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American Chemical Society

Division of the History of Chemistry

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Previous Announcements


HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 2024 Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards -- DEADLINE March 1, 2024. Please see the award's website for more information.

Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.


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ACS Webinars and HIST present: Eating Dangerously: How a Chemist's "Poison Squad" Won the Battle for Food Safety in the US New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum reveals the true story of how food was made safer in the United States during a 30 year food safety battle for consumer protection by chemist Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley and his heroic Poison Squad. For more information and to register, go to HERE


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 266th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Hybrid, August 13-17, 2023.


The recipients of the 2023 Joseph B. Lambert HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society Geoffrey and Marelene Rayner-Canham. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to the Rayner-Canhams at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, August 2023.

HIST Award Banquet

As part of its activities at the Fall 2023 ACS National Meeting, the History of Chemistry Division is pleased to host the 2023 HIST Award Banquet honoring Drs. Marelene F. and Geoffrey W. Rayner-Canham and celebrating the accomplishments of the new HIST Fellows. The Banquet will be held at Sears Fine Food (https://www.searsfinefood.com, 439 Powell Street. San Francisco, CA 94102; phone: 415-986-0700) on Tuesday, August 15. It will start at 7:30 PM and will feature a starter (a choice of Chef's daily soup or blue cheese wedge salad), entrée (a choice of petite New York steak, grilled chicken breast, shrimp scampi, or vegetarian Louie), and dessert (white chocolate cheesecake). Tickets are $60 and can be purchased from Vera Mainz, HIST Secretary-Treasurer. The ticket covers the cost of the meal, tip, and tax. Ordinary beverages are included. Alcoholic beverages are available for additional cost from the cash bar. You can pay Vera via check or cash (exact amount preferred) at the banquet or when you see her during the meeting. If you do plan to attend, please RSVP by August 12th (Saturday) via email to Vera Mainz (mainz@illinois.edu).


HIST 2022 Election Results! Congratulations to all the winners and to all those members who voted.


HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 2023 Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards -- DEADLINE March 1, 2023. Please see the award's website for more information.

Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 265th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Indianapolis, IN, Hybrid, March 26-30, 2023.


Articles in the Bulletin for the History of Chemistry concerning Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards:


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Dr. Margaret Schott of Northwestern University gave a presentation on Katharine Burr Blodgett during the Ladies in Waiting symposium last August at the Washington national meeting. The University of Wisconsin - Madison has produced a podcast featuring Dr. Schott, in character as Katherine Burr Blodgett, being interviewed by Liz Laudadio at the Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology. The podcast is available for download at http://podcast.sustainable-nano.com/blodgett.



The ACS has put together a series of videos featuring members of technical divisions to aid in division member recruitment. Carmen Giunta agreed to speak for HIST. To view the video click HERE.


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IsisCB Cumulative and IsisCB Explore

Accessible to anyone on the web, IsisCB Cumulative and IsisCB Explore are completely open access services smade possible by the History of Science Society with support from the University of Oklahoma.

IsisCB Cumulative is a digitized version of the Isis Cumulative Bibliography of the History of Science, 1913-1975. This is a companion to IsisCB Explore, which includes data from Isis Bibliographies from 1974 to the present.

These tools are based on the 100-year-old Isis Current Bibliography of the History of Scienceand will be expanded and updated annually. Additional Information.


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CASSI and Beyond

Have you ever struggled to figure out what the journal abbreviations "C.R." or "A." means? If so, help is now available. "Beyond CASSI" is a newly released document that contains short journal title abbreviations from early chemical literature and other historical reference sources that may not be listed in the print version of CAS Source Index (CASSI) or the free online CASSI Search Tool . Many thanks to Marion Peters, UCLA Librarian Emeritus, for compiling this list of old abbreviations and for working with Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) to make this document available on the CASSI Search Tool website (please see "About" section).

Other enhancements recently implemented by CAS to the CASSI search tool include:

  • Increased maximum number of results displayed from 50 to 100
  • Increased frequency of data updates from annually to quarterly

Hopefully, these enhancements will enable you to more quickly identify and confirm journal titles and abbreviations. As always, CAS appreciates your feedback and welcomes any additional input you would like to share via the in-product 'Contact Us' button.

