Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting 2025

BREAKING BONDS: CHEMISTRY IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT

The American Chemical Society Central New Mexico Local Section will host the 2025 Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting in Albuquerque, NM.  Join us for 3 days of science and networking.  We are planning for a diverse technical program with both oral and poster presentations, an exposition, and the presentation of several regional awards.

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Plenary Speakers

Martin Kirk

Our first confirmed Plenary Speaker is Martin Kirk! Stay tuned for more information on his talk and our other Plenary Speakers.

Technical Sessions

Symposium Title Organizer(s)
Sensor TechnologiesStephen Percival
Chemical SeparationsGabe Nagy
General Physical ChemistryMatthew Christian
Nuclear Fuel Technologies and Spent Nuclear Fuel ManagementDavid Andersson
Ramond Pulido
General Nuclear ChemistryDonivan Porterfield
Molten Salt ChemistryDylan Tharp Eralie
Matthew Christian
General Inorganic ChemistryDebbie Crans
Adam Miller
Advances in MicroscopyTerefe Habteyes
Jun-yong Choe
Advances in SpectroscopyJames Harper
General Analytical ChemistryEmily Heider
AI/ML Approaches to Chemistry and Materials ModelingDennis Robinson Brown
Sergei Tretiak
General Computational ChemistryYi He
General Organic ChemistryEric Eke
Drug DiscoveryAshley Peralta
Synthetic BiologyMark Walker
General Biological ChemistryAnisha Shakya
Coatings and Surface ChemistryDaniel Rodriguez
Functional Materials for Energy TransductionJean-Hubert Oliver
Jeff Rack
General Materials ChemistryScott Bobbitt
Gas Capture TechnologiesJessica Rimsza
Environmental and Green Chemistry to Sustain a Healthy SocietyAllyson McGaughey
Advances in Bioanalytical Chemistry for Emerging ContaminantsJim Feng
Steve Cabaniss
Energy and Solar TechnologiesBryan Wygant
Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and ConversionDongchang Chen
General Polymer ChemistryHannah Dedmon
Polymers and Composites for Defense ApplicationsAlex Edgar
Matt Houck
Medical Science ChemistryRobin Polt
Geochemical InterfacesJeff Greathouse
Cement, Clays, and General GeochemistryMelissa Mills
Chemical EducationJillian Stafford
Diana Habel-Rodriguez
Industry Technology ShowcaseMatthew Houck
QuimicaPatrick Burton

Venue – Hotel Albuquerque Old Town

The Venue for the 2025 RMRM is Hotel Albuquerque Old Town, booking information coming soon!

Take a Virtual Tour!
An image of the courtyard at the Hotel Albuquerque in the evening with a sunset sky and dim lighting. There are many black metal tables with umbrellas arranged into two rows. A line of bushes dominate the right side of the image. In the last row of tables are various people eating a meal. In the center is a man sitting at one of the tables in a red shirt looking up at a standing woman in a white top and red skirt. Both are smiling. There is food on the table that was just delivered by the woman.
The ballroom of the hotel Albuquerque. It is well lit and the ceiling has many Square features with a chandelier in the center of each one. The carpet of the room is a print reminiscent of New Mexico textiles. The room has multiple round tables that have ten chairs around each one.
An image of the outside of the Hotel Albuquerque Old Town. The sky is blue and cloudless. The image was taken around dusk. The hotel has a tower section that has the name of the hotel at the top and then slightly smaller is the rows of rooms attached to the tower section with lights on in most of the rooms. A spotlight shines up the tower lighting it from below. In the foreground is four green large trees and smaller buildings that are closer to the photographer. There is also a row of small potted shrubs lining one of the walls.

Attractions in Albuquerque Old Town

The Albuquerque Old Town area features a variety of attractions.  Below is some information on the area and specific area museums.

