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Chemical Bond Newsletter

2019 Continuity Dinner ushers in the Roaring (20)20’s

John Taylor and Sophia Hayes, colleagues at .edu and .org, enjoy the social 0.5-hr

Signaling the end not only of an organizational year, but an entire decade, the 2019 Continuity Dinner delivered fitting fanfare on December 12 at Robust Café and Wine Bar in Webster Groves. Our group ju-s-s-st fit into the event space with tables set like service stripes in the long, narrow room.

After a convivial social 0.5-hr with greetings, chat, drinks, and a nice spread of appetizers, we got down to the business of dispensing with business: a short-shrifted General Meeting of the Section with no business to conduct and no minutes to inscribe, followed by a Board Meeting with a lot of gracious reports along the lines of “pass” by Board members.

Dinner was good ... and quiet, except for the enforced attendance to the piped-in holiday music that could only be turned louder, never down, let alone off. And then the true purposes of the gathering took hold:

The closely guarded secret Henry Godt Memorial Lecturer (who shall henceforth be subtitled “The Giver of the Godt”) was Ben Barth, soon to be Penultimate Past Chair. His lecture recapped the year-of-STLACS as a series of tweets with an at-at here and a hashtag-hashtag there, here an at, there a hashtag ... well, you get the idea. And you get the full-length version below. Go there!


Sue Wiediger (right), the 2019 Distinguished Service Awardee, with Suzy Hartman, Awarder

The spoiler-alert announcement of the Distinguished Service Award (to be conferred at Recognition Night in March) seemed to come as a gratifying surprise to Sue Wiediger, who is, yes, the winner. Sue has been Chair of the Education Committee for several years, and has variously contributed to Battle of the Burets, the Undergraduate Research Symposium, Women Chemists Committee events, and surely more, over the years. Congratulations, Sue!

2020 Chair Sophia Hayes (left) receives the ceremonial book and gavel from 2019 Chair Suzy Hartmann

And finally, the passing of the Book and Gavel, the ceremonial symbols of Chairship, from outgoing Chair Suzy Hartmann to incoming Chair Sophia Hayes. Not surprisingly, Suzy looked relieved and didn’t try to hide it, and Sophia apprehensive, but managing a smile.

Jim O’Brien, the new Vic Lewchenko, wielded his camera and flash with aplomb. The photos on this page are all attributable to him. And there are more, if you wish to follow up, on our Flickr photostream.


Ben Barth delivers the Henry Godt Memorial Lecture as a tweet-storm of epic proportions (no doubt due to climate change)
The 2019 Henry Godt Memorial Lecture
“The Giver of the Godt”, Ben Barth

We are in the season of giving, but the local section has been giving its time and energy all year. The result of this is many people “Godt” awards and recognition throughout the year. For this evening’s Henry Godt Memorial Lecture, I have a sample Section twitter feed that has been #HenryGodtified.

  • @LaFranzo coffee and cocktails have #HenryGodt everyone’s attention! @Woerndle @bohac you’ve #HenryGodt this!
  • @Chapple has #HenryGodt the Mentor-A-Chemistry-Class up and running at UCityHS #CMA
  • #NotCountryMusicAwards #CommitteeForMinorityAffairs
  • @Campisi @Grobelny @Natraj @Perry @Neisch #HenryGodt Undergrad Research Symposium Awards!
  • @Reith @Azad Great work organizing! #URS2019
  • @Cornelius Congrats! You #HenryGodt the Distinguished Service Award! #RecognitionNight
  • #RIPChesterfieldBalabans
  • 2019 #HenryGodt designated as the International Year of the Periodic Table #IYPT2019 Thanks @Wiediger for the #periodic updates
  • @Ridley You have #HenryGodt to be kidding me! Chemistry is pHun reached 1803 Students over 27 programs at 14 different schools or organizations for ’18-’19 school year. #OutOfSight
  • @LOBrien @Hayes #AwardsNight @Schwartz and @Wilde #HenryGodt to take home awards. Congrats to all HS Chemistry Contest Award winners and Outstanding College Junior Chem Students! Thanks to @Loomis for a fun talk #WaveWaveWave or #ParticleParticleParticle is it #InsideTheBox or #OutsideTheBox ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
  • Those of you at the #SummerPicnic #HenryGodt to try some of @Barth’s Dad’s BBQ. #Brisket #PulledPork #NapPlease
  • @Moeller #HenryGodt the Midwest Award. #SyntheticChemistry #Congrats
  • @JOBrien and @Jun #HenryGodt recognized as @ACS fellows! Thanks for your great contributions to #science, #chemistry, and the #ACS
  • @Keire #HenryGodt the #StLouisAward. #AnalyticalChemistry #FDA #NMR #Congrats
  • @STLACS You’ve #HenryGodt a truly remarkable set of volunteer leaders in your chemistry community. It’s great to see those of you who #HenyGodt elected for the coming year. #ContinuityDinner
  • @Barth Ok. We #HenryGedt the point. You have #HenryGodt to sit down.

Thanks, everyone!

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