welcome to the committee on international activities · 1) at the acs national meeting in san...
TRANSCRIPT
Updated: 25-Feb-15
Welcome to the
Committee on International Activities
“The society shall cooperate with scientists internationally and shall be
concerned with the worldwide application of chemistry to the needs of
humanity.”
Article II, Sec. 3 of the ACS Constitution
American Chemical Society
International Activities
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036 USA
www.acs.org/international
Table of Contents
Message from the Chair .............................................................................................................................. 3 Preliminary IAC Denver Meeting Agenda and Related Events ................................................................. 6 The American Chemical Society (ACS) Structure and Organization ........................................................ 7
ACS and You ............................................................................................................................................ 10 The Committee on International Activities (IAC) .................................................................................... 11 History of ACS International Activities ................................................................................................... 12 ACS Science and Human Rights Activities .............................................................................................. 25 2015 IAC Roster ....................................................................................................................................... 34
IAC Member, Associates, Consultants and Liaisons - Roles and Responsibilities ................................. 37 2015 IAC Subcommittee Descriptions and Assignments ......................................................................... 39
IAC Meeting Formats ............................................................................................................................... 41 IAC Rules of Engagement ........................................................................................................................ 41 ACS Office of International Activities ..................................................................................................... 42 Travel Reimbursement Policy................................................................................................................... 44
ACS Acronyms ......................................................................................................................................... 46 ACS – Committees ................................................................................................................................... 47
ACS – Divisions ....................................................................................................................................... 48
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Message from the Chair
Dear Colleagues:
It is my sincere pleasure to extend to each of you very best wishes for a fruitful and productive 2015 as
we continue our volunteer efforts to advance the global interests and priorities of the Society and the
needs of chemical practitioners with international interests wherever they may be.
I’d like especially to welcome our new members and associates to the 2015 International Activities
Committee (IAC) as we strive to further the spirit of Article II, Sec. 3, of the ACS Constitution: the
SOCIETY shall cooperate with scientists internationally and shall be concerned with the worldwide
application of chemistry to the needs of humanity, and, in that context, our own strategic endeavors for
2015 and beyond.
1. Fostering ACS international collaborations;
2. Extending the Society’s engagements in international education and training;
3. Engaging developing countries in cooperation with partner societies;
4. Assuring support of ACS Science and Human Rights initiatives;
5. Supporting the development and quality of the ACS International Center;
6. Sustaining momentum of International Year of Chemistry beyond 2011.
In fulfillment of these interests, the Committee works closely with the ACS Office of International
Activities (OIA) on a number of initiatives and programs. To learn more about ACS International
Activities – including IAC, please visit www.acs.org/international.
We look forward to welcoming you to the upcoming IAC Meeting on March 21, 2015, Denver,
Colorado, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th
Street, Denver, CO. For assistance in making your hotel reservations, please visit
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/meetings/spring-2015/accommodations.html.
We have a full agenda for our meeting in Denver, the detailed content of which will come to you under
separate cover. Leading up to this event, below please find written report information that IAC has
provided to the ACS Council as part of its 2015 Denver agenda.
International Chapters. 1) At the ACS National Meeting in San Francisco, the ACS Council approved the establishment of
ACS International Chemical Sciences Chapter in South Africa. The ACS Board added its approval
in December.
2) The IAC Task Force on International Chapter Development Strategy has completed most of its
work. A set of recommendations has been presented to the Board P&MR Committee in December
2014. Additional tasks are being incorporated into the 2015 committee work plan.
3) The IAC Executive Team met during the Leadership Institute (LI) in Dallas on January 22-25, 2015
with ACS International Chapter representatives in Shanghai and South Korea. Areas of mutual
interests and possible actions in 2015 were discussed.
Education and Outreach Activities.
1) The committee is continuing its collaboration with Pittcon to support participation in Pittcon for
early- and mid-career analytical chemists from developing and transitional countries. The Pittcon
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2015 will be held in New Orleans on March 8-12, and several scientists from Central America and
the Caribbean have been chosen to attend this meeting.
2) ACS International Research Experiences for Undergraduates (IREU) is a program supported by NSF
to place US chemistry students in Europe and Southeast Asia for international research experiences.
In summer 2014, 17 U.S. students from institutions with limited access to research facilities were
recruited nationally to participate in the 10-week IREU program. Reports of their research were
written. IAC members carried out peer review of their research reports in October to give the
students practice in writing and submitting journal articles.
3) Two of our committee members (Ellene Contis and Tim Hanks) gave presentations on “Graduate
Study and Research Abroad” in two ACS-on-Campus events in October 2014.
4) With support from the US Department of State, plans are being made on the training of young
scientists and engineers in Thailand (BOOST) in June 2015 and an Ethics workshop to take place
during the Asian Chemistry Congress in Bangladesh in November 2015.
Meetings and Symposia.
1) IAC leadership participated in several meetings with ACS Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM)
planning team and others to explore the feasibility of creating an AtlantiChem conference. This
initiative grew from a 2014 IAC Global Innovation Grant awarded to NERM.
2) A joint Global Imperative Initiatives (Gii) meeting with Singapore National Institute of Chemistry
was held in December 2014. The topic was “Water Innovation and Treatment”, and a working draft
of a resulting white paper will be reviewed at the ACS National Meeting in Denver.
3) IAC is involved with three symposia in Denver:
a. The Transnational Practice of Chemistry and Allied Sciences and Engineering: Study, Research
and Careers without Borders (Sunday, 3/22)
b. Growing Opportunities for Research Abroad: An Undergraduate Perspective of International
Research Experiences (Sunday, 3/22)
c. The Interface of Chemical and Biological Sciences: International Disarmament Efforts
(Tuesday, 3/24)
Other International Activities.
1) IAC approved the revised Visa Restrictions and Scientific Progress Policy Statement produced by
IAC and SOCED during the San Francisco meeting.
2) We are working with OPA and CPRC to internationalize the Chemistry Ambassadors program. We
shall use the International Chapters as the starting point to initiate this program.
3) An oral presentation on ACS International Activities was given by Cynthia Maryanoff in San
Francisco. A poster presentation on the same topic was given in June in the Northwest Regional
Meeting (Cynthia Maryanoff) and in October at the Central Regional Meeting (H. N. Cheng).
4) Work is ongoing on the International Network of Young Chemists (IYCN) initiative and on the
IAC-CPT-SOCED Task Force. We plan to launch IYCN at the Boston meeting in August.
5) A joint IAC-DAC meeting was held at the ACS Leadership Institute in January 2015. The purpose
was to discuss ways whereby the two committees can work together to further international
engagement of technical divisions.
6) At the Denver meeting, we plan to have an International Reception on Sunday, March 22, 5:30 PM –
7:30 PM at Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center. Please join us if you have time.
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Finally, at the 2015 ACS National Meeting in Denver, IAC will seek approval from our Councilor
colleagues for the establishment of an ACS International Chemical Sciences Chapter in India and
Taiwan. The applications were initiated by ACS members based in the respective countries. The
applications have been reviewed and approved by the ACS Committee on International Activities.
Many thanks and very best wishes,
H.N. Cheng
phone: 504-286-4450
email: [email protected]
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Preliminary IAC Denver Meeting Agenda and Related Events
Friday, March 20, 2015
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
ACS International Activities Committee (IAC) Dinner, The Broker Restaurant, 821 17th St.
Denver, CO 80202-3040, Telephone: 303-292-5065, Email: [email protected]
Saturday, March 21, 2015
8:00AM -11:45 AM
IAC Continental Breakfast and Subcommittee Meetings, Hyatt Regency, Rooms: Breakfast: Mineral E,
Sub 1: Agate A, Sub 2: Mineral E, Sub 3: Agate B
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
IAC Luncheon - Presentation from H.E. Mr Ahmet Üzümcü the Director-General of the Organisation
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Hyatt Regency, Room Capitol 5
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
IAC Open Meeting, Hyatt Regency, Room Centennial F - G
3:10 PM -5:00 PM
Executive Session (IAC Members and Associates Only), Hyatt Regency, Room Centennial F - G
Sunday, March 22, 2015
8:00 AM – 12:05 PM
The Transnational Practice of Chemistry and Allied Sciences and Engineering: Study, Research and
Careers without Borders, Colorado Convention Center, Mile High Ballroom 3A
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Growing Opportunities for Research Abroad: An Undergraduate Perspective of International Research
Experiences, Mineral D, Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center
5:30 PM –7:30 PM
ACS International Welcoming Reception, Hyatt Regency, Room Centennial D
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
The Interface of Chemical and Biological Sciences International Disarmament Efforts, Mineral D, Hyatt
Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center
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The American Chemical Society (ACS) Structure and Organization
ACS Structure
The American Chemical Society is a self-governed individual membership organization that consists of
more than 164,000 members at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry. The organization provides
a broad range of opportunities for peer interaction and career development, regardless of professional or
scientific interests.
The ACS Mission: “To advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of
Earth and its people”.
The ACS vision: “Improving people’s lives through the transforming power of chemistry”.
The ACS is divided geographically into 186 local sections. Members of the Society are automatically
assigned to the local section closest to their address of record. ACS local sections enable Society
members to interact with chemists in their communities, participate in professional development
programs, and promote the public understanding of chemistry. A member may only belong to one local
section.
The ACS is also divided into 32 technical programming units known as divisions. Divisions of the ACS
provide services and programming for each of the 33 disciplines of chemistry, such as organic and
agricultural chemistry. A member may belong to as many divisions, and pay separate dues for each.
The Society is governed through a series of committees that are overseen by the ACS Board of Directors
and the ACS Council.
The ACS Council is composed of elected representatives from each of the 186 local sections, and 32
technical divisions. The Council also includes the President, President-Elect, all past Presidents, the
Executive Director, and the Secretary of the ACS. The President of the Society presides over Council.
The ACS Board of Directors is composed of the President, the President-Elect, the immediate Past
President, six District Directors (elected from geographic regions), and six Directors-at-Large. The
Board of Directors is the legal representative of the Society, and, as such, administers all property, funds
and affairs of the Society. The Board of Directors is presided over by the Chair of the Board who is
elected internally on an annual basis.
ACS Committees
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The committees of ACS can be classified into one of four basic categories: Society, Council, Board, and
Joint Board-Council.
Society Committees
There are two Society Committees: Budget and Finance (B&F), and Education (SOCED). Members of
these committees are appointed by the President and the Chair of the Board. Society Committees report
to both the ACS Council, and the ACS Board of Directors. The Chair of each Society Committee must
be a voting Councilor, and the body of the committee must be composed of no less than two-thirds
voting Councilors.
Council Committees
Council Committees report to the ACS Council. They can be subdivided into three main classifications:
Elected, Standing, and Other.
Elected: Members of the Elected Committees of Council must be elected by the Council body,
and must be voting councilors.
Committee on Committees (ConC)
Council Policy Committee (CPC)
Nominations and Elections (N&E)
Standing: Members of the Standing Committees of Council must be voting Councilors.
Constitution and Bylaws (C&B)
Divisional Activities (DAC)
Economic and Professional Affairs (CEPA)
Local Section Activities (LSAC)
Meetings and Expositions (M&E)
Membership Affairs (MAC)
Other: Other Committees of Council can have any composition as specified by the Council at the
time of the committee’s charter.
Analytical Reagents
Nomenclature, Terminology and Symbols
Project SEED (SEED)
Technician Affairs (CTA)
Ethics
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Board Committees
Board Committees report to the ACS Board of Directors. They can be subdivided into four main
classifications: Elected, Standing, Special, and Other.
Elected: Elected Committees of the Board are composed only of Board members.
Executive Committee
Standing: Standing Committees of the Board are composed only of Board members.
Grants and Awards (G&A)
Professional and Member Relations (P&MR)
Public Affairs and Public Relations (PA&PR)
Special: Composition as specified by the Board.
Audits
Corporation Associates (CA)
Governing Board for the Green Chemistry Institute
Governing Board for Publishing (GBP)
Pensions & Investments (P&I)
Planning
Other: Composition as specified by the Board.
Board of Trustees, Group Insurance Plans for ACS Members (BOT)
Clinical Chemistry
Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) Advisory Board
Ad hoc Committee on National Historic Chemical Landmarks
Joint Board-Council Committees
Joint Board-Council Committees report to both the Board of Directors and the Council. They can have
any composition as specified in their charter.
Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS)
Chemical Safety (CCS)
Chemistry and Public Affairs (CCPA)
Chemists with Disabilities (CWD)
Committee on Community Activities** (CCA)
Environmental Improvement (CEI)
International Activities (IAC)
Minority Affairs (CMA)
Patents and Related Matters (P&RM)
Professional Training (CPT)
Publications (PUBS)
Public Relations and Communications (CPRC)
Science (ComSci)
Senior Chemists (SCC)
Women Chemists (WCC)
Younger Chemists (YCC)
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ACS and You
This on-line course describes the mission of ACS and the history of the organization. It provides a
thorough description of the structure of the organization; the purpose and main activities of each
structural unit (local sections, regions, divisions, and committees); and the responsibilities of leaders in
each role. It also describes the events ACS sponsors, the purpose of each, and the kinds of resources
ACS makes available to its members. Finally, it provides a brief overview of the ACS Leadership
Development System.
Instructional Objectives
After completing this program, a member or potential member will be able to describe:
The history and mission of ACS
Business issues facing the ACS
The structure of the organization and the main functions of each unit
Opportunities for participation as a volunteer and as a leader (with the personal and professional
benefits they can expect from this participation)
The supporting resources the organization makes available to its members
The leadership learning system designed to support volunteers as participants and as leaders
Take the course.
http://skildsolutions.us/ACS/Courses/ACSANDYOU/Gold_V5/index.html
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The Committee on International Activities (IAC)
ACS has a long-standing interest in international affairs. IAC was created and exists in
recognition of the need for ACS to cooperate with scientists internationally and to highlight the
application of chemistry to the worldwide needs of humanity. The international focus is increasingly
important for ACS because globalization and the resulting flows of knowledge, people, and capital are
reshaping the chemical enterprise and having a profound impact on the profession. Globalization is
changing the way science is conducted. Competition for science and engineering talent is intensifying,
and new centers of excellence in chemical research are rapidly emerging both overseas and across the
United States. Globalization is changing people’s perspectives on national boundaries, and even what it
means to belong to a national organization.
IAC is responsible for providing guidance and oversight of the Society’s international programs.
The Committee is charged with studying and recommending appropriate Society participation and
cooperation in international undertakings pertaining to chemical education, professional activities and
scientific matters of interest to chemists and chemical engineers, and coordinating its efforts with those
of other organizations.
The Committee’s charge is very broad because ACS serves many constituencies with
international interests. More than 25,000 ACS members live outside the United States in over 100
countries. The U.S. scientific community includes a large number of immigrants from other nations, as
well. The majority of Chemical Abstracts Service content originates outside the United States. More
than one-half of the articles in all ACS journals are authored by non-U.S. scientists. Nearly 200 ACS
projects and programs have an international component. Between 10-15% of our national meeting
participants come from outside the United States. A significant fraction of the Society’s revenues are
generated overseas.
The committee meets in conjunction with both ACS national meetings. IAC subcommittees meet
in advance of the full committee meeting. The full committee meeting occurs on the Saturday afternoon
before the start of the technical program. Working groups discuss and complete projects by e-mail and
conference calls throughout the year, as the need arises. The IAC Chair reports to the ACS Board of
Directors and to the ACS Council at least once per year in writing and may offer an oral report once per
year to the Council.
For 2015 IAC’s strategic prioritization has identified six areas to focus our initiatives:
Fostering collaborations driven by solutions to global challenges (energy, climate,
environment, sustainability)
Extending international chemistry education and training
Engaging developing countries in cooperation with partner societies
Assuring support of ACS Science and Human Rights initiatives
Supporting the development and quality of the ACS International Center
Sustaining momentum of the International Year of Chemistry beyond 2011
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History of ACS International Activities
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON SELECTED INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
by
John Malin, Ph.D.
(Updated by OIA Staff, Jan 2014)
Introduction
In November 1979, the American Chemical Society added a section to Article II in its constitution to set
forth a third broad objective for the Society: "To foster the objectives specified in this Article, the
SOCIETY shall cooperate with scientists internationally and shall be concerned with the worldwide
application of chemistry to the needs of humanity." In doing so, the ACS in effect formally recognized
in its basic governing document the types of activities it had been conducting as a society for many
years. For example, it had established a Committee on International Activities in 1962, and gave it the
following responsibilities:
- To study and recommend appropriate ACS participation and cooperation in international
undertakings pertaining to chemical education, professional activities, and scientific matters of
interest to chemists and chemical engineers.
- To coordinate its efforts with those of other organizations, especially the National Academy of
Sciences/National Research Council.
In its early years, the Committee had many able and interested chemists and chemical engineers as
chairpersons and as members and it and staff personnel working with them conducted a number of
projects of international import in line with the recently stated objective. It was in the early 1970's,
however, that interest by some members in greater ACS international involvement led to increased ACS
activities. Two events in those years were particularly significant:
- In 1974, the ACS became the administrator for the “U.S. – U.S.S.R. Program of Cooperation in
Research on Chemical Catalysis” a program of research started by the U.S. and U.S.S.R.
governments.
- In 1975, the Committee on International Activities was given increased standing by being converted
to a Joint Board/Council Committee.
By the summer of 1976, Committee members had made plans for a number of international projects that
they judged to be of value to the ACS in fulfilling its overall charter objective "to encourage . . the
advancement of chemistry in all its branches" and that would give ACS members greater opportunities
to interact with chemists and chemical engineers in other countries.
Committee members also noted that there are political and social reasons for the ACS to be active
internationally in addition to purely scientific and economic factors. The late Dr. W. Albert Noyes, Jr.,
may have expressed these reasons best some years ago:
“The more we can provide a common basis for culture throughout the world, the better chance we have
for mutual under-standing and confidence. Science has few equals among the other disciplines in this
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respect. . . . Therefore, we make a plea for internationalism in science, not only for the material things it
can do in reducing friction by raising the standard of living, but in providing a culture which could be
common to all people.”
In more recent times with what is now commonly recognized as a growing gap between developed and
developing countries, Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg summed up the reasoning this way:
“The world has reached a stage where substantial interdependence among developed and developing
countries is essential to the fulfillment of human needs. We need to match-limited global natural
resources-for providing energy, materials, food, and water-with the requirements of (growing
populations). Too many people have too little food, are poorly clothed, live in inadequate houses, and
have abysmal health care. We need to raise their levels of existence manyfold. The more affluent,
meantime, face an uncertain future because of the stresses on their economies by the cost of energy.
Everyone, meantime, will suffer from deteriorating environments.
In these efforts, chemistry, perhaps the most utilitarian of all sciences, and chemists and chemical
engineers worldwide must play a vital role. Success will call for much greater international
cooperation. Humanitarian instincts may be a significant motivating force, but inevitably so will our
own self-interest. The economic and social futures of the advanced and the developing countries are
inexorably entwined.”
It was in light of such reasoning and in light of the projects planned by the Committee following its
change to a Joint Board/Council Committee that the Board of Directors established the Office of
International Activities on an experimental basis in September 1976 and on a permanent basis in January
1977. In taking this step, the Board assigned to the Office the following responsibilities:
- To administer cooperative international projects in chemical education, research, and development
funded by government agencies and other organizations.
- To handle member service projects relating to international matters.
- To provide liaison for international matters within the ACS and between the ACS and other
organizations.
- To serve as staff liaison to the Committee on International Activities and to assist it in implementing
programs for which it has secured funding.
In the following pages are descriptions of the completed projects, the present projects, and the planned
projects for which the Committee on International Activities (IAC) and the Office of International
Activities (OIA) are responsible. Since IAC and OIA work so closely together, it is often not possible to
distinguish clearly which initiated a project or which is doing what part of the work. Since the final
results are what count, however, a very clear distinction between IAC and OIA perhaps is not important
for purposes of this analysis. Some of these projects are carried out in collaboration with other Society
committees and offices.
International Welcoming Reception. The ACS Committee on International Activities hosts an
International Welcoming Reception for International Attendees each year during the ACS National
Meeting. Guests have the opportunity to meet chemists from around the world as well as the leadership,
members, and staff of the ACS and its Committee on International Activities. The reception attracts
approximately 200-400 guests each meeting.
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International Planning
Research Briefs on the Chemical Enterprise. In 1998, Professor Mary L. Good, Chair of the
Committee on International Activities, recognized along with the committee that ACS assistance to
developing countries should be focused on a few regions of the world and should seek the goal of
economic development through the applied chemical sciences. The committee identified Africa as a
region of general international concern and Latin America, our hemispheric neighbor, as the regions
where the Society should concentrate its efforts. Accordingly, a new program was established in the
Office of International Activities and staffing was enhanced. Dr. Bradley D. Miller of OIA compiled the
research brief, Chemically Related Activity in Industry, Higher Education, Government, Learned
Societies and Research Institutes in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela. The work
provided an overview and began analysis of the landscape, stakeholders and factors shaping the fortunes
of chemistry in the Latin American region. It brought together new and existing information from
multiple sectors associated with chemistry and provided recommendations on how the challenges to
chemistry might be best be met through collaboration among industry, higher education, government
and professional societies throughout Latin America.
A similar study of African institutions began in 2000, jointly with the African Association of Pure and
Applied Chemistry. In both cases the studies sought to inform the International Activities Committee
and other groups about existing linkages, accelerating/hindering factors and promising sectors and
activities for Industry/University cooperation. These were to serve as a guide for producing workshops,
seminars and exchange programs to encourage economic development through the chemical sciences in
both Africa and Latin America.
Science and Technology Exchange Programs
Among the various international projects they are conduct, IAC and OIA give priority emphasis to
science and technology exchange and transfer projects with other countries. In doing so, they work
largely but not exclusively with developing countries. They decided to take this approach based on the
following reasoning:
- One of the most serious problems confronting the U.S. is the relationship between developed and
developing countries. Developing countries are sources of critical raw materials for the U.S., and they
are presently and potentially major markets for U.S. products. Indeed, in order to welcome the chemical
scientists of these countries into the global chemical community it will be necessary for their economies
to rise toward the world level. It is therefore in the U.S.'s interest economically and politically to see
that the strains caused by disparities in life styles and material well-being are reduced.
- Outside funding is essential to the Society for any science and technology exchange and transfer
projects it might conduct. Recognizing the importance of developing countries to its own self-interest,
several U.S. government agencies have the avowed aim of providing scientific and technological
assistance to developing countries and they therefore contribute financial support for the types of
projects IAC and OIA carry out.
- Since the time and resources available to Committee members and Office staff personnel are very
limited, the decision has been to use the time and resources where the most can be accomplished in the
shortest time and where the prospects for receiving outside funding are greatest.
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With these thoughts in mind and in accord with its interest in providing increased opportunities for ACS
members to have support for research, IAC in 1975 began a major effort to initiate programs to
exchange publicly available science and technology with developing countries. At the time, what was
then the (staff) Division of Public, Professional and International Communication was serving for the
second year as administrator for a cooperative research program in chemical catalysis being conducted
by the U.S. and U.S.S.R. governments. Experience with exchange programs was growing as a result,
and it appeared to Committee members that the ACS could take advantage of that knowledge to open
new opportunities for ACS members to work closely with their counterparts in other countries. The
basic plan devised by IAC was to conduct workshops in host countries during which the U.S. and host
country participants would:
- Review recent major trends in research in a small number of chemical subject areas selected in
cooperation with the host country as important to its scientific and economic development and at the
same time of potential benefit to the U.S.
- Prepare detailed proposals for research projects in those subject areas that would take advantage of the
strengths in current research programs, institutions, and personnel in each country, so that work in one
country would complement work in the other.
- Secure grants to support the recommended projects, with the ACS to serve as project administrator for
work in the U.S. and with a comparable organization to serve as project administrator in the other
country.
The Egyptian Workshop. The first such project was conducted in Egypt late in 1977 in cooperation
with Egypt's Academy of Scientific Research and Technology and one of its major laboratories, the
National Research Centre. The U.S. Agency for International Development USAID) provided funding.
From a list of about a dozen topics that the Egyptians had proposed as significant to their early economic
development, IAC and the National Research Centre eventually selected five: pesticide analysis and
synthesis, mineral beneficiation, chemical modification of cotton, corrosion, and utilization of fibrous
raw materials. Following nearly three weeks of discussions and tours of Egyptian industrial facilities
whose processes fell within the workshop's subject areas, the active participants recommended 8
projects involving education, basic and applied research for which they believed funding should be
sought. In 1979, funded two of the projects, involving wool products and corrosion laboratory/corrosion
inhibitors projects for three years. In 1979, USAID also funded an R&D project to develop processes to
beneficiate Egypt's marginal-grade phosphate ores. It did so partly as a result of the workshop's
recommendation and partly as a result of an independent proposal submitted by National Research
Centre scientists. With the funding of these three projects, IAC's and IAC's roles in Egypt based on the
workshop essentially ended, although they remained available to provide short-term assistance should
the need arise.
