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EDITORIAL

Chemists and their MoleculesCarl Djerassi died earlier this year, on January 30, at

the age of 91.

Rightfully, many of Djerassi's obituaries highlightedhis synthesis of the steroid hormone, norethisterone,which led to the development of the first oral contra-ceptive. This molecule is credited with nearly changingthe course of human events overnight because of itshighly visible effects on socio-sexual behaviors and abunch of related cultural mores during the 1960s.

It is worth reflecting on the profound effect that all of

(ur pharmaceutical molecules have had on all of ourlives, and on our culture. In a little over a hundred

ears, we have gone from chewing on willow bark and__- applying pastes and liniments on our bodies, to having

Brian B Coppola 8GE an impressive medicine cabinet from which we canAlpha Beta 198 extract all sorts of treatments.

Which is not to ignore over-prescription, or abuse, but I think, well above average, we trulybenefit from these compounds. And although I have not needed to take too many medica-tions in my life, so far, I have certainly been glad when they were there.

It's a pity we do not know more about the stories of thechemists who discovered, or contributed to the discovery, "Hats off to aspirin,of most of these molecules, particularly the unnatural ones of course, andthat were not pulled out of a natural product, which tendto be the headliners. to aCetamznopnen.

I'm personally grateful to whomever it was whobrought indometacin to market, a super-aspirin-like anti-inflammatory that I took when Ihad a lung infection about 10 years ago.

Hats off to aspirin, of course, and to acetaminophen. And when I fly: to enoxaparin sodi-um.

Recently, I have become acquainted with metformin, a rather cute little molecule, whichinhibits the production of free glucose from polysaccharides. I sort of wish I was not as famil-iar with the 1.5g of this molecule I am taking each day, but I'd be less happy if it was not there.

So, thanks.

0 NH NH\C

N N N NH 2

/ IHH 3CO OH H ?fctfonnin

indomectacin O H

HH

HI Hnorethisterone

The Objects of Alpha Chi Sigma1. To bind its members with a tie of true and lasting friendship.2. To strive for the advancement of chemistry both as a science and as a profession.3. To aid its members by every honorable means in the attainment of their ambitions as chemists

throughout their mortal lives.

THE HEXAGON/SUMMER 2015

ELECTRONS NIlEWINITIATES

Jared DUSTHIMER, Alpha Theta 2008, welcomed daugh-ter Iris Claire Dusthimer on December 27, 2014. She was 7lbs 1.8 oz and 19 in long. Wife Katie and Jared are proud tobe new parents, and are grateful for their happy andhealthy daughter.

Joanna OSSINGER, Tau 1995, an editor for BloombergNews, was installed as the new president of the Society ofAmerican Business Editors and Writers (SABEW), thelargest association of business journalists, at its annualconference last week in Chicago."SABEW is a great orga-nization with a bright future, and I'm honored to be thenew president," Ossinger said. "Our priorities for the yearwill include boosting our value to members via networkingevents and workshops that will provide even more trainingopportunities."

Richard SPONTAK, Sigma1984, Alumni DistinguishedProfessor of Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering andMaterials Science &Engineering at North CarolinaState University, has beenselected to receive three prominent accolades in recognition ofhis research in the field of softfunctional materials. Th eSociety of Plastics Engineers,the premier professional organization devoted exclusivelyto polymers, has chosen him for their 2015 InternationalAward, the Society's most prestigious worldwide honor.He has been inducted as a fellow of the Royal Society ofChemistry, which is located in the United Kingdom andboasts such historical members as Sir Isaac Newton,Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. He has also beenelected a member of the Norwegian Academy ofTechnological Sciences, the equivalent of the AmericanNational Academy of Engineering, and will be inductedlater this spring in an official ceremony in Oslo. In additionto his research, Spontak has received acclaim as an out-standing educator with a Fulbright Senior Specialist Awardlast year and various university and society teachingawards including the 2008 University of North CarolinaSystem Board of Governors' Award for Excellence inTeaching.

