from a healthy prostate into the blood-stream, but certain prostate conditions can cause larger amounts of PSA to leak into theblood.)Therefore, Prostate cancer is the most probable cause of increased PSA values. Inever had any concerns as long as my PSA numbers remained below 2.0, even as an Afri-can - American, and, therefore, a member of the group with the highest probable occurrenceof PC. As shown by the chart below, during my May 2000 exam, my PSA numbers hadinched above the 2.0 level. Both my Primary Care Physician and my cardiologist becamealarmed, and they insisted that I have additional tests done. However, it took more than 6months to obtain an appointment with the recommended urologist. During that period, morefrequent monitoring of my PSA levels showed a continual increase to a PSA ~ 3.6. Preliminary DRE tests ("bend over and drop your pants. Cough, please") were fol-lowed by an in-office biopsy with the samples being sent for testing. By the time that the bi-opsy results were reviewed, it was clear to me from the rate of increase of PSA values whatthe conclusion would be. The only issues were "How bad was it? And how do you treat it?"Based on readings at www.prostate.com, I had learned that Prostate cancer is a group of

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Histogram

0.01.02.03.04.05.0

Mar-97

Jul-98 Dec-99

Apr-01

Sep-02

Jan-04

May-05

Time Line

PSA

Val

ue


cancerous cells (a malignant tumor) that begins most often in the outer part of the prostate.Early prostate cancer usually does not cause any symptoms. However, as the tumor grows, itmay spread from the prostate to surrounding areas. Change in urination, including increasedfrequency, hesitancy or dribbling of urine may be experienced. Prostate cancer can spreadfrom the prostate to nearby lymph nodes, bones or other organs. This spread is called me-tastasis. For example, as a result of metastasis to the spine, some men experience backpain. Since I had not experienced any of these symptoms, the question still remained as tothe extent of spread if any of the cancer outside of the prostate capsule. When a biopsy is taken and prostate cancer is found, the tumor is graded in the medicallab. The grade estimates how aggressive a prostate cancer is; that is, how fast it is growingand the likelihood of its spreading. Sometimes you will hear the grade referred to as theGleason grade. Once diagnosis is made, prostate cancer is categorized into stages based onthe size and spread of the disease. The traditional method classifies the disease into fourclinical categories rated A through D.• Stage A is early cancer. The tumor is located within the prostate gland and cannot be felt

during a DRE.• In Stage B, the tumor is considered to be within the prostate and can be felt during a

DRE.• In Stage C, prostate cancer is more advanced. Stage C indicates that the tumor has

spread outside the prostate to some surrounding areas, but not to other organs. Thisstage of cancer can usually be detected by a DRE

• In Stage D, the cancer has spread to the nearby organs and usually to distant sites, suchas the bones or lymph nodes.

My urologist decided that extensive MRI scans were required to determine the exactstage of my prostate cancer. Obviously, as a trained physical chemist, I understood that thiswould mean that I would climb inside a powerful electromagnet where I would endure 90minutes of magnetic irradiation while hoping that Murphy's Law would be suspended for theduration of the examination. Fortunately, I have no impeded iron filings that would havecaused serious complications. The imaged results revealed that the tumor was "essentially"contained within the prostate gland. But, there was a low possibility of escape. This conclu-sion offered several possible treatment options. In addition, a CT scan (CAT scan) was used to obtain further evidence of any spread ofcancerous cells. This procedure makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body,taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up moreclearly. This procedure is also called computerized tomography. CAT scan results suggestedno spread outside the gland. Since my cardiologist expressed grave concerns about a major operation due to boththe uncertain condition of my heart and my excess weight, Radical prostatectomy: A surgicalprocedure to remove the prostate, surrounding tissue, and nearby lymph nodes was elimi-nated as an option. Watchful waiting which involves closely monitoring a patient’s condition without givingany treatment until symptoms appear or change. This is usually used in older men with othermedical problems and early-stage disease. Having watched a maternal brother die of pros-tate cancer at the age of 75, I eliminated this option as unthinkable.