The Indian Workshop. IAC cosponsored its second workshop in its science and technology exchange
program in 1980, in India in cooperation with the Indian Chemical Society and India's Department of
Science and Technology. As in the Egyptian project, the objectives were to review recent major trends
in research in the two countries in selected subject areas, prepare detailed proposals for cooperative
R&D projects, and then secure the grants necessary to conduct the recommended work. Following five
days of discussions and six days of tours of a dozen laboratories in six cities in India, the participants
from the U.S. and India prepared research plans and budgets for seven projects in the workshop's three
subject areas of natural products chemistry, solid state chemistry and organometallic chemistry. The
Government of India funded three of the projects involving medicinal and other plant products.
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The U.S.- U.S.S.R. Catalysis Program. The ACS served as administrator of the "U.S.-U.S.S.R.
Program of Research in Chemical Catalysis" under a series of grants from the National Science
Foundation during the six years 1974-80. The main substance of the program was the exchange of some
eight to ten research fellows annually to conduct research in the laboratories of the other country for
periods of three to eight months. In addition, chemists and chemical engineers in each country who
participated in the program as principal investigators held a symposium annually. During these
symposia, results of the previous year were reviewed and plans were made for research to be undertaken
in the coming 12 months.
During the program's life, American principal investigators spent about 45 person-months in the
U.S.S.R. attending symposia and visiting Soviet laboratories, while Soviet principal investigators spent
about 50 man-months in the U.S. doing likewise. Forty U.S. research fellows and 50 Soviet research
fellows conducted research in the other country's laboratories. U.S. fellows stayed in the U.S.S.R. for an
average of about four months each, while Soviet fellows stayed in the U.S. for an average of about seven
months each. Research conducted in the seven-year period resulted in the publication of more than 100
joint papers in scientific journals in the U.S., the U.S.S.R., and Western Europe. Dr. Vladimir Haensel
was Program Chairman, Mr. Gordon Bixler was Project Administrator, and Ms. Maria Snow served
admirably as Project Coordinator.
The U.S. - Baltics – Former Soviet Union Environmental Chemistry Program. Perhaps the most
significant international happening of the period 1975-2000 was the fall of Soviet Communism,
beginning in 1989, which brought about the disintegration of the Soviet Union. These events marked the
end of the polarization of nations aligned either with the United States or with the former Soviet Union
and resulted in a greater degree of national independence worldwide than had existed for more than 50
years. Increasingly, as many nations including Russia looked to the United States for leadership and
support, the chemical community saw the American Chemical Society as an international standard-
bearer. In order to assist chemists in the former Soviet region during the transition to democracy, ACS
President Helen M. Free and Board of Directors Chair Paul Walter appealed to ACS members for
contributions. The newly-established Baltic Countries and Soviet Union Fund raised a total of more
than $12,000. In order to use these funds most effectively, the National Science Foundation was
approached with a request for support of workshops in Environmental Chemistry and return visits to
U.S. laboratories by young researchers from the region.
With NSF support, Environmental Chemistry workshops were held in Palanga, Lithuania (1997), St.
Petersburg, Russia (1998) and Prague, Czech Republic (1999) bringing groups of 10-15 U.S.
investigators together with environmental scientists from some 12 countries in the region. Return visits
by young investigators from more than six countries were hosted in U.S. laboratories and the program
ultimately fostered a variety of multinational projects in environmental chemistry.
Other Former Soviet Union Programs. Another program to help chemical scientists in the Former
Soviet Union involved management of proposal review. In 1992, billionaire George Soros contributed
one hundred million dollars to establish the International Science Foundation (ISF). The organization’s
purpose was to provide funding for significant scientific projects in the former Soviet Union, with the
goal of preserving the scientific infrastructure of the region. OIA was invited to assist by organizing
review panels and administering proposals in the chemical sciences. The office was contracted to
handle some four thousand proposals from former Soviet Union countries. Nearly one thousand, five
hundred research grants resulted.
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Other programs involved the donation of chemical literature and materials to Russia and fSU countries.
OIA coordinated the shipment of the personal library of the late Society President, Dr. Paul G. Gassman,
which his wife, Gerda, donated to the library of the Zelinsky Institute for Organic Chemistry at the
Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), in Moscow. In 1993 the Office of International Activities was
approached by the Fisher Scientific Company with an offer to donate surplus reagents and laboratory
equipment to nonprofit institutions in developing nations around the world. With the ACS as broker,
Fisher shipped reagents valued at some $680,000 to the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow and
several valuable consignments to the Tallinn Technical University in Tallinn, Estonia. Shipping funds
were provided by the International Science Foundation.
The International Initiatives Program. In 1990, ACS President Professor Ernest L. Eliel proposed a
new program to assist scientific exchanges with selected Latin America and newly liberated Eastern
Bloc countries. Called International Initiatives, the program was designed assist scientific collaboration
with scientists who had at the time had little opportunity to interact with U.S. laboratories. By 2000 the
list of participating countries had grown to include Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Estonia, Czech
Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Venezuela.
The program was highly successful. In its first ten years of operation International Initiatives supported
more than one hundred short term visits both to and from the United States producing a substantial
number of collaborative publications and long-term research projects.
Exchanges with Latin America. Recognizing our nation’s shared heritage with the countries of Latin
America, ACS International Activities has carried out several exchange programs. The first, in 1989-90
involved supported six scientists from Argentina who visited United States laboratories on two-month
visits scheduled to take place during the austral summer. The highly successful visits produced many
publications and long-lasting research collaborations. The program was supported by a grant from PRF,
which had been obtained by Prof. Ernest Eliel and was administered by OIA. The track record
established by this successful grant allowed Dr. Eliel and Dr. Malin, OIA Administrator, to obtain NSF
funding for twenty-eight subsequent visits over the period 1994-99. The program was extended by
obtaining funds from the National Research Council of Mexico and the Fundacion Andes which
provided for another six visits by Mexican and Chilean scientists.
Cuba Interactions. The U.S. embargo on trade with Cuba, which began in 1958, has placed special
restrictions on interactions with that country. Nevertheless, looking forward to the eventual
democratization of Cuba, it has been seen as desirable to maintain contact between the U.S. and Cuban
chemical communities.. Thus a few Cuban representatives were invited to participate in the ACS
National meetings in 1999 and 2000. Similarly, ACS staff and governance representatives attended
meetings of the Cuban Chemical Society in Havana (1998), Santiago de Cuba (1999), Santa Clara
(2000) and again in Havana (2001). After the Havana meeting in 1998, ACS Immediate Past President
Paul H.L. Walter arranged for a donation to the Cuban Chemical Society of a five years’ compilation
(1995-99) of Chemical Abstracts on CD-ROM. This was the only new collection of Chemical Abstracts
available on the island since 1991.
ACS IREU. From 2007-present, the ACS International Research Experiences for Undergraduate (IREU)
exchange program has provided talented American chemistry students access to the best chemistry
research labs abroad, and reciprocally places the best international students into American summer
research programs at dozens of US university partners. Students spend 10 weeks abroad working on
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publishable research projects under the guidance of faculty members and graduate student mentors to
sharpen scientific skills, develop collaborations with international scientists, and experience the life and
culture of a foreign country. For 2014-2016, ACS OIA has received $550k from NSF for IREU to
continue.
ACS GREET. Annually from 2011-2013, the ACS Global Research Experiences, Exchanges and
Training Program (GREET) program provided intensive, high-impact international research experience
and collaboration opportunities to five teams of U.S. chemical scientists from both the private and public
sector. GREET provided a novel approach and pathway for these individuals to establish lasting
international collaborations so that their talents and expertise could be activated to benefit their own
careers, institutions, nations, and to serve society. The 2011 and 2012 GREET teams were chosen by a
review panel and involved ten host countries: Tanzania, Kenya, China, Israel, Romania, Italy, Sweden,
France, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Projects ranged from teaching green chemistry
manufacturing techniques to Tanzanian pharmaceutical students enabling them to formulate malarial
medicines within Africa, extremely low-cost testing for counterfeit medicines, and improved in vivo 3D
imaging techniques for the detection of cancer. GREET was not funded for continuation beyond 2013.
ACS EuCheMS Student Travel Awards. Continuing off of a similar pilot program conducted in
Germany in 2011, travel awards were provided to nine US graduate students to attend and present their
research during the 4th EuCheMS Congress, Aug 26-30, 2012 in Prague, CZ. Funding for the awards
originated from the ACS Executive Director’s Initiative Fund. The program helped to bring a US and
ACS perspective to the international meeting while also providing a substantive ACS membership value
to the graduate student community. During the Congress, students blogged their experiences on the ACS
Network, participated in networking meetings with the European counterparts, and attended an event at
the US Embassy where they learned about funding opportunities to return to the EU.
ACS International-Domestic Student Summit. The ACS International-Domestic Student Summit held
in 2012, discussed ways to promote cross-cultural understanding, increase international skill flow and
collaboration, and utilize the unique resource that 800,000 international students studying in the US
provide. A list of recommendations created by the geographically, institutionally, and nationally diverse
delegates was produced and disseminated to important stakeholders. Eighteen student delegates to the
Summit were selected in teams from among nominations made by ACS Local Section leadership.
Nominated teams comprised two students from the same region, one international student studying in
the United States on a student visa and his or her domestic labmate. The Summit occurred on Tuesday,
Nov 13 in Raleigh, NC preceding the ACS Southeastern Regional Meeting (SERMACS).
ACS International Center. The ACS International Center (IC) began as an online clearinghouse for
information on international collaboration for chemistry practitioners. It aims to be a single, efficient and
comprehensive resource showcasing existing international collaborative opportunities, sharing
experiences and imparting information on logistics. Started as a Presidential Initiative, direction for the
development of the IC was provided by Joseph Francisco’s Presidential Task Force on Implementation
and the Working Group for the concept of an ACS International Center. At the recommendation of the
Committee on Budget & Finance, the ACS Board of Directors voted to approve and provide funding for
the IC during their December 2011 meeting. The IC as currently configured is a virtual resource,
administered by ACS. The website underwent a soft-launch in Dec 2012. At launch the Center had
information on over 600 programs across 25 countries and 6 experience levels. Organization affiliates of
the Center within and external to ACS allow it to effectively provide a service to both opportunity
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seekers and opportunity providers, connecting them on areas of common interest. ACS IC received
permanent funding from the ACS Board of Directors in June 2013.
Building on Opportunities in Science and Technology (BOOST) In Feb and March 2013and with
external funding from the US State Department, ACS conducted eight soft-skill workshops with five in
Indonesia and three in Malaysia at locations decided upon in consultation with various stakeholders,
including the chemical societies in Indonesia and Malaysia. Workshop topics will cover: scientific
publishing and presenting; communicating science to the public; careers in science; and scientific
collaboration and funding. We have registrations for more than 800 young Malaysian and Indonesian
scientists and engineers to participate in this coursework. Subsequently, workshop participants will be
invited to apply for a travel award to attend a Trainer Leadership Institute. A selected subset of carefully
vetted and reviewed attendees, approximately 28 total (12 Malaysians, 16 Indonesians), will be invited
to receive further training to make them topic experts thereby creating new individuals capable of
locally delivering and continuing the skill training workshops. The Train-the-Trainer aspect to the
program ensures the important soft-skill knowledge is continually imparted to young STEM talents even
after ACS’ physical presence concludes. This program has been extended for 2015 to Thailand.
Seminars and Symposia
In addition to producing workshops and exchange programs designed to catalyze cooperative R&D
projects, IAC and OIA have continually fostered international scientific interchange by cosponsoring
seminars, symposia, and expositions. These included:
The CHEMRAWN Conferences. In the mid-1970's the International Union of Pure and Applied
Chemistry decided to broaden its activities beyond its traditional ones by conducting a series of major
conferences on international problems with critical implications for chemistry. These conferences were
to be based on the theme "Chemical Research Applied to World Needs" (CHEMRAWN conferences, in
popular terminology). The first one was held in Toronto in July 1978, and it dealt with future sources of
organic chemical raw materials. The second was held in Manila in December 1982, and it dealt with the
contributions that chemistry can make to improving world food supplies.