Grace Baysinger, Chair of the ACS Committee on Chemical Abstracts Service and Chair of the ACS CINF Division's Education Committee


Seth Rasmussen, Chair-Elect of the HIST Division, gave a HIST Tutorial on Tips and Advice for Starting Historical Research at the 2019 GLRM. If you are interested in starting research on a topic of interest in the history of chemistry, this powerpoint presentation will be an excellent beginning!


PLACES OF THE PERIODIC TABLE
Brought to you by Carmen Giunta and James Marshall, with the encouragement of the ACS Division of the History of Chemistry (HIST), to mark the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT).

This is an interactive searchable map of places associated with the developers of the periodic table and with the chemical elements with links to further information. Examples include places where elements were discovered or synthesized, mineral sources of elements, places where discoverers of chemical periodicity worked, and places for which elements were named. Each entry contains links to further information about the person, place, or event described. The type of site is indicated (for example, lab, residence, mineral source, etc.), as well as whether (to the best of our knowledge) the historical site still exists at the location. For more information on the type of site, please consult this key to the map's fields. The map is intended for educational and informational purposes only, and is not meant as a travel guide. If you wish to visit a site on this map, please consult other resources to confirm access, and use common sense.

A link to this site is also on the left-hand menu.


All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic celebrates Leo Baekeland, "The Father of Modern Plastic," his invention, Bakelite and its myriad descendants. The 59 minute documentary also addresses the plastic problem, and in the end, offers a view of essential solutions. There is a link to view the documentary in the flyer, HERE.


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George B. Kauffman, a long-time friend and colleague, died Saturday, May 2, 2020. George won the Dexter Award in 1978, served as HIST Chair in 1970, and gave many talks at HIST sessions throughout the years. He will be missed.
Click HERE to access his obituary and HERE to read an article about George in the local Fresno newspaper. In lieu of flowers, Donations in his memory to The Union of Concerned Scientists are welcome and appreciated. https://www.ucsusa.org/



Chemistry on Stamps Talk

HIST Past Chair Dan Rabinovich was invited by the American Philatelic Society to present one of his "Chemistry on Stamps" talks for their "APS Stamp Chat" series, and the video recording is now available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCve5FxtoxU&t=427s). This is an enjoyable introduction to the myriad instances of chemistry that can be found on stamps. Please share with anyone who may be interested.


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HIST member and Prof. Emeritus Joe Gal has won the 2022 Franklin-Lavoisier Prize. Prof. Gal is being recognized for his extensive research on the life and work of French microbiologist Louis Pasteur. We congratulate Joe on winning this important international prize!


The recipient of the 2022 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor Marco Beretta. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Beretta at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Chicago, IL, 2022.

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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 264th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Fall 2022, In-Person and Virtual, Chicago, IL, August 21-24, 2022.


HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 2022 Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards -- DEADLINE April 18, 2022. Please see the award's website for more information.

Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.


The recipient of the 2021 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Sister Dr. Mary Virginia Orna. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Sister Dr. Orna at the spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, CA, 2022.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 263rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Spring 2022, In-Person and Virtual, March 20-24, 2022.


Jane A. Miller, a long-time friend and colleague, died Wednesday, March 17, 2021.
Jane was chair of HIST in 1977 and shepherded a HIST Bylaws revision through the approval process in 1988. Click HERE to access a memorial tribute by her colleagues.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 262nd American Chemical Society National Meeting, In-Person and Virtual, August 22-26, 2021.


HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the 2021 Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards -- DEADLINE October 1, 2021. Please see the award's website for more information.

Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.


The recipient of the 2020 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Dr. Lawrence M. Principe of Johns Hopkins University. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Dr. Principe at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, CA, on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. Some information on Dr. Principe can be found at https://host.jhu.edu/directory/lawrence-m-principe/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_M._Principe


Elemental Art: A Contest!
To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table, HIST announces a contest OPEN TO ALL for ORIGINAL ART in one of the following categories with themes related to the chemical elements, their discovery, or uses:
  1. Poem
  2. Cartoon
  3. Photograph
The three best works in each category (selected by a professional panel of judges) will receive certificates, monetary awards ($250, $200, or $150 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, respectively), and will be published in the HIST Newsletter and Website. Depending on the number of submissions, a volume with the works may be published as well.
Please submit your original art by April 30, 2021 to the HIST Program Chair, Nick Tsarevsky (nicktsarevsky@gmail.com or nvt@smu.edu) as an attachment to an email with the subject line “Elemental Art Competition — name,” in which the name of the person who created the artwork is clearly stated. The winners will be notified in the fall of 2021. Questions should be sent to Nick Tsarevesky.


HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) recognizes the 2020 winners of its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.


There is a call for papers for "The Applied Arts of Alchemy" Virtual Symposium, 20-21 May 2021, at the Center for Historical Research, Science History Institute.


The Senior Chemists Committee events associated with the virtual 2020 Fall National Meeting were very well-attended. SCC had an exciting presence at the virtual expo. Committee associate Robert Yokley prepared a video tour of an antique chemistry set that was a strong attraction for attendees. You can view the video at https://vimeo.com/443086247 and reminisce about the good old days.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 261st American Chemical Society National Meeting, Online, April 5-30, 2021.
This meeting was originally planned to take place in San Antonio, TX, but now will be entirely virtual and will be markedly longer than usual (April 5-30, with live technical presentations taking place during the first two weeks, followed by two weeks of on-demand access). The HIST program takes place on April 5-6.


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Paul R. Jones, a long-time friend and colleague, died Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019.
Click HERE to access his obituary and HERE to read a short appreciation of his work in the history of chemistry. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a scholarship fund in Paul's name to support undergraduate students majoring in chemistry at UNH. Checks should be made out to the University of New Hampshire Foundation, with "in memory of Dr. Jones" written in the memo line and sent to: UNH Foundation, 9 Edgewood Road, Durham NH 03824.


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ALL VIRTUAL MEETING - NO HIST PROGRAM
ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo - August 17-20, 2020

The Fall 2020 HIST Newsletter can be found HERE.


HIST 2020 Election Results! Congratulations to all the winners and to all those members who voted.


Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2021 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956. Nominations are due Sunday, December 31, 2020.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS. The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.


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The 259th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, March 22-26, 2020, has been CANCELLED. HIST will archive the Program and Abstracts that were going to be presented as part of the history of the Division.


Historical Thoughts on 'From Bench to Market' - A HIST Symposium at the San Francisco 2020 ACS Meeting
While some chemists pursued purely avocational interests, most chemists in the last 500 years had a primary interest in selling the product of their labor. When they could reproducibly and reliably synthesize materials of commercial interest, they often sought to market their wares. This process started more than 25,000 years ago with the pigments that were used to paint images in caves. They continued with the cosmetics used to paint Queens and the purple used to dye clerical vestments. This symposium seeks to present historical instances where a clear improvement in technique or understanding led to a commercially viable product.


Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.

The Nomination Information and Required Nomination Form is now available. Nominations are due Monday, March 30, 2020. More information on this award program can be found on this website.


All Things Bakelite: The Age of Plastic celebrates Leo Baekeland, "The Father of Modern Plastic," his invention, Bakelite and its myriad descendants. The 59 minute documentary also addresses the plastic problem, and in the end, offers a view of essential solutions. The documentary will be shown at the National meeting in Philadelphia as part of the HIST program, on Monday, March 23, 2020, at 11:40am.


Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2020 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956. Nominations are due Sunday, December 31, 2019.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS, which in 2020 will be held in at the 260th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, San Francisco, CA, August 23-27, 2020. The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.


The recipient of the 2019 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Dr. Otto Theodor (Ted) Benfey. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Dr. Benfey at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, CA, on Tuesday, August 27, 2019.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 258th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA, August 25-29, 2019.

HIST Award Banquet
As part of its activities at the 258th ACS National Meeting in San Diego, the History of Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society is pleased to host the 2019 HIST Award Banquet honoring Dr. Theodor (Ted) Benfey of Guilford College, Greensboro NC. The Banquet will be held at Casa Guadalajara (http://www.casaguadalajara.com/) on Tuesday, August 27. It will start at 6:00 PM and will feature a buffet dinner (the Favoritas option) and a cash bar. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased from Vera Mainz, HIST Secretary-Treasurer. (Tickets cover the full cost of the meal, tip and tax. Ordinary beverages are included in the ticket cost. Alcoholic beverages and coffee are additional from the cash bar.). You can pay Vera via check or cash (exact amount preferred) at the banquet or when you see her during the meeting. If you do plan to attend, please RSVP by August 17th via email (mainz@illinois.edu).


HIST and INOR are co-sponsoring a symposium honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Periodic Table. Please consider attending some of the talks and pass the schedule along to your friends!


