Dear Local Section Leader,
I had the pleasure to present Outstanding Performance Awards to the Brazosport, Midland, Rochester, Indiana, Greater Houston, and the New York local sections at the 25th Annual ChemLuminary Awards in San Francisco. In addition, I would like to congratulate the Hawaii, Chicago and Lehigh Valley local sections on winning the LSAC sponsored Chemluminary Awards.
We also had a blast highlighting 16 sections from District VI at the Local Section Showcase at Sci-Mix. District IV local sections get ready, you’re up next at the ACS Spring 2024 in New Orleans. We will be rolling out a new webinar series next month to include topics like planning successful activities, LSAC grants, and how to recognize volunteers just to name a few. More details and registration for October’s DEIR focused webinar are coming soon
Beth Lorsbach,
Chair, Local Section Activities Committee
During her remarks to Council, ACS President Judy Giordan reaffirmed her goal for all local sections to use the ACS Speaker Directory to book a speaker by year-end. The ACS Speaker Directory provides users with access to over 500 speakers who are available to present technical science talks, lead career development & professional advancement presentations, explore general interest, popular science topics, and more. Book your speaker today at www.acs.org/speakerdirectory. (ACS ID and login required)
Science-Cafe Mini-Grant
The ACS Committee on Local Section Activities is offering $500 mini grants for local sections to host Science Cafes. These grants can help you ignite scientific curiosity in your community and explore pressing questions with a scientific twist. Apply by October 15, 2023, and bring science into your neighborhood!. Let’s foster scientific literacy together! Apply now.
Local Section DEIR Grant
Unlock up to $3,000 for your local section’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. From speaker series to high school mentoring show how your local section embraces and advances diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect. Apply by November 13, 2023, to spark participation and inclusivity in your area. Please review all grant details here. Let us make a difference in our communities! Learn more and apply now.
ACS Member Recruitment Commission Opportunity
Did you know that you can earn $15 per Member or Society Affiliate that you recruit to your Local Section, Division, or International Chemical Sciences Chapter? When recruiting new or re-instating Members and/or Society Affiliates to ACS at the Standard or Premium package level, simply instruct them to select your Local Section, Division, or International Chemical Sciences Chapter from the drop down on the Review Step of the online membership application. ACS will send you a commission check biannually. It’s that simple! Constituents can join at https://membership.join.acs.org.
Need a PR Makeover?
The Committee on Public Relations & Communications offers PR Makeovers to local sections and divisions. The committee will review your current digital footprint and provide recommendations of how to improve the space(s) to maximize member engagement. Applications are typically due before spring and fall meetings, but submit yours today for consideration!
NCW 2023 Coordinator Request
Become a 2023 NCW coordinator! To be designated as the official coordinator for your section, please take this brief Pre-NCW Coordinator Survey. As always, local section chairs can designate one official NCW Coordinator who will serve as the point person for the rest of the local section. Please confirm with your local section leader prior to competing the survey.
NCW Coordinators can perform the following responsibilities:
- Plan, promote, and report the impact of hands-on science outreach via events held at libraries, malls, parks, or other public venues.
- Utilize Celebrating Chemistry magazine during your outreach events.
Updated ACS Governing Documents and Petition Deadline
New petitions to amend the Constitution or Bylaws must be received by the Chief Executive Officer (bylaws@acs.org) by November 29 to be included in the Council agenda for the spring 2024 meeting in New Orleans. Questions or comments may be sent to C&B at bylaws@acs.org.
Sign Up for the ACS Outreach Summit
This fall, the ACS Outreach Summit will host two 3 day summits focused on science outreach opportunities at ACS Summit dates:
- Summit 1: Washington DC, USA. Oct 2 - 4, 2023
- Summit 2: Delhi, India. Nov 6 - 8, 2023
We will invite up to 30 people to attend each event, and approximately 10 people per event will receive full, domestic, economy-class travel support from ACS. Please submit your interest for either summit by September 1, 2023. Even if your not selected, please join us for our ACS Outreach Summit Virtual Networking event, registration is required.