IAC had no role in the first conference, but the ACS as a society did, as did OIA. The ACS was one of
the cosponsors of the first CHEMRAWN conference, and ACS members secured grant funds to support
the transportation and living expenses for a number of leading chemists in developing countries who
attended, and to help cover the editorial and printing costs for the book that summarized the conference's
presentations and set forth its conclusions and recommendations.
IAC itself was directly involved with CHEMRAWN II. A subcommittee with Dr. Bryant Rossiter as
chairman and Past Presidents William Bailey and James D'Ianni and current President A. C. Zettlemoyer
as members was formed to help ensure that this conference's and future conferences' recommendations
would be acted on. Dr. Cyril Ponnamperuma, then chairman of IAC, headed the 1982 conference's
committee responsible for the final plenary session. The conference’s Perspectives and
Recommendations volume was edited by Dr. L.W. Shemilt and Mr. Gordon Bixler. Dr. Shemilt also
edited the published volume of invited lectures.
CHEMRAWN VII. ACS was not directly involved in the intervening CHEMRAWN conferences, but it
played a major role in organizing CHEMRAWN VII: The Chemistry of the Atmosphere – It’s Impact on
Global Change, which was held in Baltimore, MD in 1991. The conference was highly successful.
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Copies of the Proceedings and Recommendations volume were distributed to the U.S. Congress as well
as to other U.S. and foreign policymakers.
CHEMRAWN XIV. This conference, known as the Green Chemistry CHEMRAWN, was entitled
CHEMRAWN XIV: Toward Chemically Benign Products and Processes. It took place in Boulder, CO,
June 9-13, 2001. Like CHEMRAWN VII, it featured a workshop for young chemists from developing
countries, several days before the actual conference. Both CHEMRAWN conferences received
substantial financial support from a number of industrial firms, non-government organizations and
government granting agencies.
German-American Frontiers of Chemistry Symposia. In the late 1990’s it was recognized that
although the United States and Germany possess two of the strongest chemical communities worldwide,
scientific exchanges, i.e., of students and postdocs, were on the decrease. Together, the American
Chemical Society and the Gesellshaft Deutscher Chemiker decided to organize a joint symposium for
younger scientists, focused on the latest cutting-edge research. A binational organizing committee chose
forty of the “best and brightest” young German chemists and an equal number of their U.S. counterparts.
The highly successful seminar, which took place July 6-9, 2000, at Kloster Seeon, in Bavaria, included
discussions of Genomics, Nanochemistry, Catalysis, Self-Assembly, Frontiers of Synthesis,
Nanomaterials, Functional Polymers, Frontiers of Measurement, and Cell-Cell Interactions. A second
symposium was scheduled for Boston, Massachusetts in August, 2002. The German-American
Frontiers of Chemistry symposium series marked a new departure in U.S. – German relations in the
chemical sciences. This was symposium series was updated in 2009 under the new title, Transatlantic
Frontiers of Chemistry, to include the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Chemical Instrumentation Visits. In the early 1990’s the Committee on International Activities
identified the lack of expertise in analytical instrumentation techniques as a major problem in
developing countries. The committee resolved to invite analytical chemists from selected regions to the
United States to gain experience with analytical techniques. The first in a series of visits occurred in
February, 1995. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, ten scientists
participated from Botswana, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
They visited Hampton University, ACS headquarters, the World Bank, made site visits to a number of
instrument companies in the eastern U.S. and attended PITTCON ’95. Pittcon is the world’s largest
exposition of analytical instrumentation that showcases the finest exhibition of modern laboratory
equipment, instrumentation, supplies and services. In the subsequent years, Pittcon and the Society for
Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh provided sufficient funds to make possible the invitees’ annual
attendance at Pittcon. To date, 94 early-career chemistry practitioners from 69 countries have received
the Pittcon Travel Grant. The program is an excellent example of cooperation by IAC members as hosts
for the program. The efforts and personal contributions of time by Dr. Sut Ahuja and Dr. Richard S.
Danchik were especially important.
The International Chemical Congresses in Africa. In 1992, at the request of the International
Activities Committee, the Board of Directors authorized that Dr. Walter Benson serve as official ACS
representative to the Vth International Congress on Chemistry (ICCA) in Africa, held in Gabarone,
Botswana. Society representatives also took part in the VIth ICCA in Accra, Ghana in 1995 and the
VIIth ICCA in Durban, South Africa (1998). In addition to sending representatives, ACS provided
$18,000 in support of the Congress. The 1995 meeting in Ghana provided the venue for formation of the
African Association for Pure and Applied Chemistry. OIA organized a Water Quality workshop held at
the July, 2001 ICCA meeting, held in Dakar, Senegal. The Federation of African Societies of
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Chemistry (FASC) holds biennial meetings, the most recent of which took place in 2013 in Marrakech,
Morocco. ACS hosted an African Young Talent Ambassador program at the meeting which attracted 27
early career chemists from throughout Africa to receive leadership training.
Chemical Instrumentation Visits. In the early 1990’s the Committee on International Activities
identified the lack of expertise in analytical instrumentation techniques as a major problem in
developing countries. The committee resolved to invite analytical chemists from selected regions to the
United States to gain experience with analytical techniques. The first in a series of visits occurred in
February 1995. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, 10 scientists
participated from Botswana, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
They visited Hampton University, ACS headquarters, the World Bank, made site visits to a number of
instrument companies in the eastern U.S. and attended Pittcon 1995.
A variety of other symposia have been organized at various times, including the following.
In cooperation with the ACS Divisions of Chemical Marketing & Economics and of Industrial &
Engineering Chemistry, IAC cosponsored a full-day symposium at the ACS National Meeting in
Washington, D.C., in September 1979. Entitled "Chemistry and the Economic Growth of
Developing Countries," it was organized primarily by Dr. H. Harry Szmant, an IAC subcommittee
member. Comprised of about 25 papers; the symposium demonstrated to American and foreign
chemists the unique role that chemical science and chemical technology have in the economic
growth of developing countries.
IAC arranged for Dr. Anna Harrison, then president of the ACS, to give what was billed as "The
Opening Lecture" at India's 2nd Chemical and Chemical Engineering Congress and Exposition in
Bombay in January 1978. At the 3rd Chemical and Chemical Engineering Congress and Exposition
in Bombay in March 1980, IAC cosponsored a two-day symposium on "Future Sources of Raw
Materials." Topics dealt with by chemists that IAC had selected to participate included "Planning for
Renewable Resources-Biomass Systems," "Advances in Metallic Raw Materials Technologies," and
"Prospects for Advanced Technologies." IAC also arranged for Dr. George Hammond, vice
president of Allied Chemical Corp., to give the opening lecture.
IAC selected six American chemists to give lectures by invitation at the Indian Science Congress in
Mysore, India, in January 1982. Their topics were to be "The Chemistry of Evolution," "Discovery
and Development of Antiviral Agents from Natural Products," "Chemical Modifications to Natural
Rubber," "The Physiological Effects of Caffeine from Tea," and "The Role of Scientific and
Engineering Societies in the International Exchange of Science and Technology.
The Federation of Latin American Chemical Societies held its XV Latin American Chemical
Congress in Puerto Rico in October 1982, with the ACS Puerto Rico Section and the (as literally
translated) College of Chemists of Puerto Rico as cosponsors. IAC presented a one-day symposium.
During the 1970-80’s the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Ahmedgagar College, the Indian
Institute of Science, and the Government of India's University Grants Commission sponsored the
Mahabaleshwar Seminars on Modern Biology. Recent seminars have been "Sensory Mechanisms"
(1978), "Stucture and Interactions of Nucleic Acids" (1979), and "Genetic Regulation: Recent
Results" (1980). IAC accepted an invitation by the Indian sponsors to join them in late 1982-early
1983 in presenting a seminar on "Advances in the Chemistry of the Evolution of Life."
The Chemical Institute of Canada, The Chemical Society of Japan, and the ACS cosponsored "The
1984 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies" in Honolulu in December 1984.
The meeting, which grew out of a 1979 congress organized jointly by ACS and the Chemical
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Society of Japan, formed the basis for the successful series of PACIFICHEM conferences which
took place in Honolulu in 1989, 1994 and 2000.
The Chinese-American Delegation on Polymer Science and Technology to The People's Republic of
China, which traveled and lectured in China in May-June 1980 and which was organized and
conducted largely through the efforts of Dr. Jesse C. H. Hwa, an IAC member.
The First China-Japan-U.S.A. Seminar on Organometallic Chemistry, which was held in Beijing in
June 1980 and which was organized largely by the late Dr. Minoru Tsutsui, who was a member of an
IAC subcommittee at the time.
The Joint U.S.-USSR Catalysis Workshop, Northwestern University, February, 1993, organized by
Dr. Michael P. Doyle.
Joint U.S.-USSR Workshop on Organic Synthesis, Stanford University, March, 1994, organized by
Dr. Barry Trost.
The US-Taiwan Symposium on Chemical Education, organized by Dr. E. Eliel and B. Sawrey in San
Diego, California, 1996.
Workshop on Hemispheric Interactions, organized by Dr. E. Eliel at the Fifth International Chemical
Congress, Cancun, Mexico, 1997.
The U.S.-Taiwan Symposium on Organometallic Chemistry, organized by Dr. M. Doyle and
officials of the Chinese Chemical Society in Taipei, 2000.
Chemical Sciences and Society Summit (CS3). The annual series Chemical Sciences and Society
Summit (CS3), established in 2009, is a joint collaboration between the chemical societies of China,
Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. CS3 is equally funded by each country’s
science foundation. Each year, CS3 brings together a small group of top researchers (6 scientists, plus 1
representative each from the chemical society and science foundation, per country) in a particular field
with a goal of developing policy recommendations for addressing global problems in key economic
sectors such as health, food, energy, and the environment. Participants are asked to develop their policy
recommendations based on a 5-10 years future research vision that focuses on two key criteria: 1)
advancing research innovation and; 2) paving way for societal impact. The policy recommendations are
captured in a joint CS3 white paper, which is distributed widely throughout the science community by
all the chemical societies involved. The white paper serves as a tool to advocate and inform the broad
audience, including policy makers, the critical role of chemical sciences play in to addressing the global
society’s most pressing needs.
The CS3 partnership between the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), the Chemical Society of Japan
(CSJ), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the American
Chemical Society (ACS) was conceived and established as a global forum for prominent scientists to
explore together the frontier chemical research, develop mutually beneficial collaborations for the
future, and identify opportunities for multilateral alignment of research priorities and the creation of
new, systematic opportunities for international research collaborations to address global challenges. In
2009, ACS received funding from the US NSF to support the pilot CS3 symposium, Sunlight to Power
the World, which will took place in Kloster Seeon, Germany. The next CS3, with the theme of A
Sustainable Global Society: How Can Chemistry Materials Help?, was held in London, UK in 2010.
The 2011 meeting shifted its focus to Chemistry for Better Health in Beijing, China. In 2012, ACS
hosted CS3 for the first time. This meeting, entitled Chemistry for Next Generation Sustainable
Electronics, was held 17-20 September, 2012 in San Francisco, California. In 2013 (ca. September), the
last meeting of the original series, Efficient Utilization of Elements, was held in Japan.
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International Year of Chemistry 2011
The International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC 2011) was a worldwide celebration of the achievements
of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind. Under the unifying theme
“Chemistry—our life, our future,” IYC 2011 offered a range of interactive, entertaining, and educational
activities for all ages. IYC 2011 reached across the globe, and provided opportunities for public
participation at the local, regional, and national levels. The IYC was intended to increase public
appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, increase young people’s interest in chemistry,
generate enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry, and celebrate the 100th anniversary of Marie
Curie winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the
International Association of Chemical Societies, now IUPAC, the International Union of Pure &
Applied Chemistry.
Efforts that were led by ACS’s International Activities Committee and Office of International Activities
include the following activities and events:
IYC 2011 ChemLuminary Award. The IAC sponsored this unique, one-time recognition, which was
awarded during the 2012 ACS Fall National Meeting, to promote international engagement both within
and outside the traditional realm of the Society. The award honored ACS Local Sections, Technical
Divisions, and Committees in recognition of exemplary contributions to the celebration of the IYC. In
order to continue this internationally-themed award, the IAC sponsored the 2012 Global Engagement
ChemLuminary Award, which will honor, during the 2013 Fall National Meeting, an ACS Local Section
in recognition of its efforts in the international realm, particularly in engaging international chapters.