Sidney Harris Cartoon Contest for ACS Members
A contest will be held in which ACS members only can submit "one original cartoon caption" of 35 words or less. Cartoonist Sidney Harris will draw a cartoon based on the winning caption. The grand prize winner will receive the original cartoon based on the winning caption. The runner-up will receive a personally autographed copy of one of Harris's most famous cartoons chosen by Harris. For more information AND THE REQUIRED CONTEST SUBMISSION FORM, click HERE. THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT IS NO LATER THAN APRIL 1, 2019.


CALLS FOR PAPERS for various international conferences.


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HIST Division symposia and papers to be given at the 257th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL, March 31-April 4, 2019.


Please save the dates: March 31-April 4, 2019; Orlando FL
Call for Papers. The Division of the History of Chemistry (HIST) is planning a symposium on archaeological chemistry to be held at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando, FL, March 31-April 4, 2019. The tentative title of the symposium is "Archaeological Chemistry: Art and Archaeology in the Ancient and Medieval World." Papers on any subject that address this general topic, especially those that integrate chemistry with archaeology, those directed at answering social, political, and economic questions about ancient cultures, and those that incorporate the use of new technologies, are welcome. Please communicate your interest in participating in the symposium along with a tentative paper title and possible co-authors to either of the co-organizers: Seth Rasmussen (Seth.Rasmussen@ndsu.edu) or Mary Virginia Orna (maryvirginiaorna@gmail.com).


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The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry publishes Ambix. The 80th anniversary issue of Ambix is available free of charge throughout 2018 to non-members in celebration of the journal and the Society's longevity. This special issue's focus is "The Future of the History of Chemistry," and includes papers by former Ambix Editor Jenny Rampling, Hasok Chang, and the 2018 Partington Prize-winning paper of Steve Irish.


Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.

The Nomination Information and Required Nomination Form is now available. Nominations are due Friday, February 22, 2019. More information on this award program can be found on this website.


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The 2018 HIST Election is now over. Thank you to the 250 members who voted (31% of the membership)! To view the results click HERE.


The 12th International Conference on the History of Chemistry (12ICHC)
Call for Papers.

Every two years the Working Party on History of Chemistry (WPHC) of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) organizes an international conference on the history of chemistry, open to colleagues from all over the world. The 12th International Conference on the History of Chemistry (12ICHC) will take place from July 29th to August 2nd, 2019 in Maastricht, one of the oldest cities of The Netherlands. The dates of the conference are chosen in such a way that those who are visiting the Annual Meeting of the History of Science Society (HSS) in Utrecht, The Netherlands, from 23 to 27 July 2019, can easily combine this with participation in 12ICHC.

Deadline for submitting proposals (both panels and individual papers): 15 January 2019. More information about session or paper submission, deadlines and practical arrangements can be found on: www.ichc2019.org. Additional information can also be found HERE.


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The recipient of the 2018 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor David E. Lewis of the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Lewis at the spring national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, MA, on Tuesday, August 21, 2018.


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HIST Elections 2018.
Nominations are open for several posts within the Division of the History of Chemistry (HIST).
If you would like to nominate a HIST member for any of the positions listed below or if you have an inquiry about any of them, please contact the Chair of the Nominations and Elections committee, Gary Patterson (gp9a@andrew.cmu.edu), by September 30, 2018. Self-nominations are welcome.

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Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.

The Nomination Information and Required Nomination Form is now available. Nominations are due Friday, March 9, 2018. More information on this award program can be found on this website.


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The HIST award for the Outstanding Paper Award for 2016 has been awarded to Professor Helge Kragh of the Neils Bohr Institute in Copenhagen. The paper was "From Cosmochemistry to Fuel Cells: Notes on Emil Baur, Physical Chemist," Bulletin of the History of Chemistry, volume 40, number 2, 2015, pp. 74-85. The award is presented to the author of the best paper published in the Bulletin for the History of Chemistry during the previous three years, 2014, 2015, 2016.





The call for nomination for the Franklin-Lavoisier prize is open until March 30, 2018.
The Franklin-Lavoisier Prize is a prize jointly awarded by the Fondation de l Maison de la Chimie and Science History Institute's first international award. Named for Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier and Benjamin Franklin, two of the 18th century's greatest minds, this prize recognizes unusually meritorious efforts in the preservation or promotion of the entwined scientific heritage of France and the United States.
More about the prize, the nomination form and the jury on https://www.sciencehistory.org/franklin-lavoisier-prize and http://actions.maisondelachimie.com/prix_franklin_candidature.html

Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2018 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956. Nominations are due Sunday, December 31, 2017.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS, which in 2018 will be held in at the 256th ACS National Meeting & Exposition, Boston, August 19-23, 2018 . The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.


