It all began with the SERMACS Awards Luncheon.
The $20 I'd paid netted me a dining experience worth at least double that, with Chicken Parmesan Florentine that led to an exquisite cake with dark chocolate accents.
While we dined, Frank Walworth regaled us with a captivating history lesson titled "ACS Past as Prologue: Action, Character, Strength".
Honestly, he had me with the acronym.
(smile)
As it turned out, one of the award recipients was at my table! Rigoberto Hernandez won the 2018 Stanley C. Israel Award for his work that "advanced diversity in the chemical sciences and significantly stimulated or fostered activities that promote inclusiveness within the ACS Regions". I can tell you this: he was absolutely charming!
I also sat with Dorothy, a retiree from Dupont. Here's the interesting thing about that: the woman was black. That meant she had to be fighting for inclusion in the worlds of chemistry and science fifty years ago.
That means she had me beat by just a few years in that struggle.
(smile)
Ann Nalley, the first woman president of ACS was there, too, a table over. She gave out her namesake award (2018 E. Ann Nalley Volunteer Service award) to Maurice Snook, aka "Mr. Science", for presenting chemistry demonstrations in more than 50 schools of the Northeast Georgia Section for almost 40 years.
I most liked the recipient of the 2018 Southeastern Regional High School Teaching Award. Romina Jannotti seemed totally overwhelmed to be so honored, when she simply thought she was doing her job. Brava!
I'm glad I was finally able to meet Chris Bannochie. He was one of the co-chairs for organizing this conference. He was quite helpful at allaying my fears before my arrival, steering me toward the sites I needed. Thanks, again!
Post-luncheon, off I went to the Riverwalk again, for fresh air and leg-stretching.
I returned for the afternoon coffee hour, walked again, then, wonder of wonders, caught a reception with lots of veggies for the taking! Just what I was needing!
(smile)
Then it was time to board the bus for Aiken, SC, for the evening's celebration!
The ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark Designation was recognizing the Savannah River Site for its production of Plutonium-238. Why was that important? Quite plainly, without that radioactive material, NASA would have had no space exploration. Pu-238 allowed the creation of lightweight batteries with a long life (at least 88 years), providing both the energy and the heat needed by equipment sent into deep space.
I very much appreciated the tie-in between the tour of SRS taken yesterday and the three days spent at the Kennedy Space Center in May.
Right place, right time.
i thank You, God.
The Landmark was installed at the Savannah River Site Heritage Museum, a fairly new place in downtown Aiken. The museum is absolutely full of artifacts going back to the 1950's, when the world was a bit enamored with thoughts of atomic power and atomic this and atomic that. I fully intend to return there and peruse its stockpiles in depth some time in the near future.
I especially like this sculpture, newly installed on the front lawn just last night.
Titled "Atoms in Space", the 15-foot-tall work was created by David Cianni, a welder and metal sculptor, two years ago. The piece was designed, he stated, "in recognition of the SRS production of plutonium-238 that powered exploration of the moon and our solar system from 1969 to the present time".
Very impressive, and for me, very timely, for the 60th birthday I share with NASA.
i thank You, God, that I was here on this rainy night.
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