ACS IYC Partner Program. OIA staff managed the IYC Partner Program, a partnership with 40 like-
minded societies and institutions with the goal of creating synergies surrounding celebrations of the
IYC. Working together with these peer organizations ensured that the contributions of the chemical
sciences reached the general public to the fullest extent. Partner organizations also benefitted from the
partnership because their work and strategic interests were highlighted through the global communities
and networks created by the celebration of the IYC. IYC Partners contributions included: posting the
IYC logo on their websites; distributing literature and promotional items in bags during their annual
meetings; posting IYC-related articles in their respective trade publications and blogs; featuring IYC-
related symposia in their meetings’ technical program; and hosting IYC-themed events. In addition,
OIA successfully coordinated the presence of an IYC booth during the annual meetings of the American
Crystallographic Association.
Scientific Freedom and Human Rights Webinar Series. During 2011, OIA delivered two webinars.
The first webinar, delivered by Scholars at Risk, discussed the interplay between human rights and
science, and how to identify appropriate and practical solutions to human rights problems facing the
scientific community today. The second webinar addressed the fundamental human right to access to
clean water and sanitation and featured two experts, Dr. Satinder Ahuja and Jeanette Brown, immediate
past president of the Water Environment Federation, as presenters. The success of the webinars
motivated IAC and OIA to establish a Science and Human Rights Webinar Series to continue
highlighting the role chemistry plays in addressing human rights issues.
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IYC 2011 Bulletin. OIA produced the IYC Bulletin, a monthly electronic newsletter geared towards
planners and enthusiasts worldwide. It was distributed to a readership of approximately 4,400
individuals in over 100 countries across the globe.
Festival de Química. OIA helped organize the Festival de Química in San Juan, Puerto Rico, one of the
pivotal events of the IUPAC World Congress, which featured the efforts of hundreds of volunteers who,
through various demonstrations emphasized the importance of chemistry in daily life in relation to the
IYC 2011 themes of water, environment, energy, materials and health. During the event, participants
joined thousands of students around the world in conducting the IYC Global Water Experiment. Over
2,000 people participated in this event.
The IYC Festival in Puerto Rico helped establish a successful collaborative model with other
international partners for raising the ACS global profile while communicating the value of Chemistry to
the general public. The Festival was held for the second time, in conjunction with the Congress of
Latin-American Chemical Associations, in Cancun, Mexico in 2012. OIA partnered with the Chemical
Society of Mexico (SQM) and the Federation of Latin American Chemical Associations (FLAQ) in
organizing a three-hour event, which had more than 50 volunteers conducting hands-on activities and
close to 1,000 participants. The festival was preceded by a day of training for volunteers and some
representatives of sister Societies, some of whom expressed interest in holding a Festival in their own
countries. Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Chile hosted similar events in partnership with ACS in
2013, attracting over 14,000 participants from teaching and learning communities.
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ACS Science and Human Rights Activities
In 1978, IAC recommended and the Board of Directors concurred that the ACS should accept the
invitation of the American Association for the Advancement of Science to investigate cases of alleged
violations of the scientific freedom or human rights of chemists and chemical engineers in other
countries. Since that time, an IAC subcommittee has investigated such cases in Argentina, China,
Czechoslovakia, Iran, Korea, the Philippines, Russia, the Soviet Union and Turkey. As a result of these
investigations, IAC has recommended and the Board has agreed that the ACS write letters to the heads-
of-state, and to leading scientists, in the countries involved expressing the Society's concern for the
welfare of the individuals. Normally the Society asks that they be treated justly, and points out that
abridgement of scientific freedom and human rights strains the relations between countries and hampers
the international scientific exchanges that otherwise benefit all people.
As a result of IAC recommendations, the ACS has also written to delegations of western nations to the
Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, served as a conduit for contributions by
ACS members to an event in Washington, D.C. in honor of the 60th birthday of Andrei Sakharov, and
expressed its support for scientific meetings of dissidents in the U.S.S.R. The ACS wrote to the United
Nations and to UNESCO expressing its concern over the treatment of Academician Sakharov and went
on record as endorsing resolutions of the National Academy of Sciences calling for freedom of scientific
expression and for the nonpoliticization of UNESCO. The Subcommittee on Scientific Freedom and
Human Rights, led by Prof. Zafra Lerman, organized human rights symposia and receptions at the 1990,
1992, 1996 and 2000 ACS national meetings. Individuals honored at these events were Yuri
Tornapolsky (USSR), Feng Li Zhi (China), Vil Mirzayanoff (Russia) and Aleksandr Nikitin (Russia).
In 2010 the ACS Board of Directors made the decision to revise the procedures for the Society's
response to questions of human rights and scientific mobility. Participation in this revised process is
open to any ACS member, committee, technical division, local section and external human rights groups
and networks to bring to the Board’s attention reports of violations of human rights and scientific
mobility related to chemists and practitioners in allied sciences. The new procedures are meant to be
more inclusive and effective and permit the ACS Board Subcommittee on Professional and Member
Relations (P&MR) to take action on cases as part of its delegated ACS Board authority. The OIA is
tasked with working with the IAC regional subcommittees, ACS members, U.S. Department of State,
foreign embassies and other professional societies and organizations active in human rights to monitor
and seek information on reported threats to human rights of practitioners in chemistry and closely allied
science and engineering areas. ACS moved forward with human rights and scientific mobility from a
larger perspective, examining how the Society can best contribute to human rights issues and initiatives
across the full spectrum of human rights, from availability of basic rights, such as food, clean water and
health care, to access to education and science education in particular, and monitoring /advocacy.
In 2011, OIA, in conjunction with AAAS Coalition’s Welfare of Scientists’ Working Group, developed
a human rights best practices primer, which focuses on equipping scientific and engineering societies, as
well as other scientifically oriented organizations, with the tools to effectively develop processes and
procedures to address human rights issues, particularly responding to allegations of human rights
violations. OIA and IAC also organized the ACS Presidentially supported Anaheim symposium on
"Human Rights and Scientific Freedom," which featured a Nobel laureate, the director of the NAS
Committee on Human Rights, as well as the current and future presidents of the ACS who shared
perspectives on the history, needs and new strategies for addressing human rights and infringements to
scientific freedom. Since 2011, OIA has delivered six webinars in the Science and Human Rights
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Webinar Series, which explores the connection between science, specifically chemistry, and human
rights. Future webinars in this series include the Malta Conferences and OPCW, winner of the 2013
Nobel Peace Prize.
OIA continues to further cultivation the Society's science and human rights networks and their
activation, including Scholars At Risk, AAAS Human Rights Coalition (including ACS staff
participation / leadership on the Coalition Steering Committee and the Welfare of Scientists Working
Group), NEAR, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the National Academies Committee on
Human Rights, the State Department’s Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs, in the Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and our sister societies, to name a few. Over the years, many of
the cases ACS has considered initiated from these groups.
Donations of Books, Journals, Reagents and Equipment
Project Bookshare. During the late 1970’s the International Activities Committee noted that a lack of
access to the modern chemical literature was greatly impeding the development of chemical research
and education in economically disadvantaged institutions in the U.S. and worldwide. The committee
also noted that chemical literature often becomes available as a result of consolidations of libraries or
because they are converted to electronic form. In 1984, the Committee organized Project Bookshare,
through which donations of books and journals could be shipped to selected libraries worldwide,
including minority institutions and tribal colleges in the U.S.
Warehousing and initial shipments were made through the Chemistry Department at Bowling Green
State University, Ohio, but it was soon realized the enormous volume of donated materials would
require larger quarters. Dr. J.C. Torio of the Office of International Activities identified Books for the
World, Inc., (BFTW) a charitable organization in Mississippi, with sufficient warehouse space. BFTW
later became CHEER, Inc., located in Canton, Mississippi. By 1996, support for shipping expenses had
been obtained from UNESCO and also through USAID’s Oceans Freight program. It became possible
to send large shipments, such that by 1997 Project Bookshare was sending some 80-100 tons of donated
chemical literature and educational materials each year to economically disadvantaged libraries,
including those at traditionally African-American and Native American institutions, around the world.
More than 46 countries have been helped through Project Bookshare.
Donations of New Publications. While chemists worldwide are grateful to receive donations of back
journals and books to develop their library infrastructure, they are particularly needful of access to new
publications. The ACS Publications Division and the Society’s Board of Directors have responded to
requests from former Soviet Union and from African scientists. During the period 1995-99 ACS
provided some 500 subscriptions to ACS journals for libraries in the former Soviet Union. 200
subscriptions went to African libraries through program organized by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science.
Donations of Equipment and Reagents: In 1996, the International Activities Committee approved an
experimental program to coordinate donations of analytical instrumentation to laboratories in the U.S.
and overseas. A new staff member was hired to operate the program and various instruments including
an FT-IR spectrometer, two NMR spectrometers, several sets of HPLC equipment, gas chromatographs
and other items of laboratory equipment were sent to laboratories in the United States and five other
27
countries. In 1998, the Fisher Chemical Company donated a consignment of laboratory equipment,
valued near $1,000,000, which was sent with UNESCO funds to the Kenya Academy of Sciences. The
program was discontinued in 1999 because of the scarcity of donated materials and concerns about
maintenance of the older equipment in developing country environments.
In January 2006, ACS Project Bookshare was discontinued.
OIA: An Inquiry Focal Point and Host
Over the years, OIA has served as the focal point in headquarters for inquiries by individuals and
organizations in other countries concerning ACS activities generally or ACS international activities
specifically. During the period 1988-2001, for example, OIA hosted visitors or groups from at least 40
countries. When specialized knowledge was required, such as inquiries dealing with secondary and
tertiary education, continuing education, public understanding of science, professional relations,
university-industry interactions, and the like, OIA has arranged for appropriate staff specialists to
respond.
Science Attache Receptions. During the period 1990-2000, the science attaches from foreign embassies
in Washington have been invited to interact with ACS governance and staff at the New Officers’
Reception, held each year in January. Events in earlier years involved science attaches at U.S. embassies
or chemists from The People's Republic of China.
Each year during the period 1975-1986 the U.S. Department of State brought to Washington for
briefing/debriefing sessions the science attaches stationed in U.S. embassies. During that period the ACS
gave a reception and buffet dinner for them, for science attaches stationed in embassies of other
countries in Washington, for members of the Congress and their staffs, and for members of the
Washington scientific community holding leading positions in government agencies, local universities,
scientific and professional societies, and industrial companies. These events provided opportunities for
the ACS to promote chemistry and to establish itself in the minds of government officials and others as a
leading scientific society for both domestic and international purposes. Since 2011, this activity
continues on an annual basis in cooperation with the S&T Diplomats Club in Washington, DC.
Chinese Delegation Receptions. The contacts began in April 1977 when IAC and OIA served as host at
a reception and luncheon in Washington for 10 chemists and an official of the Scientific and Technical
Association of the People's Republic of China. They were beginning a month-long tour of U.S.
industrial, governmental, and educational facilities under the auspices of a formal exchange agreement
between the governments of the two countries. The event was the first official contact between the ACS
and chemists from the PRC, and it established a basis for expanding contacts between members of the
profession in the two countries.
In 1978, Dr. Glenn Seaborg led a group of American chemists on a tour of government, university, and
industrial facilities in China on a reciprocal visit under the auspices of the same exchange program. The
group reported their experiences in a book published by ACS entitled, "Chemistry and Chemical
Engineering in The People's Republic of China," which was the first detailed report on the status of
chemistry in China following what is known popularly as "the ouster of the Gang of Four."
As a result of the successful tour by the American delegation in 1978 and the high-level contacts it
made, IAC on behalf of the ACS invited China's Academy of Sciences to send a delegation of chemists
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to the ACS/CSJ Chemical Congress in Honolulu in April 1979. The Academy accepted, and 12 directors
and deputy directors of the Academy's major chemical research attended the congress and then toured
university, government, and industrial laboratories in eight states and in Washington, D.C., following
the congress.
A visit to China by ACS senior staff and governance was planned to take place in May, 1989, but was
cancelled due to unrest after the Tienanmin Square event. Subsequently that year, Chinese visitors
conferred with ACS representatives at the Pacifichem meeting, and in September, 1993 an ACS staff
delegation visited several locations in China. Chinese delegations visited ACS headquarters in 1998 and
1999.
