ACS NEWS
COMMENT ACS AND THE GREAT DREAM MACHINE
mit their views to legislators on important science and technology policy issues and bills. Congress, in turn, seeks ACS advice on complex science and technology issues. In t h e s e p e r h a p s obvious ways, A C S h e l p s fill t h e s c i e n c e a n d t e c h n o l o g y MADELEINE JACOBS, ACS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO pipeline and prepares its members and the profession for t h e global economy. But ACS is also helping U.S. competitiveness in ognizing the "important role that science ITH HIS NEW BOOK, THE another way, by enabling our members to and technology plays in ensuring the eco W o r l d Is F l a t : A B r i e f collaborate and interact with their creative nomic security of the US." Carroll said ACS H i s t o r y of t h e T w e n t y colleagues outside the U.S. will do its part to make this happen. First Century," New York Times w r i t e r T h o m a s L. ACS m e m b e r s ask: " W h a t I strongly believe that ACS F r i e d m a n has b r o u g h t newfound energy can ACS do?" T h e y are undermust continue its long-stand to t h e crucial d e b a t e o n A m e r i c a n sci standably very concerned ing efforts to collaborate with ence, technology, and competitiveness. about the possibility of a se scientific and industrial col Friedman clearly explains how new tech vere decline in U.S. science leagues in other nations, espe nologies such as the W e b are enabling In and technology leadership cially nations like China, India, dia, China, and o t h e r nations to compete and t h e outsourcing of R & D and South Korea. T h e April with—or o u t - c o m p e t e — t h e U.S., Japan, jobs. Here's w h a t ACS cannot trip to China opened doors to and Europe. Competition is no longer lim do: It cannot stop the global develop appropriate collabora ited to the manufacturing sector; there's ization of R & D jobs. Fried tions with our Chinese coun c o m p e t i t i o n in R & D and, m o r e impor man's b o o k explains why. terparts. Such collaborations tant, for the best minds. will benefit Americans as much H e r e ' s w h a t A C S can d o . as they will benefit the Chinese. ACS contributions start with R e c e n t C & E N stories and editorials Friedman writes, " % s , eco our children. ACS provides in about China frame the importance of the nomic competition in the flat ternationally acclaimed edu U.S. competitive dilemma ( C & E N , April world will be more equal and cational curriculum materials, 25, page 3; May 2, page 3; May 16, page 47; more intense. W e Americans training workshops, and text May 23, pages 3, 11). As a m e m b e r of the will have to work harder, run books for teachers and students American Chemical Society delegation to faster, and become smarter to at all levels, from kindergarten China in April, I felt the same sense of ur make sure we get our share. through college and graduate gency that I felt growing up in the U.S. after But let us not underestimate school. Project SEED and the the 1957 Sputnik launch. China is creating our strengths or the innova ACS Scholars Program nurture a "Golden Age of Science," much as the U.S. tion that could explode from homegrown and diverse talent. did by investing billions of dollars in its sci the flat world when we really entific and technology infrastructure. Chi M e m b e r s can choose from do connect all of the knowl na is enticing its best expatriate Chinesean array of lifelong learning JOT the global edge centers together. O n born scientists and engineers to return and tools such as short courses, eΡΓΩΫίητην such a flat earth, the most im has established science, m a t h , and engi l e a r n i n g p r o g r a m s , confer* portant attribute you can have neering education as a top priority ences on emerging areas, and is creative imagination—the ability to be national meetings. Members can also select Friedman has sent millions of A m e r i the first on your block to figure out how all from a rich array of career programs to help cans awake-up call. W e can n o longer hold these enabling tools can be put together in t h e m get and retain jobs. T h e ACS Publi on to the delusion that, even though we've new and exciting ways to create products, cations Division enables scientists to lost the manufacturing sector, the U.S. will communities, opportunities, and profits. quickly access 33 high-impact, high-qual remain an R & D leader. T h e U.S. may con T h a t has always been America's strength, ity journals containing the most important tinue to be a leader, b u t it can't expect to because America was, and for now still is, research globally in chemistry and related b e the leader. A n d unless t h e U.S. d o e s the world's greatest dream machine." areas. T h e Chemical Abstracts Division something about the current situation, we develops the most comprehensive, timely, won't even be in the running. As a professional society and as a coun and accurate electronic chemical and try we must rise to this challenge. T h e ACS A n d that's w h y I ' m grateful to Reps. p a t e n t databases in t h e world. C A S dis federal charter instructs the society how to Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), Sherwood L. Boehlert seminates those databases through inno serve our m e m b e r s , t h e profession, and (R-N.Y), and Vernon J. Ehlers (R-Mich.), vative scientific tools, such as SciFinder our c o u n t r y to ensure t h a t we remain a w h o last m o n t h called for an innovation a n d S c i F i n d e r Scholar. C & E N k e e p s l e a d e r in t h e global economy, t h e r e b y summit on science, math, and engineering. members informed about the global chem "adding to the material prosperity and hap T h e y are also asking for a tripling of feder ical enterprise. piness of our people." Please send your al funding for basic scientific R & D over the ideas about how ACS can make this hap next decade. ACS President William Car T h r o u g h t h e Legislative Action N e t p e n to
[email protected]. roll immediately thanked the three for rec work, ACS helps members effectively trans-
W
ACS helps fill
the science and technology pipeline and prepares its members and the profession
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of the ACS Board. WWW.CEN-0NLINE.ORG
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