Meeting Logistics
Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024
Time: 6:00 p.m. Check-in/Social Hour
6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:00 p.m. Speaker Presentation
Location: ACS Headquarters – Marvel Hall / Othmer Hall
1155 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC
Menu: Meal will be catered by W. Millar & Co. and will feature Peruvian Mixed Grill, Southwest Caesar Salad, Bread Board, and assorted Bar Desserts.
Vegetarian Option: Thai Veggie Skewers (GF)(v).
Beverages will be provided.
Cost: $24 per person (half price for students)
An RSVP is required for dinner so we can plan appropriate seating and meals.
Participation available via Zoom – register for the virtual Zoom option
RSVP by noon (ET) Tuesday, May 21, to [email protected]. Please provide the names in your party as well as your contact information when you RSVP. The public is invited to attend. You may attend the talk only at no charge, but reservations are appreciated. If you need any further information or would like to make a reservation, please contact the CSW office by email at [email protected]
Parking: Parking is available in nearby commercial parking garages. Please be aware that garage closing times vary. Parking is also available on the street after 6:30 pm, but be aware that most parking meters are in effect until 10:00 pm and may be limited to 2 hours. You should check the individual meters for details and payment methods as some are no longer coin-operated.
Metro: Blue/Orange/Silver Line: McPherson Square or Farragut West.
Red Line: Farragut North
Bio
Dr. Olivia Wilkins, PhD, is an astrochemist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, where she conducts cosmic ice experiments. She earned a BS in Chemistry and Mathematics from Dickinson College in 2015, after which she spent a year in Germany as a Fulbright Research Fellow. Dr. Wilkins earned her PhD in Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), where she conducted observational astrochemistry research as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Dr. Wilkins was named a 2022 CAS Future Leader and is the Chair of the Maryland Younger Chemists Committee (MD-YCC) of the Maryland Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS), as well as an associate of the national Younger Chemists Committee (YCC). She is also passionate about science communication and using art to share science, something that culminated in her writing and illustrating Astrochemistry for the American Chemical Society’s ACS In Focus series. Dr. Wilkins enjoys traveling with her husband and son and spending time at coffee shops.
Abstract
Let’s take a tour of the molecular universe! We will travel through time and space beginning with the advent of matter about 13.8 billion years ago before traversing through the interstellar medium and the formation of stars and planets—and the chemistry that evolves alongside them. Along the way, you will learn about the field of astrochemistry and the different ways in which astrochemists study objects in space, including recent experiments in the SubLIME lab at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. You will also hear about exciting discoveries made thus far and some of the big questions that have yet to be answered.
