Grad Info Session – University of Victoria

Dr. Irina Paci from the University of Victoria will be visiting UBC next week to talk about UVic’s graduate program in chemistry. This event is perfect for upper-year students who are thinking about pursuing graduate school. Please RSVP at ucs.chem.ubc.ca/gis if you intend on attending.

Hope to see you there!

2017 Winter Edition: Faculty Meet & Greet

Get to know your professors and instructors in a casual setting, ask them about their research interests, and meet some fellow chemists over light refreshments. Entry is free.

**Note: This is a 19+ event. Please bring 2 pieces of government issued photo ID.

Date: Thursday October 19th, 2017

Time: 6:00 – 9:00pm

Location: CHEM D211 (graduate lounge)

RSVP by Friday, October 13th, 2017: ucs.chem.ubc.ca/fmg

Professional Communications Workshop 2017

Are you interested in working in a research lab but don’t know how to find a position? Then come to our annual Professional Communications Workshop where you will receive some tips and tricks on how to approach professors about a laboratory position, find research opportunities, and write effective resumes and applications.

Guest speakers:

  • Allison Mander-Wionzek, UBC Career Services
  • Prof. Pierre Kennepohl, UBC Chemistry
  • Prof. Jennifer Love, UBC Chemistry

Date: Thursday October 26th, 2017

Time: 12:30 – 2:00pm

Location: CHEM D211 (graduate lounge)

RVSP by Sunday October 22nd, 2017: ucs.chem.ubc.ca/pcw

 

2-Bucks-a-Beaker: Back 2 School Edition

This is the FIRST 2-Bucks-a-Beaker of the semester! Come and kick off the school year with cheap alcohol and fun times with the Undergraduate Chemistry Society. Bring your friends!!

Date: Friday, September 15
Time: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Location: Abdul Ladha Science Student Centre
Free to enter. $2 drink tickets. $5 beaker + drink ticket.
Free chips, soda, water, juice and pizza provided.

Note: This is a 19+ event, so please bring 2 pieces of ID (including 1 government-issued photo ID).

We hope to see you there!

Exam Packages for CHEM 123, CHEM 213 and CHEM 218

Worried about your upcoming finals? Looking for some extra practice questions to help you ace those finals? The Undergraduate Chemistry Society (UCS) is here to help is selling final exam packages for CHEM 123, CHEM 213 and CHEM 218!

Date: March 27 – April 4
Time: 10:00 – 4:00 pm every day
Location: Outside of B250
Payment type: Cash only

Prices:

  • CHEM 123 → $10 each ($8 for UCS members) SOLD OUT.
  • CHEM 213 → $10 each ($8 for UCS members)
  • CHEM 218 → $8 each ($6 for UCS members)

The packages are not necessarily questions from past exams but rather, extra practice questions relevant to the curriculum. Also, the packages were reviewed by professors and grad students with extensive knowledge in the course topics.

Note: Each exam package has an answer key at the back.

We will not be selling exam packages during final exams.

UCS Elections 2017

It’s time for us to assemble the 2017/18 UCS Executive team!

The UCS executive team is a group of undergraduate chemistry students that host various academic and social events throughout the year including Faculty Meet and Greet2-Bucks-a-Beaker, Chemistry Lab Tours, and much more! Being an executive member is a great way to learn the “behind-the-scenes” of each event, know more about what goes on in the Department of Chemistry, and make new friends with fellow chemists!

If you would like to see the positions we have available for the 2017/18 year, please see the following document: ucs.chem.ubc.ca/join.

If you are interested in being involved with the UCS next year, please fill out the following form by Friday, March 24th at 11:59 pmhttps://goo.gl/forms/CcNIwZOfDKaEM9UE3

Please note that only chemistry students (including combined majors/honours) or students planning on majoring in chemistry are eligible to apply/run for a position. 2017/18 executives will not officially take on their new roles until late April/early May.


The annual UCS Elections will take place on Wednesday, March 29th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in CHEM D215.