LADIES IN WAITING FOR NOBEL PRIZES: OVERLOOKED ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF WOMEN CHEMISTS
Call for Papers.
The HIST symposium on "The Posthumous Nobel Prize in Chemistry" last March at the San Diego ACS meeting received a surprising amount of coverage. Stu Borman wrote a two and half page piece for an April issue in C&EN, and readers of the magazine rated that article as the 10th most popular article in 2016 in C&EN. However, that symposium lacked any coverage of women chemists also deserving of Nobel Prizes. Our HIST symposium for Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2017, at the ACS National Meeting in Washington, D.C. will attempt to restore balance. The symposium, titled above, is being co-sponsored by the ACS Women Chemists Committee (WCC). Furthermore, Vera Mainz applied successfully for a DAC grant to sponsor a performance of the theatre piece "No Belles" following the symposium. This play, presented by the Portal Theatre Group from the Pacific Northwest, tells the tale of eight female scientists: six are Nobel Prize winners; two (Rosalind Franklin and Lise Meitner) are not. The keynote speaker for the symposium is Magdolna Hargittai, who is author of THE book on women scientists, Women Scientists: Reflections, Challenges, and Breaking Boundaries, published by Oxford University Press in 2015.

The symposium "The Posthumous Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Correcting the Errors and Oversights of the Nobel Prize Committee" is currently being turned into an ACS Symposium Book edited by Tom Strom and Vera Mainz. This August symposium would make a fitting sequel, provided the numbers of significant but overlooked women chemists are sufficient. We think they are, and we look forward to all of you demonstrating that fact.


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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 254th National ACS Meeting in Washington, DC, August 20-24, 2017, are now available.



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Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors.

The Nomination Information and Required Nomination Form is now available. Nominations are due May 26, 2017. More information on this award program can be found on this website.

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The 2016 HIST Election is now over. Thank you to the 218 members who voted (an increase of 23% from the last election)! To view the results click HERE.


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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 253rd National ACS Meeting in San Francisco, CA, April 2-6, 2017, are now available.



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The 150th Anniversary of the Morrill Act was celebrated in 2012 via symposia at both the San Diego and Philadelphia National meetings. Many of the speakers at those symposia contributed articles to the Bulletin for the History of Chemistry, v38(2) 2013. By special request, the articles in this issue of the Bulletin related to the anniversary of the Morrill Act are being made available via OPEN ACCESS.

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Keith Lindblom is coordinating the Wikipedia Year of Science activities for ACS this year, and there will be two events in Philly that HIST members might be interested in. Advance registration for both activities is requested. Contact Keith Lindblom at k_lindblom@acs.org.

  • Wiki Education Foundation Workshop - Resources for incorporating Wikipedia assignments into university classrooms. Students develop writing and research skills while expanding public access to knowledge. August 24, 10 AM to noon, Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 113B.
  • Wiki Edit-a-thon and Training - Improve coverage of notable chemists and chemistry topics on Wikipedia. Bring a laptop and start editing! August 24, 1 to 5 PM, Pennsylvania Convention Center Room 113B.

Wikipedia keeps a list of "Vital Articles" that should be maintained at high quality; the list includes several prominent chemists from the past (Lavoisier, Pasteur, Mendeleev, Curie). Yet none of these makes Wikipedia's highest quality rating. So you can see that improvements to articles about the history of chemists and chemistry are needed, and that HIST members have a unique ability to contribute.


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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 252nd National ACS Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, August 21-25, 2016, are now available.

As part of its activities at the 252nd ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia, the History of Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society is pleased to host the 2016 HIST Award Banquet. To be honored at the banquet will be Prof. Ursula Klein, winner of its 2016 HIST Award, and Prof. Matthew Lavine, winner of its 2015 Out-standing Paper Award. The Banquet will be held at the Chemical Heritage Foundation, located along Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia's Old City (315 Chestnut Street). The Banquet will be on Tuesday, August 23rd, starting at 6:30 PM and will feature parmesan panko-crusted chicken with tomato relish and arugula pesto, saffron couscous salad, grilled vege-tables, rolls and butter, and dessert, as well as and a cash bar. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased from Vera Mainz, HIST Secretary-Treasurer (Tickets cover the full cost of the meal, with the exception of beverages). You can pay Vera via check or cash (exact amount preferred) at the banquet or when you see her. If you do plan to attend, please RSVP by August 11th via email (mainz@illinois.edu). The Chemical Heritage Foundation is approximately 11 blocks from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.


