February 24, 2026

Rex Gall, Senior Chemist at Nestlé Quality Assurance Center

How do we know our juice, honey, or maple syrup is authentic? 

Bio: Rex
Gall is a Senior Chemist at Nestle Quality Assurance Center in Dublin, Ohio, where he helps to lead the Authenticity department in acquiring
accurate data to understand the composition of foods.  While Nestle owned the Juicy Juice brand which promised “100% Juice for 100% Kids” to the consumer, he was an integral part of the Juice Authenticity program which he would eventually lead for many years.  He has over 25 years of experience in analytical methodology at NQAC Dublin where he has validated numerous analytical methods covering multiple approaches (wet chem, HPLC, UPLC, DIONEX, and GCMSMS).  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the South and in his free time he enjoys learning about recent advances in nutrition.

 Abstract:  Do you ever wonder, “How do I know this Juice I purchased is authentic?” or “Is my maple syrup real?” 

We live in a world of consumer demand, competing businesses, and limited resources.  When these interests collide, unscrupulous individuals have been known to falsify their products in order to make greater profit.

Thankfully with analytical testing we can ensure that the products we purchase and consume are exactly what we believe them to be. 

 

November 20, 2025

Dr. Joan Esson

Unveiling the Palette: Multi-Analytical Insights into Colorants of Modern Chinese Paintings

Bio: Dr. Joan Esson is a Professor of Chemistry at Otterbein University and Councilor for the Columbus Local Section of the American Chemical Society. She teaches general and analytical chemistry as well as courses exploring the intersection of chemistry and art. Joan has been recognized for her excellence in teaching, receiving Otterbein’s Teacher of the Year award in 2024 and the Ohio Project Kaleidoscope STEM Educator of the Year award in 2023. She serves on the ACS Committee for Chemists with Disabilities and the Design Team for the SCIENCE Collaborative, a consortium of 14 institutions dedicated to institutional transformation through evidence-based practices that promote student success. Her recent sabbaticals as a Project MUSE Fellow in the conservation science laboratory at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields focused on applying complementary analytical methods to characterize the materials used in cultural heritage objects, bridging the disciplines of chemistry, art, and conservation science.

Abstract: Traditional Chinese paintings reveal their history not only through brushwork and style but also through their chemistry. This presentation demonstrates how a suite of complementary analytical methods was applied to identify colorants in modern Chinese paintings held by regional museums, including the Frank Museum of Art at Otterbein University, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. More than one hundred paintings by the Chinese American artist C. Y. Woo, his mentors, and contemporaries were examined using an integrated analytical approach that enabled the identification of both pigments and dyes. The results reveal shifts in colorant use, showing how materials evolved from traditional Chinese mineral and botanical sources to modern synthetic pigments – reflecting broader technological, cultural, and trade developments. This information has been used to establish timelines for undated works and to support authentication efforts, including the identification of several likely forgeries.

October 23, 2025:

ACS President-Elect, Dr. Rigoberto Hernandez

Chemistry is Everywhere

Bio: Dr. Rigoberto Hernandez is the Gompf Family Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University since 2016, and the Director of the Open Chemistry Collaborative in Diversity Equity (OXIDE). He is also a Professor in the Departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He was born in Havana, Cuba and is a U.S. citizen by birthright. He holds a B.S.E. in chemical engineering and mathematics from Princeton University (1989), and a
Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley (1993). He has published over 190 articles in theoretical and computational chemistry and discipline-based diversity research in chemistry. He has been a member of the American Chemical Society since 1992.

October 22, 2025:

Dr. Kaarina Lokko

The Hidden Life of Spices

 

September 30, 2025:

Dr. Rafael Jimenez-Flores (Ohio State University, FAES)

A New Frontier in Milk Research: Brain and Gut Health

 Bio: Rafael Jiménez-Flores is originally from Mexico City. He received his undergraduate education at La Salle University in Mexico City with a major in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Food Science, followed by a M.S. degree from Cornell University and Ph.D. degree from U.C. Davis in Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry. Among his projects, he was among the first scientists that cloned milk proteins for their structure-function studies. Further work involved the cloning, engineering and mammary gland directed expression in transgenic animals. He continued his work on dairy technology by focusing on milk fat, the milk fat globule membrane, and a process to remove cholesterol from butter oil.

