METT Grant Recipients

2021

Binghamton

Using 3D printing to explore complex STEAM concepts with creativity and experimentation
The 3D printer will give another dimension to our outreach events in the local schools. Students will be able to explore complex STEAM concepts in an engaging and handson way. They will be able to design and create objects that can enhance their learning and at same time instilling a passion for the STEAM field.

California

Meeting the Current Needs of our Community through a Digital Transformation
This project will fund our transition to hybrid events. 2020 led to an increase in event generation, attendance, and engagement by digitally reaching audiences spanning across large geographic areas. By adopting new virtual tools, audio/visual equipment, and streamlining our social media infrastructure, we will capitalize on the current disruption that has led to wider engagement in our events.

Central North Carolina

Utilizing Technology to Enhance Local Section Activities
The Central North Carolina ACS Local Section would like to add additional capacity for virtual meetings via Zoom. We would like to modernize the section website by adding digital photos and HD videos of section events that are of interest to our membership. We plan to provide live streaming webinars, section meetings, poster sessions, and National Chemistry Week demonstrations.

Connecticut Valley

CVS – Younger Chemist Committee Graduate Career Symposium 
A career symposium where graduate students in the Connecticut Valley local section will be able to learn about the career options available to them as well as practice their interpersonal skills through a mock interview process. This career symposium will serve as one of the events CVS-YCC will host to support early-career chemists CVS local section.

Delaware

Redesign of Delaware Section Website
The aim of this project is to overhaul and modernize our section website, in an effort to attract new members and increase participation among our current member base.

Indiana

Whova Platform for PREDICT Symposium and Beyond
The PREDICT event promotes diversity and inclusivity within the Greater Indianapolis community by offering a two-day symposium to facilitate building discussions from the perspectives of various minority groups, along with an outreach event supporting the elearning needs of underserved youths. Whova will serve as the event management software to run this symposium virtually and interactively.

Midland

Midland Connect via Video and Conference
Connect to the community, both members and non-members, through web-based video conferencing and professional grade videos.

Mississippi

Establish an Online Presence of the Mississippi Local Section of the ACS
The Mississippi Local Section proposes to use the METT grant to hire a social media expert for a two year period to 1) update, grow, and modernize the newly established website and 2) manage the section’s Facebook page, Twitter account, and website’s news postings. The intent is to increase engagement with members across the Local Section of multiple age groups from students to professionals.

New York

Inclusive Communications Strategy for Member Engagement
The New York Section proposes to actively engage its membership where they are and via their preferred method of communication. This inclusive communications strategy coordinates delivery of our monthly newsletter, The Indicator, with biweekly emails to the membership, and social media posts and is anchored by our redesigned website which is a trusted provider or timely and accurate information.

North Jersey

Fair for Emerging Researchers (FER)
FER has been a service project run in collaboration with NJACS for 5 years and our current goal is to expand this effort to a multistate initiative. Through building an online presence, we aim to recruit undergraduate students and current ACS members from multiple local chapters to help lead a year-long mentorship program for middle school students from socioeconomically diverse populations.

Oklahoma

Building a Maintainable Website for the Oklahoma Local Section 
The Oklahoma Local Section is looking to hire a web developer to build a website that is maintainable by the executive board. The new website will provide a platform for live streaming hybrid events, maintain a list of programs, recruit volunteers, disseminate information about student opportunities. This website will also support needs when hosting the Southwest Regional meeting in 2023.

Princeton

Virtual Meeting Program
The virtual meeting program for the Princeton section of the ACS includes a newly redesigned website and a subscription to Go To Meeting for hosting all activities, seminars and meetings online to better engage with our members and the local community.

Puerto Rico

Biografía de la Ciencia Web Interview Series and Ciencia Boricua Podcast
“Biografía de la Ciencia” is a successful webinterview series in which scientists and professionals, mainly from academia and industry, share their knowledge and expertise via Zoom that we wish to continue carrying out. “Ciencia Boricua” is a proposed podcast series in Spanish in which topics related to chemistry and science will be discussed by ACS Local Section and Student Chapter members.

