By Chanapa Tantibanchachai

The University of Utah’s American Chemical Society student chapter (ACS-SC) is a robust organization that prides itself in its mission to engage K-12 students in the sciences through hands-on science activities and demonstrations.

For example, ACS-SC hosts the U’s Chemistry Festival each year. The Chemistry Festival is one of ACS-SC’s largest events and gives members the opportunity to engage children and adults of all ages in hands-on activities and experiments such as CSI-style forensic investigations, DNA extractions and rocket building.

Michael Kiley, who has been an ACS-SC member for three years and currently serves as co-president, said leadership in ACS-SC has benefited him tremendously by improving his public speaking skills.

“Now I can jump in front of crowds of hundreds of kids and only have my heart beat increase ever so slightly. ACSSC has helped me connect with professors who seemed impossibly intimidating to approach but are now my mentors, and I speak with them as I would a friend,” said Kiley.

Currently, there are approximately 200 members and the chapter is always eager to welcome new members. If you’re interested in joining ACS-SC, simply sign up on OrgSync. You can keep updated of upcoming events via OrgSync, Canvas and the chapter’s Facebook page.