Nobel Prize-winning chemist Roald Hoffmann will be the keynote speaker for the Department of Chemistry’s Fourth Biannual Chemical Sciences Symposium, Friday, Oct. 21, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in the Science Building.

The purpose of the symposium is to strengthen the relationship between chemistry professionals in academia, federal agencies and the private sector, and among high school science teachers and students. The morning will be devoted to Hoffmann and other invited speakers, and a poster session will be held in the afternoon.

“This year, 2011, is of great importance in science as UNESCO-IUPAC (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) recognizes and celebrates … the international year of chemistry,” said Margaret Kanipes, associate professor and interim chair of chemistry at A&T. “We are proud to be part of this celebration by convening this conference that we sincerely hope will attract and bring a great many of chemical professionals to our beautiful campus.”

Hoffmann received the 1981 prize in chemistry along with Kenichi Fukui for their independently developed theories on the course of chemical reactions. Hoffmann used quantum mechanics and the wave properties of matter to investigate and predict chemical reactivity.

Born to a Jewish family in Poland in 1937, Hoffmann and his parents were later imprisoned in a Nazi labor camp. He and his mother were smuggled out in 1943 and were sheltered by a Ukrainian family until being liberated by the Red Army in 1944. His father stayed behind and was killed by the Nazis after he organized an unsuccessful breakout attempt. After four years in post-war refugee camps, Hoffmann came to the United States at age 12.

Although he had not been able to attend school until he was seven, at age 18 he enrolled at Columbia, where he received his undergraduate degree. He received his doctorate from Harvard.

Since 1965, Hoffmann has taught at Cornell University, where he is now the Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor of Humane Letters Emeritus. He is widely recognized for his contributions on molecular bonding and chemical structure. He is also a poet and playwright and has written extensively on philosophy and science.

There is no registration fee for the symposium. For more on the event, visit the symposium website.

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s annual Fall Convocation will be held Thursday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m. in Harrison Auditorium.

The keynote speaker is Brig. Gen. Jimmy E. McMillian, director of security forces, deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C.

McMillian is the focal point for ensuring the physical security of nuclear assets within the Air Force and planning and programming for more than 30,000 active duty and reserve components’ security forces at locations worldwide. He provides policy and oversight for protecting Air Force resources from terrorism, criminal acts, sabotage and acts of war, and he ensures security forces are trained, equipped and ready to support contingency and exercise plans.

McMillian earned his commission after graduating from the ROTC program at N.C. A&T in 1981. During his career, he has served in a variety of security forces operations and instructor assignments in Montana, Texas, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota Turkey and Washington, D.C. He also has served in major command headquarters positions at Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Space Command. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels.

In addition to a bachelor’s degree in business administration from A&T, McMillian has a master’s degree in public administration from Central Michigan University. He also has completed numerous military, leadership development, and executive management programs.

Classes will be suspended between 10 a.m. and noon, to allow students, faculty and staff to attend the program.

The University Farm at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has scheduled three workshops for small-scale growers. All workshops will be held 8:30–11:30 a.m. at the University Farm, 3136 McConnell Road, Greensboro.

Free and open to the public, the workshops are designed especially for small-scale vegetable or livestock enterprises that are just getting started, community gardeners, or home vegetable gardeners who want to improve production.

“A&T’s School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences is seeing a revival of interest from very diverse segments of the community in local foods, home gardening, community gardening and growing for profit through farmers markets or roadside stands. This workshop series at the University Farm has been designed to respond to their needs,” said William Randle, dean of the school.

Workshops in the series include the following.

• Record Keeping for Small Growers, Thursday, Oct. 20. Attendees will learn how to set up a bookkeeping system that works for each enterprise. Registration is requested by Monday, Oct. 17, by contacting Sandra Simmons at (336) 285-4721, or srsimmon@ncat.edu

• Tools of the Trade, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, will introduce the use and maintenance of fencing and other equipment that is needed to start a small livestock or vegetable growing business. Registration is requested by Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2012, by contacting Jean Reese at (336) 334-7548 or lgreese@ncat.edu

• Improve Your Soil With Cover Crops, Thursday, May 17, 2012. Attendees will learn what cover crops are appropriate for North Carolina, and how they can reduce weeds and labor while improving soil. Registration is requested by Monday, May 14, 2012, by contacting Charles Raczkowski at (336) 334-7779 or raczkowc@ncat.edu