Canadian Chemical News articles from January 2003

Canadian Chemical News archives from January 2003

IUPAC 2003 and Pacifichem 2005: a call to Canadian Chemists; international conferences provide excellent opportunities to showcase Canadian Chemistry. (President's Column).(International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry)
January 1, 2003... We face both a challenge and a unique opportunity this year to present our science internationally. This year the annual Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) Conference will be held jointly with the 39th International Union of Pure and Applied...

Letters/Lettres.(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2003... Meet Mr. (Organic) Potato Head Those of us who work in the chemical industry do not tend to have a very high opinion of the competence of journalists when reporting on technical matters; indeed, it frequently seems that, with a small number...

Errata.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2003... In the September 2002 ACCN issue on p. 9, the Imperial College of Science and Technology was reported as being located in London, ON. It should be correctly noted that the College dwells in London, England. Many thanks to Glynn Michael, FCIC,...

Industry. (Personals/Personnalites).(Keith Marchildon wins the Engineering Medal for Excellence at the Ontario Professional Engineers Awards Gala)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Keith Marchildon, FCIC, P.Eng., was presented with the Engineering Medal for Excellence at the annual Ontario Professional Engineers Awards Gala held on November 15, 2002. Through over 30 years at DuPont Canada, Marchildon's experiments and...

University. (Personals/Personnalites).(chemical industry personnel news briefs)
January 1, 2003... David Farrar, MCIC, chair of chemistry at the University of Toronto and professor of organic chemistry, has been named vice-provost (students), effective January 1, 2003. "There could be no better choice for vice-provost (students)," said Carl...

Government. (Personals/Personnalites).(Neil Cameron and Suzanne Fortier are appointed to positions)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Neil Cameron, MCIC, has been appointed attache de recherche at the NRC Industrial Materials Institute in Montreal, QC. Cameron is now responsible for developing the nanochemistry interests of the institute. Suzanne Fortier, FCIC, has been...

Distinction. (Personals/Personnalites).(chemistry industry personnel news briefs)
January 1, 2003... Alex Adronov, MCIC, a polymer chemist from McMaster University, has won one of the five 2002 Polanyi Prizes, worth $15,000. Adronov won for his work in polymer chemistry, which focuses on the mechanical, electical and structural properties of...

Obituaries. (Personals/Personnalites).(the University of Waterloo's Donald Irish has died)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 1, 2003... University of Waterloo pioneer Donald Irish, FCIC, died on October 26, 2002, following a battle with cancer. Irish was with the university from the day it opened its doors on July 1, 1957, until his retirement 39 years later, on July 1, 1996....

Science promoters honoured with Michael Smith Award. (News Briefs/Nouvelles En Bref).(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council)
January 1, 2003... Five Michael Smith Awards were handed out in October to recognize those who have made an outstanding contribtuion to the promotion of science in Canada. This year's winners are: * Evergreen Theatre Society -- This theatre group from...

Generic drugs pitched to the public in new campaign. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association)
January 1, 2003... Canada's generic pharmaceutical industry launched a national public awareness campaign in October to inform Canadians about the health-care savings available through more effective use of generic drugs. The campaign consisted of print...

Talisman to finally sell Sudan assets. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(ONGC Videsh Ltd. to buy Talisman Energy Inc. Greater Nile Oil Project interest)
January 1, 2003... Is it the end to all the controversy? In late October, Talisman Energy Inc. announced the sale of its indirectly held interest in the Greater Nile Oil Project in Sudan Commenting on the sale, Talisman's president and chief executive...

Super-duper Supercomputer saves years in computations. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(Canadian Internetworked Scientific Supercomputer initiative)
January 1, 2003... On November 4, 2002, scientists at the University of Alberta and C3.ca led a nation-wide, multi-institutional effort to link thousands of computers together to solve an important computational chemistry problem in one day -- a task that would...

