Dear Local Section Leader,
I would like to share with you some new and existing events that will be available to you at the ACS 2023 Spring Meeting in Indianapolis.
The ACS Local Section Showcase will make its debut at Sci-Mix on Monday, March 27 from 8:00-10:00pm. For this inaugural event, we invited District II local sections to participate and showcase their unique programming. This event will provide an opportunity to highlight local section events and activities and connect the value of being engaged with ACS through local sections.
The Committee on Community Activities (CCA) and the Committee on Local Section Activities (LSAC) will hold a joint open meeting at the JW Marriott, Grand Ballroom 7, and via Zoom on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm ET. I highly encourage you to either attend in person or through zoom by registering here. Following this program, come and network with your peers at a reception specifically planned for you.
I hope you take the opportunity to attend these events. I am excited to see all of you in Indy!
Beth Lorsbach,
Chair, Local Section Activities Committee
LSAC is proud to present the ACS Speaker Directory – a resource for local section leaders to access a wide range of speakers for their in-person, virtual, hybrid, and asynchronous events. The ACS Speaker Directory is designed to be an easy way to access diverse speakers. This new resource provides access to hundreds of speakers available to present technical science talks, lead career development & professional advancement presentations, explore general interest, popular science topics, and more. If you are interested in signing up to be a speaker, Register today!
Kick off ACS Spring 2023 with the Plenary session “Chemistry at the Crossroads: The Development of Asymmetric Organocatalysis and Metallaphotoredox” by Professor Dave MacMillan, Princeton, Nobel Prize in chemistry (2021). For the Kavli Foundation Lecture Series, Professor Lydia Kisley, Case Western Reserve University will give The Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture featuring “Seeing the Molecular World of Materials: Single-Molecule Microscopy at the Crossroads of Chemistry”, and Professor Paula T. Hammond, Massachusetts Institute of Technology will give The Kavli Innovations in Chemistry Lecture discussing “Sticky Particles for Health and Healing.” Register and join ACS Spring 2023, March 26 – 29!
ACS Presidential Events & Symposia
JOIN IN the networking, skill building, scientific sharing, and just plain FUN at the American Chemical Society Spring Meeting - Crossroads of Chemistry! Indianapolis, IN March 26-30, 2023. Check out the Presidential and Presidential recommended events and symposia and the entire Spring 2023 agenda today!
A Vote and a Voice for International Members, the Petition to Add International Representation to the Board of Directors: ACS Board Working Group on Structure and Representation
In December, Paul Jagodzinski, Chair of the Board of Directors shared the Board’s motivation to respect the voices of all members and demonstrate equity for our members with respect to voting in Society elections, and the progress towards adding international representation to the Board of Directors.
Updates:
- Kathy Lee, Director, District I and working group member wrote a C&EN Comment, “Bringing international representation to the ACS Board of Directors.” It provided facts, considerations, and next steps.
- On February 15, the petition was published in the ACS Council Agenda Book.
What’s Next?
- The petition to amend the Constitution will be up for consideration at the Spring Council Meeting and for action at the Fall Council Meeting.
- Members of the working group will be make presentations to Councilor Caucuses and Committees during the ACS Spring 2023 meeting.
How Can I Get Involved?
- Read the petition available in the March Council Agenda to learn more.
- Read Kathy’s C&EN Comment for details and background on how it was created.
Share your thoughts, feedback, and interest to be more involved with the working group by contacting: secretary@acs.org.
Recognize an ACS Member’s outstanding contributions to science and the profession, as well as their exemplary service to ACS, by nominating them to be an ACS Fellow! The ACS Fellows Program recognizes members of the ACS for excellence and leadership in both of two areas: (1) science, the profession, education, and/or management, and (2) volunteer service in the ACS community. Visit the ACS Fellows web page for complete nomination details, and please e-mail any questions to fellows@acs.org. Nominations are open through April 1 – nominate today!