These contacts led to excellent receptions in China for ACS officers and staff members who visited there
subsequently, especially in connection with marketing ACS products. These contacts continue to form
more effective and continuing relations between the ACS and its members and chemists and their
organizations in China.
Guide to Chemical Education. At its meeting in August 1977, the Board of Directors approved an IAC
request for a small appropriation to prepare and distribute a guide to chemical education in the U.S. As
IAC pointed out following its study of the need for a guide, almost one student in four in graduate
chemical, biochemical, and chemical engineering education programs in the U.S. came from another
country. Similarly, large numbers of undergraduate students in chemical programs also came from other
countries.
Fifteen ACS members working under the general editorial guidance of Dr. Robert Brasted contributed
chapters and served as reviewers of the "Guide to Chemical Education in the U.S. for Foreign Students"
that IAC published in March 1981. The 125-page book briefly described the U.S. education system, so
that students from other countries would have a better understanding of the educational backgrounds that
their fellow Americans students would have and with whom they will have to compete for admittance as
well as for class standing. It then covered in detail the U.S. college chemical curricula in general
chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical
chemistry. It also explained the U.S. testing system, which many students from other countries are
unfamiliar with, and it presented typical examination questions that students are expected to be able to
answer at different stages in their work toward B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees.
ACS International News Newsletter. In collaboration with the ACS International Activities Committee,
the Office of International Activities (OIA) publishes ACS Global Newsletter in electronic form on a
bimonthly basis. It is designed to provide information on activities, networks, resources, products and
services related to international aspects of chemical sciences, technology, engineering and innovation. It
is distributed to a readership of approximately 18,000 individuals in over 100 countries across the globe.
Activities with National and International Organizations
Listing of International Chemical Societies and Contacts. In order to maintain contact with the many
chemical societies worldwide, the Office of International Activities has established a listing of all
chemically-related societies worldwide. As of early 2001, more than 420 organizations were included,
in more than 1xx nations. The information was invaluable on many occasions, especially when OIA
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invited representatives of non-U.S. chemical societies to attend the 125th
Anniversary celebration of the
Society, held at the national meeting in San Diego, Ca, in April, 2001.
AAAS Consortium of Affiliates for International Programs. Although the ACS is in the forefront of
U.S. scientific and engineering societies with international programs, other societies in the U.S. also
have increasingly active international programs. This is perhaps best illustrated by the Consortium of
Affiliates for International Programs (CAIP) that the AAAS formed in 1976. The consortium currently
constitutes a network of over 250 scientific and engineering societies in 53 countries. Its objectives are
to:
- Facilitate the flow of information among consortium members about international concerns and
programs of common interest.
- Provide a forum and a mechanism for raising the concerns of the scientific and engineering
community, through its professional associations, regarding international science policies and
priorities and to present these to policy makers.
- Encourage cooperation and coordination among members on multidisciplinary projects with
international aspects.
- Stimulate new and/or expanded international science activities by consortium members.
Nearly half of the consortium members have committees that deal specifically with international
matters. The others, of course, conduct international programs without special committees. The AAAS
itself, meantime, through its Directorate for International Programs has also become very much involved
in international activities.
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The United States national affiliation
with IUPAC is maintained through the US National Committee for IUPAC (USNC) which, for historical
reasons, is coordinated through National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. Although
the Society therefore is not the U.S. “adhering organization” for IUPAC, it participates in nominating
members for USNC and it receives reports on USNC activities. As noted in other sections of this report,
ACS has over the years contributed to IUPAC projects by providing financial support, sending
representatives as committee and IUPAC commission members, and cosponsoring projects such as
CHEMRAWN conferences and other educational and industrial activities.
Meetings of Chemical Society Presidents. When he was President of the ACS in 1967, Dr. Charles G.
Overberger invited the presidents of a number of chemical societies in other countries to meet with him
in Washington to discuss topics of mutual interest to chemical societies. Presidents (and full-time heads
of staff for societies having such executives) from Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy,
Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom joined him for what they all agreed was a very
productive event in bringing chemical societies into much closer contact. Those attending therefore
agreed to try to have their and other chemical societies meet informally in the future in odd-numbered
years. With no formal governing document and entirely at the initiative of an individual chemical
society, presidents and heads of staff did meet in England in 1969, Federal Republic of Germany in
1971, Italy in 1973, Spain in 1975, and the Netherlands in 1977.
At the 1977 meeting, the then president of the ACS, Dr. Henry Hill, and the Executive Director, Dr.
Robert Cairns, informally invited the presidents to return to the U.S. for their 1979 meeting. IAC
endorsed this informal invitation, and in making the recommendation to the Board of Directors proposed
that the invitation list be greatly expanded from the traditional list that included only societies in Europe,
30
Canada and the U.S. in North America, and Japan in the Far East, with little representation by societies
in Latin America.
The Board concurred with IAC's recommendation, and invitations accordingly were extended to some
65 chemical societies and also to such international organizations as IUPAC, UNESCO, and the regional
federations of chemical societies in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. During
the three days September 15-17, 1979, immediately after the ACS meeting in Washington, the ACS
served as host society for the 7th International Meeting of Chemical Society Presidents. The meeting
was organized by Dr. Gardner W. Stacy and a subcommittee comprised of Dr. William J. Bailey
(chairman), Dr. Robert B. Fox, Dr. Jesse C. H. Hwa, and Dr. Bryant Rossiter. During the business
meetings on September 16-17, the presidents of 36 chemical societies worldwide and others attending
the meeting discussed the following topics:
- Aid to developing countries.
- The role of chemistry and of chemical societies in the transfer of science and technology among
nations.
- Programs for the international exchange of chemists.
- Chemical society cooperation in establishing regional centers for research in specialized subjects in
developing countries.
- Upgrading chemical education and the practice of chemistry in developing countries.
- Developments in the registration and licensing of chemists.
- Relationships between universities and the chemical industry.
- Chemistry's role in the provision of energy.
In addition, Dr. Overberger gave the inaugural address on September 15, 1979, speaking on "Science-
Servant or Master." One action taken during the meeting was the agreement by the presidents to set up
an international committee to consider formation of an international society that chemists might join as
individual members.
The next meeting of chemical society presidents was held in the summer of 1981 in Yugoslavia, with the
Union of Yugoslav Chemical Societies serving as host society. Societies represented for the first time
included those in Argentina, Australia, China (both The People's Republic and Taiwan), Costa Rica,
Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, and
Thailand. Also represented for the first time were the regional associations in Asia and Europe, the
association of African universities (the chemical society association counterpart in Africa pending
formation of more chemical societies in the region), IUPAC, and UNESCO.
Subsequent meetings of society presidents took place at the ACS National Meeting in New Orleans
(1987), and during biennial IUPAC Congresses and General Assemblies, for example in Norway (1991),
Portugal (1993), Switzerland (1997) and Germany (1999). IUAC hosted a meeting of regional
federation representatives, including those from Latin America, Asia, Europe and North America at its
new headquarters in North Carolina early in 1998.
While the broader fora involving many societies were recognized as very worthwhile, ACS leadership
and those of several other large chemical societies worldwide also considered it important to maintain
contact as well as discuss the mutual challenges and opportunities confronting relatively large
organizations. Accordingly, the Royal Society of Chemistry hosted the first recent Meeting of Major
Chemical Societies, held in July, 1999 at Ascot, England. Attended by the highest representatives of the
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chemical societies of the UK, Germany, Japan and the U.S. the Ascot meeting focused on developing
statements of common intent regarding research funding, teaching, and a chemists code of conduct.
These were expanded to include cooperation with chemists in developing countries and supply and
demand of chemists at the subsequent meeting of Society Presidents held during the IUPAC meeting in
Berlin, 1999.
The next meeting of major chemical Societies was held at ACS’s invitation in late November, 2000 in
Washington, DC. Representatives of France, Netherlands and IUPAC were added to the original four
countries. Topics discussed were the following:
- Implementation of the Ascot and Berlin statements
- Education issues
- Membership concerns
- Relationships with IUPAC
- Green Chemistry
- International chemical standards and trade
Proposed Formation of an International Society for Chemists. When he was president of the ACS in
1976, Dr. Glenn Seaborg proposed that chemists and chemical engineers could work together more
effectively on matters with international implications if there were an international society to which they
could belong as individuals. He also suggested that IAC study his proposal to suggest ways in which
such an international society could be formed if it could show both international interest and
international needs.
An IAC subcommittee under Dr. Stanley Kirschner began studying the proposal in 1977. It surveyed
some 600 leading chemists worldwide to get their opinions, held an open forum for chemical society
representatives and other interested persons attending the ACS/CSJ Chemical Congress in Honolulu in
April 1979, and suggested to chemical society presidents when they met in Washington, D.C., in
September 1979 that they, too, should study the matter. As noted above, they concurred in their support
for the concept.
The IAC subcommittee also interested the U.S. National Committee for IUPAC in considering one of
the possible ways for chemists to be able to belong to an international chemical society as individuals;
namely, for IUPAC to establish some type of membership category for individuals. The U.S. National
Committee proposed to IUPAC in 1977 that it establish a category of membership for individuals on a
trial basis, and it proposed the matter again in 1979 in a somewhat revised form. IUPAC appointed an ad
hoc committee in 1979 to examine the proposal and report to the IUPAC Council at its meeting in 1981.
At that meeting in Leuven, Belgium, early in September 1981, IUPAC accepted its Executive
Committee's recommendation that IUPAC "should introduce an Affiliate scheme to allow the world's
chemists to participate in the Union." The Council also accepted the Executive Committee's
recommendation that presidents of chemical societies that participate in the Affiliate program become a
Group or Committee of IUPAC. Eventually the IUPAC Affiliates Program developed into a mechanism
by which individual members of chemical societies worldwide can apply through their own societies to
become IUPAC Affiliates. Affiliates are can claim discounts on IUPAC products and attendance at
meetings, and they receive the quarterly publication Chemistry International. In 2001, the largest
contingent of IUPAC Affiliates was the 3212 participating ACS members . The total number of
Affiliates in seventy countries was approximately 4200.
32
The International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD). IOCD, a non-
governmental and nonprofit agency, chartered in Belgium, was created in 1981 when scientists from 15
countries led by Prof. Glenn Seaborg, met at UNESCO in Paris to find an effective way to support
chemists in developing countries. They set up scientific working groups for collaborative research with
chemists in developing countries on topics in the fields of health, agriculture and industry. In 1987, the
Office of International Activities was invited by National Academy of Sciences/National Research
Council to administer small grants supporting IOCD activities. By 2000 the cumulative total had grown
to some $217,000. In 2001, financial administration of the program was taken over by IOCD itself,
although the ACS International Activities Committee continued to monitor IOCD activities.
International Chemical Sciences Chapters. In 1990 the Society recognized the need for local groups in
other countries to organize their own ACS local groups when it authorized formation of the first one,
called the Saudi Arabian Special Interest Group. At that time a special Task Force was appointed to
draft changes to the Society’s Constitution and Bylaws and to develop Chapter Bylaws. These changes
were approved by vote of the general membership in the election of 1991 by a vote of 24,688 to 3,875.
A proposal to form the first Chapter, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was considered by the
International Activities Committee, the Local Section Activities Committee and the Committee on
Constitution and Bylaws at their next meetings and approved by the ACS Council in the fall of 1992.
The Society’s first such group, called the Saudi Arabian Overseas Chemical Sciences Chapter, was
authorized to begin operations on April 1, 1993. A second Chapter, in Hong Kong, was approved by
Council and began operations on January 1, 1997. Dr. Paul H.L. Walter, ACS President-Elect, attended
the inaugural ceremonies and symposium at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in
April, 1997. Formation of International Chemical Sciences chapters of the Society requires endorsement
of the national chemical society in the region where the Chapter is to be formed. Today, ACS has nine
international chemical sciences chapters: Hong Kong, Hungary, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Shanghai,
Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia, and South Africa.
International Chemical Landmarks. In 1998, as international outreach for the Society’s National
Landmarks program, the Society began the practice of recognizing international chemical landmarks.
These are locations where events in chemical science and technology took place that profoundly affected
the practice of chemistry in the United States. International landmarks are always designated in
cooperation with the national chemical society of the country involved. OIA assists the ACS Office of
Communications as it administers this program.
