Professional Organizations
Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon)
For over a decade, one or more faculty members in the Chemistry and Physics Department have been involved with the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. The Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon for short) is the largest scientific conference in the world and attracts over 20,000 scientists, students, researchers and instrument manufacturers to its annual meeting each spring. Each year a small group of students from the Chemistry and Physics Department is given the opportunity to attend Pittcon as student aides. This has proven to be a tremendous experience for these students because they attend technical presentations, visit the exhibit floor (where virtually every state-of-the-art tool for chemical analysis is located), and can make use of an employment bureau that is set up for conference week.
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
"The American Chemical Society is a self-governed individual membership organization that consists of more than 158,000 members at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry. The organization provides a broad range of opportunities for peer interaction and career development, regardless of professional or scientific interests. The programs and activities conducted by ACS today are the products of a tradition of excellence in meeting member needs that dates from the Society's founding in 1876." The department is currently working on obtaining ACS-approval of the chemistry program.
Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP)
Many of our faculty our involved with the SACP. The society also offers frequent lectures, workshops, student awards/scholarships and grants.
Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP)
The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) is another local professional society. The SSP offers awards, scholarships, and grants. Dr. Hangun-Balkir and Dr. Woznack were recipients of a College Equipment Grant in 2005. Together with University matching funds, this allowed them to purchase an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer which is currently being installed.