ACS in New Orleans and Katrina

I recently went to New Orleans to attend the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Convention. Traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana is like visiting a different country. I’m no stranger to Zydeco and I’ve seen and heard much about Mardi gra. I even spent some time in Georgia so this is not my first exposure to southern culture. Still I was not prepared for the disposition of New Orleans’ citizenry. At once charmed and perplexed, I was soon enamored by all that New Orleans has to offer. If you haven’t been, I recommend a visit. I was also dismayed by the devastation that still plagues this great city. Many of the buildings still have obvious signs of Katrina’s impact. Broken and boarded windows are everywhere. From some buildings you can smell mildew from out in the street. I saw camps of many homeless people living under overpasses. The flooding here in Washington this past winter, which affected my own family, does not compare to the devastation New Orleans has had to endure. Climate change is going to impact us all. A running topic at ACS events for some years now has been climate change and New Orleans is a good example of what can and will go horribly wrong due to global warming. Many of the talks I went to concerned science to combat climate change. Many talks were given relating to energy science including multi-junction solar panels, and advances hydrogen fuel cell technology. My personal research project looks to advance fuel cells in an effort to change the way we use energy and stop climate change. The consequences of inaction are not something I can personally live with and my visit to New Orleans reaffirmed my conviction.