The 2006 Chemagination contest, sponsored by the Princeton and Trenton ACS sections was held on Saturday, March 18. Chemagination is a contest in which high school students are asked to imagine that they are living 25 years in the future and have been invited to write an article for ChemMatters, a magazine for high school students that focuses on the role of chemistry in everyday life. The subject of the article is: “Describe a recent breakthrough or innovation in chemistry and/or its applications that has improved the quality of people’s lives today.” The article is written to fit in one of four categories (either Alternative Energy Sources, Environment, Medicine/Health, or New Materials.) In addition to the article, students are asked to design a cover for the magazine and prepare a poster. Students work in teams of two or three members. Evaluation is based on their article, presentation of their innovation on poster display and interviews with judges.

Fifteen teams representing four area high schools competed. The candidates demonstrated a high degree of creativity and innovative science as can be seen by the titles of the articles! Six members of the Princeton ACS volunteered to serve as judges: Schuyler Antane, William Barnard, David Carrick, Istvan Pelczer, William Sachs, and Klaus Wagner. They had the difficult task of selecting the winners from among the many strong entries. First, second and third place, overall prizes were awarded Winning team members received $100, $75 and $50 savings bonds, respectively. In addition, prizes were given for the first and second place winners in each category. The first place category winners will represent the local ACS sections at the regional Chemagination contest. It will take place at the ACS Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting (MARM 2006), June 4-7, at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA. A $250 stipend for travel to MARM was awarded to each first place category team.

During the tallying of the scores, Dr. Kathryn Wagner demonstrated some phase changes while helping the students turn cream into ice cream using liquid nitrogen. Who would have thought chemistry could be so delicious!

I would like to thank everyone that helped to make this contest a success this year including Sharon Sibilia, Chemagination co-chair, Kitty Wagner, our judges and all the students who participated. A special thank you also goes out to the faculty advisors, Ms Karen Galley, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Ms Susan Krempasky, Notre Dame High School, Mrs. Linda Kruegel, Princeton High School and Dr. Lillian Rankel, Hopewell Valley Central High School.

 - Louise Lawter and Sharon Sibilia
Chemagination Co-chairs