The treatment method agreed upon was a combination of hormone therapy and radia-tion therapy. Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or othertypes of radiation to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radia-tion therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internalradiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or cathetersthat are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given de-pends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. Both internal seeds radiation andradiation therapy were employed in my case with the seed implants inserted first. I waswarned that impotence and urinary problems may occur in men treated with radiation ther-apy. Hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that either removes hormones or blocks theiraction and stops cancer cells from growing. The presence of some hormones can causecertain cancers to grow. Since it is believed that the rate of prostate cancer growth is propor-tional to the amount of testosterone in the body, i.e.

d[PC]/dt = k [testosterone]n

it made perfect sense to me that reducing [testosterone] was a perfectly good strategy. Lu-pronTM, a Leuprolide that is related to a naturally occurring hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is now commonly used in hormone therapy. GnRH influences therelease of the hormones testosterone and estrogen in the body. Leuprolide is used to reducethe amount of testosterone or estrogen in the body. It is used for conditions such as cancer ofthe prostate. However, the side effects of this course of therapy are nontrivial. Hot flashes,impaired sexual function, and loss of desire for sex may occur in men treated with hormonetherapy. Coupled with the potential radiation side effects, this was not going to be a picnic. Three months prior to the start of the radiation therapy, I began hormone therapy us-ing Lupron.TM Coincidentally, on the same day of my first intramuscular injection, I met Dr.Robert Langer, MIT professor of Chemical Engineering and medical doctor in MIT's school ofmedicine. Dr. Langer pioneered the technique of controlled release that is the basis for Le-uprolide delivery - one injection every four months. My hormone treatment lasted for twoyears (6 injections) and was completed in February 2004. I slept through the seed implant procedures, recalling only that the young medical as-sistants both claimed to be "straight - A student" at Villanova. However, the external radiationtreatments involved 35 days (not including weekends) of 30 - minute treatments. I managedto schedule the treatments after Cheyney University's Fall 2002 semester ended, during theholidays, and at the beginning of the Spring 2003 semester. While it was sometimes difficultto conduct a PChem lecture on thermodynamics after a radiation session, I managed. Theresults of a continually decreasing PSA analysis was encouragement enough. I continue tomonitor my PSA level. We now know that African American men have the highest incidence of prostate can-cer in the world. Within the United States, African American men have a 60% higher inci-dence rate compared to white men. While the reasons are as yet unknown, we should under-stand that it is our responsibility to take care of ourselves, quit smoking, eat more soy prod-ucts, take antioxidants, and conduct watchful waiting, always vigilant. For more information on prostate cancer, visit one of the following web sites:www.prostate.com, www. webmd.com, or www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate.


Interviewing for a Position in Industry: A Quick Guide for the Ph.D. CandidateAlveda J. Williams, Ph.D.1 and Rukeyser S. Thompson, Ph.D.2

1 The Dow Chemical Company, Core Research and Development, Materials Sciences, 2301 N.Brazosport Blvd B-1603, Freeport, Texas 77541, 979.238.1383; 2 The Dow Chemical Company,Core Research and Development, Analytical Sciences, 2301 N. Brazosport Blvd B-1463,Freeport, Texas 77541, 979.238.7646

You have decided on a career in industry and have begun your search for the ideal em-ployer. This search begins with a high quality resume. Your resume will get you a campus in-terview. The campus interview is used as a screening mechanism because the recruiter willinterview a large number of interested candidates and make “next step” recommendations to thecompany’s hiring managers. Therefore, at this stage, your primary role will be to impress theinterviewer, set yourself apart from the other candidates, and secure a site visit.

Once you are on-site, the open position is yours for the taking! By this time, the com-pany has a genuine interest in you and your skill set and herein lies an opportunity for you sealthe deal. In a site interview you should expect some combination of the following activities overa 1-2 day period: (a) dinner with a host and others, (b) interviews with managers and technicalleaders, (c) presentation of a research seminar, (d) site/plant tour, and (e) wrap-up/discussionon next steps in the process. In this article, details on what to expect and some fundamentaltools necessary for a successful industrial site interview are outlined. You will also find thatthese tools are leveragable and can be employed when interviewing for positions in academia,government, sales, and consulting.

As with almost anything else, interviewing requires some pre-work on your part. Priorplanning prevents poor performance! You should research the company and the position forwhich you are applying. Spend some time on the internet, in the library, or in your campusplacement office learning about the company’s product/service offering, key customers, market,sales volume, locations, and subsidiaries. Plan to wear a conservative suit to the interview. It isprofessional and shows that you are too. Finally, get a good night’s rest. The day ahead of youwill be long, and you must be in “ON” mode at all times!The Company Host

The company will assign a host that will be available to you throughout the interviewingprocess. It is important to keep in mind that while he/she is your “designated friend”, you arestill being interviewed. The host will likely accompany you to dinner. Generally, it is a more re-laxed environment than the seminar day. This will give you an opportunity to ask questionsabout the size and type of audience you will face for your seminar and the desired length of yourpresentation. In addition, if there are burning questions that you may not feel comfortable ask-ing to the higher-ups, your host should be the person you can approach.Interviews with managers and technical leaders

The purpose of an interview is to sell yourself and convince the interviewer that you arethe one for the job. In fact, most interviews often begin with a “tell me a little bit about you”question. It will be worth your while to have prepared a one minute commercial highlighting whoyou are, your technical and interpersonal skills, and the potential fit that you see between your-self and the company.

