Elton Cairns on life before, during, and after COVID-19

To round out our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, we checked in with Past ECS President Elton J. Cairns, who has been a member of the Society since 1961. Over his 60+ years with ECS, he was active in the Niagara-Mohawk Section; served on many Society and division committees; was Battery division editor; held all the offices of the Physical Electrochemistry division (Chairman, 1981-1983); organized Society meeting symposia; and was elected Vice-President (1986) and President (1989-1990). Dr. Cairns received the Turner Book Prize in 1963 and was elected Fellow of The Electrochemical Society in 1991. All of this on top of teaching, mentoring, and making important contributions to science! He is Professor of the Graduate School, Berkeley College of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.

Life outside the lab

“We have been in shut-down for over a year without access to the lab—even though now I am vaccinated. I have been active working with some grads and postgrads through Zoom. Mostly I help them with articles they seek to publish. As for my own work, I filled the year with activities related to publishing—the nuts and bolts of the publishing process. I stay in contact with colleagues around the world through Zoom and Skype. (more…)

Alex Peroff, PhD, with (from left to right), Pine Research mascots the Post-Duck and Dr. Reducks.

Alex Peroff Looks on the Bright Side

Last spring, when the Society spoke with Alex Peroff, PhD, Electroanalytical Scientist at Pine Research, we were impressed by his positive attitude in the face of the challenges posed by the pandemic. We wondered if, after a year of living under COVID-19 restrictions, he was still as upbeat. The short answer: yes! The long answer follows.

Life not on the road

Before 2020, Peroff traveled extensively. Since spring 2020, he’s worked from home. “My only travel was to drive to Pine’s Pennsylvania facility last summer. There were a lot of social distancing protocols to make sure that everything was safe. Before, everyone worked together on a first shift. Now there are two shifts. I don’t think there’s going to be much safe travel until more people are vaccinated and the numbers of new cases significantly decrease. It’ll be a slow process.”

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Carolyn Graverson’s First Semester at Grad School

As part of our check-in with the COVID-19 series interviewees, we thought a student’s point of view would be interesting. When we spoke with Carolyn Graverson last spring, she was completing her senior year at Lewis University and preparing to pursue graduate studies in chemistry at Rice University. She was home from Rice when we spoke.

Still not your usual year

Carolyn’s first semester courses were “blended.” Two were fully online; others combined in-person and digital learning. As she worked in a lab and as a TA, Carolyn had high priority status to get weekly COVID-19 tests. These, plus mandatory indoor and outdoor mask-wearing, and students pledging to stay safe and isolate, made it comfortable for Carolyn to be on campus. She attended different groups’ virtual meetings and visited their labs in person to choose her research focus. As there were fewer in-person meetings, it wasn’t the same as pre-pandemic. Nonetheless, Carolyn is happy with her decision to join the Matthew R. Jones Lab, focusing on nanoparticle assembly and ligand design. (more…)

Mark Orazem reflects on now, as opposed to then

When we started on our COVID-19 interview series, no one knew how long the pandemic would last or the long-term impact it would have on our community. As we approach the end of a year of living in the shadow of COVID-19, we thought it useful to follow up with some of our interviewees. We learned that research, collaboration, teaching, and learning are continuing to evolve—along with the challenges of distance learning, meeting, and life.

When we spoke with Mark Orazem last spring about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was on a sabbatical that did not turn out as planned. Now he is back teaching at the University of Florida where he is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. (more…)

Greg Jackson on changing perceptions and new opportunities

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Greg Jackson reflects on changing perceptions of science and difficulties meeting goals in the shadow of COVID-19. Greg is professor of mechanical engineering at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). His research group focuses on solar energy storage in solid-oxide electrochemical systems. Greg received his PhD from Cornell University. After working at Precision Combustion, Inc., he spent 15 years in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland where he was Associate Director of the Energy Research Center. At ECS, Greg chaired the High-Temperature Energy, Materials & Processes Division, and served on the Board. He recently stepped back from administrative positions to teach more and spend time with his kids. (more…)

Alice Suroviec on juggling home, work—and a transformed tomorrow

For our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Alice Suroviec describes pandemic-related challenges—and benefits—of being a mother, professor, scientist, researcher, administrator, homeschooler, and crisis manager. Alice is Professor of Bioanalytical Chemistry and Dean of the College of Medical and Natural Sciences at Berry College, Georgia, U.S. Her research focuses on enzymatically modified electrodes for use as biosensors and the use of self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles. Alice is associate editor of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society and guest editor of Interface. Formerly chair of the Division of Physical and Analytical Electrochemistry, Alice now chairs the ECS Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusivity, and serves on the ECS Individual Membership Committee and the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Subcommittee. (more…)

Jeff Henderson describes coping today and fears for tomorrow

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Jeffrey “Jeff” Henderson opened up about what he and his colleagues are worrying about—and some tips to getting through this unprecedented period. Jeff is a PhD candidate in Physical/Analytical Chemistry under the supervision of Professors Jamie Noël and David Shoesmith at the University of Western Ontario (Western), Canada. His research focuses on the role of alloying elements on the corrosion behavior of Ni-based alloys. Jeff, who works from home with his pet rabbit for company, is very active with the ECS University of Western Ontario Student Chapter. (more…)

Yue Kuo shares words of comfort and encouragement

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Yue Kuo talks about the role of ECS members in solving humanity’s grand challenges, including the pandemic. Yue holds the Dow Professorship in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering with a joint appointment in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU). After receiving his BS from National Taiwan University in 1974, Yue earned his PhD at Columbia University, U.S., in 1979. For the next two decades, he worked at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center at Yorktown Heights and Data General Semiconductor Division in Silicon Valley. Throughout his career, Yue has tirelessly donated extraordinary service in many different Society volunteer roles.

Yue Kuo co-chairs two PRiME 2020 session: H03 – TFT Applications in Displays, ICs, and Beyond on Wednesday, October 7, from 1400 – 1810h; and H03 – TFT Device Characteristics and Reliability 1 on Monday, October 5, from 800-1150h. (more…)

Janine Mauzeroll on balancing life under COVID-19

In our series, The ECS Community Adapts and Advances, Janine Mauzeroll reflects on balancing professorship and motherhood while home schooling and dealing with loss. Janine is Associate Professor of Chemistry at McGill University, Canada. She received her PhD at the University of Texas at Austin, US, and did her postdoc at the Université de Paris, France. Her research group studies electron transfer reactions using electrochemical and biochemical methods and scanning electrochemical microscopy to study transport events in and out of human cancer cells. Janine serves as technical editor for the organic and bioelectrochemistry (OBE) technical interest area of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society. (more…)

Chris Beasley and Gamry step up to today’s challenges

Chris Beasley is upbeat about the future while recognizing the challenges of the present. He is Marketing Manager in Electrochemistry at Gamry Instruments where he has worked for 10 years. Gamry Instruments designs and builds precision electrochemical instrumentation and accessories. Chris received his BS magna cum laude in Chemistry from Kutztown University in 2000 and completed his PhD in Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2010. 

Gamry is an ECS Institutional Member at the Benefactor Level. Chris serves on the ECS Sponsorship Committee. (more…)