SUNY Potsdam Cooks Up a Candy-Themed Chemtoberfest for Sept. 26

College's Department of Chemistry Invites Campus and Community to Discover 'The Sweet Side of Chemistry'

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Janet Peachey ’13 in the fluorescence “rave cave” at a past Chemtoberfest at SUNY Potsdam.

POTSDAM, NY (09/19/2014)(readMedia)-- SUNY Potsdam's Department of Chemistry is perfecting a formula for fun, with the College's fourth annual Chemtoberfest, which will ring in Oktoberfest 2014 on Friday, Sept. 26. The free family festival also honors National Chemistry Week.

"We really took the National Chemistry Week theme to heart, as we planned this year's fun. The planning committee is teaming up with the SUNY Potsdam Culinary Club to make Chemtoberfest sweeter than ever. Using food science, we will demonstrate how to make popular confections in your very own home," said event chair John C. Proetta, an instructional support associate in the College's Department of Chemistry.

The scientific celebration will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26 in the Barrington Student Union Plaza. The rain location will be the Knowles Hall Multi-Purpose Room. Parking is available in Lots 31 or 20.

This free event is open to the campus community, as well as area families. Due to space constraints, Chemtoberfest is open to school groups by invitation only.

Part fall festival, part science fair, Chemtoberfest will offer a variety of activities to usher in autumn and spread a passion for chemistry to young and old. Chemtoberfest 2014 will once again feature science demonstrations, a chemistry magic show, interactive activities and snacks provided by Potsdam Auxiliary and College Educational Services.

Inspired by this year's National Chemistry Week theme, "The Sweet Side of Chemistry," the main attraction of SUNY Potsdam's Chemtoberfest will be a Chem Candyland. All are invited to wander this chemical "wonderland," and learn the food science behind some of the sweetest confectionary classics, like ice cream, candied apples, hand-pulled cotton candy, pop rocks, honeycomb and more.

Chemtoberfest will also feature a delectable science magic shows, at 12:15 p.m. The entertainment line-up will highlight campus a cappella groups, as follows:

  • 2:15 p.m.: Josie and the Never Ending Sadness
  • 3:30 p.m.: We Build Tomorrow
  • 4 p.m.: Stay Tuned
  • 4:15 p.m.: Potsdam Pitches
  • 4:30 p.m.: The A-Sharp Arrangement
  • 4:45 p.m.: The Potsdam Pointercounts

Other campus groups are also getting in on the act. The Culinary Club will team up with the Chemistry Club to make some of the treats for the day, under the direction of PACES Executive Chef Amy Conger. Student Health Services will offer free glucose tests, to take a look at sugar's impact on health. The Biology Club will also offer a petting zoo.

Funded in part by an Innovative Project Grant from the American Chemical Society, SUNY Potsdam's Chemtoberfest is sponsored by the Northern New York local section of the American Chemistry Society, the Department of Chemistry, CSTEP and CLEAR.

Chemtoberfest is also sponsored by PACES (including Dining Services, the Union Market and the College Store), the Student Government Association and the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program.

Chemtoberfest business partners include Canton Apples, the Potsdam Food Co-op and the Carriage House Bakery, The Hop and Great Northern Printing,

Campus sponsors include the departments of chemistry, biology, geology, physics and environmental science, as well as Student Health Services, Campus Life, Campus Rescue Squad, Potsdam Rescue and the Office of Career Planning.

Student group sponsors include: Student Entertainment Services, WAIH, Biology Club, Chemistry Club, Geology Club, the Beta Beta Beta biology honor society, the Gamma Sigma Epsilon chemistry honor society and the Phi Eta Sigma first-year honor society, as well as Delta Kappa Theta fraternity and Phi Kappa Pi sorority.

For more information about Chemtoberfest 2014, contact Proetta at proettjc@potsdam.edu or call the Department of Chemistry at (315) 267-2275.

SUNY Potsdam's Department of Chemistry offers a rigorous and well-balanced curriculum that provides a solid foundation for successful graduate study or a career in chemistry or a chemistry-related field. The department is known for its strong and diverse undergraduate research programs, its $1.3 million in grants to support teaching and research, and the success of its students' acceptance to competitive graduate and professional schools. To find out more, visit www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Chem.

Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community recently launched Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which aims to raise $27 million by the College's bicentennial in 2016.

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