Moderator's Corner

Last school year, the Ateneo Chemical Society (ACheS) had a series of successful activities that resulted in ACheS’ bagging of the Most Improved Organization in the Council of Organizations (COA) of the Ateneo.

This new school year has started and ACheS is now on its way to scaling greater heights.  There are more activities this year which includes the regular activities: Chem Connections, Corporate Tours, tutorials, etc. but aside from these, there is also the Ateneo Chemistry Alumni Homecoming entitled Ateneo Chemistry at 40: Building on Schmitt’s Legacy. 

The homecoming will be a gathering of all Chemistry students from undergraduates to PhD alumni.  Also included are present and former faculty and staff of the Department.  This will be on the 17^th of December from 3-11 PM. This will give the undergraduates a chance to interact with alumni and hopefully get inspired by them.

This is a very big undertaking in as much as the homecoming will also give a chance for all of us to build on Fr. Schmitt’s legacy: that of chemistry being an essential part of nation building.  And to concretize this, we are re-launching the W.J. Schmitt Foundation and the Prof. Amando F. Kapauan Chair.  These two are funds which we hope to fill with P2 million each, the interest of which can be used for scholarships, faculty development and instrument and facilities maintenance.

This project is a joint undertaking of the Department of Chemistry and the Ateneo Chemical Society.  Each of you us contribute by being a part of the various committees: Program, Finance, Secretariat, etc or by helping in filling-up the fund. 

All these must be done keeping in mind our academic requirements.  Academic standards must be maintained.  The ideal is to excel both in academics and extra-curricular activities as well as in our personal lives.

These are very challenging endeavors for all of us.  But we are not chemistry majors or graduates for nothing.