In addition, prepare yourself for the type of interview that you will face as they vary fromcompany to company. Some companies prefer one-on-one interviews while others have transi-tioned to a panel style. Prepare for both the situational (“tell me about a time when…”) andtechnical styles of interviewing. Identify ahead of time some key examples that will illustrate


your abilities in the areas of leadership, teamwork, technical problem solving, and conflict reso-lution.

It is also important for you to interview the interviewer (i.e. have questions to ask). Bydoing so, you not only show your interest in the position, but also get the pieces necessary foryou to make an informed decision should an offer be made to you. Here are some examples toget you started.

If I were to be hired, what will be my roles/responsibilities?What are the job expectations?How is performance evaluated?What are the career paths in your company?What do you like/dislike about your job?What work-life balance initiatives does your company have in place (e.g. flexible work ar-rangements, alternative work schedules, on-site child care, etc.)What resources are available to my spouse in terms of finding employment?

Presentation of Research Seminar While all components of the interview are extremely important, as a Ph.D. candidate you

should focus on delivering an excellent technical research seminar. This will illustrate your abil-ity to do research and to articulate what you have done. During the presentation, you should:(a) share significant background information, (b) clearly state the project objectives, (c) shareresults from crucial experiments, and (d) lay out the future of the work. If discussing multipleprojects, summarize the results between project discussions. Do not attempt to show everypiece of data that was collected. The most important key is to tell an informative and cohesivestory.

Prepare for specific questions that might be asked by practicing your talk with yourgraduate advisor, research group members, and students from other research groups. Thenon-members may better represent the audience that you will face as they are not as familiarwith your work and will probably ask you questions that your group members assume that youknow. If you are giving a PowerPoint presentation, be sure to have a cd and a hard copy(transparencies) in case of technical difficulties.Site/Plant Tour

At some point during the day, you may be given a tour of the site’s facilities. This willgive you a feel for where you will be working and what resources are available to you as an em-ployee. Be sure to find out whether you will be touring manufacturing or pilot scale facilities thatrequire certain safety precautions. You may need to plan to dress accordingly. There is nothingfun about having to put on a hardhat, steel-toe boots, and coveralls over a nice business suit!The Next Steps

Although it is not normal practice, in some instances, a job offer may be extended toyou on the same day of the interview. If not, be sure to find out what the next steps in the proc-ess are and when you should expect to be notified.

In summary, prepare an excellent resume, be well prepared, showcase your skills, andask questions. Be enthusiastic! Leave no doubt as to your level of interest in the job. Showyour technical interest and your love for what your do. Exude confidence. Do not brag, but thecandidate who is most sure of him/herself will likely be more favorably received. Show that youare a team player. The company will be looking for an individual that can not only deliver tech-nically but also one that plays well in the sandbox!


For more information on resume writing and interviewing skills, please join us at the2005 National Meeting in Orlando, Florida for a workshop given by Susan Butts (The DowChemical Company) and Ron Webb (Procter and Gamble Company).

NOBCChE News OnLine Research SpotlightNOBCChE News OnLine Editorial Staff

Understanding the emerging developments in the SMET (science, mathematics, engi-neering, and technology) fields are crucial to the advancement of the scientific community as awhole. Various topics such as global warming issues, development of alternative energy re-sources, Homeland Security R&D, and advances in modern medicine continue to take centerstage in our everyday lives. Thus, a fundamental understanding of these research areas is akey component to the training of future scientists and engineers.

In this installment of Research Spotlight, we wish to highlight papers that were presentedby NOBCChE members (students and professionals) during the Midwest Regional Conferenceheld at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) October 15- 17, 2004.

In situ Diels-Alder Reactions of Various Maleimides with Cyclic Ketones and Indole toGive Tetrahydrocarbazoles ( a potential anti-tumor agent)

Ola Betiku and Dr. Wayland E. Noland.Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program

University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, MNAbstract

The synthesis of tetrahydrocarbazoles has been approached by an acid-catalyzed con-densation of indole with ketones to make vinylindole followed by an in situ trapping of the viny-lindole intermediate with various maleimides via the Diels-Alder cycloaddition. The cycloadditionis followed by an isomerization of the double bond into the indole nucleus to give a tetrahydro-carbazole. The major stereoisomer of the newly formed tetra-hydro ring of the carbazole producthas the hydrogens all-cis.