Only 2016/2017 UCS executive members will be eligible to VOTE because current team members have the best understanding of the required time commitment/responsibilities for each position.

If you have any questions about elections, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our president at ucspresident@gmail.com.

Chemistry Lab Tours 2017: Round 2!

Have you ever wondered what a real research laboratory looks like? Thinking about summer research opportunities? Participate in the Undergraduate Chemistry Society’s (UCS) lab tours to find out!

The UCS is hosting two days of lab tours at different UBC Chemistry research labs. Students will learn more about each professor’s research over a catered lunch followed by a guided lab visit.

Day 1 – Tuesday, February 28 @12:30 – 2:00 pm in CHEM D213

  • Dr. Algar
    • Research Interests: Bioanalytical, physical, and materials chemistry; development of luminescent materials such as quantum dots, polymer dots, and lanthanide complexes for bioanalysis.
  • Dr. Perrin
    • Research Interests: Synthetic chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry to create new biologic probes, imaging agents, and catalytic drugs

If you are interested in attending this set of lab tours, please RSVP here.


Day 2 – Thursday, March 2 @ 12:30 – 2:00 pm in CHEM D213

  • Dr. Berlinguette
    • Research Interests: Solar energy conversion, which includes the design of novel nanoscale materials for advanced solar cells and developing economically viable ways of storing solar electricity as high density fuels. (From his research group website)
  • Dr. Sammis
    • Research Interests: Development of new methods for the syntheses of architecturally complex natural products, natural product synthesis, organic free radicals, radical fluorination.

If you are interested in attending this set of lab tours, please RSVP here.

2-Bucks-a-Beaker: March 2017

This is the LAST 2-Bucks-a-Beaker of the semester! Come celebrate the end of the semester with your Undergraduate Chemistry Society!

Date: Friday, March 24
Time: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Location: Abdul Ladha Science Student Centre
Free to enter. $2 drink tickets. $5 beaker + drink ticket.
Free chips, soda, water, juice and pizza provided.

The UBC EDM Club will be providing music for the night!

Note: This is a 19+ event, so please bring 2 pieces of ID (including 1 government-issued photo ID).

We hope to see you there!

Chemistry Undergraduate Research Conference 2017

Interested in research in the field of chemistry? Curious about the type of projects undergraduate chemistry students can be involved in for CHEM 445 RLE and CHEM 449? Come to this year’s Chemistry Undergraduate Research Conference (CURC) to find out!

CURC features presentations from undergraduate chemistry students conducting research on a variety of topics including asymmetric dearomatization, exploring a tunable sulfur bridge for solar cell applications, synthesizing oligonucleotide aptamers for targeted cancer therapy, using nitrobenzylpyridine as a real-time assessment of workplace contamination levels, and more!

Research projects from the following groups will be featured: Algar, Berlinguette, Chen, Ciufolini, Fryzuk, Hudson, Love, and Perrin.

Date: Thursday, March 23
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM**
Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Center – Dodson Room
Entry: FREE and students from all years are welcome to attend!

Lunch and light refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here: ucs.chem.ubc.ca/curc. Space is limited!

** Although attendees are highly encouraged to stay for the entire event, we understand the conference may conflict with some classes. If you need to arrive late/leave early, we kindly ask that you wait until the end of a presentation before entering/leaving to avoid disrupting the guest speakers.

 

Interested in Joining the UCS?

Are you a chemistry student interested in joining the Undergraduate Chemistry Society as an executive member for the 2017/18 academic year?

The UCS executive team is a group of undergraduate chemistry students that hosts various academic and social events throughout the year including Faculty Meet and Greet2-Bucks-a-Beaker, Chemistry Lab Tours, and much more! Being an executive member is a great way to learn the “behind-the-scenes” of each event, know more about what goes on in the Department of Chemistry, and make new friends with fellow chemists!

If you would like to learn more about the available positions we have for the 2017/18 year, more of what the UCS does, and how to apply for a position, please come to our info session on Thursday, March 9!

