ETSU will host the 34th annual conference for the Student Affiliates of the American Chemistry Society (SAACS) April 4 through 6.
The conference is not for the ETSU chapter alone; it will combine members of SAACS throughout the Southeastern region. The purpose of this conference is for participants to present oral or poster projects to representatives of industries and universities. Being a SAACS member enables the undergraduates access to the American Chemistry Society employment service.
Some of the chapters attending this year are Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Virginia Tech and Western Carolina.
“This particular conference is unique because the undergraduates organize and design it from beginning to end,” said Jeffery G. Wardeska, chairman of the chemistry department.
The current undergraduate SAACS officers are: Kevin Burgess, president; Isaac Gardner, vice-president; Ritu Khanna, secretary; Rahul Gupta, treasurer; Sara Shelton and Chiko Umeweni, public relations chairs; Susan Mahar, project coordinator; Lia Pun-Chuen and Salyka Sengsayadeth, newsletter editors; Misty Handley, seminar chair; and Ramya Viswanathan, international dinner chair.
ETSU has hosted the SAACS conference four times since the first annual meeting. The ETSU chapter has been rated as outstanding 18 times over the years.
“Not all SAACS members are chemistry majors or minors, we have very active members who are biology majors,” Wardeska said. “It is not restricted to chemistry majors.”
To become a member of SAACS, one must have an interest in any chemistry or related career and must be able to pay the membership fee of $17.
For more information, please stop by Brown Hall, Room 177, and check for flyers.

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