PHOTODISSOCIATION OF CBr4 AT 267nm USING VELOCITY IMAGINGJamila R. Greene 1, Jianhua Huang2, Dadong Xu2, Joseph Francisco1and William Jackson2

1Purdue University, Department of Chemistry 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 479072University of California, Department of Chemistry, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616

AbstractThe photodissociation dynamics of CBr4 have been studied using time of flight mass

spectrometry (TOF-MS) and ion velocity imaging techniques. The photochemical products weredetected with resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) as well as single photonVUV ionization at 118nm. REMPI at 267nm was used to detect the ground Br (P3/2) and spin or-bit excited Br (2P1/2) atoms. Br+ and Br2

+ ions are observed in the time of flight spectra when theCBr4 beam was irradiated with a 267nm laser. CBr2

+ was observed when 118nm was used toionize the radical products, which indicated that molecular Br2 elimination is one of the dissocia-


tion channels. The possible dissociation pathways and the angular and translational distribu-tions are discussed in the paper.

CONSTRUCTION OF ADENOVIRUS VECTOR TO EXPRESS MIXED-LINEAGE KINASE(MLK3) IN BREAST CANCER CELLS

Zakaria Aden1, Yan Du2, and Kathleen Gallo2, 31Department of Human Biology, 2Department of Physiology, and

3Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MIAbstract

Mixed-lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) is a Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Kinase Ki-nase that activates MAPK pathways, including the c-Jun NH (2)-terminal Kinase (JNK) and p38pathways. MLKs have been implicated in JNK-mediated apoptosis. In order to efficiently ex-press MLK3 and better study it’s signaling in breast cancer cells, we proposed to construct anadenovirus vector to overexpress MLK3 in breast cancer cells. To engineer the recombinantadenovirus vector, the commonly used method is to clone the gene of interest into a shuttlevector and transport the gene into the adenovirus genome by homologous recombination in anadenovirus packaging cell line.

In this research project, the shuttle vector we used is pShuttle-CMV; it has multiple clon-ing sites situated in between the CMV promoter and the SV40 polyadenylation signal and is ap-propriate for insertion of a large cDNA (up to 6.6kb). MLK3 cDNA was amplified using Pfu DNApolymerase in a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and subcloned into pShuttle-CMV vectorusing Hind III and Not I restriction enzymes. To test the ability of the pShuttle-CMV-MLK3 to ex-press MLK3 protein, Human Embryonic Kidney cells (HEK293 cells) were transiently transfectedwith this recombinant plasmid, pShuttle-CMV-mlk3. The expression of MLK3 was confirmed bywestern blotting using anti-MLK3 antibody. A recombinant adenovirus carrying the mlk3 genewill be generated using this pShuttle-CMV-mlk3 recombinant plasmid.

TRANSITION METAL CATALYZED OXIDATION OF SECONDARY AND BENZYLIC ALCO-HOLS USING NITROUS OXIDE

Salena R. Whitfield, Melanie S. Sanford*University of Michigan, Department of Chemistry, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

AbstractNitrous oxide is an attractive oxidant for use in synthetic chemistry because of its potent

oxidation strength, production of only benign molecular nitrogen as a byproduct, and chemicalinertness towards substrate functional groups. However, despite these benefits, the use of ni-trous oxide as a terminal oxidant remains rare. This poster will describe the use of N2O as aterminal oxidant in palladium and ruthenium catalyzed oxidation of alcohols. These reactionsare dramatically affected by a variety of variables including solvent, pressure, base, and time.These effects will be described in detail with respect to the oxidation of both secondary andbenzylic alcohols. Preliminary mechanistic insights into these N2O oxidations will also be de-scribed.