Date: Thursday, March 9
Time: 12:30 – 1:00 PM
Location: CHEM D213

Please RSVP at the following link so we know that you are coming! We’ll also have some donuts!

RSVP here: https://goo.gl/forms/3aiAJ0WjMYJHgAUr2

Please note the following:

  • Only existing UCS executive members are eligible to run for the following positions: president, vice president and treasurer. All other positions do not require previous experience in the UCS.
  • Only chemistry students or students planning to major in chemistry are eligible to apply for a position.

 

Chemistry Forum 2017

Are you interested in learning about what you can do with your chemistry degree? The annual Chemistry Forum is happening on Tuesday, March 7! Chemistry Forum 2017 will feature guest speakers from various companies to illustrate the versatility of a chemistry degree. Students will get to learn about different career paths, ask questions, and socialize with the guest speakers over light refreshments and a catered lunch!

Date: Tuesday, March 7
Time: 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM***
Location: Abdul Ladha Science Student Centre
Entry: FREE but please RSVP @ ucs.chem.ubc.ca/forum
Dress Code: Semi-formal/business casual

Light refreshments and a catered lunch will be provided.

***Note: All 300- and 400-level chemistry courses that are regularly scheduled between 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM will be cancelled to allow senior chemistry students time to attend Chemistry Forum. Students of all year levels are encouraged to attend between classes.

Our guest speakers will include:

  • Jennifer Morse, CARO Analytical
  • JM Lauzon, SAP
  • Matt Roberts, SWITCH Materials
  • Natalie Campbell, SWITCH Materials
  • Hua Yang, TRIUMF
  • Paul Cyr, UBC UILO
  • Sherry Xie, Viva Pharmaceuticals

Meet Your Major 2017: Information Fair

At the Meet Your Major event, first year students will have the opportunity to chat with upper-level students and learn about different specializations in the Faculty of Science. Attendees can get students’ perspective on potential majors, asking questions about courses, career options, and other experiences. For more information, visit the Faculty of Science’s website: https://science.ubc.ca/students/events/meet-your-major.

The Department of Chemistry’s undergraduate advisor, Dr. Jackie Stewart, and two executive members of the Undergraduate Chemistry Society will be at the event. We hope you stop by our table to chat!

Date: Monday, March 6
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Location: Life Sciences Centre
Cost: Free to attend!

Chemiformal 2017


The Undergraduate Chemistry Society’s annual Chemiformal is back! Chemiformal 2017 is an end-of-year celebration happening on Friday, March 31st at the Point Grey Golf and Country Club. Grab your tickets early before we sell out!

Date: Friday, March 31
Time: 6:00 pm – 12:00 am
Location: Point Grey Golf and Country Club (3350 SW Marine Drive)

The venue is accessible by the 49 bus and free parking will be available

This year’s event will feature:

  • Full three course dinner buffet
  • Cash bar (one free drink ticket & glass of wine included)
  • Scenic venue with outdoor patio
  • Photobooth
  • Dance floor
  • Multiple DJ performances, courtesy of UBC EDM Club
  • Door prizes and Grand Prize raffle tickets

 Ticket Sales:

  • Starting Feb. 14 – graduating students
  • Starting Feb. 27 – senior (3rd and 4th year) non-graduating students
  • Starting Mar. 06 until Mar. 10– general 
Prices: Early bird – $30 (until March 3 only); Regular – $35
Dates & Times: MWF (11-1 pm) and TTH (12:30-2 pm) in CHEM D132

 

Graduating and senior non-graduating students may purchase a +1 ticket at the early bird price until March 3.

 

Since this is a 19+ event, please bring two pieces of ID (including 1 government-issued photo ID).

 

For more information, please contact us at ucs.chemiformal@gmail.com.

Chemistry Coop Info Session 2017

Are you a second or third year chemistry student interested in the Chemistry Co-op program? Come to the info session next week on Wednesday, February 15th! Be sure to RSVP so we know that you’re coming!

