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.

Register Now!

Be an Exhibitor at RMRM 2025!

Would you like to renew contacts with existing customers and colleagues?  How about acquiring new customers?  Then you should seriously consider being an exhibitor at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting! , please contact Anne Rachupka ( arachupka@unm.edu), Exhibits Show Chair, RMRM 2025 for further details.

We are expecting 300-500 chemists, biochemists, and educators from the Rocky Mountain states to attend.  As an exhibitor you can expect to interact with a wide variety of professionals from the vast array of national labs, public schools, colleges, universities, companies, and clinical labs that populate the Rocky Mountain states.They will have interests in many different areas including the following:

Analytical instruments                Computer software                    Textbooks

Laboratory equipment                Chemicals                                 Scientific monographs

Laboratory supplies                   Biochemicals                             Educational supplies

Analytical services                     Database services                     Chromatography instruments

We have planned the Exhibition for RMRM 2025 to maximize your effectiveness in exposing your company or organization to engaging attendees at a reasonable cost. Here are some aspects of our plan that will assure the success of your exhibit: at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, the exhibit spaces are located at the center of the technical sessions meetings rooms where meeting participants and vendors will have easy access to each other.

  • A drawing for prizes is scheduled for 1:45-2:30 PM on Friday and each vendor is expected to contribute one item for this.
  • All spaces will consist of a table and drape, two chairs, a power drop and WIFI access.
  • Vendor spaces are priced at $750 each for Commercial exhibitors, $ 350 each for Academic/Non-profit exhibitors.

Optional Add-in Cost:

  • $1000 for a full-day symposium sponsorship.
  • $500 for a half-day symposium sponsorship.
  • $500 for a Refreshment sponsorship:  Coffee break on Thursday or Friday morning.
  • Meeting App banners and ads available

Venue – Hotel Albuquerque Old Town

The Venue for the 2025 RMRM is Hotel Albuquerque Old Town, you may book through the registration portal or through the booking link below. This is information on how to reserve rooms at the group rate.

Booking Link!


Alternatively, guests may contact our reservations team directly at (866) 505-7829and provide the following group code and name below:

Call In Code: 2025RMONR
Group Name: Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting 2025

Please note that the reservation cut-off date is on October 1st, 2025. 

Take a Virtual Tour!

Plenary Speaker

Martin Kirk

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

Other Special Session Speakers

WCC Luncheon Speaker

Jani C. Ingram, Ph.D.

How Motherhood Shaped My Professorship

Becoming a chemistry professor has been a great journey for me. I have enjoyed the freedom to pursue research that I find both interesting and beneficial to others as well as spending time with students who are passionate about their work. I have appreciated the opportunity to teach students concepts in analytical chemistry even though many do not want to become analytical chemists. The energy that students bring to the classroom is definitely a perk for the job. However, the most rewarding job I have had for the past 30 plus years has been being a mom to Jordan, Joshua, and Jalisa. Reflecting to graduate school, I thought that being both a professor and a mom was not possible. Clearly, I was incorrect in this thinking, which has been the case for a variety of opinions early in my life. However, I know that being a mom and a chemistry professor would not have been possible except that I was blessed with an amazing husband who is the best parenting partner a person could ask to have. Overall, I truly believe that being a mom has made me a better professor.

Advances in Spectroscopy

Wade Van Horn, Ph.D.

19F NMR difference spectra correlate TRPM8 receptor protein dynamics, bound ligand structure and cellular function

The transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) ion channel is the primary human cold sensor and is modulated by cooling agents like menthol. As a validated target for various pain conditions, TRPM8 has been the focus of significant drug discovery efforts. However, the clinical development of TRPM8-targeted therapies has been hampered by on-target side effects, such as alterations in thermosensing and thermoregulation. This study investigates the relationship between TRPM8 conformational dynamics, ligand chemical structure, and cellular function. We employed a multidisciplinary approach, combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, computational cheminformatics, and cellular electrophysiology to probe the interactions of a focused library of small molecules with the TRPM8 voltage-sensing like domain (VSLD), which contains the canonical menthol binding site. Our findings show that ligand binding conformationally selects for specific dynamic state ensembles. Difference NMR spectra, between bound and unbound states, that are subjected to unsupervised transforms into a latent mathematical space, quantitatively correlate with chemical ligand structure. These NMR-detected dynamic signatures, in turn, are predictive of ligand functional potency at the cellular level. This work demonstrates that protein dynamics serve as a quantifiable bridge between a chemical structure and its biological function and offer an alternate paradigm for structure-based drug design, where targeting and engineering for specific dynamic profiles may provide a path to developing novel and safer therapeutics for TRPM8 and other challenging drug targets.

Thank you to Our 2025 Donors!

ACS – Local Section Activities Committee through the Innovative Project Grant
ACS – Spring IPG Grant Applied for by Matthew Houck
ACS -Rocky Mountain Region Board and former ACS president Bonnie Charpentier
ACS -Nuclear Chemistry and Technology Division


ACS – Geochemistry Division
ACS – Polymer Division

ACS – Physical Chemistry Division
ACS – Colloid and Surface Chemistry Division

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

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