ACS New Councilor Orientation Program & Reception
The ACS Council Policy Committee is hosting its 2023 New Councilor Orientation Program for all newly elected Councilors and Alternate Councilors on Saturday, March 25 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET at the J.W. Marriott Indianapolis Hotel, Room 202/203 in Indianapolis, IN. A special networking reception with Committee Chairs will follow from 6:00-7:00 p.m. This program provides an excellent opportunity for you to meet with other ACS leaders and learn more about the Society. Special remarks will be given by the ACS President. If you are a newly elected Councilor or an Alternate Councilor, please RSVP if you are planning to attend.
The ACS Governing Documents require that require that every four years, the Council Policy Committee (CPC) establish a divisor to determine representation at Council by Local Sections and Divisions. The divisor will be set by CPC at its meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana, on March 27, 2023, and will determine the number of Councilors each Local Section and Division will be entitled to for 2024-2027.
At the most recent meeting of the Council Policy Committee, its Working Group on Future Council Representation recommended that CPC select a divisor for 2024-2027 that is aimed at reducing the size of Council while staying compliant with the Governing Documents. This, combined with fluctuations that can and do occur in annual member counts, will result in some Local Sections and Divisions experiencing a loss or gain of Councilors from the current period (2020-2023, which was based on membership counts as of December 31, 2018).
Official notification of the Councilor Divisor and the number of Councilors permitted for your Local Section or Division for 2024-2027 will be sent to you no later than May 1, 2023, as required by the Governing Documents. This decision could affect elections conducted in 2023. Please do not finalize any Councilor slates for 2024 until after you receive CPC’s determination. For more information, read the memo or email secretary@acs.org.
Celebrate 100 years of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN)! Learn more about C&EN and see how much you know with a game of JEOPARDY!® where C&EN staff contestants will compete with their knowledge of chemistry. The event will include a report from the Board, lunch, and special 100th Anniversary cupcakes.
Sunday, March 26, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Indiana Convention Center, Wabash Ballroom 1
Questions? secretary@acs.org
Committee on Committees (ConC): Update on the ACS Committee Review Process
ConC is conducting a review of all 31 Council-related committees with the assistance of McKinley Advisors, an external consulting group with deep knowledge of ACS and other organizations in the non-profit space. ConC would like to provide an update about this initiative:
November-February
- Interviews were conducted with all thirty-one committee Society Committee Chairs and two of their committee members. An electronic survey was sent to members of ACS, Council, Governance, and Council-related committees.
- Membership from council-related committees, councilors, members of governance, and other ACS members were invited to participate in an electronic survey.
- McKinley completed its benchmarking research.
Results from the interviews, surveys, and benchmarking will provide insight about perceptions of ACS committee experiences, successes, and challenges as well as best practices for DEIR, strategic alignment, performance and engagement, and experiences with governance transitions. This information will be used to create potential committee models.
March
- Focus groups composed of ASC stakeholders will evaluate the committee models.
Mid-June
- ConC will be provided with actionable recommendations to enhance and improve its Council-related committee bodies.
ConC believes the recommendations from McKinley Advisors will help us ensure our committees are following general governance best practices, are inclusive, have the efficiency required in decision-making (including avoiding overlapping committee jurisdictions), and most importantly continue to maximize the volunteer experience. The adoption of the recommendations from this review will be contingent on the approval by the Council, with the ultimate approval by the ACS Board of Directors.
Now Accepting Abstracts - ACS Fall 2023 & Spring Regional Meetings
Submitting an abstract for ACS Fall 2023 or a Spring Regional Meeting is an excellent opportunity for chemical professionals and students to showcase their work and connect with colleagues in all areas of chemistry internationally or within your region. Abstracts are now being accepted for ACS Fall 2023, August 13 - 17, the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting (MARM), June 9 - 10, the Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM), June 14 -17, the Central Regional Meeting (CERM), June 20 – 23 and the Northwest Regional Meeting (NORM), June 28 -30.