Southern California

Virtual National Chemistry Week Celebration, and Virtual Undergraduate Research Conference
This proposal seeks funds pay for the Gather.town proximity video conferencing platform to support one activity in a National Chemistry Week public symposium series Fall 2021, and a virtual undergraduate research conference in Spring 2022.

Wooster

Sciencepalooza: New Horizons for Our Friday Afternoon Joint Seminar Series in a Post-Lockdown World
To continue hosting “Sciencepalooza: The original online science festival, webinar series, and undergraduate research symposium!!” jointly between partner colleges, but now postlockdown as a hybrid in-person and simulcast virtual event.

2020

Brazosport     

Member Engagement Through Virtual Demonstrations and Local Section YouTube Channel          
The goal of this project is well aligned with ACS Brazosport’s goals of member engagements. We are targeting virtual events and continued social media development to promote chemistry and science, through working with local schools and libraries, to inspire and educate our students, support teachers, parents, and engage our members for a variety of volunteering opportunities.

Cleveland

Equipment for Professional Video Production    
The objective is to improve the “virtual meeting” experience of local section meetings. The Cleveland Section ACS is currently committed to online meetings to minimize the impact of the current pandemic.  However, we want those experiences to be as professional and visually pleasing as possible. Having the proper equipment is the first step in this direction. We plan to try out this model for our November 2020 meeting, when we will present a short video tour of the International Conservation Association art preservation facility in west Cleveland.

Eastern New York

Mastering the Virtual World: Professional Development by Younger Chemists for Younger Chemists
The program will prepare young chemists to navigate challenges specific to careers in chemistry (while maintaining a focus on COVID-19 considerations) and will provide resources and support. The professional development component includes CV/resume writing, virtual interviewing, and project management. Soft skills such as communication, networking, and leadership development will also be addressed through individual virtual workshops. Wellness will be addressed as the program will include a stress management workshop. Networking is already being facilitated through the current “Day in the Life” series, which highlights a different field of chemistry each month. The series was designed to encourage meaningful dialogue between the speaker and attendees by allowing for a lengthier time for Q&A and providing contact information.

Georgia

Engaging Teacher Members in Times of Digital Learning
The goal of this project is to develop and publish virtual laboratory videos to YouTube and similar platforms that engage teacher and student viewers in laboratories that are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and/or the AP Chemistry curriculum. As part of this goal, we hope to engage and bridge our K-12 and post-secondary faculty members. This project is particularly important for engaging an under-engaged segment, our teaching members, in a time where bench chemistry is likely not possible for the upcoming school year.

Hawaii

Hawaii ACS Inter Island Video Project #1: Chemistry of Beer: Flavors and Pairing with Food           
We plan to produce a series of 4-6, 20–30-minute high-quality Zoom presentations on the chemistry and flavorings of beer and how they are paired with foods. Each short episode will focus on specific aspects of beer ingredients and flavoring and conclude with general Q/A and discussion. With presenter permission and based on member interest we plan to plan to record episodes and make them available to stream.

Kalamazoo

New Website for Kalamazoo Local ACS Section  
The goal of this project is to build a new Website for the Kalamazoo Local ACS Section.  The new site will replace an older website that does not permit as easily the transmission of the section’s goals, yearly calendar with the section’s activities that include social, scientific and outreach programs.  The fundamental objective for the project is to increase member and pubic awareness and participation in our activities.  

Lehigh Valley

High Quality Presentations for Lehigh Valley Members   
The LVACS would like to purchase equipment that can be used by local section members to record their presentations for future viewing, or where applicable to have high quality live sessions.  The equipment is light weight and easily transportable. 

New York

Bringing Chemistry to the Screen: Socially Distant Seminar Series             
We will invite all ACS members to attend seminars organized by our Subsection and Topical Groups, symposia organized by the Section (Section wide Conference and the William H. Nichols Award Symposium), public outreach events (National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day) broadcast live using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. These events will be archived for future use.

