ChEmory, Emory’s award-winning American Chemical Society undergraduate club, celebrated National Chemistry Week by hosting a hybrid virtual/in-person event in partnership with the University of Minnesota.
The club members celebrated the National Chemistry Week theme of “Sticking with Chemistry” using ACS-designed slime kits. ChEmory leadership distributed supplies so that a group of Emory students approved to be on campus could meet in Atwood 260 to make the slime. There were seven students live at the event while a combined twenty others participated via Zoom. Those participating virtually used an analogous glue+borax system to complete the activity. ChEmory president Alexander Kim says, “We began with introductions and icebreakers to get to know each other’s schools. UMN’s chemistry club took lead on the slime-making and gave a fantastic presentation on the chemistry of polyvinyl alcohol cross-linking.”
The group also took the opportunity to delve deeper into the “sticky” possibiltiies of chemistry by watching a “How It’s Made” video to learn about the industrial manufacturing of tape. The event wrapped up with a lightning talk presenting a recent paper in adhesive chemistry. “I talked about charge-free underwater adhesives and how new adhesives for medical applications are still being developed,” says Alexander.
The entire event is proof that collaboration across instructional modes and between universities can help chemists “stick” together in challenging times. ChEmory is hosting regular events throughout the year. Check out their Facebook Group for details.
