PolyImpact Northeast Ohio (PINO) 2007 aims to provide a platform for graduate students in polymer-related research fields to present and communicate their research to peers and experts as well as experience a unique exposure to future career paths and opportunities in the polymer industry. The broader aim of this symposium is to foster the inter-university, inter-departmental, and university-industry relationships among the polymer community of the Northeast Ohio region.

Towards these aims, PINO will organize selected talks and poster presentations from graduate researchers, expert talks from industry, and a panel discussion on career opportunities for graduate students. The symposium will conclude with a social event intended to provide an opportunity for graduate students to meet with their peers and experts from industries and academia participating in the conference.

This will be the first symposium of its kind organized in the northeast Ohio region that is centered towards the graduate students. This symposium aims to go beyond presenting posters and talks by giving participants the opportunity to get perspectives from various experts while exploring their career potential. The symposium is structured to include a diversity of research fields and backgrounds including, in particular, experts in the field.

Finally, the PINO committee is very active in seeking academic and industrial experts, panelists, and industrial support and attendance to achieve the goals of this event. PINO is currently an activity organized by the Macromolecular Student Organization (MSO) and first graduate student chapter of ACS-PMSE at Case Western Reserve University. The committee is very encouraged by the support from our department chair, Prof. Gary Wnek as well as the dean of the School of Engineering at Case, (Prof.) Dr. Robert Savinell, for this event.

The PINO committee invites participation and support from graduate students, experts in related areas, and industry to make this event a grand success and help it grow into an annual event that will continue to support the graduate students and polymer community in northeast Ohio.

We look forward to meeting you at Case on March 31st, 2007.If you have any questions concerning the event, do not hesitate to contact any of the committee members.

About MSO (More info on http://polymers.case.edu/mso)

The Macro Student Organization (MSO) was created in June 2005 and officially became recognized by the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) of Case Western Reserve University in September 2005. Formerly, the student organization offered only social events reserved for the members of the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering. With the inception of the new MSO, we continued to organize social events while adding diverse professional activities including professional seminars centered on the evolution of a career in academia (Fall 2005) and in the business world (Spring 2006).  Various departments including Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Students from Case were also invited to these seminars.

All Graduate Students of the Case School of Engineering were also invited to participate in two special seminars: “Preparing for Industrial and Government Related Employment Opportunities” presented by Dr. Woodrow Whitlow, Director of the NASA-Glenn Research Center and the One Day Career Development Workshop by Larry Friendman from Bayer Corporation. We also created a website, http://polymers.case.edu/mso/, in order to keep our members informed of our activities as well as information on the future of the MSO. The table below summaries the evolution of the activities organized by the MSO.