MYOSIN1E MOTOR PROTEINS AND THE IMMUNOLOGICAL SYNAPSEEric V. Wright1*, Matthew F. Krummel2, Ph.D., and Chris Bennett2

1Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 482012University of California-San Francisco, Department of Pathology, San Francisco, CA 94118

AbstractWhen a T-cell recognizes a foreign antigen peptide on an APC (antigen-presenting cell)

with its TCR (T-cell receptor), an interface forms between the T-cell and APC, called the immu-nological synapse (IS). In general, the T-cell, prior to formation of a mature IS, is in an irregular‘hand mirror’ shape, in which the handle-like tail (uropod) contains a high distribution of TCRs.Upon formation of the mature synapse, the T-cell becomes more ‘rounded’ and TCRs re-polarize to the center of the IS. It has been shown that an intact actin cytoskeleton is requiredfor this redistribution. Since myosin motor proteins have been shown to transport moleculesalong the actin cytoskeleton, we hypothesized that the myosin motor proteins are involved in themolecular movement of TCRs and/or other receptors. Specifically, we questioned the impor-tance of one myosin motor protein, Myo1e, in the T-cell response during synapse formation. Inour experiments, we used RT-PCR and other standard molecular biology techniques to con-struct a fusion vector between the Myo1e-tail domain and YFP (yellow fluorescent protein),which we then introduced into T-cells by electroporation. Subsequently, we used fluorescencemicroscopy to study the interactions of these T-cells with APCs. We found that, during crawling,Myo1e-tail, located over the entire T-cell membrane, was enriched within the uropod and exhib-ited low expression on the leading edge. More importantly, we found that it moved towards theT-cell-APC contact site during synapse formation. These findings indicate that Myo1e couldplay a significant role in the immunological synapse, which calls for more investigation. This re-search was supported by NIH grant no. AI52116.

EFFECT OF HYDROCARBON AND FLUOROCARBON SURFACTANTS IN FACILITATINGTRANSPORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS

Rashad N. Simmons* and Victoria L. McGuffinMichigan State University, Department of Chemistry, Center for Integrative Toxicology,

East Lansing, MI, 48824-1322Abstract

Groundwater contamination by such environmental pollutants as polycyclic aromatic hy-drocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated biphenyls (PCBs), and polychlorinated and polybrominateddioxins is of major concern around industrial areas. Industrial and commercial agents, such assurfactants, are known to effect transport of contaminants in a groundwater system. This leadsto an increase in the relative concentration of that pollutant in the groundwater system. Theability of hydrocarbon surfactants to transport nonionic, water-insoluble organic compounds hasbeen documented in the literature.1,2 While information pertaining to hydrocarbon surfactants iswidely available, there is little information on the fluorocarbon surfactants, specifically the per-fluorinated surfactant class, and their effects on other environmental contaminants.

The main focus of this study is to determine the effects of a perfluorinated surfactant onthe transport of environmental contaminants in a groundwater system, relative to that of a hy-drocarbon surfactant. Micellar reversed-phase liquid chromatography is used as a model forthis phenomenon. The aqueous micellar mobile phase serves to mimic groundwater containinga surfactant at a concentration above its critical micelle concentration (CMC). A pellicular oc-tadecyl silica stationary phase serves to mimic ground soil. Halogenated benzene compounds


and PAHs are used as model solutes for the environmental contaminants. The retention factors(k) and the equilibrium constant of the solute between water and the micellar aggregate (Keq)are determined based on a three-phase equilibrium model.1 Results from experiments usinglithium perfluorooctane sulfonate (LiPFOS) are compared to those obtained using sodium dode-cyl sulfate (SDS), within the surfactant concentration range of 0.02 – 0.3 M.

Results of the experiments show that the retention factors for the solutes are greater inLiPFOS than SDS. For example, at a surfactant concentration of 0.1 M, the values for benzeneand naphthalene are 1.17 and 7.20, respectively, in LiPFOS and 0.95 and 2.03, respectively, inSDS. In addition, the equilibrium constants are typically an order of magnitude lower in LiPFOSthan SDS. For example, the values for benzene and naphthalene are 7.91 x 101 and 3.56 x 102

L/mol, respectively, in LiPFOS and 1.38 x 103 and 2.86 x 104 L/mol, respectively, in SDS. Ex-perimental results showed that both the retention factor and equilibrium constant increase asthe number of rings in the PAHs increase for both LiPFOS and SDS. In addition, both the re-tention factor and equilibrium constant increase systematically with number and type of halogensubstituent on benzene, for both LiPFOS and SDS. Based on these results, it is believed thatthe perfluorinated surfactant has a lesser effect on transport of environmental contaminants in agroundwater system, as compared to a traditional hydrocarbon surfactant.

1Arunyanart, M.; Cline Love, L. J. Anal. Chem. 1984, 56, 1557-1561.2Armstrong, D. W.; Nome, F. Anal. Chem. 1981, 53, 1662-1666.

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NOBCChE News Online | Fall 2004 | Volume 34 | No. 2