Chemistry is a form of magic. And like all magic, if there’s one thing that Eastern Michigan University’s chemistry club knows how to do, it’s to go out with a bang — quite literally.
During the meeting on March 30, Hoeschle met with the chemistry club at Strong Hall. He performed a series of four different experiments, asking the chem club members questions regarding their observations. For the final experiment, Hoeschle managed
to get a human size stainless-steel can to crush itself with a single bang.
The chemistry club has done other cool things. Payge Shelton, the contact person for the Huron Valley chapter of chemistry clubs, said, “My favorite experience was getting to make liquid nitrogen ice-cream and sherbet.”
While chemistry club does demonstrate “magical” experiments, that is not all they do. According to Lois Vasquez, the
chemistry club president, “We’ve also started acting as a bridge between faculty and students for academic research. My agenda this year has been to broaden that mission statement to include professional development, academic support, fellowship, green chemistry and diversity.”
According to Shelton, “Pretty much we have chemistry professors come visit our club. They tell us about the research they are doing so that we can get the people within chemistry club inspired to do research. That’s a big thing in our field. They want us to get research experience before we graduate.”
“Not everyone is not very aggressive, or knows where to go, or even though they have this opportunity [to do research],” Shelton said, “So we want to make it easier for kids who are interested in science to go to a regional meeting, go to a national meeting, do research [and/or] go to undergraduate symposium.”
While research experience is an important part of the chemistry program at EMU, and therefore a huge part of the chemistry club, students also need good grades. Shelton said members of the chemistry club have resources made available to them.
“We have tutors at the Holman success center, tutors at chemistry club and we have tutors online. We have people that stay in the chem club always. And we have professor waiting to help as well.”
Chem club’s involvement in aiding student gain research experience and tutoring help is not a new concept. In fact, the chemistry club is the oldest club on campus at 102 years old.
“The Michigan Normal College Chemical Club was established in 1910 by Professor B.W. Peet,” Vasquez said. “We have a piece of paper from 1910 which was the form filled out to officially start the club. The first meeting was held on Jan. 18, 1910.”
Part of what Vasquez is trying to do as president is bring forward this historical side of the chemistry club.
“For one thing, we’re creating a digital archive of all these documents and pictures. We’re hoping to make a presentation on the 100 years of Chem Club history at the American Chemical Society regional meeting in June.”
The club also reaches out to raise money for organizations like Relay for Life, as well as PenniesforPur, a group that works to bring pure water to undeveloped areas.
“I never grew out of a childhood dream of saving the world,” Vasquez said. “Water is the largest crisis subject of the 21st century. We have dwindling resources and most are polluted to some extent.”
It’s the combination of chemistry club acting out to aid other programs, as well as its work to help its members that makes it an important aspect of EMU.
According to Vasquez, “I think what many people don’t realize is that EMU’s chemistry programs are top-notch and our students are top-notch. We get into great grad schools, and are highly sought-after employees. People come from all over the world to earn our master’s degrees.”
