IUPUI Chemistry faculty and students plan heavy presence at upcoming ACS Conference

  • Sept. 5, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS - Faculty and students in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at IUPUI will serve as key presenters at the upcoming national conference in Indianapolis of the American Chemists Society, highlighting ongoing research collaborations and significant opportunities created through Indiana’s growing life and health science industries.

The fall ACS conference, “Chemistry in Motion,” will bring more than 12,000 chemists to Indianapolis for the first time on Sept. 8-12. The event will serve as a showcase for research advancements taking place in Indiana, especially in the School of Science at IUPUI. More than 60 presentations from faculty and students are planned during the four-day conference.

Full schedule of School of Science presentations at ACS

“The annual ACS conference allows leading chemists from across the country to visit with their colleagues and discuss matters of national scientific significance,” said Nigel Richards, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at IUPUI.

“We have an opportunity to highlight the advanced research taking place across the state and especially in downtown Indianapolis, where collaborative efforts with area hospitals and professional schools allow us to be a leader in areas like chemical biology, biophysics, biomedical research and innovative teaching practices. We want to remind people we are an increasingly significant player in these areas,” he added.

The ACS conference also will allow faculty to highlight some of their teaching practices, including those that are becoming national models at universities across the country. For example, the Distributed Drug Discovery Program, a student-led drug discovery and synthesis program, has developed more than 800 compounds since its inception and many have led to the development of drugs to treat neglected diseases.

Other universities have adopted the D3 program principles because it allows undergraduate students to learn and utilize research skills on projects with global implications. IUPUI recently hosted a D3 conference on campus, and several domestic and international scientists participated.

“The ACS conference will allow our state’s best scientists to remind their colleagues that Indiana is investing in the talent, technology and intellectual infrastructure needed to move the field forward,” Richards said.

The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology also serves as a major sponsor for the Celebrate Science Indiana event planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 8 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Indianapolis will see a significant economic benefit from the ACS conference and even more of an impact if they choose to return regularly to Indianapolis for their meetings. Richards predicts the conference facilities, the walkability of the downtown area and its proximity to research areas such as IUPUI and nearby hospitals will be attractive for conference organizers looking for a longtime home for the event.

About the School of Science at IUPUI

The School of Science is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service in the biological, physical, behavioral and mathematical sciences. The School is dedicated to being a leading resource for interdisciplinary research and science education in support of Indiana's effort to expand and diversify its economy.

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