One of the joys of Halloween is the freedom to dress up as anyone or anything you want for the entire day. Why not take the opportunity to dress up as someone you admire, like a scientist! So many who’ve made history are unconventional, quirky, and undeniably impressive; you’ll be sure to leave a lasting impression yourself! Here are our top 8 science-themed Halloween costume ideas for males, females, parents, and couples. Check it out:

Bill Nye the Science Guy

If you were around during the 90’s, you know Bill Nye made science fun, cool, and entertaining with his hit TV show, forever leaving a mark on pop culture history. Who wouldn’t want to be him?!
Image: Thrive (more…)

There are a number of ongoing projects at ECS that will help move the organization forward—specifically related to your experience as a member of our community.

Late last week, ECS imported records from ECSxPress (the journal manuscript submission and peer review system), and Confex (the meeting abstract submission system) into ECS’s main database management system to make it easier to communicate with you via email.

If you didn’t already have an account in our main database, you now have access to the ECS My Account features: email communication preferences, tracking event participation, connecting your social media, adding your interests, and more. (more…)

The Electrochemical Society and Materials Research Society are co-presenting a webinar on Frontiers in Solid State Batteries on Wednesday, October 24, 2018, from 1200-1330h ET.

ECS fellow, Shirley Meng, will be a presenter during the webinar. Jagjit Nanda of Oak Ridge National Laboratory will serve as the host for the webinar.

Webinar description

The advantages of solid state batteries were not fully recognized until the 1960s, with the discovery of beta-alumina, which led to the development of the commercially relevant high-temperature Na-S battery in the 1960s and the ZEBRA battery in the 1980s. The October issue of MRS Bulletin focuses on recent developments in solid ion-conductors and the various surface and interfacial challenges needed to be overcome for enabling solid-state batteries. (more…)

Twelve. That’s how many years scientists predict are left to further prevent the consequences of climate change, before each half degree leads to worsening conditions, including risks of drought, floods, and extreme heat, according to UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Devastating hurricanes in the U.S., record droughts in Cape Town, and forest fires in the Arctic are already revealing the current effects of global warming, the IPCC report says,  warning that every fraction of additional warming could worsen the impact.

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Photo Credit: Fossbytes

The newest Apple Watch has arrived. Updated, new, and shiny, the Series 4 watch offers a state-of-the-art heart monitor feature that can alert users of potential heart problems, according to IEEE Spectrum. The app, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, works like an electrocardiogram, allowing wearers to proactively manage their health. Electrodes on the back of the watch and on the watch band allow wearers to detect irregular heart rhythms that can warn consumers of any possible atrial fibrillation’s that could possibly lead to blood clots or strokes; heart disease being one of the top killers in the western world. The Series 4 Apple Watch is truly unique; the first certified ECG monitor to be sold over the counter, directly to consumers. (more…)

Wind turbines, the ideal alternative to burning fossil fuels: plentiful, renewable, clean energy. Or is it?

A recent study is forcing us to take a closer look at this green energy alternative, according to ScienceDaily. Extracting energy from large-scale wind farms has the potential to warm the Continental United States by 0.24 degrees Celsius, due to the wind turbine’s redistribution of heat in the atmosphere.

At the end of the day really, all large-scale energy systems have environmental impacts. But, the ability to compare the impacts of renewable energy sources is an important step in planning a future. Extracting energy from the wind causes climatic impacts that are small compared to current projections of 21st century warming, but large compared to the effect of reducing U.S. electricity emissions to zero with solar. (more…)

Photo Credit: Northwestern University

Researchers at Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine have developed the first example of a bioelectronic medicine, according to ScienceDaily. The biodegradable, implantable, wireless device was created with the goal to speed up nerve regeneration in nerve injury patients. It works by delivering pulses of electricity to damaged nerves, accelerating regrowth, and also enhancing the recovery of muscle strength and control.

Not only does the new technology improve healing time, there’s also no need to worry about undergoing a separate procedure for removal. The implant, about the size of a dime and the thickness of a sheet of paper, absorbs naturally into the body about a week or two after implantation, taking care of its own disposal. (more…)

…and the 2018 Corrosion Division Morris Cohen Graduate Student Award goes to Rebecca Schaller of, The University of British Columbia in Canada!

Each year, the ECS Corrosion Divisions offers the Morris Cohen Graduate Student Award to recognize academic achievements in corrosion science and/or engineering. The next nomination deadline is December 15, 2018. Apply today! (more…)

ECS teamed up with Amazon to bring ECS members Amazon Catalyst at ECS. ECS members were able to interact with one of the world’s largest companies and potentially be awarded a grant to tackle a number of different challenges.

Through the catalyst program, ECS and Amazon looked for solutions that make life easier, healthier, more sustainable, more enjoyable, or more satisfying. The Amazon Catalyst at ECS serves as a prime vehicle for change. Applicants did not need to be established in their field – they just needed a good solution and the passion to carry it out. Amazon Catalyst committed up to $100,000 to help fund the selected ideas.

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Did you know? ECS awarded 82 students with travel grants to attend the latest ECS meeting, AiMES, last week in Cancun, Mexico. And, of all the presentations given at AiMES, 27% came from student oral presentations and student posters. We couldn’t have done it without your help and support! 

Your donations helped provide young researchers with the opportunity to learn and bring more value to their work, explore new opportunities and network at our international meetings. But don’t take our word for it. Take theirs:

Samuel Castro Pardo, a PhD student at Rice University in Texas, says because of his travel grant, he was able to attend AiMES last week and discover a solution he was looking for. “I’ve been struggling with a project for a few months, and a speaker mentioned something during a talk, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, I think I know why my experiment isn’t working.'” Pardo is already planning for future experiments with this newfound information.

 

Raisa Oliveira, a PhD student from the Instituto Superior Tecnico in Portugual, says she wouldn’t have been able to attend AiMES without her travel grant, as her supervisor doesn’t have the finances to support the trip. “It’s an amazing opportunity to be here,” said Oliveira. “I can be drinking coffee, look up, and say, ‘this is the person whose paper I read yesterday.’ I’m meeting my stars, my scientific stars.”

 

Matthias Künzel, a PhD student from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, says his travel grant allowed him to attend AiMES, which he finds particularly important due to its international reach. “I think people learn different in different countries,” says Künzel. “In Germany, we follow rules strictly. Talking to other people who have different views pushes you to approach things differently.”

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