Membership Update from San Francisco
The following is a summary of relevant points from MAC that could be copy and pasted into your respective newsletters for consumption by all engaged and interested individuals. If you are interested in hearing from us next month on anything specific, please email us at mac@acs.org.
At the ACS Fall Meeting in San Francisco that was held in August, while there was no immediate action or course proposed by MAC, it was reported that our membership numbers are up (192,741 as 7/31/23), due in large part to the growth of Community Associates, as well as new Members, Society Affiliates and Student Members. It was reported that dues will remain the same and that we are exploring ideas on how to include greater clarity of definitions and a restructuring and streamlining of the schedule of membership for the 2025 Schedule of Membership.
2025 ACS National Awards Open for Nominations!
Nominate one of your peers, students, teachers, mentors, or colleagues for a 2025 ACS National Award, recognizing outstanding contributions in chemistry, doctoral research, public service, commercialization of new products, and more! We encourage the nominations of individuals from groups not commonly named as recipients of ACS awards such as women, chemists with disabilities, and people from unrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups, as well as industrial and international chemists. All nominations must be submitted online by November 1, 2023.
2024 National Chemical Technician Award
The ACS Committee on Technician Affairs is now accepting nominations for the 2024 National Chemical Technician Award. This award honors excellence and professionalism among technicians, operators, analysts and other applied chemical technology professionals working in academic, industry, or government sectors. Please review the eligibility requirements and nominate your colleague. The deadline is September 30, 2023.
- 2023 National Chemical Technician Award Winner – Roxanne Boehmer, Laboratory Technologist, 3M
The Committee on Chemists with Disabilities would like to announce “Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities” 5th edition is now available as an eBook. This is a downloadable, searchable, eBook that provides guidance on accommodations for a variety of disabilities both visible and invisible, applicable to academia and industrial settings. There is also guidance on what is expected legally by the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Included in each chapter is contact information for the authors for follow up questions or deeper discussion. For more information you can contact cwd@acs.org.
Now Accepting Abstracts for ACS Spring 2024
Submit your abstracts for oral and poster presentations for ACS Spring 2024 by Monday, October 2, 2023. The theme, Many Flavors of Chemistry, will be at the core of programming. Sessions for the hybrid meeting (in-person & virtual) will be held in New Orleans, LA, and virtually, March 17 – 21, 2024. New for ACS Spring 2024 – Global Virtual Symposia is a new programming opportunity for presenters and audiences to participate in ACS Meetings & Expositions virtually and across many time zones. Learn more and submit >>
The Committee on Chemists with Disabilities announces the Fall 2023 CWD Travel Award Winner Ashlyn Hillman. She is a PhD candidate under the direction of Dr. Joseph Fox at the University of Delaware researching minimalist tetrazine carbohydrate probe for rapid biorthogonal no-wash live-cell labeling of bacterial peptidoglycan. Ashlyn plans on becoming a professor in the future. She would like to continue to make academia more accessible for students with disabilities and be the change. For more information visit the Committee on Chemists with Disabilities Awards website or email cwd@acs.org.
Advancing Laboratory Safety Teams
We are pleased to share the final report from the 2022 ACS Presidential Safety Summit. One recommendation outlined in the report is to encourage and support Laboratory Safety Teams (LSTs) in graduate programs to reflect industry expectations.
Our Asks for Your Local Section:
- Are you aware of, interested in, or involved with any academic-industrial partnerships?
- Can you recommend resources that may be beneficial for LSTs?
- Are you interested in working with ACS to grow the LST program?
Please submit your interest in supporting the LSTs program to this form. For more information contact ACS Office of Safety Programs at safety@acs.org.
