EDITOR'S PAGE
CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036 (202) 872-4600 or (800) 227-5558 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Rudy M. Baum MANAGING EDITOR: Pamela S. Zurer ART DIRECTORS: Nathan Becker, Robin L. Braverman STAFF ARTIST: Linda Mattingly SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Lois R. Ember NEWS EDITOR: William G. Schulz EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Michael Heylin SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Marvel A. Wills
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Marilyn Caracciolo BUSINESS Michael McCoy, Assistant Managing Editor NORTHEAST: (732) 906-8300. Vivien Marx (Associate Editor), Rick Mullin (Senior Editor), Marc S. Reisch [Senior Correspondent), William J. Storck (Senior Correspondent), Alexander H. Tullo [Associate Editor], Rachel Eskenazi [Administrative Assistant). HONG KONG: 852 2984 9072. Jean-François Tremblay [Bureau Head). LONDON: M 20 8870 6884. Patricia L. Short (Senior Correspondent) GOVERNMENT & POLICY David J. Hanson, Assistant Managing Editor WASHINGTON: (202) 872-4495. Bette Hileman (Senior Editor), Cheryl Hogue (Senior Editor), Jeffrey W. Johnson (Senior Editor), Susan R. Morrissey [Associate Editor] SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY/EDUCATION Doron Dagani, Assistant Managing Editor A. Maureen Rouhi, Deputy Assistant Managing Editor WASHINGTON: [202] 872-6216. Stuart A. Borman (Senior Correspondent), Louisa W. Dalton (Associate Editor], Bethany Halford (Assistant Editor), Celia M. Henry (Associate Editor), Stephen K. Ritter (Senior Editor], Sophie L. Rovner (Senior Editor), Amanda T. Yarnell [Associate Editor) CHICAGO: [847] 679-1156. Mitch Jacoby (Senior Editor). HOUSTON: (281) 486-3900. Ann M. Thayer [Senior Correspondent), WEST COAST: [510] 849-0575. Elizabeth K. Wilson (Senior Editor). LONDON: 44 1256 811052. Michael Freemantle (Senior Correspondent) ACS NEWS & SPECIAL FEATURES Linda Raber, Assistant Managing Editor Victoria M. Gtlman (Assistant Editor), Corinne A. Marasco [Associate Editor), Aalok Mehta [Assistant Editor] EDITING & PRODUCTION Robin M. Giroux, Assistant Managing Editor Melissa A, Braddock [Assistant Editor), Janet S. Dodd (Senior Editor], Arlene Goldberg-Gist (Senior Editor], Deanna Miller (Associate Editor), Stephen M. Trzaska [Associate Editor), Linda Wang (Assistant Editor) C&EN ONLINE Melody Voith, Editor Luis A. Carrillo (Production Manager), Wesley M. Lindamood (Production Associate), Rachel Sheremeta Pepling [Associate Editor) PRODUCTION & IMAGING Krystal E. King [Senior Digital Production Associate) SALES & MARKETING Elise Swinehart, Manager Elaine Facciolli Jarrett (Marketing Associate) ADVISORY BOARD Stephanie A. Burns, Joe Carleone, Terry Collins, F. Fleming Crim, Richard M. Gross, Rudolf Hanko, L. Louis Hegedus, Nancy 8. Jackson, Sunil Kumar, Robert L Lichter, Charles M. Lieber, Joseph A. Loo, Eli Pearce, Peter Pollak, Patrick Prévost, Marquita M. Quails, Gregory H. Robinson. Alan Shaw, JoelTickner, Guy Villax Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
Madeleine Jacobs, Executive Director Robert D. Bovenschulte. President, Publications Division EDITORIAL BOARD Grace Baysinger (Chair); ACS Board of Directors Chair: James D. Burke; ACS President: William F. Carroll; Ned D. Heindel. Madeleine M. Joullie, Peter C. Jurs, Peter J. Stang Copyright 2005, American Chemical Society Canadian GST Reg. No. R127571347
ACS In San Diego duce more than 80 sessions that examined HE 2 2 9 T H ACS NATIONAL MEETING nanoscale science and technology from a was held last week in San Diego. More broad and varied perspective. From the enthan 15,000 chemists and friends of vironment to sensors, from polymer surchemistry assembled for five days of techfaces to biological materials, meeting atnical sessions, social events, governance tendees could learn about this rich new functions, and the exposition. It was one of lode of chemical research. the largest ACS meetings ever (see page 9). In my 29 years on the ACS staff, I have attended more than 40 national meetings, and every one ofthem has been a rewarding experience. My appreciation for all that national meetings offer has grown over the years. The technical sessions, of course, are the heart of every national meeting. In San Diego, more than 9,200 papers were delivered at 933 technical sessions. Forty-one ACS technical divisions, secretariats, and committees or- AM FUN YCC-sponsored event drew ganized and sponsored these symposia. more than 200 runners This effort is a remarkable labor of love carried out by a legion of volunteers. "The development of themes like nanoscience and biotechnology is just a first The technical program in San Diego covstep to better serve all scientists who focus ered the entire landscape of chemical on a subject that doesn't fit neatly within a science and technology The traditional single ACS division, or even v/ithin a single sub disciplines of chemistry—analytical, inscience," Creech says. "When a division organic, organic, and physical—were repreproduces information that holds value that sented, of course, as were a plethora of othextends beyond its membership, we must er subdisciplines within the broad umbrella find ways for these other audiences to conof the chemical sciences. Also represented sume that information. In this way, we enwere divisions that focus on other imporhance the viability of our divisions, and by tant activities within the chemical enterextension, the society itself " prise: Chemical Education, Chemical Health & Safety Chemical Information, Chemistry Of course, there are lots of other activi& the Law, the History of Chemistry, and ties at ACS meetings, many of them just Professional Relations, to name several. plain fun. For example, t h e Younger Chemists Committee sponsored the fourth "It is a pivotal moment in the history of annual Fun Run at 6:30 AM on Monday ACS," says Denise L. Creech, director of C&EN hosted a talk on the chemistry of the Membership Division. "The vision for ingredients of Hispanic foods and offered the scientific and professional member ditraditional Hispanic finger food at its booth. visions is one that isflexibleand responsive to the emerging and multidisciplinary sciSome people think that ACS national ence our members practice. The divisions meetings have grown too large. They are, have embraced a future with greater emindeed, large, but their very size ensures a phasis on thematic, multidisciplinary, and rich technical program and appealing sosocially relevant approaches to programcial events. Stories in this week's News of ming and other activities that resonate the Week section and in the Science & with our members, enhance cooperation Technology department in the next three among the divisions, and lower collaboraissues will give you a sense of the exciting tive barriers. This approach will help build research that was described in papers givbridges across ACS divisions and between en at the meeting. The next three nationchemistry and disciplines such as biology, al meetings are in Washington, D C ; Atengineering, and materials research." lanta; and San Francisco. Try to fit at least one of them into your schedule. As Creech points out, scientific topics Thanks for reading. covered in technical sessions often cut across the divisions in this increasingly multidisciplinary world of scientific research. For example, 11 technical divisions Editor-in-chief combined their efforts in San Diego to pro-
T
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS. HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
C & E N / MARCH
21 . 2005
5
