Dear ACS San Diego Members,
October has always been a month of breakthroughs in chemistry. On October 23, 1876, the German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald—later a Nobel Prize winner—was born; his pioneering work in catalysis and chemical equilibria continues to shape our field today. Fittingly, October 23 is now celebrated worldwide as Mole Day, commemorating Avogadro’s number (6.02 × 10²³) and offering chemists a playful way to share our science. On October 9, 1803, English chemist John Dalton formally presented his atomic theory, establishing the foundation of modern chemistry and fundamentally changing how we understand matter. These milestones remind us of chemistry’s enduring impact across generations.
Last month, we held our Annual ACS San Diego Local Section Picnic, and what a fantastic day it was! With over 60 members in attendance, the event featured a lively dessert contest with wonderful prizes, lawn games, an inflatable obstacle course, tacos, beer, and plenty of great company. It was one of our most successful picnics yet, and we want to thank everyone who joined us for food, fun, and fellowship.
We also celebrated this year’s Distinguished Scientist Banquet, honoring Dr. John Hood for his remarkable work in drug discovery and the development of ENV-101, the first agent to show reversal of fibrotic disease in humans. Dr. Hood delivered an inspiring talk on his scientific journey, and we were thrilled to welcome a record 60 attendees for the occasion.
Looking ahead, October is packed with exciting programming. The Women’s Trailblazing Award Banquet will be held on Saturday, October 4th at 11:00 AM at the Encore Event Center, honoring outstanding contributions by women in chemistry.
On October 30, 2025, we will host the first in our career Development Seminar Series: “Project Management: The What, Why, and How” with speaker Andrea Baldwin. Register here. Then on November 13, 2025, we will also host “Medical Writing: The What, Why, and How” with speaker Wing Tuet, PhD. Register here. Don’t miss out!
Beyond these events, we have several more talks in the works. While we were disappointed to learn that Taylor Guitars had to step back from their planned program, we are still lining up exciting end-of-year talks that will bring fresh perspectives to our community. We will try to book a gig with them in 2026. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks!
Thank you for staying active in ACS San Diego. Your participation at our picnics, banquets, and seminars makes this section thrive. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events!
Please explore the open positions for our upcoming election. Taking on a leadership role is a great way to influence the direction of our society, network with colleagues, learn and mentor, and contribute to the advancement of our ACS commitment to broaden the chemistry enterprise for the community at large.
Warm regards,
Max Mahler and Jackie Trischman
Co-Chairs, ACS San Diego Section