February Meeting
    We thank Dr. Valery Uhl for an extremely enjoyable talk on wine and its health benefits!
March Meeting

Dr. Joseph A. Castellano
    Joseph A. Castellano was born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn. He received his B.S. from the City College of New York (CCNY) and a Master of Science and Ph.D. from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn).
    Castellano began his professional career in 1959 with the Witco Chemical Company in Paterson, New Jersey developing analytical methods for industrial chemical manufacturing. In 1962, he joined Thiokol Chemical Company, Denville, New Jersey, where he performed classified rocket fuel research under contract to the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Castellano joined RCA Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey in 1965 and performed pioneering research in liquid crystal materials and electronic displays. He was a member of the team that developed the world’s first liquid crystal display (LCD). In 1976, he founded Stanford Resources in San Jose, California and as CEO helped grow the company into a world leader in market research and analysis of the electronic display industry.  He retired in 2003 following the merger of Stanford Resources with iSuppli Corporation.
    Castellano has authored or co-authored more than 60 scientific/technical papers and two books. and he is the holder of 12 U.S. patents. He continues to be active in several international scientific associations and helps teach eighth-grade physical science as a volunteer in the RESEED Silicon Valley program.

Energetic Molecules & Russian Spies

    This talk will discuss some of the government classified research on the synthesis and properties of nitrogen-fluorine compounds that was performed in the early 1960s at the Thiokol Chemical Company in Denville, New Jersey. Some of the reactions involving difluoramine (HNF2),  tetrafluorohydrazine (N2F4), and perfluoroguanidine (PFG) with various substances will be described. The objective of the research was to synthesize organic compounds with a large number of difluoramino (NF2) groups for use in rocket propellant formulations. The higher the number of these groups per molecule, the more “energetic” the material.
    Formulas and samples of some of these materials were given to a Soviet KGB agent by one of our coworkers, code named “Cook,” by the KGB. The story of this espionage activity and the ultimate fate of Cook as well as his KGB “handler” will also be related.
    Finally, some possible future uses for nitrogen-fluorine compounds will be proposed.
 
Where: 
 

 

 Biltmore Hotel and Suites (click here for a map of the Biltmore's location)
2151 Laurelwood Road
Santa Clara,  CA  95054

  When:      Thursday, March 18, 2010 (We're back to Thursday again.)
6:00 p.m.  Social hour
7:00 p.m.  Dinner
8:00 p.m.   Lecture

 Price:       27.00/person (cash or check only; we can't do credit cards), as it has been at the Biltmore for some time now.
 
Menu:

 Greek Chicken with olives and feta cheese                         
Vegetarian Crepes

 Reservations: Needed by Monday, March 15 if you will be there for dinner.  Reservations are not needed if you are coming only for the lecture.

Name:
Employer or School:
Phone number:
Address (Home or Work):

Dinner entree (select one):
Chicken 
Crepes

 If you are bringing guests, please indicate their names and affiliations (if any) below:
(You can also use this box to send in a cancellation or to ask for accommodation for special dietary needs.)


    Once you make a dinner reservation, we are committed to paying for your meal, whether or not you pay us. Please don't be a no-show! You may be invoiced for the meal if you make a reservation and then don't show up without canceling by Tuesday, March 16th!
    To cancel, just send in another reservation, and in the box labeled "If you are bringing guests...", write a brief note saying that you are canceling.

Future Meetings

     Please note that the further into the future we look, the more tentative the arrangements become.  But once we know, you'll see it here first!

    Our April meeting will feature Dr. Steven Boyer, who will talk about computers in chemistry. It will be on Thursday, April 15, at the Biltmore.
    In May, Dr. Laura Smoliar will be with us, with a talk on fiber lasers and their applications.
    There will be no meeting in June, but our wine tasting, picnic, and awards ceremony will probably take place on Saturday, July 10.

    Remember that certain dinner meetings are routinely pre-set: Mosher Award presentation and talk in January, Student Affiliates meeting in April or May, Awards Picnic in late June or early July, no meetings at all in August or December.

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