Chem Club Meeting 3/17/06

-The annual Probst lecture will be held Monday March 20, 2006. There will be a talk at 2PM in the science building, poster presentations in the Meridian Ballroom of the MUC at 3:30, a dinner at about 5:30, open to active Chem Club members and declared Chemistry Majors, and a lecture at 7PM. Reservations for the dinner were due earlier in the week. Everyone is encouraged to attend both lectures and the poster presentation. Volunteers are needed to help students sign in for extra credit, hand out tickets for the dinner, etc. The sign up sheet was passed around. Anyone who would like to help who was not present at the meeting should contact Nellie ASAP.

-This year, the seating for the dinner will be assigned. The person making seating assignments attempted to put one chemistry club member at each table. The chem club member will have the responsibility of making sure the appropriate guests are at each table. There will be a social hour before dinner is actually served. In attendance at the Probst events will be people who work at various chemical companies. Those attending the dinner will also have reserved seating at the evening lecture, marked off by ropes.

-The ACS meeting is coming up right after Probst, where Will and Mariellen will be presenting a poster which features different activities our club as done. It will be held in Atlanta, GA, and travel arrangements have worked out so that we can send two students this year.

-The week after Probst will be our second Book Bake sale of this year! Books have been collected from various professors, and filers are already out. Baked goods are needed, and are welcome from Chem Club members as well as faculty members. A sign up sheet for shifts is available on the Chem Club board for those wishing to help man the table.

-The annual pentathlon, a event which features competitions and games between science club members and faculty, is being planned. The VC has been reserved, and arrangements for possible child care during the event are being worked out so that more teachers can attend. The Chemistry club will be participating, most likely along with the Biology and Physics clubs. Each year, we also have an entertaining faculty challenge between two professors. An amusing, but not totally humiliating, event needs to be thought of for the event. Bring your ideas to the next meeting!

-A tour of the Water Treatment plant has been planned for March 31^st at approximately 3PM. A sign up sheet is available on the Chem Club bulletin board. The facility being toured is the treatment plant on campus, which treats the water used by the school. Weather permitting, we can walk; otherwise, carpool arrangements will be made.

-Thanks were extended to those who have helped the chemistry club with arrangements and with other work, including those who helped hang Probst posters and other fliers, those who arranged tours and events this semester, those who helped get the room painted, and various volunteers. Everyone's effort are greatly appreciated.

-Sigma Aldrich is making a Co-op available for an SIUE student. The Co-op will be a full time, 40 hour/ week job at Sigma-Alrich, working on an assigned project under the supervison of Sigma employees. It pays well (approximately $13-14/hour in the past), and the person doing the co-op will be eligible to receive a $2500 scholarship from Sigma at the end of the Co-op. This will be available for the upcoming (2006) fall semester. If a class you need for graduation is offered during the day, Sigma Aldrich will give you up to 3 mornings off a week to attend a class or two. If a chemistry lab interferes with the co-op (such as IA or Inorganic lab; no exceptions will be made for Pchem lab), the lab requirement will generally be waived for that student. Sigma has stated that they will most likely have at least one co-op opportunity every year (fall/spring semesters may vary); those interested but not able to do the co-op this year should keep it in mind for future semesters. Interviews will be held later this semester for the co-op; those interested should contact Sue Wiediger for more information. Fliers will also be posted in the coming weeks about the co-op.

-Officer elections will be held later this semester for next semester's officers. Those interested should keep this in mind.

-The Chemistry club has secured funding ($300) from Kimmel for the upcoming year.

-New chairs and tables for the Chem Club room to accommodate our growing membership will be looked into after Probst