What is National Chemistry Week Page 1 of 1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NCW Release #1 For further information: Ned Moore (423-323-4095) nedmoore@chartertn.net What is National Chemistry Week? Every single thing in our lives is a result of Chemistry in action. National Chemistry Week, October 20-26, is an outreach program of the American Chemical Society, the largest scientific society in the world. The purpose of National Chemistry Week is to increase public awareness of the important contributions of chemistry to everyday life and to our nation’s economy and defense. This year’s theme, “Chemistry Keeps Us Clean,” recognizes the significant role chemistry has played in improving our health and hygiene. Locally, the Northeast Tennessee Section of the American Chemical Society is welcoming over 1300 fourth graders, from twenty six local schools, to the twelfth annual “Celebration of Chemistry for Fourth Graders.” This event will be held at the Eastman Employee Center in Kingsport on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 22 nd and 23rd. In addition, this Saturday, the Section is sponsoring “Science Saturdays” at two locations. At each site, local high school chemistry students will be able to experience advanced laboratory techniques with their own hands. The Section will also make available over $3000 to local High School and Middle School Science Teachers who wish to apply for grants to improve the education of their students. A copy of this year’s logo, a joint design by local members Debra Tindall and Shawn Moody, is attached. Our friend, the ACS Mole, the mascot of the American Chemical Society, is happily scrubbing away in his bubble bath with his friend, Rubber Ducky. Both the bubble bath and Rubber Ducky are the result of chemistry in action. The Local Section, http://membership.acs.org/N/NETENN, has a membership of almost 500 chemists and engineers from 11 counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. In August, it was honored by American Chemical Society for “Outstanding Performance by a Medium Sized Local Section” and for “Greatest Support of National Chemistry Week by an Industrial Section”. This makes the fourth time in the last ten years that the section has been selected as the Outstanding Section from among thirty-four medium sized sections nationwide. The American Chemical Society, http://acs.org, is the world’s largest scientific organization, with more than 163,000 chemists and chemical engineers from all over the world as members. It was founded 126 years ago and chartered by an act of Congress in 1937.