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There will be a symposium at the Philadelphia meeting honoring Ernest Eliel . Please consider attending!


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The HIST award for the Outstanding Paper Award for 2015 has been awarded to Prof. Matthew Lavine at Mississippi State University. The award is presented to the author of the best paper published in the Bulletin for the History of Chemistry during the previous three years, 2013, 2014, 2015.


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The recipient of the 2016 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor Dr. Ursula Klein of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, Germany. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Klein at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia, PA, on August 23, 2016.



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Call for Nominations for the 2016 Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards

HIST is calling for nominations for its 2016 Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards. The awards recognize breakthrough publications, books, and patents worldwide in the field of chemistry. The advances must have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long term in impact. Departments or institutions being recognized will receive a plaque to be hung near the office or laboratory where the breakthrough was achieved. Nominations must include a full literature citation and a supporting statement of less than 200 words. All nominations must be received by Friday, July 1, 2016.

The nomination form can be found at:
http://www.scs.illinois.edu/~mainzv/HIST/awards/citations_chem-breakthroughs.php


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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 252nd National ACS Meeting in Philadelphia, PA, August 21-25, 2016, are now available.


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Current ACS President Donna J. Nelson has proposed that a series of videos be created presenting the stories of chemists who showed great courage in the course of their scientific work. As a first step in this process, she requests that members of HIST send her nominations ( djnelson@ou.edu ) by August 1, 2016. The information requested can be found in the linked flyer.


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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 251st National ACS Meeting in San Diego, CA, March 13-17, 2016, are now available.


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The Atom and the Molecule - A Symposium Celebrating Gilbert N. Lewis

A celebration of 100 years of the shared electron bond on March 23, 2016 at Burlington House, Picadilly, London, sponsored by the Royal Society of Chemistry Historical Group. Attendance is free, but you do have to register beforehand. The topics are suitable for anyone interested in teaching or recent developments in the understanding of "the bond", along with a good sprinkling of historical insights.

More can be found at http://www.ch.imperial.ac.uk/rzepa/blog/?p=14984 and in the program.


Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2016 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS, which in 2015 will be held in at the 252nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition, August 21-25, 2016, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.


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Call for Nominations for the 2015 Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Awards

The Citation for Chemical Breakthrough award program recognizes breakthrough publications, books and patents worldwide in the field of chemistry. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred. Nominations are simple: the full reference and a justification of no more that 200 words maximum. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Friday, October 16, 2015. The nomination form can be found at:
http://www.scs.illinois.edu/~mainzv/HIST/awards/citations_chem-breakthroughs.php


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The recipient of the 2015 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor Christoph Meinel, University of Regensburg, Germany. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Meinel at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston, MA, on August 18, 2015.


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New HIST symposium planned for the Spring 2016 ACS National Meeting: PRECEPTORS OF CHEMISTRY. Full details can be found HERE.


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New HIST symposium planned for the Spring 2016 ACS National Meeting: THE POSTHUMOUS NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY. CORRECTING THE OVERSIGHTS AND ERRORS OF THE NOBEL PRIZE COMMITTEE. Full details can be found HERE.

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TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT - for the U.S. National Committee's Young Observer Program 48th IUPAC General Assembly and 45th IUPAC Congress, Busan, South Korea, August 6-14, 2015
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), a worldwide leader in advancing the chemical sciences, is holding its 48th General Assembly (August 6-13, 2015) and its 45th Congress (August 9-14, 2015) in Busan, South Korea.
The U.S. National Committee for IUPAC is seeking outstanding U.S. scientists and engineers under the age of 45, with interests and expertise related to the working groups of IUPAC, to travel as Young Observers to South Korea. The USNC/IUPAC will provide travel fellowships of $2500 to successful candidates.