In a museum, a white car with blue hand painted decals is behind a barrier. Two wooden benches are in front of the car with a man and child sitting and looking at the car. To the right of the car two adult men are looking at and discussing the car and art.
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Photo Credit: VisitABQ.org
In a low building, backlit by a bright orange-red display are five people on a stage. Three people on the stage are Flamenco dancers. Two people are behind them in chairs, one playing guitar. In the foreground are two people sitting at a table watching the performance with their backs to the camera. Two glasses of wine are on a table between them.
Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque
Photo Credit: Campbell Bishop
In a museum, there is two skeletons of dinosaurs. One appears to be a brontosaurus and the other appears to be a Trex. The wall behind the skeletons is pained with a scene from the era these animals were alive with a sunset sky.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History
Photo Credit: Visit Albuquerque
Approximately 15 flamingos in their enclosure at the Albuquerque zoo. Three are wading into merky yellow-green water while the rest are on the banks nearby. Behind the flamingos are green reedy plants.
ABQ Biopark Zoo
Photo Credit: MarbleStreetStudio.com
Two women and three young girls playing with bubbles in a childrens museum. The girl of the farthest left is mostly offscreen with the back of her head in the image. Another girl around seven years old is smiling and holidng her hands up which are covered in soap suds. She is wearing a red and white striped tank top with a blue heart filled with stars reminiscent of the American flag. In the center is an adult woman holding a hoop with a long handle used to create bubbles. She is wearing a tan top and jeans. She has plant tattoos on her arms. TO her right is a younger woman also holding a hoop with a long handle. This woman is wearing a light blue top and dark pants. To the farthest right is a young girl around 4 years old that is very close to the camera making her slighting out of focus. She also has a hoop that she is placing in the soapy water.
Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum
Photo Credit: New Mexico Tourism Department
Two women are walking in a courtyard carrying shopping bags. The road is brick and the wall are traditional new mexico adobe. The courtyard is decorated with brightly colored paper flags. There is trees and greenery providing shade. there are numerous potted plants around as well as hangin baskets on a roof nearby. In the background a man dressed in black with a red backpack is looking at something on a table.
Explore Historic Old Town
Photo Credit: New Mexico Tourism Department
An image of a sign that says " The Heart of Old Town" in curvy letters. One text on a background lines with a yellow border. The sign in mounted on a balcony with pastel paper flaggs lining the railing in red, bnlue, green, and lilac. Under the balcony Ristras - New Mexican Red Chile bundles - are hung. Red paper flag are strung across the frame behind the central image. The central image is a fake skull on top a blue humanoid torso and arm. The torso is an hourglass shape with thin blue arms made from sticks. From the hips down the figure is covered in flowers, leaves and sticks.
Find What to do in ABQ Old Town
Photo Credit: VisitABQ.org
Carved from one piece of stone statue of a native woman close up. She is pictures from the waist up. He hair is tied back, lines are carved into the stone to show the sweeping hair. She looks to the left with a serene or stoic look on her face in profile. She is wearing a loose top and has a beaded necklace.
Visit the Albuquerque Museum
Photo Credit: Albuquerque Museum

2025 RMRM Planning Committee

If you have any questions about the upcoming 2025 RMRM please contact one of the following people:

RoleNameEmail
General Co-ChairsAlex Edgar
Matt Houck  		aedgar@lanl.gov
mhouck@lanl.gov  
Program Chair and Program CommitteeMatt Christian
Eric Eke
Lisa Whalen  		mschris@sandia.gov
eeke829@unm.edu
lwhalen@unm.edu  
TreasurerDaniel Rodriguez  djrod@lanl.gov
Publicity and Communications ChairDylan Tharp Eraliedylanmteralie@lanl.gov
Awards ChairDom Petersondominicp@lanl.gov
Exposition Chair Anne Rachupka arachupka@unm.edu
Fundraising ChairDonivan Porterfielddporterfield@lanl.gov
2025 Local Section ChairAshleigh Chovachov@lanl.gov
Senior Chemists Events ChairJames (Jim) Eddy jdeddy1957@gmail.com
Women Chemists Events Chair Dylan Tharp Eralie dylanmteralie@lanl.gov
Younger Chemists Events Chair Tyler Stevens testeve@sandia.gov
 Volunteer Chair Hannah Dedmon hcdedmo@sandia.gov
Rocky Mountain Region Board ChairDebbie Crans Debbie.Crans@colostate.edu
Rocky Mountain Region Board Local Section RepresentativePat Burtonpdburto@sandia.gov  
   
ACS Meeting Planning PartnerJustin BroussardJ_Broussard@acs.org
ACS Regional Meetings StaffSydney Vranna
Tristan Hicks		S_Vranna@acs.org
T_Hicks@acs.org