Laura Bush

Inspiring Science Students

At the ASMS 2011 conference, Jim Jorgenson of the University of North Carolina shared his thoughts on current and potential future developments in LC that will affect the practice of LC?MS. Here are his views on particle size, superficially porous particles, monoliths, open-tubular columns, and questions of pressure and temperature.

Now in its fourth year, the LCGC Awards have quickly grown into one of the premier honors for both emerging and veteran practitioners of chromatography.

There are many enjoyable aspects to my role here at LCGC. None rivals the pride, however, I feel in announcing the winners of the 2011 LCGC Lifetime Achievement and Emerging Leader in Chromatography Awards.

For most of us, change isn't easy. Anyone who has tried to kick an ingrained habit knows this. I've been saying for years that I should give up diet cola, but it hasn't happened yet. (Actually, it did happen once, and then I started up again. Sigh.)

When good things are given to us, or when we have never known life without them, we rarely appreciate them fully. This truth applies to many areas of life, but tends to be particularly evident with respect to modern conveniences and technological advances. Anyone with a teenager who thinks having a cell phone or an iPod is a requirement, not a luxury, knows this; pointing out that every generation until this one grew up without such devices rarely elicits more than eye rolling. Young people are not the only ones who take things for granted, however. When was the last time most of us truly felt grateful for our flush toilets or hot showers? Probably shortly after a camping trip or when the water heater broke.