All meetings will feature robust technical programming, networking opportunities, and more!
Does your Local Section need funding that can be used for specific events, ongoing programming, and purchase of technology or materials? Potential new funding opportunities may include targeted events to communities of local chemists who are not currently involved in the local section, i.e., schoolteachers, industrial chemists, or creating events to bring local section members together outside of efforts funded under programs such as the LSAC Science Café or IPG. Learn more and apply.
Sharpen your Leadership Skills
As a Local Section or Division Officer, your leadership leaves lasting impressions on new and potential ACS members. As the newest generations of chemists become increasingly diverse, it is up to us as leaders to create and maintain a welcoming culture. To help with that, you have exclusive access to the course Transforming Microaggressions into Microinclusions. You will learn how to identify microaggressions, how they impact others, and how you can intervene as a bystander. Over 90% of ACS volunteers that have taken the course would recommend to a colleague! Sign up using your ACS ID. Email diversity@acs.org for questions.
2023 President-Elect Town Hall
Please join N&E and the 2024 President-Elect nominees on March 26 at 4:30 PM at the J.W. Marriott Indianapolis - White River E, for the annual President-Elect Town Hall. Nominees will provide opening statements, followed by a question-and-answer session, and will conclude with closing statements. Questions may be sent in advance to nomelect@acs.org. This is an in-person event.
The third edition of the Legal Resource Manual, effective February 1, 2023, is now available online. Questions or corrections may be submitted to ACSLegal@acs.org.
Kids Zone: Free Fun for the Whole Family, Saturday, March 25| 11am- 2pm
How AMAZING is algae? Discover this and more during Chemists Celebrate Earth Week, April 16-22! Join Chemists around the world for a week of engaging Bursting Boba? Self-inflating balloons? Learn this and more at our free community event Kids Zone! On Saturday, March 25, from 11 am-2pm, families and kids will have the opportunity to experience “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae” through hands-on experiments and fun giveaways. To attend, please register using the link below. Register here.
How AMAZING is algae? Discover this and more during Chemists Celebrate Earth Week, April 16-22! Join Chemists around the world for a week of engaging experiments, interactive resources, and Illustrated Poem contest incorporating this year’s theme “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae.”
- Plan an event
- Volunteer for an event
- Host an Illustrated Poem contest
Explore the Meeting Program for ACS Spring 2023!
Register and join the global chemistry community for the hybrid ACS Spring 2023, March 26 – 30, in Indianapolis, IN, or virtually. The theme, Crossroads of Chemistry, will be at the core of programming for the event. Explore the Meeting Program to check out technical sessions, career development, networking, student programming and more, ACS Spring 2023 has something for everyone!
Image Resources for spreading the word you're participating in #ACSSpring2023 are available. Let your peers and colleagues know that you are attending and encourage them to join us!
Consider making advocacy part of your local section’s sustainability efforts! To encourage ACS members to get involved in sustainability policy issues, the ACS Committees on Environmental Improvement (CEI) and Chemistry & Public Affairs (CCPA) have created a jointly-administered ACS ChemLuminary Award.
The new CCPA-CEI ChemLuminary Award for Outstanding Promotion of the Society’s Sustainability Position S... recognizes local sections for outstanding activities to advocate for, promote, or develop awareness of the Society’s policy statements related to environmental and sustainability issues. Has your local section done government affairs advocacy in 2022 that fits the bill? Self-nominate for the new award! Visit our webpage for more information.
As we approach year’s end, the American Chemical Society wishes to thank donors from around the world who faithfully supported ACS Education Programs in 2022. When we ponder how chemistry has shaped our world during our lifetime, we can only imagine the impact that the next generation of scientists will make as they build on our legacy. Thank you for empowering students to join our ranks and make discoveries that will continue to transform our world.