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Call for papers 10th International Conference on the History of Chemistry (10th ICHC)
CHEMICAL BIOGRAPHY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
University of Aveiro, Portugal, 9th to 12th September 2015 Conference website: http://10ichc-2015.web.ua.pt/

This interdisciplinary conference welcomes participants from a range of academic disciplines including history of science and technology, science and technology studies (STS), economic and business history, and the history of material culture and museum studies. We also warmly welcome participants from chemistry and related disciplines with an interest in the history of their discipline.


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"Transformation of Chemistry from the 1920s to the 1960s" (IWHC 2015) March 2-4, 2015, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
The years between the 1920s and the 1960s saw a transformation of chemistry in several aspects. These included the development of biochemistry, polymer chemistry, quantum chemistry, and computational chemistry, as well as the instrumental revolution. New methods, theories, and technologies opened up new fields of chemical sciences, and the chemical industry grew to be one of the most important branches of industry that supported national economies. Chemistry was greatly influenced by World War II and the Cold War, when it was directed especially to military and security needs, while the public image of chemistry also changed, due largely to the environmental problems caused by synthetic chemical materials.
The aim of the workshop is to stimulate a discussion of the transformation of chemistry in Japan and/or in the world during the period with comparative perspectives. The workshop may take an interdisciplinary approach and pay special attention to the social dimension of chemistry.
This three-day workshop consists of three keynote lectures by invited speakers and 26 contributions from the participants in eight sessions.
The deadline of the registration will be January 31st, 2015.
For the details of the workshop, please see the site: http://kagakushi.org/iwhc2015/


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Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2015 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS, which in 2015 will be held in Boston, MA, Aug. 16-20. The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.


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The 2014 HIST Election is now over. Thank you to the 177 members who voted! To view the results click HERE.


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From the inception of photography there has been interplay of science with art. Imparting a chemical transformation by the action of light to create a lasting image was a lofty goal that now is both commonplace and oft forgotten. Yet, understanding both the chemistry behind a photographic process and the reasons photographers employed particular media provides insight into the history of these inherently chemical processes, guides the conservation of culturally important materials, and informs modern practicing photographers.

A symposium held in Washington, D.C., this fall (October 22-23) will delve into the history, chemistry and art of platinum and palladium photography. A detailed list of the talks to be presented, information regarding registration for the symposium and related tours (October 21 and 24) can be found at:

http://www.conservation-us.org/platinum

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The recipient of the 2014 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor Ernst Homburg, Department of History at the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Homburg on 12 August 2014 at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, California.

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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 248th National ACS Meeting in San Francisco, CA, August 10-14, 2014, are now available.

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Herb Pratt, a long-time friend and colleague, died Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014.
Obituary in the The News Journal

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Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards
The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors. More information including nomination forms can be found on this website, or by contacting Jeffrey I. Seeman at jseeman@richmond.edu. Nominations for the 2014 awards must be received electronically by July 7, 2014 and must be no more than 200 words.

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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 247th National ACS Meeting in Dallas, TX, March 16-20, 2014, are now available.

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Call for Papers for BCCE Symposium

Geoff & Marelene Rayner-Canham are organizing a Symposium at the 2014 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at Grand Valley University, Michigan, August 3-7, 2014, http://www.bcce2014.org/index.html.
The symposium is titled History & Philosophy and the Teaching of Chemistry, and the session description is: In order to plan for the future, we need to look to the past - where has the teaching of chemistry come from? Why do we teach what we do? Do we mindlessly teach what we were taught? Who were the major influences on the teaching of chemistry and on what has been taught? Many questions! Do you have any of the answers?
If the Symposium appeals to you please submit the abstract to: www.bcce-submissions.com and please send them a copy at mrcanham@grenfell.mun.ca

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Call for Nominations HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) solicits nominations for the 2014 HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry. This award, formerly known as the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award, continues a tradition started in 1956.
This award is sponsored by and administered by HIST. The recipient chosen to receive the HIST Award is presented with an engraved plaque and the sum of $1500, usually at a symposium honoring the recipient at the Fall National Meeting of the ACS, which in 2014 will be held in San Francisco, CA, Aug. 10-14. The award is international in scope, and nominations are welcome from anywhere in the world. Previous winners of the Dexter and Edelstein Awards include chemists and historians from the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, and the United Kingdom.

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Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors. More information including nomination forms can be found on this website, or by contacting Jeffrey I. Seeman at jseeman@richmond.edu. Nominations for the 2013 awards must be received electronically by November 18, 2013 and require only a full reference and a very short supporting statement.