His first academic position was as Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, where he led the dairy chemistry and technology program. After 5 years at the University of Illinois, he moved to the California Polytechnic State University and was part of the Dairy Products Technology Center. His areas of research focused on novel methods for dairy processing, characterization of the milk fat globule membrane, surface interactions of milk components and lactic acid bacteria, spore incidence in dairy processing plants, and biological activity of milk components. He later became the Director of the Cal Poly Center for Applications in Biotechnology. After 21 years at Cal Poly, he joined Ohio State’s Department of Food Science and Technology in 2016 as the JT ‘Stubby’ Parker Endowed Chair in Dairy Foods. Dr. Jimenez-Flores has 6 patents, numerous book chapters and over 150 peer reviewed articles covering several aspects of dairy science and technology.

 

June 24, 2025:

Local Section Social and Cookout at Homestead Metropark

 

April 22 2025:

Dr. John Herbert (Ohio State University) – Student Awards

The Way (Chemical) Things Work: A Quantum Chemist’s Perspective

 Bio: John Herbert received a B.S. degree (chemistry and mathematics) from Kansas State University and a Ph.D. (chemistry) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he was a National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellow.  He has been a faculty member at The Ohio State University since 2006, holding the rank of Professor since 2014, where his group works on theoretical methods development in electronic structure theory or “quantum chemistry”.  He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2009), the ACS COMP Division Outstanding Junior Faculty Award (2010), the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2011), the ACS Journal of Physical Chemistry A Lectureship Award (2013), and the Edward W. Morley Medal from the Cleveland ACS Section (2020).  He has held fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Alexander Humboldt Foundation.  He is a major contributor to the Q-Chem electronic structure program.

February 27 2025:

Dinner Meeting at Crooked Can Brewery

Dinner and brewery tour.

 

 

 

 

 

November 17 2021:

Dr. Michael Wernke (S-E-A Limited) – Recognition of 50-, 60-, and 70-year ACS section members

Bio: Dr. Wernke is S-E-A’s Senior Toxicologist and Pharmacologist.  He has over thirty years of experience in the areas of human health toxicology and risk assessment, exposure assessment, risk communication, and strategic planning.  He is also a licensed (Ohio) pharmacist.  Throughout his career Dr. Wernke has thoroughly and critically evaluated the human health information, experimental data, mode of action, dose-response relationships, and pharmacokinetic/toxicokinetic data for a large number of environmental and occupational chemicals, radioactive materials, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food and feed additives and contaminants and consumer products for private and public sector clients.  In his role at SEA, Dr. Wernke is responsible for projects requiring the determination of the presence or absence of harmful or intoxicating chemicals, testing and analyzing data for harmful contaminates in consumer products or the environment, and evaluating contributing factors in the cause and manner of death or illness.  Dr. Wernke evaluates exposure to and human health effects of microbial organisms, ethanol, drugs, metals, chemicals, gases, and other occupational and environmental chemicals. He also evaluates drug related cases including, but not limited to, intoxication, drug-related problems, hazardous drug combination or overdoses, indications and contraindication, and drug labeling and warnings.  Dr. Wernke is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (Biology) degree from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy with Honors (Magna Cum Laude) from the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, and a Ph.D. in Toxicology and Pharmacology from the Division of Graduate Studies and Research.

October 20 2021:

ACS President-elect Prof. Angela K Wilson (Michigan State) – Recognition of 50-, 60-, and 70-year ACS section members

Pathways, Progress, and the Future of the Chemical Enterprise

Today is a day of celebration – the recognition of its long-time members by the Columbus ACS section.  To achieve these recognitions, there has been a pathway – sometimes short, sometimes long – but, nonetheless, a pathway that has been influenced by many others.  As we look ahead, it is the same type of influences that enable awards that will impact the future of the chemical sciences.  This future is built upon so many factors, from drawing more people into our field and inspiring innovation, to garnering greater investments in science.  ACS, nationally and locally, as well as all of us, as individuals, have the opportunity to make a difference.  Today, we have even more ways to impact and influence than ever.  I shall discuss some of these opportunities and the future of the chemical enterprise.

 

September 15 2021:

Careers in Chemistry Panel Discussion 

• Elizabeth Tinapple – SEA Ltd.
• Kevin McGarry – Andelyn Biosciences
• Rob Camm – Owens Corning
• Mary’beth Ramey  – DuPont
• Marciano Bagnoli – Georgia Pacific

July 21 2021:

Automation and Instrumentation in the Chemical Industry (Part 2) Presented by International Society of Automation (ISA) & ACS

 

June 16 2021:

Automation and Instrumentation in the Chemical Industry (Part 1) Presented by International Society of Automation (ISA) & ACS