C&EN: AWARDS

Chemistry teacher M. Patricia Noel is being honored with the Regional Award in High School Chemistry Teaching from the American Chemical Society. The award was presented on Oct. 30 at the society's 37th Western Regional Meeting in Santa Barbara, Calif.

A science educator for 28 years, Noel has inspired students throughout Southern California. Both students and teachers value Noel for her interactive approach to learning chemistry, especially at her previous high school, Campbell Hall, North Hollywood, Calif., where she taught for the past five years. "Her students do not just memorize," notes UCLA chemistry instructor Arlene Russell, "they learn to articulate and think about science." Noel has recently moved to Wyoming.

Always on the cutting edge of chemical education, Noel's teaching technique employs hands-on activities that result in students having a clearer understanding of how chemistry works. "She is the kind of teacher who lets you know when and where you will use science in your life," former student Kathy Furst says.

Noel not only makes learning science practical, but she also has tailored her curriculum to make it fun. For the past 15 years, she has set the stage for an annual Halloween magic show where chemistry students perform demonstrations of chemical reactions. Flaming bubbles filled with hydrogen and exploding hydrogen balloons are some past attractions. According to Noel, this activity encourages students to "uncover how the 'magic' worked."

Along with her dedication to teaching, Noel is committed to science education outside the classroom. She has led workshops and developed programs for teachers, including most recently a National Science Foundation grant program charged to develop Web-based instruction in chemistry for educators and students. She was also involved in creating an instructional videodisc for ACS titled "Doing Chemistry" that, though originally developed as background for new science teachers, is now widely used in classrooms to assist in lectures and laboratory demonstrations.

Noel earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Immaculata College, in Pennsylvania, and her master's degree in education at Claremont Graduate University, in California.

Two 2001 ACS industrial innovation Awards were presented on Oct. 29 at the society's Western Regional Meeting in Santa Barbara, Calif. These awards recognize those whose discoveries and inventions contribute to the commercial success of their companies and enhance our quality of life.

Chemists Timothy J. Taylor, Earl Philip Seitz Jr., Priscilla S. Fox, and Greg Konishi of Dial Corp. in Scottsdale, Ariz., were honored for developing an antibacterial, foaming hand-washing solution. The product, called Dial Complete, is mild on skin but kills 10 times more germs in less than 30 seconds than any other liquid hand soap, said James W. Arbogast, director of personal care production at Dial. The hand soap's superior results are due to its innovative formula, which activates the soap's antibacterial ingredient to kill germs more effectively, he explained.

Also receiving an award were Sherry Heins, Jennifer Ryder Fox, Stephen Flanagan, Denise C. Manker, Jimmy Orjala, and CEO Pamela G. Marrone of AgraQuest, Davis, Calif. They were honored for developing a natural pesticide that is just as effective as conventional pesticides. Marrone and her team discovered and developed a strain of the soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis that fights a variety of fungal and bacterial diseases, including gray mold, powdery mildew, leaf and stem blights, and fireblight. Called Serenade, this natural pesticide attacks pathogens on several fronts--it prevents them from attaching to leaves, stops fungal spores from growing, and activates the plant's natural defenses. It can be used on apples, pears, grapes, and vegetables. Serenade is just as, or more, effective than conventional pesticides but virtually nontoxic to humans, birds, fish, and invertebrates, Marrone says.

Farmers can use the pesticide with their existing integrated pest management or biological control systems because it does not cause secondary diseases or insect problems and it is nontoxic to beneficial insects. Serenade is easily applied like a conventional pesticide and can be used up to and including the day of harvest. The Environmental Protection Agency has approved the pesticide for agricultural and home and garden uses.

Polyed--the joint education committee of the ACS Divisions of Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering and of Polymer Chemistry--is seeking nominations for its annual Unilever Award. This award recognizes a graduate student or recent graduate who has completed an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in research accepted by a U.S. or Canadian university during the three-year period prior to Jan. 1 of the award year. The award consists of a $2,000 prize, a plaque, and travel expenses to an ACS national meeting for the presentation. The research adviser will be recognized in all publications about the award and during the award presentation.

Nominees will be judged on the basis of their contribution to the thesis research, the quality and level of innovation demonstrated, and the impact of the research on the science of synthetic polymers or biopolymers.

Nominations must be made by the thesis supervisor or others familiar with the nominee's work. Nominating documents must include the nominee's biography, a synopsis of the work, and a letter of recommendation from the thesis adviser. Relevant publications based on the thesis work may be submitted, as may supporting documents and testimonials.

Send five copies of all materials, postmarked prior to Jan. 31, to Guy C. Berry, Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213. For further information, send queries to gcberry@andrew.cmu.edu.

Past and present students of James A. Ibers are organizing "Ibersfest." This symposium and reunion will be held May 16–18, 2002, at Northwestern University.