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The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry (of the periodical Ambix fame) will hold its regular Fall 2013 Meeting in London on November 9, 2013 on the theme of Books in Chemistry. Bolton Society and HIST members are invited to present papers at this meeting. For details, see circular.

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Call for Nominations HIST Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Awards

The Division of History of Chemistry (HIST) calls for nominations for its Citations for Chemical Breakthrough Award program. Presented annually to multiple awardees beginning in 2006, these awards recognize seminal chemistry publications, books and patents. The term "breakthrough" refers to advances in the fields of science embraced by the American Chemical Society that have been revolutionary in concept, broad in scope, and long-term in impact. Each award will be made to the department or institution where the breakthrough occurred, not to the individual scientist(s) or inventors. More information including nomination forms can be found on this website, or by contacting Jeffrey I. Seeman at jseeman@richmond.edu. Nominations for the 2013 awards must be received electronically by October 4, 2013 and must be no more than 200 words.

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A recent Citation for Chemical Breakthrough Award for 2011 honored the 1811 paper by Avogadro. HIST has one member who lives in Italy, Teresa Celestino. She agreed to participate in an award ceremony that was held in Vercelli, Italy on Saturday. Teresa travelled many hundred of miles to participate in the ceremony. She produced posted two videos of this ceremony: Short version (4:21 minutes) Longer version (15 minutes)

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The recipient of the 2013 HIST Award of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the American Chemical Society is Professor William R. Newman, Distinguished Professor and Ruth Halls Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. This award is the successor to the Dexter Award (1956-2001) and the Sydney M. Edelstein Award (2002-2009), also administered by the Division of the History of Chemistry. The HIST Award will be presented to Prof. Newman at the fall national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Indianapolis in September 2013.

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The Newsletter, Program, and Abstracts for the 246th National ACS Meeting in Indianapolis, IN, September 8-12, 2013, are now available.

Chemical Heritage Foundation

Enhanced Presence of the Chemical Heritage Foundation at Pittcon 2013.
This year, as a salute to the 100th year anniversary of mass spectrometry, the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) will have an enhanced presence at Pittcon 2013. An instrumentation museum, which will be located in the main registration area, will feature an original copy of J. J. Thomson’s Monograph that initiated the birth of mass spectrometry. A complementary display will include a collection of mass spec components and instruments such as a miniature Nier mass spectrometer and vacuum tubes to the modern day hand held instruments that service a variety of applications from airport security to space exploration to the modern operating room.

Ambix: Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy & Chemistry is Maney Publishing's Journal of the Month for March - to celebrate they are offering free online access to 3 years' worth of Ambix content along with a newly designed website featuring articles written by experts in the field and other pieces. Visit the Journal of the Month page now. Please note, these offers are only available until the end of March.

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The Newsletter, Program and Abstracts for the papers to be given at the 245th American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 7-11, 2013 are now available.

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The HIST Award for Outstanding Achievement in the History of Chemistry is now seeking nominations. Nominations close on Dec. 31, 2012. This award was formerly the Dexter Award and then the Edelstein Award.

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The 2012 HIST Election is now over. Thank you to the 215 members who voted! To view the results click HERE.

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Mary Virginia Orna discusses what the American Chemical Society History Division did to celebrate the International Year of Chemistry 2011.

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James J. Bohning, a former chair of the HIST Division and long-time Historian
and Archivist of the HIST Division died Friday, September 2, 2011 at Chandler Hall Hospice, Newtown, PA.
Obituary in the Allentown Morning Call

The ACS Symposium Series has recently published "Atoms in Chemistry: From Dalton's Predecessors to Complex Atoms and Beyond." HIST is the sponsoring division of the volume, which is based on a HIST symposium from the 236th National Meeting (Philadelphia, 2008). The book, edited by Carmen Giunta, is available in print or on line at http://pubs.acs.org/isbn/9780841225572 . ACS Publications lists William Jensen's contribution to the volume, "Four Centuries of Atomic Theory," among the 10 most-read chapters in the Symposium Series for the first quarter of 2011.

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  • HIST had several projects at the ACS Southeast Regional Meeting, on October 23, 2009. These were supported by a generous grant from the Divisional Activities Committee. These included a Children's Workshop and a Symposium on the History, Chemistry, and Art of the Elements.