Newswise — WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2014 — A hands-on outreach program about the world of chemistry for children and their families and a symposium on the many benefits of chemistry are among several special Presidential Events at the American Chemical Society’s (ACS’) 247th National Meeting & Exposition next month. The meeting will be held in Dallas, March 16-20.

The outreach program, “Exploring Our World Through Chemistry,” will be held at the Perot Museum of Science & Nature on Saturday, March 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature hands-on, age-appropriate activities.

ACS Past President Elizabeth Ann Nalley, Ph.D., will speak on “How Chemistry Has Improved our Food Supply,” as part of the presidential symposium, “Benefits of Chemistry in Our Lives.” This symposium is the first of its kind on this topic at an ACS national meeting. She will review advances in chemistry during the last 100 years that have helped feed the world's rapidly expanding population.

Other speakers in this symposium are ACS President Tom Barton, Ph.D., as well as past presidents, including Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, Ph.D.; William F. Carroll, Jr., Ph.D.; Attila E. Pavlath, Ph.D.; and Ned D. Heindel, Ph.D.

Other Presidential Events at the meeting are “Engaging Chemistry Departments in thePreparation of Chemistry Teachers,” Sunday, March 16; “ACS/Dreyfus Symposium on Chemical Instrumentation,” Tuesday, March 18; and “Earle B. Barnes Award for Leadership in Chemical Management: Symposium in Honor of William F. Banholzer.”

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 161,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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Meeting Link: American Chemical Society’s (ACS’) 247th National Meeting & Exposition