Dear members,
February was an exciting and engaging month for our local section! Kicking off at the end of January, we hosted a webinar on AI in chemistry education with Sharai Mendez. She offered fascinating insights into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and conduct research in chemistry. Sharai highlighted practical AI tools and their growing applications in academic settings, sparking lively and thoughtful discussion among attendees.
On Feb 19th, we also had the opportunity to host an industry-focused webinar featuring Dr. Sivapratha Sivabalan from BlueNalu as our guest speaker. She provided valuable perspectives on innovative food science technologies and discussed the challenges encountered during product development. Her case-based presentation was both engaging and informative, and we sincerely thank everyone who joined us. We look forward to continuing the conversation with another food science–focused talk in April, centered on food colorants.
March has been an exciting time for the broader chemistry community as well. The ACS Spring 2026 National Meeting & Expo is taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing together thousands of chemists from around the world to share cutting-edge research, exchange ideas, and build new collaborations across diverse areas of chemistry. We would like to extend our appreciation to the councilors who traveled to Atlanta to represent the American Chemical Society and the ACS San Diego Local Section.
In addition to the national meeting, several exciting local outreach activities are underway. ACS San Diego will participate in Super STEM Saturday at the
take place on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 6:30 PM via Zoom. Register here.
Finally, March is also a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions of women in science during Women's History Month. We celebrate and are grateful for the many women chemists whose dedication, innovation, and leadership inspire future generations of scientists.
Thank you for your continued support of the ACS San Diego community. We look forward to seeing many of you at upcoming events, in person or virtual.
Warm regards,
Jiyue Chen, Ph.D.
ACS San Diego Local Section
