Chem Club

TCU College of Science & Engineering
7/26/13 7:34 PM
HOME | Donate | Office of the Dean | Media
Prospective Students
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Academics
Research
Faculty
Alumni
The heart of the matter

By Jenna Simard, CSE communications intern Kinetic energy. Chemists define the term as energy in motionthe atomic activity that must occur to produce a chemical reaction. At TCU, its a term one might also say defines the chemistry club. Since its establishment in 2010, the TCU chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS) has been committed to serving others. Through its many outreach programs on and off campus, the organization actively seeks to unite the community in an appreciation for chemistry. Kayla Green, assistant professor of chemistry and the clubs current sponsor, said the organization is almost entirely student-driven. Before Green even began teaching at TCU, students contacted her about the possibility of establishing an ACS chapter on campus. It was the student population that was motivated to start the club, she said. In the clubs first year, members focused on spreading awareness of the organization. They organized fundraisers, hosted magic shows and facilitated chemistry experiments. The national ACS recognized the club for its programs. The following year the club really took off, Green said. The organization partnered with the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History for National Chemistry Week in 2011. Former president Sandi Dang 13 gathered help from seven other universities in the DFW area to organize and facilitate hands-on activities involving chemistry. The event was completely student-run and included activities such as making ice cream, slime and the super-popular SuperFrog toothpaste. In its first year, the event served nearly 3,000 visitors. The following year the event won ACSs ChemLuminary Award for Outstanding Community Involvement in National Chemistry Week. The chemistry clubs success with National Chemistry Week led the organization to become further involved with educational outreach. Since spring 2012, the club has hosted several fieldtrips here on campus for local elementary schools. The five-hour experience offers the opportunity to participate in hands-on experiments, tour parts of campus and learn about college life from TCU students. Dang said she enjoys being able to see the children become engaged in the program and quickly grasp scientific concepts. Being able to get kids interested in chemistry is really rewarding, she said. Members also
http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-summer-HeartoftheMatter.asp Page 1 of 2
TCU College of Science & Engineering
7/26/13 7:34 PM
rewarding, she said. Members also hope to extend the program beyond Fort Worth by engaging with students in Honduras through Skype. Members dedication to outreach also recently resulted in the opportunity to work with Cook Childrens Medical Center. Since fall 2012, the organization has filmed three episodes of the Sick Science Show, a television program students created for the hospitals CLZ-TV network. Erika Zimmermann 13, pioneer of the project, said the interactive TV program is a fun way for patients to learn about science during their hospitalization. The kids have been really receptive to it, she said. This semester, the organization continues to expand its endeavors. From organizing a citywide science event for children at Mother of Mercy Catholic School to arranging meals for Ronald McDonald House, members maintain active involvement in the community. Zimmermann and Dang said that the clubs newest officersall of whom are freshmenhave the passion to carry the service-oriented mission forward. TCUs chemistry club is not necessarily about complex scientific concepts. Its about serving the community and making chemistry relatable to everyone. Its about pursuing a passion for science and creating innovative ways to make an impact. Its about bridging the education gap. Weve done things other organizations havent done before, Zimmermann said. Were breaking boundaries. And, Green adds, were building bonds.
Departments & Programs

Biology Chemistry Computer Science Engineering Mathematics Nutritional Sciences Physics and Astronomy Pre-Health Professions Psychology School of Geology, Energy & The Environment
Institutes & Centers

Institute of Child Development Institute for Environmental Studies Center for GIS and Remote Sensing Center for Applied Psychology
Science and Engineering Research Center
Student Research Symposium TCU IdeaFactory Monnig Meteorite Gallery Institute of Behavioral Research Energy Institute
2011 Texas Christian University | College of Science & Engineering Suite 102 Tucker Technology Center | TCU Box 298960 | Fort Worth, TX 76129 | Phone: 817.257.7727 | Fax: 817.257.7736
http://www.cse.tcu.edu/newsletter/2013-summer-HeartoftheMatter.asp
Page 2 of 2

Chem Club

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chem Club

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chem Club

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TCU College of Science & Engineering

HOME | Donate | Office of the Dean | Media

The heart of the matter

TCU College of Science & Engineering

Departments & Programs

Institutes & Centers

You might also like