Second Sodium Chlorite plant starts up for sterling. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(Sterling Pulp Chemicals Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Sterling Pulp Chemicals of Toronto, ON, will start up its second North American sodium chlorite plant in the first quarter of 2003 to supply the increasing demand for the chemical to produce chlorine dioxide. The initial capacity of the...

Analytical methods spotlighted by 2002 Nobel Prize. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).
January 1, 2003... This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognizes the powerful analytical methods now available for studying biological macromolecules like proteins, and their revolutionary applications in the development of pharmaceuticals. The Royal...

Photonic centre lights up in Ottawa. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(National Research Council and Carleton University )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The National Research Council (NRC) and Carleton University are forging ahead with plans to build NRC's Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (CPFC) in Ottawa, ON. On November 7, 2002, the Government of Canada announced it will contribute...

Physicians offer new solution for blood transfusions. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The successful transfusion of a cell-free blood product on a 14-year-old Jehovah's Witness may offer a solution for patients opposed to blood transfusions due to religious or personal beliefs. "This was the first successful use of a human...

Reputation alone can legitimize scientific results. (News Briefs/Nouvelles en Bref).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The reputation of an organization can convince scientists of the value of the research it produces even when there is no supporting data, says a U of T geologist. Professors Andrew Miall of U of T's geology department and Charlene Miall of...

Chemical shifts: what's new in chemistry research? This bi-monthly column offers readers a concentrated look at the latest developments in chemistry from Canadian researchers. (Chemical Shifts).(selenium, organic compound synthesis and cyclizing cyclophones)(Column)
January 1, 2003... Who Called in the Mimic? Despite its reputation for toxicity, selenium is an essential element in the diet. Selenium deficiency, although rare, is associated with Keshan disease, which is a type of cardiomyopathy affecting mainly children...

On tap: thermodynamic functions. (Chemputing).(Chemica-Logic's SteamTab spreadsheet add-on)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2003... One of the great things that comes from preparing Chemputing is watching how my computer has helped my overloaded and sagging bookshelves. A few minutes ago, I was looking for my steam tables. I wanted to say goodbye to some old friends. I now...

Science, by the light of the moon. (Chemfusion).(Birmingham Lunar Society; William Withering's natural remedy for dropsy)
January 1, 2003... William Withering was a lunatic. But he wasn't crazy. James Watt, perhaps the greatest of British engineers, Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, and Josiah Wedgwood of pottery fame were lunatics as well. And they were all perfectly...

Clean-up days are here again. (Articles).(environmental remediation )
January 1, 2003... The chemical industry may have borne losses in late 2001, but the environmental remediation business has been booming throughout the economic downturn. The Kyoto Accord can only help matters. When the Love Canal story broke back in 1977,...

Test find drug taint in water: medicines found in Canadian samples. (Articles).
January 1, 2003... Canadian rivers and streams are contaminated with a range of pharmaceutical drugs that present unknown dangers to people and wildlife, a study currently being considered by the federal government has found. Painkillers, anti-inflammatories...

Mercury pollution a mind-numbing problem: high levels of mercury lurk in our water supply, and it is time to sound a global alarm. (Articles).
January 1, 2003... Mercury contamination of the environment is the number one concern of most of the regulatory agencies throughout the world. Unlike the problems of Walkerton's drinking water where the number of dead and sick people could be counted, mercury...

Chemist flexes research mussels to save lives. (Articles).(Cory Pye researches domoic acid in seafood)
January 1, 2003... Cory Pye, MCIC, enjoys his shellfish. The native Newfoundlander and chemistry professor at Saint Mary's University craves most shellfish food, like mussels, all harvested from the Atlantic. These days however, the well-known chemist is...

Science & fraud: innocence lost; scientific fraud is an outrage to scientists everywhere. But maybe it is just a sign of an active discipline? Or is it more than that? (Interfaces).
January 1, 2003... Modern Science appears very often distant from the earlier sentiments of "omnivorous curiosity, a sense of wonder and the taste for spectacular" (1). Social and economic concerns rather than "the sense of wonder" tend to predominate in modern...

