McMaster Chemistry Undergraduate Society

The undergraduate chemistry program at McMaster contains about 75 strong-willed individuals ready to brave Nature's challenges and learn about chemistry (or was it beer?). The Chemistry Undergraduate Society consistently serves these students well with a variety of events and for the last two years has been rewarded for these stellar efforts with the CIC Student Merit award in Undergraduate Chemistry.

For more information, see their webspace: www.msu.mcmaster.ca/services/clubs/academic/chemistry/index2.htm

Here are some highlights of a busy 1997-1998 year:

Lab Coat Sales. By selling mandatory safety equipment, the society managed to raise $1500 for the year's events. Not bad considering they undersold the bookstore by $5 on coats and glasses.

Info Night. An evening entitled "What do Chemists and Chemical Engineers Really Do?" saw twenty-five representatives from such places as Dow, Zenon and various pharmaceutical companies descend upon McMaster and take part in small group discussions with roughly 100 career-oriented undergraduates. What did they learn? Presentation skills and personability add a lot to the "classic" requirements, such as a strong knowledge background and advanced lab skills.

Dr. Pincock Visits. Jim Pincock, a popular Dalhousie faculty member, was invited to tell 4^th year students about the wonders of Eastern Canada in general, and Halifax in particular.

Meet the (Future?) Profs. This important event was made a success by the efforts of Drs. Leigh and Hitchcock, as well as several graduate students, who over a pizza dinner informed roughly 30 students about different aspects of grad school. The discussion was very frank, with pros and cons clearly spelled out. Topics of interest were the advantages of changing schools and what to look for in a supervisor.

Monsaroff Student Paper Night. The annual Monsaroff competition is sponsored by the local section of the Chemical Institute of Canada and features oral presentations by students in McMaster Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Mohawk College Chemical Engineering Technology. It is a forum that allows students to sharpen their presentation skills.

Home-Brew Contest. The battle for the best bottle of bitter continued this year with a vigorous Chem/Chem Engineering rivalry and some faculty participants. As usual, the Chemists showed everyone how it was done.

1997-1998 Lecture Series. This year, Drs. Hitchcock, Schrobilgen and Li offered a personal view of their research programs to interested undergraduates. These talks were an unqualified success, if only based on the large number of attendees, some of whom were interested graduate students and faculty as well. Of course, they may have just been there for the free coffee and donuts...