RHOSarah A. Chyriwski

Jamie N. CookJoseph DelFerro

Maddie C. FletcherCraig W. GambogiAlexander S. GoldJoshua A. Hardin

Sameer KakKylie C. Lawrence

Stephanie R. LifflandDonna Li

Aakash D. MehtaJacob Pearl

Gabriela Y. PerezGerardo M. Perez

GoncalvesSanni S. Rana

Jonathan R.ThompsonKiera B.Turner

Young J.YunJames E. Zak

Sarah E. Zelasky

ALPHAEPSILON

Vahag KechejianSarah C. DeCou

Alexandra L. FeldnerHannah V. Oden-

BrunsonRebecca E.Weiss

Jennifer HsuGrace C. Zhang

Lily Q. CaoFeiya Shi

Hehaoyu ZouVarun K. DalmiaSamuel K. Schell

AbhikTambeBo Huang

Darius K. FordEllen J. Lalk

Kathryn E. RooneyMatthew C. Brown

Alvin H. ZhangElliot J.Jaffe

Varun B. RaoGabriela A. Szteinberg

Megan DaschbachEckhardt

ALPHA SIGMALeanne E. Mathurin

Erika D. BassJeremy A. Ramos

Stone G. ShewmakeCheyenne J. ElrodZayne M. Derden

Marissa K. ReynoldsJessica B. Pickens

BETA PIBrian Q. Pham

Christine N. PhanKatherine K.Tse

Chantelle Y. ChenAlysia M. Mascolo

Franklin SidikEvan A. HelinJackie Dong

Sarah B. KuruvillaAngela J. Low

Jacqueline N. HoangStephen Do

Min Kook ChoMandy ChenLily T. Chen

BETA TAUSara E. Herman

Kyle M. KilchensteinDestinee Ogas

Mutha Meringna V.Shashika LiveraJames Stanfill

Catherine DurhamTaylor Szyszka

Jessica N. GardinAaron Pejlovas

C. EadsChristina N.Warner

Ayman SamiMelissa Fairley

Michael WilliamsRonald Gonzalez

Alison RossHannah M. Herrick

BETA PHIClaire M. PeaveyConner J. KneipDylan J. SteffenJacob S. Queen

Jaron R. Boerner-Mercier

Jesse J. HinricherDillan L.Wessels

Matthew A. HuberSeth S. Petra

Thomas W. McDonoughThomas R.Waddell

Tyler J. RytherVicki L. Prautzsch

Zachery D. CrandallCatherine P Oborski

GAMMA PSIMiriam M. Basiouny

Allison VeideAlexandra D. Nichols

GAMMA ZETAMichael Viera

Kevin AhnSarah G. Bolton

Joseph M. BrezinaJessica L. JohnsonMichaela R. Pfau

Alexandra R. StevensonBryn E.Thompson

Jacob M. MaresRebecca N. Re

Jonathon E. BabilaChristian B. Ulrichsen

Erika P HarveyErica D. Barnhart

Jessie M. HinojosaDan Le

Eric MartinEvan T. Scherzinger

Yashas RaoNicolas A. PiperShiblee R. Barua

GAMMA XIBrittany]. CrouseRachel A. Baucom

Holly S. StarenchakOlivia K. Burns

Robert J.WilsonZachary Q.UflandNicholas A. HahnHasan A. Shaikh

Charles K. HarrisNicholas R. Fulton

Will C. HoffertCatherine J. Sweeney

GAMMAOMICRON

Ravi A. KurtzYara Hanna

Wael M. Haidar

DELTA BETANanette P. BoydHali N. Peterson

Bobbie A. Williams

U OF NEWORLEANSCOLONY

Elliot C.AlexanderAmina J. BatisteKelle M. Landix

Shrederick C. KingThao T. Nguyen

Nichole Pianovich

UC-IRVINECOLONYKary W. Quan

Savannah L.ToddKaylene A. Chiang

Jensen AcostaFacheng GuoYiteng ZhangJiahong Xu

MyAnh K. DaoElliot C.Alexander

Amina J. BatisteKelle M. Landix

Shrederick C. KingThao T. Nguyen

Nichole Pianovich

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On the CoverThis model of the famous 20 mule team stands outside the Rio Tinto Borax Museum in Boron, California.The mule teams, which were operational1883-1888, were created to carry borax out of Death Valley-"through 165 miles of desolate mountains and blistering deserts"-to the railroad junction

at Mojave.The trip took 20 days to deliver 20 tons of borax. Only a portion of the 20 mules could be included in this photograph; the team stretches along distance to the right, out of view. Photo by Jenny Marshall. ABOVE:The whole mule team.

SUMMER 2015/THE HEXAGON

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