Milah Woo, a UBC co-op coordinator, will be giving a presentation on the opportunities for students that enroll in the program, and answering any questions you may have.

  • When: February 15th from 11:00 to 12:00 pm
  • Where: Chemistry D317 (to be confirmed)

Please click here to RSVP if you’re interested!

Valentine’s Day Beaker Candygrams 2017

We received amazing feedback about our mini-beaker Holiday Candygrams, so we are bringing the beaker candygrams back! This time around, we’re making Valentine’s Day beaker candygrams!

Each candygram comes with a 50 mL beaker stuffed with delicious Valentine’s Day-themed candies. Grab one for your friends and family! You can even grab one for yourself because you’re worth it (treat yourself!).

Be sure to take a careful look at our sale times down below. We’re selling at different times everyday in an attempt to accommodate your schedules!

Sale Dates: February 1-14, 2017
Cost: $4 for non-members and $2 for UCS members (cash only)
Location: in front of CHEM B250
Times: 

  • 11 -12 pm (Monday and Wednesday)
  • 12:30 – 1:30 pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
  • 2-3 pm (Friday)

Can’t make our sale times but want a candygram? Contact us and we’ll help you out!

 

Storm the Wall 2017

It’s that time of year again! Storm the Wall 2017 is coming up in March! The Undergraduate Chemistry Society always wants to help you have fun and make the best out of your undergraduate experience, so we are fully reimbursing chemistry teams and individuals! You worry about having fun and we’ll take care of the registration fee!

Are you interested in participating but do not have a team? Contact us at ucsathletics@gmail.com and we’ll try our best to group you with other interested individuals!

Registration is open until March 17! Visit www.stormthewall.ca to register and to find more information.

Visit our Sports Rebate page to learn more about reimbursement.

Note: In order to qualify for reimbursement as a chemistry team, at least 3 out of 5 members must be in chemistry.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us at ucsathletics@gmail.com.

 

Chem You Escape?

 

The Undergraduate Chemistry Society is excited to host a brand new event this year: Chem You Escape?

Do you like solving puzzles? Do you like spending some fun time with a group of friends on campus? If you answered yes to either question, this event is for you! Chem You Escape? is a FREE interactive escape room open to everyone! Prizes will be awarded to the team with the shortest escape time!

Dates: January 25-26
Times: 10:00 – 4:00 pm (pick a half hour time slot)
Location: CHEM D132 (UCS Lounge)
Cost: FREE!

All of the time slots are now FULL.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with us!

Faculty Meet & Greet is Back!

The Undergraduate Chemistry Society (UCS) is hosting another Faculty Meet & Greet event on Tuesday, January 24! Come mingle with your fellow chemists, professors and other faculty members in a casual setting over some light refreshments.

Date: Tuesday, January 24
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM (feel free to drop by any time!)
Location: CHEM D211
Free to enter but students must RSVP!

Please RSVP by Friday, January 20 at https://ucs.chem.ubc.ca/meetandgreet.

Our faculty guest list includes (but is not limited to):

  • Dr. Jackie Stewart
  • Dr. Jay Wickenden
  • Dr. Jennifer Love
  • Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Nunez
  • Dr. Laurel Schafer
  • Dr. Michael Wolf

Note: This is a 19+ event. Please be sure to sure to have 2 pieces of ID on you at all times (1 MUST be a government issued photo ID and UBC Cards are NOT valid forms of secondary ID).

First 2-Bucks-a-Beaker of 2017!

Happy 2017! Join the Undergraduate Chemistry Society (UCS) next Friday, January 13 at the first 2-Bucks-a-Beaker event of the new year!

Date: Friday, January 13
Time: 5:30 – 10:00 pm
Location: Abdul Ladha Science Student Centre
Free to enter. $2 drink tickets. $5 beaker + drink ticket.
Free chips, soda, water, and pizza provided.

This is a 19+ event, so please bring 2 pieces of ID (including 1 government-issued photo ID).

See you all there!