The ACS Office of Research Grants will accept proposals for Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) grants approximately one month earlier in the fall compared to previous years. Proposals supporting fundamental research in the petroleum field will be accepted from noon on August 14 to 5:00 pm EST on September 8, 2023. These proposals must focus on fundamental petroleum research, including research related to petroleum-derived materials in one of ten specified subject matter areas. It is important to note that while the PRF Trust imposes restrictions, PRF currently funds various topics of interest in sustainability and green chemistry. These topics include new catalysts and the upgrading/utilization of methane and carbon dioxide. For more information on supported research areas, interested individuals are encouraged to contact a PRF program officer or prfinfo@acs.org.
Grant programs are available for new professors starting their first tenure track position, as well as established tenured or tenure-track professors exploring a new research direction. Separate grant programs exist for qualified professors in non-doctoral departments. Additionally, the eligibility period for Undergraduate New Investigator Grants in non-doctoral institutions has recently been extended to 5 years from the start date of the first tenure track appointment. Furthermore, starting with proposals submitted in the Spring 2023 submission window, the value of the ND (New Direction) grant has been raised from $110,000 to $125,000. Applications are made through a web-based portal, and additional information can be found at www.acsprf.org.
Network and Learn at an ACS Regional Meeting Near You
ACS Regional Meetings feature technical programming to help you stay up to date on the latest research and keep you connected with chemists in your region.
Registration is now open for the Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (RMRM), September 15 – 17, the Joint Midwest/Great Lakes Regional Meeting(MWGLRM ), October 18 - 21, the Southeastern Regional Meeting (SERMACS), October 25 – 28, and the Southwest Regional Meeting (SWRM), November 15 – 18.
We hope to see you at one (or more) of the ACS Regional Meetings in 2023!
New Guidance Added to ACS Inclusivity Style Guide
New sections on data visualization and framing narratives are now available in the ACS Inclusivity Style Guide. This guide aims to help ACS staff and members communicate in ways that recognize and respect diversity in all its forms. Spread the word!
Quick Guide: Creating Relationships with Underrepresented Communities
Are you interested in expanding your audience or collaborators to include historically underrepresented groups? The ACS Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect has published a new quick guide to help! Read the Quick Guide to Creating Relationships with Underrepresented Communities in STEM for tips and guidance.
ACS Signs MOU with FACS
ACS President-Elect Mary Carroll attended the 21st General Assembly of the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) in Istanbul, Türkiye where she presented a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between to two societies to cement our collaborative relationship. The ACS has maintained an MOU with FACS since 2011 and we are proud to further the relationship to foster connections, communicate the value of chemistry globally, and offer technical programming and professional development to Members of both societies.
New Guidance Added to ACS Inclusivity Style Guide
New sections on data visualization and framing narratives are now available in the ACS Inclusivity Style Guide. This guide aims to help ACS staff and members communicate in ways that recognize and respect diversity in all its forms. Spread the word!
2023 DEIR Educational Resources Guide Available Now
Be sure to check out the new 2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect Educational Resources Guide! The guide is full of resources, links, videos, and book recommendations on allyship, intersectionality, LGBTQ+ inclusion, cultural competence and much more. Check it out and please share it widely.
The Committee on Chemists with Disabilities has dedicated matching grant funds for regional and local events to encourage event coordinators to implement accommodations for participants. This can be initiated by sending an email to CWD@ACS.org and we encourage coordinators of regional and local ACS events and programs to contact us!
Connect With Your Local Chemistry Community at ACS Regional Meetings!
ACS Regional Meetings feature technical programming to help you stay current on the latest research and connect you with your region's chemists. Abstracts are now being accepted for the Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (RMRM), September 15 – 17, the Joint Midwest/Great Lakes Regional Meeting (MWGLRM), October 18 - 21, and the Southeastern Regional Meeting (SERMACS), October 25 – 28.
Career Resources for Industrial Scientists
Help spread the word about a valuable resource for ACS industry members! The ACS Industry Matters newsletter offers exclusive interviews with industry professionals, as well as an insider's guide to working in the chemical industry. Each issue is filled with insightful answers to your questions as a chemical professional and is designed to help you grow and succeed. Explore more and subscribe here.
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.
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.