Committee on Science 2011-2015 Strategic Plan This strategic plan was developed to identify challenges and opportunities for the scientific enterprise in general and the chemistry enterprise in particular with a goal to create a blue-print for the Committee on Science to make a broader impact on the professional growth of members of the American Chemical Society and scientific advancement for the benefit of the society at-large.
Committee on Science Mission Statement The mission of ComSci is to focus the attention of ACS on new and emerging areas in which chemical scientists will play an important role, by:
Identifying new frontiers for chemistry and making recommendations for its advancement Facilitating understanding of the “Promise, Potential and Problems” ; interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities in the chemical enterprise Examining the scientific basis of public policies related to the chemical sciences and making recommendations to the appropriate ACS entities
Strategic Focus Emerging Frontiers in Science
Identify Emerging Frontiers in Science – Organize discussion forums with participation by Presidential Young Investigator awardees and Nobel Laureates from various disciplines to offer insight into new interfaces with Chemistry. The nexus of Entrepreneurship and Science – Identify and develop new platforms to better prepare our graduates for the 21st century careers. Explore avenues to engage industry, academia and government to advance the emerging frontiers of science. Public Science Literacy – Identify new platforms for establishing and communicating the status of Chemistry as the central science, playing an important role in the advancement of other disciplines. Explore the use of Science for Diplomacy as a bridge for global collaboration. National Science Policy Priorities
Emerging National Policy Issues – Identify national policy issues consistent with the mission of ACS. The future of Higher Education Funding – The current public funding model cannot sustain the growth and the leadership role of the U.S. higher education, explore alternative funding models. There is a need for increased public funding for research in the U.S. to maintain the U.S. technical leadership position in the competitive global economy. Identify platforms for ACS to bridge with other government agencies in facilitating the establishment of sound science policies. ACS and other professional organizations can serve in advisory capacity.
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Recognition and Celebration of Achievements
Collaborate with other ACS Governance bodies to select and nominate candidates for the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology for consideration by the ACS Board. Develop and implement a process for identifying and selecting the best ComSci nominee for election as an ACS Fellow
Strategic Themes and Initiatives Theme 1. Emerging New Frontiers - Science &Technology Initiative 1.1. Organize a forum wherein Presidential Young Investigator awardees from various disciplines discuss potential for an interface with Chemistry. Initiative 1.2. Organize Nobel Laureates Forums at the national meetings. Initiative 1.3. Organize three symposia at three national meetings by inviting distinguished scientists from academia, industry and government. Initiative 1.4. In additional to the above initiatives, use all available resources to identify emerging frontiers in science, including conducting a survey to identify new frontiers of science. Target scientific professional organizations, funding agencies, free standing research institutes, VP for Research at research universities and research based corporations. Initiative 1.5. Possible interdisciplinary interfaces to be explored may include – chemistry and biology, information technology, engineering and bio-engineering, security and privacy, knowledge discovery and decision making, representation and visualization of knowledge and models, the science of art and computer interface, miniaturization of instrumentation, computer network based education in chemistry network based computer simulation of laboratory experiments, miniaturization of sensors and devices as medical devices and the environmental monitoring and national security. Initiative 1.6. Integrate the findings from the symposia organized and other discussions held with a goal to explore emerging frontiers in science. Initiative 1.7. Identify new frontiers; develop recommendations for the ACS Board for future directions in a report.
Theme 2. Emerging Frontiers - Entrepreneurship and Science Nexus Page 3 of 5
Initiative 2.1. Find platforms to better prepare our graduates for the 21st century careers. Initiative 2.2. Organize workshops for ACS members through collaboration with Small Chemical Businesses and Business Management and Development Divisions, Patent and Related Matters committee and Corporation Associates on Entrepreneurship, business start-up, IP protection, Financing the Business, Business Plan development. Initiative 2.3. Develop and launch entrepreneurship forums and facilitate venture capital funding platform to encourage technology commercialization. Conduct such a forum at national meetings. Initiative 2.4. Collaborate with universities to offer such programs via web.
Theme 3. Emerging Frontiers – Science and Diplomacy Initiative 3.1. Explore the use of Science for Diplomacy – Using science as a bridge for global collaboration. Initiative 3.2. Explore avenues for collaboration with ACS committees such as the International Activities Committee and others to identify areas where scientific input would be important to achieving productive international collaborations in the chemical sciences. Initiative 3.3. Invite appropriate AAAS and ACS Fellows from their respective Fellows programs to a discussion forum to explore science and diplomacy opportunities. Invitees may include Fellows who have worked at the State Department/White House on projects in the international arena for international development and diplomacy based on science.
Theme 4. National Science Policy Priorities Initiative 4.1. Explore and identify Emerging National Policy Priorities – Organize symposia to identify national policy issues consistent with the mission of ACS. Initiative 4.2. The future of Higher Education Funding – The current public funding model for higher education is not sustainable; organize symposia to explore alternative funding models for growth and leadership position in the global arena. Make policy recommendations for the ACS Board’s consideration to advocate investment in education. Initiative 4.3. Explore alternative avenues to promote the role of public-private partnership for funding research in the US for maintaining US technical leadership in the globally competitive economy. Initiative 4.4. Invite ACS and AAAS Fellows from their respective Fellows’ programs to Page 4 of 5
explore how they have influenced the Science Policy and what the new priorities are. Invite Fellows who have worked with Congressmen and Senators on science Policy issues.
Theme 5. Recognition and Celebration of Scientific Achievements Initiative 5.1. Collaborate with other ACS Governance bodies to select and nominate candidates for the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology for consideration by the ACS Board. Initiative 5.2. Develop and implement a process for identifying and selecting the best ComSci nominees for ACS Fellows program. Initiative 5.3. Science Literacy for the Public – Chemistry as the central science, playing an important role in the advancement of other disciplines. Develop recommendations for public education about the impact of Chemistry on the quality of life for the ACS Board. The recommendation would emphasize the significant return-on-investment in science that has occurred in the years after the U.S. added significant funding to the space program. Initiative 5.4. Organize a forum on Science, Media and Society Dialogue at a national or regional meeting.
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