The international landmarks include:
(1) Histamine Hydrogen Receptor Antagonists, November 24, 1997, Harlow, Essex, UK;
(2) The Raman Effect, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Calcutta, India, December 15,
1998;
(3) The Foundation of Polymer Science by Hermann Staudinger, Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg,
Germany, April 19, 1999;
(4) The Chemical Revolution of Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier, 1773, Académie des Sciences de l’Institut
de France, Paris, France, June 8, 1999;
(5) The “Marker Degradation” and Creation of the Mexican Steroid Hormone Industry, Monterrey
Mexico, October 19, 1999; Mexico City, Mexico, December 2, 1999;
(6) Calcium Carbide Process, Canadian Society for Chemistry, Ottawa, Canada, October 15, 1999;
(7) Discovery and Development of Penicillin, St. Mary’s Hospital, London, UK, November 19, 1999;
33
(8) Boxwood House, Calne, Wiltshire, UK, August 7, 2000;
General Information
The OIA-IAC Website is: http://www.acs.org/international
Chairpersons of the International Activities Committee 1975 - Present:
1975-77 Dr. Robert W. Parry
1977-81 Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg
1981-83 Dr. Cyril Ponnamparuma
1984-86 Dr. Bryant Rossiter
1987-89 Dr. Helen M. Free
1990-92 Dr. Roland F.Hirsch
1993-95 Dr. Edwin D. Becker
1996-97 Dr. David L. Venezky
1998-00 Dr. Mary L. Good
2001-03 Dr. William F. Carroll, Jr.
2004-06 Dr. Cathy Costello
2007-08 Dr. Nina I. McClelland
2009 Dr. Peter K. Dorhout
2010-12 Dr. Judith L. Benham
2013 - Dr. H.N. Cheng
Office of International Activities Staff. Mr. Gordon H. Bixler was Head of International Activities
during 1974-88. He was assisted by Ms. Maria Snow and Dr. Joyce C. Torio. Dr. John M. Malin was
Administrator of International Activities 1988 – 2005. Other staff members during that period were Dr.
Joyce C. Torio, Mr. Jeffrey N. Osborne, Ms. Evelyn F. Miski, Dr. Frank D. Popp and Dr. Bradley D.
Miller. In 1998 the Office was placed administratively under the staff Education Division which
became the Division of Education and International Activities, with Sylvia A. Ware as Director. In
2004 the Office was placed administratively under the External Affairs Division with Dr. David Schutt
as Director of External Affairs. Dr. Tamara Nameroff was Director of OIA between 2005-2007. In
2007 the Office joined the Membership & Scientific Advancement Division with Denise Creech as
Director of M&SA. 2007 – Present. Dr. Brad Miller is the current Director of OIA. Other staff
members are Ms. Lori Brown, Mr. Steven Hill, Ms. Patricia Kostiuk, Mr. Christopher LaPrade and Mr.
Ricardo McKlmon. For information on their bios, please visit
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/global/international/office-of-international-activities-biography-
page.html
34
2015 IAC Roster
ACS Committee - International Activities (IAC)
Position Name Start End
Chair
Dr. H. N. Cheng 2015 2015
Member
Dr. Judith L. Benham 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Madan M. Bhasin 2014 2016
Member
Dr. H. N. Cheng 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Ellene T. Contis 2015 2017
Member
Dr. Richard S. Danchik 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Rama K. Durvasula 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Timothy W. Hanks 2015 2017
Member
Dr. Richard W. Hartmann 2014 2016
Member
Dr. Nancy B. Jackson 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Csaba Janaky 2014 2016
35
Member
Dr. Venera Jouraeva 2014 2016
Member
Ms. Jody A. Kocsis 2015 2017
Member
Dr. Cynthia A. Maryanoff 2015 2016
Member
Dr. Eli M. Pearce 2015 2017
Member
Dr. Agnes M. Rimando 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Isai T. Urasa 2013 2015
Member
Dr. Douglas B. Walters 2015 2017
Committee Associate
Dr. Jorge L. Colon 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Scott R. Gilbertson 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Morton Z. Hoffman 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. N. Bhushan Mandava 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Shelli R. McAlpine 2015 2015
36
Committee Associate
Dr. Todd D. Nelson 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Luke B. Roberson 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Javier Vela-Becerra 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Prof. David Wu 2015 2015
Committee Associate
Dr. Peter Zarras 2015 2015
Staff Liaison
Dr. Bradley D. Miller
Committee on Committees Liaison
Dr. Christopher J. Bannochie
37
IAC Member, Associates, Consultants and Liaisons - Roles and Responsibilities
Responsibilities of the Committee Chair
• Review the charter of the Committee as described in the Bylaws for the committee.
• Review with the staff liaison the operations and structure of the committee, current and previous
objectives.
• Appoint the chairs and members of the subcommittees. Appoint members of various task forces.
• Chair the meetings of the committee at both ACS national meetings. Follow Robert’s Rules of Order.
Work with the staff liaison to develop the agenda for each meeting. Encourage the active
participation of all members, especially new members and associates.
• In the case of sensitive discussions, the chair should ask observers and/or guests to leave the meeting
room. The Chair should clearly announce who is able to speak at each meeting, and who is able to
vote.
• Report on ACS international activities and efforts to Council, ACS governance, members at large
(C&EN), and the public.
• Recognize contributions and thank committee members completing service.
• Work with the staff liaison and the Committee on Committees to review the performance of members
and associates.
Responsibilities of the Subcommittee Committee Chair
• Conducts IAC subcommittee meetings at ACS National Meeting gatherings and as needed, via
teleconference at other times throughout the year;
• Reports actions, activity, and ballot results during full IAC committee meetings;
• Creates and distributes detailed agendas;
• Produces and submits minutes;
• Updates and maintains the subcommittee roster;
• Makes subcommittee member assignments to working groups;
• Represents the subcommittee on the IAC executive committee.
Responsibilities of Committee Members
• Attend all Committee meetings to represent the interests of the ACS membership as a voting member,
in the design and execution of ACS international programs. Assist in the development of
recommendations to the Board and Council that help define the Society’s policies on international
issues.
• Encourage ACS members to think globally about their science.
• Attend IAC meetings and related international programming at national meetings.
• Serve as a voting member of the full committee, subcommittees, working groups, and task forces as
needed.
• Advise the Chair and ACS staff of opportunities and challenges.
Responsibilities of Associates
• Attend all Committee meetings to represent the interests of the ACS membership as an advisory
member, in the design and execution of ACS international programs. Assist in the development of
38
reports and recommendations to the Board and Council that help define the Society’s policies on
international issues.
• Encourage ACS members to think globally about their science.
• Attend IAC meetings and related international programming at national meetings.
• Serve as a voting member of subcommittees, working groups, and task forces as needed.
• Advise the Chair and ACS staff of opportunities and challenges.
Responsibilities of Consultants
• Attend all Committee meetings to represent the interests of the ACS membership, as a consultant in
the design and execution of ACS international programs. Assist in the development of
recommendations to the Board and Council that help define the Society’s policies on international
issues.
• Encourage ACS members to think globally about their science.
• Attend IAC meetings and related international programming at national meetings.
• Serve as a voting member on subcommittees, working groups and task forces as needed.
• Advise the Chair and ACS staff of opportunities and challenges.
Role of Liaisons to the Committee
• Enhance communication and flow of information between other committees and IAC.
• Advise IAC on key activities of the liaison’s committee by addressing the full committee or through a
written report.
• Relay relevant information from IAC back to the liaison’s committee, as appropriate.
IAC Subcommittees, Task Forces or Working Groups IAC is organized into three subcommittees and various task forces for the purpose of achieving its goals.
The subcommittee structure is reviewed by each incoming IAC Chair, who may make changes to the
nature and composition of the subcommittees. Task forces generally exist for a fixed period of time to
achieve a specific goal.
ACS Staff and Subcommittee Liaisons
It is the duty of the ACS staff liaison and subcommittee liaisons to provide support to its respective unit
within the committee. ACS liaisons are expected to:
Develop strong, professional, and effective relationship with chair(s)
Show up early to check meeting rooms and facilities at national meetings
Keep tally of motions, action items, key stakeholders, and due dates
Report and make roster revisions
The ConC Liaison: Role and Responsibilities
The Committee on Committees (ConC) is responsible for the effective and efficient operation of
Council-related committees. Its duties include identifying and recommending qualified councilors and
members with demonstrated and potential leadership ability for appointment to committees;
recommending discontinuation of appointments, and assessing performance of individual committee
members and the committee as a whole.
39
ConC conducts committee performance reviews on a 5-year basis of all Other Committees of the
Council and the Joint Board-Council Committees. In this process, ConC evaluates governance structure
and makes recommendations for change, recommending formation or dissolution of committees to meet
the Society's needs and strategic goals.
A ConC liaison is assigned to each committee to carry out these purposes. The role of the ConC liaison
is to evaluate performance and facilitate the effective and efficient operation of ACS Council-related
committees.
The ConC liaison:
• Observes and evaluates the operations and effectiveness of assigned committees.
• Discusses possible appointments with the committee chair, staff liaison, and other resource people.
• Develops recommendations and justification statements for appointments.
• Makes recommendations to ConC, the president and/or the chair of the Board of Directors for the
appointment of
- Committee chairs
- Committee members
- Associate members
- Consultants
• Makes recommendations on ending committee assignments.
• Encourages participation of all members (not just councilors) in Society governance.
• Works with committee chairs and staff liaisons to identify and resolve issues affecting the operation
and effectiveness of committees.
• Acts as a resource for councilors and others on committee structure and committee appointments.
2015 IAC Subcommittee Descriptions and Assignments
Subcommittee 1 Africa and the Americas, Richard Danchik, Chair
2015 Membership: Richard Danchik, Judy Benham, Jody Kocsis, Cynthia Maryanoff, Luke
Roberson, Isai Urasa, Jorge Colon, Javier Vela-Becerra, Todd Nelson
Subcommittee 1 is responsible for the geographical areas of the Americas and Africa. In particular we
have a concern for access for countries with low bandwidth internet capability. In general we are
interested in facilitating the development of Chemistry throughout the Americas and Africa. In
particular, we want to foster general and chemical education, especially at early levels and for women;
we hope to develop partnerships with other countries to advance our shared goals in reaching out to
fulfill our educational mission.
Subcommittee 2 Europe and the Middle East, Ellene Contis, Chair
2015 Membership: Ellene Contis, Richard Hartmann, Nancy Jackson, Csaba Janaky, Venera
Jouraeva, Eli Pearce, Peter Zarras, Morton Hoffman, Scott Gilbertson
Subcommittee 2 is responsible for Europe and the Middle East and in those regions works to (1) to serve
as an informational clearinghouse for opportunities available to younger chemists for cooperative efforts
and exchange of students, (2) to support and maintain liaisons with federations, (3) to promote and
40
publicize programs of the ACS that would be of interest to sister societies and receive information from
them in the same way; (4) to provide recommendations to the full committee to advise ACS President of
member nominations to the U.S. National Committee and Divisional Membership in IUPAC; and (5) to
serve as an international clearing house for International Activities of the divisions.
Subcommittee 3 Asia and the Pacific Basin, Agnes Rimando, Chair
2015 Membership: Madan Bhasin, H. N. Cheng, Rama Durvasula, N. Bhushan Mandava, Agnes
Rimando, Doug Walters, Tim Hanks, Shelli McAlpine, David Wu
Subcommittee 3 is responsible for the Asia / Pacific Basin and works to advance the goals of ACS to
identify common values, and to connect and collaborate with counterparts in Asia and the Pacific Rim.
The subcommittee seeks to address, through the chemical enterprise, the challenges facing our world by
focusing on activities that advance science education, knowledge, research, interaction, and
collaboration through the expertise of network members and their counterparts in Asia and the Pacific
Rim.
41
IAC Meeting Formats
OPEN - May be attended by any ACS Member. At these sessions members are encouraged to voice
concerns, issue compliments, offer suggestions, express interest in, or raise questions about matters over
which the committee has purview. The assumption is that participation is welcomed and will be orderly
and courteous. Only committee members may vote.
EXECUTIVE - Attendance and participation is limited to Committee Personnel [officially
appointed/elected Committee Members, Associates, Advisors, Consultants, Staff Liaisons]. Liaisons
from other groups and ex officio and elected Councilors may attend; participation by these groups would
be at the invitation of the chair. Only committee members may vote.
CLOSED - The committee chair must declare any EXECUTIVE session CLOSED when confidential or
sensitive personnel, financial or legal matters of the Society are discussed. At that point, only Committee
Personnel [see above] and the appointed Committee on Committees liaison shall remain in the session.