Northeastern

Purchase and Implement Webinar Software for Virtual Meetings and Events 
The Northeastern Section has two objectives. First, we anticipate that the Covid-19 pandemic may still be a threat for the rest of this year and into 2021. Our section holds monthly meetings from September through May, featuring distinguished speakers and networking sessions. We need to provide a virtual format for these meetings in months where CDC guidelines advise against public gatherings. This format will retain the interactive nature of our in-person meetings, allowing for audience participation and Q&A sessions. Second, we intend to re-activate multiple NESACS committees, including a local CMA. We plan to hold a larger number of events than usual for NESACS next year to kick-off and promote these committees and most would be held as virtual webinars and panel discussions. We expect to increase engagement of the NESACS community with these events if we have the capability for available, interactive and large scale (up to 500 attendees) webinars.

Philadelphia

1st Annual ACS Younger Chemists Virtual Research Symposium & Chemistry Career Fair
Provide a virtual platform where young chemists can share research accomplishments and network with local employers in a professional setting. The symposium component will include oral and poster presentations where students can network with likeminded scientists. All presentations will be judged by a series of qualified volunteers with time allotted for a brief Q&A session. 

Princeton     

Virtual meeting program            
The goal of this project is to continue our local section programming but moving it into the virtual space until such time as it is safe to meet in person. By going virtual we can continue our science programming for members and students. It is anticipated that after in-person meetings resume, some form of video conferencing will continue so as to reach out to members who are not able to attend in person, especially the more senior members who do not travel. We can also use the platform to bring in speakers who are not local. In this way we can continue our monthly Chemistry meetings, high school science competitions, Earth Week activities, NCW, and other events.

Richland   

Richland Section Website Relocation and Update            
The Richland Section's current website design and organization has not changed in over 20 years. There is a need to make the website more engaging for users and add new features. 

Upper Peninsula            

Upper Peninsula Section Electronic Communication Technology
The projects goals and objectives are to develop and deliver reliable virtual programing to UPLS members. potential members, future chemists, and the public.

Wichita

Inspired by Chemistry: Wichita ACS Section Virtual Symposium   
Wichita ACS Local Section plans to have a virtual chemistry symposium to engage members. This event will provide a great opportunity for faculty to inspire each other, for students to practice and learn, for members to communicate and support each other. 

2017

California

Revamp Communications Strategy
Redevelop Section's website and communications strategy from the ground up, to engage a younger demographic via mobile platform, usage analytics, and broadcasting section meetings.

Connecticut Valley

Enhancing Community in the ACS-CVS
Redesign Section website with a modernized user interface allowing for increased member interaction; feature live-streamed Section's symposia.

Dallas-Fort Worth

Enabling Virtual Meetings and Increased Communication
Host virtual meetings to engage increased member participation; invest in technology to enable more effective communication between meetings.

Eastern New York

Membership Engagement Redefined via Virtual Reality and Other Interactive Technology
Use interactive technology to fully engage current members and attract new and younger members to Section events and meetings; promote activities through the use of VR technology for exploring STEM-related topics.

Greater Houston

Connecting Greater Houston Through Technology
Conduct meetings, and provide streaming and archived content to the entire Section membership.

Midland

Long-Distance Engagement for Local Meetings and CERM 2019
Incorporate long-distance learning technologies to increase programming at less cost.

New York

Livestreaming Virtual Seminars from the New York Section
Provide 60 annual seminars to members through live-streaming social media platforms (Facebook Live and Livestream.com) to increase content accessibility and member engagement.

Red River Valley

Zoom in Local Section Meetings
Broaden member participation in meetings, invited speaker presentations, and other events through web conferencing.

Savannah River

Technological Capabilities of the Savannah River Section
Record and publicize demonstrations, webinars, and interviews with local chemists to stimulate members' interest in Section events.

South Texas

Online Meeting and Video Recording for Engaging Section Members
Implement online meeting technology to hold monthly webinars for all Section members, involving them for real-time discussion.

Washington-Idaho Border

Engaging Members through 3D-Printing Competition and Collaboration
Purchase two 3D printers to initiate artistic- or engineering-based 3D-printing challenges for undergraduate students, to be assigned and judged by Section leaders. Student groups will also lead 3D-printing events at local schools.