We are pleased to announce that ACS Community Connection, the online service for annual report and event submissions is now available for the 2022 Local Section Annual Reporting cycle. Please bookmark the Annual Reporting web page for easy access to the Community Connection login page, user guides and other important resources. All 2022 and 2023 local section officers may access Community Connection with their ACS ID and password. The chair of your local section may designate additional non-officer volunteers (e.g., Community Activities Coordinator, YCC Chair, Webmaster, etc.) to access and complete your group's annual report and event forms. To assign a non-officer access to Community Connection, please send the non-officer's name, local section affiliation and ACS ID to connection@acs.org. The deadline for submitting your completed annual report and ChemLuminary self-nominations is February 15, 2023. Your local section's 2023 allotment will be released to your treasurer following your local section annual report submission.
We are pleased to announce that registration for the 2023 ACS Leadership Institute is now open. All Local Sections are encouraged to send a delegate(s) to attend this important leadership development and networking event. Please review the attached for important details, program information, and the link to register.
Do you have an idea for a new activity in your section? Are you looking to stimulate member involvement?
Want to pilot a new program or celebrate a milestone? Grants up to $3500 are available to fund your programming ideas.
Deadline: January 15.
Nominations for 2023 Heroes of Chemistry are Open Through February 1!
Nominations for the 2023 Heroes of Chemistry Award are now open through February 1! This award is one of ACS's highest honors for industry, recognizing companies which have developed successfully commercialized products. Celebrate the breakthrough treatments and revolutionary new products of a team from your company today!
Become an Official Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) Coordinator!
Please join ACS for the annual Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW), which educates members, teachers, student communities and the public about the positive role chemistry can have in serving our environment. ACS is looking for local section members to serve as official CCEW Coordinators.
If you are interested, complete this brief Coordinator Survey by Monday, January 16. If you are unavailable, please forward this message to the appropriate person who will serve as this year's CCEW Coordinator.
*Local sections can designate one official coordinator to serve as the point person for the rest of the local section.
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.
LSAC is proud to partner with ACS President-Elect, Judy Giordan to provide ACS local section leaders with access to a wide range of speakers for their in-person, virtual, hybrid, and asynchronous events. As Judy noted in her C&EN Comment, the aim of the virtual Speaker Service is to support all local sections with cost-effective and easy access to a diverse group of global speakers who want to share their expertise and passion for chemistry on a wide variety of topics. Are you interested in signing up to be a speaker? Register today!
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!
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!
IUPAC Global Women's Breakfast 2023: Breaking Barriers in Science
Join the global chemistry community in:
- Building active networks of people of all genders
- Overcoming barriers to gender equality
- Advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about hosting or attending events on February 14, 2023 as ACS celebrates the IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast.
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.
ACS Local Sections and International Sciences Chapters are invited to participate in the 2023 Chemistry Olympiad competition. This program is a multi-tiered competition that promotes excellence in high school chemistry. Your section is strongly encouraged to organize USNCO local activities in March 2023 to select high school students to qualify for the national exam. Four students will represent the United States at the 55th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Switzerland.
To participate, appoint USNCO Coordinator and register by January 9, 2023. More information at: www.acs.org/olympiad or contact usnco@acs.org.
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.
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 in Indianapolis. A special networking reception with Committee Chairs will follow at 6:00 p.m. This program provides an excellent opportunity for you to meet with other ACS leaders and learn how to get involved with ACS committees. Special remarks will be given by the ACS President. If you are a newly elected Councilor or an Alternate Councilor, please RSVP let us know if you are planning to attend.
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.
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.
Project SEED is a paid summer fellowship program for high school students. For 8 to 10 weeks during the summer, students work in real laboratories with scientists serving as their mentors. Students learn about careers in chemistry and receive mentoring in college preparation and professional development. Interested in mentoring a student in your lab? Check out our website to find a Site near you, submit a proposal, and get information on application deadlines. You can also register for our Coordinator/ Mentor Information Session on Thursday, January 12th, 2023. Have questions or want more information?
Email us at projectseed@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!