The Gift of Mentoring – Apr 8, 2010

By Sarah Carberry (MWCC Public Relations Representative)

The NJACS Metro Women's Chemist Committee held a joint meeting with the Central Jersey AWIS chapter on April 8th at Fairleigh-Dickinson Campus in Madison, NJ. Approximately 40 women attended the meeting which revolved around the” Gift of Mentoring” and began with dinner and networking. The guest speaker was Dr. Sherrie Pietranico-Cole who is currently a Research Leader and Chemistry Project Leader in Discovery Chemistry at Roche. She spoke about the many mentors that had changed her lives and how she has mentored others during her career. She spoke about growing up in Harlem and the journey she took from her humble roots to the Douglass College then to the University of Pennsylvania where she became the first African-American women to complete a Ph.D. in chemistry. A panel of four successful mentors then spoke of their experiences and took questions from the group. The panel included the guest speaker Dr. Sherrie Pietranico-Cole along with Dr. Molly E. Hoke, Dr. Catherine M. Duckett, and Mrs. Maureen Chan. The panel shared their views and strategies for mentoring students and peers as well as how to seek out a mentor during the different stages of life.

The evening concluded with the ACS MWCC presenting the first annual MWCC Mentoring Award to Ms. Jeannette Brown. Ms. Brown has been a mentor to countless men and women throughout her life, including the guest speaker of the evening Dr. Pietranico-Cole. She is a 50-year member of the ACS and has won numerous awards and grants; the most recent was a Heritage Foundation grant for the initial research for the book she is writing about the history of African American Women Chemists. She is truly a wonderful role model and certainly deserving of the inaugural MWCC Mentoring Award.

Photos from the Apr 8 2010 Meeting

1.  Dinner and Networking

2.  Co-chair Kelly George, MWCC Mentoring Awardee Jeannette Brown, Guest Speaker Sherrie Pietranico-Cole, and Co-chair Amber Charlebois

2.  Panel members: Molly E. Hoke , Maureen Chan, Sherrie Pietranico-Cole, and Catherine M. Duckett

The Chemistry of Chocolate: A Chocolate Tasting and Networking Event – Jan 28, 2010

By Sarah Carberry (MWCC Public Relations Representative)

On January 28th 2010 the ACS Metro Women’s Chemist Committee held their winter meeting at The Chocolate Path in Montclair, NJ.  There were 35 women present from a variety of scientific backgrounds.  Over half of the women were new attendees and most were interested in networking and getting more involved in both the MWCC and the NJ local section.  The owner of the store, Susan Fine, gave us an in depth history of chocolate and she rationalized the health benefits of dark chocolate.   Chocolate (the dark variety) is actually fairly good for you and is one of the richest sources of antioxidants of any food.  She also explained that chocolate is made up of approximately 1,200 different chemicals, which is why it has not yet been synthesized in a laboratory.

When we first arrived we were invited to try some European sipping chocolate and also sampled some of the best sellers; dark chocolate truffles and a panko bread crumb bar.  As we learned about the history and health benefits of chocolate we tasted several types of chocolate.  The group was a little impatient when he were instructed not to eat the chocolate, we should  first hold the chocolate and rub and smell it, then we could put it in our mouths, but don’t chew.  We then took a tour around the chocolate world, going from the Ecuador to Madagascar to Granada, and finally we tried a stone-ground chocolate made with beans from the Dominican Republic.  We finished with a Kakawa Beans – which are whole roasted cocoa beans coated in layers of white, milk and dark chocolates, then coated in cocoa powder - every form of chocolate in one bite.  Everyone had their favorites and we all learned a lot about this tasty health food.  Our next meeting will be on April 8th, if you are interested in attending or would like more information about the Metro Women’s Chemist Committee please [ click here ]

Photos from the Jan. 28 2010 Meeting

1.  A few flights of chocolate

2.  The group listening to Susan's talk and sampling

3.  Co-chairs Amber and Kelly about to taste

4.  Susan Fine (guest speaker) holding a replica of a cocoa pod

Networking Dinner at Fairleigh Dickinson – Sept 18, 2009

On Thursday September 18th, 2009, more than twenty women of the Metro Women Chemists Committee gathered for a networking dinner at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ. Dr. Kathryn Uhrich, Dean of Math and Physical Sciences of the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University and founder of Polymerix Corporation gave an inspiring and insightful presentation on her road to success. She shared some professional and personal stories from her career path and stressed to the group that one person can make a substantial difference in the lives of others. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet, interact and network with women in the North Jersey/New York area.

Networking Dinner at Fairleigh Dickinson, Sept 2009

1.  Kathryn Uhrich (Event Speaker and Dean of the Math and Physical Sciences of the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University) and Kelly George new co-chair of the Metro Women Chemists Committee chatting before dinner

2.  Anne Kelly, Jacqueline Erickson, Susan Fahrenholtz and Maureen Chan enjoying the evening`

Metro Women Chemists Committee

If you have any questions about MWCC or if you would like to be added to our email list, contact Amber Charlebois

All are welcome to join at these events! We are planning to do this at least twice a year, in the spring in North Jersey and in the fall in New York.

For more information, contact Amber Charlebois, .