It's that time of year again when most local section elect new officers. Please take a moment to review your local section bylaws to ensure that you conduct elections in accordance with established procedures. An election-only list must be requested from ACS to ensure that only eligible ACS members are participating in your election. Request your election-only list at least 10 days prior to ballot distribution. Questions?
Make Sure Your Candidates Are Eligible to Serve!
Per ACS Governing Documents, only MEMBERS can hold an elective position of the SOCIETY or serve as a Councilor or Alternate Councilor. Community Associates cannot serve in any position of the SOCIETY and Local Section. Local Section bylaws may allow STUDENT MEMBERS, Society and/or Local Section Affiliates to hold an elective position or serve as a committee chair in the Section. Failure to abide by the ACS Governing Documents and bylaws can jeopardize the validity of all decisions made by the unqualified person serving in the position. Check the bylaws! If you need to amend your bylaws, email bylaws@acs.org.
Reminder to Send Annual Tax Returns
Attention all Local Sections officers! This is a reminder that a copy of your annual tax return must be sent to the ACS Tax Office at Tax@acs.org. This is a requirement per the ACS Governing Documents and your bylaws. Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
Microaggressions are seemingly small statements or behaviors that can have a huge negative impact on your group's DEI efforts. However, it can be challenging to navigate those discussions in a non-confrontational way. The course, Transforming Microaggressions into Microinclusions, is continuing in 2023. Register to learn more about what microaggressions are, how they can undermine inclusion efforts, and how to address them in real-time. There will be 9 two-hour sessions held virtually between January and May. Register today to secure your spot!
The Committee on Public Relations & Communications can make suggestions to your group to help spruce up their digital footprint. Our team of communications aficionados can craft a customized PR plan to increase visibility and connection with your members. We can offer advice on web design, social media, newsletters, programming, networking, and more. If you’re interested in a consultation, contact CPRCMakeovers@gmail.com. Submissions are due each year by May 1 and November 1.
Learn how your local section, technical division, or fellow international chapter can be more engaged with ACS communities worldwide in this C&EN article published by Sergio Nanita, Chair of the Committee on International Activities.
For those planning event activities for your respective units, please be mindful of any potential risks and liabilities that may arise. This is especially important if the event involves minor children, taking video and/or photographs, use of commercial music, physical/outdoor activities, working with vulnerable populations, or use of volunteers outside of the unit.
It is good practice to have participants sign a liability waiver/release before partaking in the event/activity. Should you have any questions or need further guidance, please contact ACSLegal@acs.org.
ACS is excited to announce that all members of the ACS community will now have access to ACS Link networking platform. ACS Link provides you with a new way to connect virtually with individuals in the global ACS community who are around the corner, or around the world! This benefit is now included in your current benefits package. Have a question? The ACS community might just have the answer.
Please use this form to submit a request for a Certificate of Insurance and send the completed form to businessinsurance@acs.org to ensure prompt handling of these requests. Certificate requests should be submitted at least 30 days before an event. Requests and/or questions may be sent to ACSLegal@acs.org.
Chemists know how influential their work is to society, but not everyone is aware of these secrets. So tell someone! The ACS National Historic Chemical Landmarks program helps do just this. And now those who speak Arabic or Mandarin can learn about the development of penicillin in the respective languages. There are also six landmarks translated into Spanish.
The DEIR Educational Resource Guide contains a non-exhaustive list of resources meant to provide further enrichment and education on common DEIR topics and terms, such as allyship, microaggressions, unconscious bias, and more. It is meant as a starting point for those interested in learning more about DEIR issues. To learn more about the Office of DEIR check out our website or contact us at diversity@acs.org.
With an American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) membership, you'll get access to our vast community of teachers who will share their time-tested teaching strategies to help you overcome everyday classroom challenges. Combine that with our massive library of quality classroom resources including lesson plans, demos, and videos and you'll have the tools you need to share your passion of chemistry with your students. Join the AACT community today!