As a special case, an appointed liaison from Nominations and Elections may attend CLOSED sessions
of Committee on Committees. (Once these discussions have been completed, the Committee should
return to the EXECUTIVE mode.)
IAC Rules of Engagement
1. We will trust and respect one another at all times.
2. We will listen actively to one another, especially when we disagree.
3. We speak openly and honestly, confident of no reprisals.
4. We are accountable to one another.
5. We seek consensus and will support and communicate the majority opinion outside the meeting.
6. We respect time constraints and stay on topic by focusing on strategic issues and avoiding repetition.
7. We maintain confidentiality of our discussions.
8. We will refrain from using electronic communication devices (cell phones, Blackberry’s, etc.) during
meetings, absent a compelling personal or business need.
42
ACS Office of International Activities
The Office of International Activities sits within the Division of Membership and Scientific
Advancement. The division is composed of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute, the Office of
International Activities, Meetings, the Member Communities, Professional Advancement, and
Marketing and Operations. The mission of the division is to serve the needs of the membership and to
provide scientific and professional programs, products, and services that advance chemistry and its
practitioners globally.
Program Mission
The mission of OIA is to increase the international reach and impact of ACS. OIA focuses its efforts in
three main areas: facilitating international research collaborations around global challenges, fostering the
international exchange of chemistry students, and extending key ACS services and communications
internationally to better serve and retain members. This program works to advance all goals of the ACS
strategic plan.
OIA works closely with the Joint Board-Council Committee on International Affairs (IAC) in planning
and executing international programs and services. Coordination with other ACS units, both operational
units and ACS divisions, is central to OIA activities.
Current and/or Original Intent
OIA was established in 1976. The main purpose of OIA was to administer various international
research and education projects (many government-funded), international-related member service
projects (foreign travel, visas, etc.), and liaison efforts with the State Department and other organizations
on global scientific matters. OIA dedicated notable time to implementing various IAC-driven activities,
including championing the rights of scientists and engineers globally.
In more recent years, OIA has increased its focus on working with ACS technical divisions and
operational units to more effectively advance IAC’s interests and better serve ACS members with
international interests.
For example, today’s IAC / OIA efforts on research and collaboration symposia are focused on key
global challenges like sustainability, involve partnerships with other organizations, and offer
opportunities for both online and onsite interactions in connection with the meetings. In addition, recent
OIA efforts to advance international research opportunities for students also mark a shift from a decade
ago. Finally, rather than focus on implementing a set of varied and somewhat independent initiatives,
OIA seeks to leverage key existing ACS international-related services of most interest to members to
increase awareness and usage.
Program Structure
After a number of years in the ACS Education Division and the former Division of External Affairs,
OIA is currently part of the ACS Division of Membership and Scientific Advancement (MSA). It is
supported by 6 FTE’s. Unlike the previous structure where staff was divided along geographical
regions, in 2007 OIA worked with IAC to align staff activities with strategic objectives: international
scientific collaboration, educational exchanges, and strategic alliances. General staff responsibilities:
43
Bradley D. Miller, Ph.D. Director. Serves as IAC Staff Liaison, sits on the MSA Senior
Management Team, and directs overall OIA operations to advance ACS
global interests and chemical sciences through collaborations in Africa,
Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.
Christopher LaPrade Manager. Manages a number of programs that enhance the Society’s
international collaborations, partnerships and international education
initiatives, and grows ACS’s civil society and science diplomacy portfolio.
Ricardo McKlmon Marketing Manager, Innovation and International Recruitment. Develops
and manages ACS Alliances and ACS International Chapters.
Steven Hill Senior Associate. Manages a number of technical and capacity building
programs with the objective of enhancing outreach to ACS members, and
other chemists, outside the USA, including the BOOST and GCCE
programs.
Lori Brown Senior Associate. Manages a variety of science and human rights
programs and the ACS Pittcon Travel Grant, coordinates webinars as part
of the ACS Science and Human Rights webinar series and monitors cases
of chemists and related scientists who have had their rights abridged.
Patricia Kostiuk Office Administrator. Provides support for OIA and IAC websites, office
scheduling, records handling, budget monitoring and events logistics.
The primary targets of OIA services are ACS members and other chemical scientists who have a strong
interest in international research and education. While this certainly includes members and chemical
scientists outside the U.S., it also includes many in the U.S. whose current responsibilities and interests
involve a significant international research and education component. More than 25,000 ACS members
live outside the U.S. In addition to individual scientists, this program also targets pertinent international
organizations (government, academic, and private) in the U.S. and abroad to advance research,
education, collaboration, and member international services. These organizations include the Royal
Society of Chemistry, Society for Chemical Industry, Chinese Chemical Society, Chemical Society of
Japan, German Chemical Society, Latin America Federation of Chemical Associations, Federation of
African Chemical Societies, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies, and the International Union of
Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
44
Travel Reimbursement Policy
Committee Travel Expense Reimbursement Policy:
Non-Councilors (as of January 1, 2015)
The American Chemical Society endeavors to increase and broaden non-councilor attendance and
service at Council related committee meetings held during the national meeting timeframe. To further
this goal, the ACS provides financial support, under the conditions set forth below, for ordinary,
necessary, and reasonable transportation, lodging, and meal expenses for non-councilor members,
associates, and consultants who request such support associated with their committee attendance and
service. This policy for non-councilors is to conform to the established Councilors Travel
Reimbursement Program to provide equitable reimbursement of all committee members while keeping
travel expenses for ACS governance at a moderate and reasonable level.
The policy requires:
1. Submitting a request for support. This should take the form of the following statement:
"I wish to attend the next American Chemical Society national meeting. Because I shall be involved at
the meeting with ACS business, including participation in the meeting of a committee which reports to
Council in whole or in part, I request reimbursement through the committee’s budget of that portion of
my travel expenses necessary for committee business.”
The statement shall be signed by the non-councilor committee member, associate, or consultant, and
sent to their respective committee staff liaison at least two weeks prior to the committee meeting.
2. Filing of the completed ACS travel expense reimbursement voucher, available from the ACS
committee staff liaison, within three weeks of the meeting.
Reimbursement is based on actual cost and covers transportation, lodging, and meal expenses which are
ordinary, necessary, and reasonable to support the committee’s normal course of business. Full expense
documentation consistent with established ACS travel guidelines (for example, traveler’s copy of rail or
airline ticket, hotel bill, meal receipts, and taxi receipts) is required. This must be filed within three
weeks of the meeting to receive reimbursement. Non-councilors are encouraged, as are Councilors, to
seek alternative sources (for example, their employer or grant) before requesting support from the
Society or its units. Expenses reimbursed from another source are not eligible for reimbursement by
ACS. Reimbursement for attendance at the meeting of a committee that meets at times other than at
national meetings is determined by committee or ACS reimbursement policies.
45
REIMBURSEMENT SUMMARY
FOR COUNCILORS AND NON-COUNCILORS SERVING ON COUNCIL-RELATED COMMITTEES Members, Associates, Consultants, and ConC Liaisons who
are
COUNCILORS Members, Associates, and Consultants who are NON-COUNCILORS
ACS National Meetings Transportation Yes
1 Yes
2
Lodging and Meals
Committee and
Subcommittee Sessions Yes1 Yes
3
Remainder of National
Meeting Yes No
National Meeting
Registration Fee Yes4 Yes
4
Council Meeting Yes No
Elsewhere Transportation Yes
2 Yes
2
Lodging and Meals Yes3 Yes
3
Maximum allowable reimbursements for non-councilors:
Spring - $700
Fall- $700
Yearly Total - $1400
------ 1A request for support for travel to a Council meeting must be made by the Councilor (or Alternate Councilor) to
the appropriate officer of the division or local section at least four weeks before the beginning of the meeting. A
Councilor must have attended the Council meeting to obtain reimbursement. The division or local section will
reimburse its Councilor for eligible travel costs upon receipt of the Councilor’s itemized travel expense
information. Within five weeks after a meeting, the unit’s Treasurer will certify to the national Society the unit’s
travel costs for its Councilors, and the national Society will reimburse the unit for the national Society’s share
according to the Councilors Travel Reimbursement Program.
2Transporation will be reimbursed on an actual cost basis for air in coach or rail (not to exceed the cost of air
coach class). Use of a personal vehicle will be reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service tax-deductible rate for
mileage in excess of their normal commute, provided total does not exceed the cost of air coach class.
3Lodging will be reimbursed on an actual cost basis at the single room rate for arrival the night before the start of
official meeting time. The incremental costs of a room shared with persons not on Society business are not
reimbursed by ACS. The cost of meals including tips is reimbursable on an actual cost basis. The incremental
costs of a meal shared with persons not on Society business are not reimbursed by ACS. Committee members
may opt out of committee sponsored meal functions at their own expense, and proper notification is requested in
advance.
4
Registration fees for Councilors are reimbursable under the Councilor Travel Reimbursement Program. If the
committee member plans only to attend the meeting(s) of a committee, registration at the national meeting is not
required. Registration is necessary if technical sessions and the exposition will be attended.
5This amount is established in the Councilor Travel Reimbursement Program.
46
ACS Acronyms
ACS – General
ACS ..........American Chemical Society
ATE ..........Advanced Technological Education
(A program of the National Science Foundation)
C3S ...........College Chemistry Consultants Services
CAS ..........Chemical Abstracts Service
CCED .......Chemists Celebrate Earth Day
CITL .........Chemists in the Library
CTPAS .....Chemical Technology Program Approval Service
G2S ..........Guaranteed to Succeed (Community Outreach Manual)
GCI ...........Green Chemistry Institute
IChC .........International Chemistry Celebrations
NCW ........National Chemistry Week
NSF ..........National Science Foundation
OCA .........Office of Community Activities
PRF ..........Petroleum Research Fund
SEED........Summer Educational Experience for the Economically Disadvantaged
TAGs ........Technician Affiliate Groups
2YC3 ........Two-Year College Chemistry Conferences
47
ACS – Committees
B&F..........Budget and Finance
CA ............Corporation Associates
CAS ..........Chemical Abstracts Advisory Board
C&B .........Constitution and Bylaws
CCA .........Committee on Community Activities
CCPA .......Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs
CCPR .......Council Committee on Public Relations
CCS ..........Committee on Chemical Safety
CEI ...........Committee on Environmental Improvement
CEPA .......Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs
CHAS .......Chemical Health and Safety
CMA ........Committee on Minority Affairs
COMSCI ..Committee on Science
CONC ......Committee on Committees
CPC ..........Council Policy Committee
CPRC .......Committee on Public Relations and Communications
CPT ..........Committee on Professional Training
CTA..........Committee on Technician Affairs
CWD ........Committee on Chemists with Disabilities
DAC .........Divisional Activities Committee
G&A .........Committee on Grants & Awards
IAC ...........International Activities Committee
LSAC .......Committee on Local Section Activities
M&E ........Meetings and Expositions Committee
MAC ........Membership Affairs Committee
N&E .........Nominations and Electronics Committee
P&MR ......Professional and Member Relations
PAPR........Committee on Public Affairs and Public Relations
SOCED ....Society Committee on Education
SCC……..Senior Chemists Committee
WCC ........Women Chemists Committee
YCC .........Younger Chemists Committee
48
ACS – Divisions
AGFD .......Agricultural & Food Chemistry
AGRO ......Agrochemicals
ANYL ......Analytical Chemistry
BIOT ........Biochemical Technology
BIOL ........Biological Chemistry
BMGT ......Business Development & Management
CARB .......Carbohydrate Chemistry
CELL........Cellulose & Renewable Materials
CHED .......Chemical Education
CHAL .......Chemistry & The Law
CHAS .......Chemical Health & Safety
CINF ........Chemical Information
COLL .......Colloid & Surface Chemistry
COMP ......Computers in Chemistry
ENVR .......Environmental Chemistry
FLUO .......Fluorine Chemistry
FUEL........Fuel Chemistry
GEOC .......Geochemistry
HIST .........History of Chemistry
I&EC ........Industrial & Engineering Chemistry
INOR ........Inorganic Chemistry
MEDI .......Medicinal Chemistry
NUCL .......Nuclear Chemistry & Technology
ORGN ......Organic Chemistry
PETR ........Petroleum Chemistry
PHYS .......Physical Chemistry
POLY .......Polymer Chemistry
PMSE .......Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering
PROF........Professional Relations
RUBB .......Rubber
SCHB .......Small Chemical Businesses
TECH .......Chemical Technicians
TOXl ........Chemical Toxicology