Associate Chemistry Professor Named 'Young Observer'

Bill Connick, associate professor of chemistry, was recently named one of nine Young Observers in the United States who will attend the 45th International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) General Assembly.

The program, established by the U.S. National Committee for IUPAC, sends American citizens or permanent residents under the age of 45—from industry, academia and national laboratories—to the IUPAC World Chemistry Congress and General Assembly, held every two years.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to attend the General Assembly and Congress of IUPAC in Scotland,” Connick says. “I’m trying to meet other chemists and get my ideas out there, which will hopefully develop into some collaboration.”

The congress, an international chemistry conference, will feature 50 symposia about the impact of chemical sciences, with “Chemistry Solutions” as an overall theme.

Connick will present at the congress, an oral presentation called “Two-Electron Transfer Reagents” about his interests in two-electron transfer as alternatives to one-electron transfer in the development of efficient catalysts to address the energy problem.

But that will not be his only role in Glasgow. As a young observer, Connick will be able to participate in the assembly that precedes the congress, a program that allows participants to discuss key research efforts in the field. The assemblies, handpicked by each participant based on his or her interests, also act as a springboard of international collaboration for the chemists.

“It’s a great opportunity to meet other scientists who not only have the same research interests as mine, but also share interests in the impact of chemistry on the world.”