Source: Yasmin Patell, 785-532-2725, yasmin@k-state.edu
Pronouncer: Yasmin is Yazz-min and Patell is Pah-tell
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-2535, bbohn@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010

NATIONAL CHEMISTRY WEEK OFFERS MAGIC SHOWS, BOOK DISPLAY AND MORE

MANHATTAN -- A week of events to show the importance of chemistry and how it contributes to everyone's quality of life will be offered Oct. 16-23 by Kansas State University's department of chemistry and the local section of the American Chemical Society.

"National Chemistry Week is an annual community outreach program that is celebrated by all 189 sections of the American Chemical Society," said Yasmin Patell, assistant teaching scholar in K-State's department of chemistry and a member of the local section of the chemical society. "The goal of the week is to improve the public's awareness of chemistry's contributions to everyday lives and its importance to the nation's economy."

The week will kick off with several fun events at the Manhattan Town Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16.

"All experiments and other activities are conducted and supervised by chemists, with safety and learning as our top priorities," Patell said.

Chemistry magic shows, appropriate for the whole family, will be offered at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. by K-State's Alpha Chi Sigma, the professional chemistry fraternity. Other activities include glassblowing presentations by Jim Hodgson, senior scientific glassblower at K-State, and hands-on fun for kids, including making slime, producing a gas from vinegar and baking soda, and making chemistry tattoos. Free helium balloons will be handed out.

The week also includes a chemistry book display at the Manhattan Public Library from Oct. 17-23.

National Chemistry Week is sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society with a membership of more than 154,000 chemists and chemical engineers. The society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.