Taking the 'science message' to government: tri-society group calls for federal government officials to promote science and innovation. (CIC Bulletin ICC).(Canadian Society for Chemistry, the Canadian Association of Physicists and the Canadian Federation of Biological Sciences )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Anticipating the release of a federal budget in February 2003, the Tri-Society group of The Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC), the Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) and the Canadian Federation of Biological Sciences (CFBS) joined...

Report of the CSChE president October 2001-2002. (CSChE Bulletin SCGCh).(Canadian Society for Chemistry)
January 1, 2003... As the president of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, it gives me great pleasure to report on the status and the activities of the Society at the end of my mandate. II s'est deja ecoule un an depuis ce jour ou prenais Ia parole...

The Process Safety Management Award. (New in 2003).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Sponsored by AON Reed Stenhouse Inc. The Award will be presented as a mark of recognition to a person who has made an outstanding contribution in Canada to the Process Safety Management (PSM) Division of the Canadian Society for Chemical...

CSCT Board rallies at Mohawk. (CSCT Bulletin SCTC).(Canadian Society for Chemical Technology, Mohawk College)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... The Board of Directors for the Canadian Society for Chemical Technology (CSCT) gathered at Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON, for a two-day strategic planning session and seized the oppportunity to visit chemical and environmental technology...

Perseverance and lifelong learning help Brown earn a cCT: one of the new certified Chemical Technologists chronicles his journey to certification. (CSCT Bulletin CSCT).(David Brown)
January 1, 2003... Certification is an important recognition to the continued success of my career in research and development. My name is David Brown, MCIC, and I have recently received my certification as a Chemical Technologist through The Chemical Institute...

Will we see you at the CSC 2003 student conferences? (Student News).(Calendar)
January 1, 2003... CSC Student Chapters organize student conferences at which students gather to present and discuss papers of topical interest. These conferences often include social events and provide a great opportunity to meet fellow students. Every...

Banff Symposium on Organic Chemistry: a new opportunity for young chemists. (Student News).
January 1, 2003... For many Canadian graduate students, the opportunity to attend conferences is limited to the yearly Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) Conference & Exhibition, which changes location from east to west every year. A group of 10 graduate...

Student Chapters' Merit Awards, terms of reference. (Student News).
January 1, 2003... The Student Chapters' Merit Awards are offered as a means of recognizing and encouraging initiative and originality in Student Chapter programming in the areas of chemistry, chemical technology and chemical engineering. Each Student...

5th Chemistry and Biochemistry Conference highlights. (Student News).
January 1, 2003... The 5th Annual Chemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Research Conference was held September 27 and 28, 2002, in the Webster Library atrium and the deSeve Cinema at Concordia University in Montreal, QC. This annual event is unique across North...

Stepping out in Brandon. (Student News).(event at Brandon University)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2003... Manitoba CIC Local Section's 'Brandon Night' was held on October 21, 2002, at Brandon University. Several faculty and students from University of Manitoba, a Brandon high school teacher, the dean of science, professors, and students from all...

Meetings/Reunions.(Calendar)
January 1, 2003... Canada January 27-30, 2003. PAPTAC 89th Annual Meeting, Sustaining Members Groups - New Technology Session, Montreal, QC. E-mail: tech@paptac.ca; Website: www.paptac.ca. February 6-7, 2003. Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI)...

E.W.R. Steacie and the NRC Post-doctoral Fellowship program. (Milestones of Canadian Chemistry in the 20th Century the 1940's).(National Research Council of Canada )
January 1, 2003... Edgar William Richard (Ned) Steacie became Director of the Division of Chemistry at the National Research Council of Canada in 1939, and its president in 1952. Throughout his career at NRC Steacie sought to strengthen research in Canada, not...