Diversity: The ACS Senior Chemists Committee and Delaware's

Chapter 17

Diversity: The ACS Senior Chemists Committee and Delaware’s ChemVets Downloaded by UNIV OF FLORIDA on December 29, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date (Web): October 26, 2017 | doi: 10.1021/bk-2017-1256.ch017

Allen A. Denio* Delaware Academy of Chemical Sciences, Newark, Delaware, United States *E-mail: [email protected]

Diversity is important to the chemistry profession and to the American Chemical Society (ACS). In this chapter, the author describes his personal experience with diversity and his volunteer work involving the ACS Senior Chemists Committee and ACS Delaware Section’s ChemVets. Both entities recognize the value of senior (or retired) chemists and chemical engineers and offer relevant programs and services so that their professional needs are met and the senior chemists can contribute their time and talent to the chemistry enterprise. Indeed with the average age of ACS members approaching 50, the senior chemists constitute an increasingly important resource at ACS. Already many senior chemists are serving as volunteers, mentors, and teachers.

My Experience with Diversity I shall start with full disclosure – I was born a WASP (White Anglo Saxon Protestant) in Massachusetts. My last name often leads people to think that I am Italian but the family tree does not justify that claim. We were a middle class family; my father was an electrician who taught in a vocational school. My mother was a super homemaker and a wonderful cook. My parents were moderate Republicans who led me to believe that Democrats were not good and that Joe Kennedy was evil incarnate. Growing up, all authority figures were white males. My hometown of Lowell was composed of a variety of ethnic groups, each claiming a different geographical area. We lived in an all white English/Irish neighborhood with little crime.

© 2017 American Chemical Society Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

Downloaded by UNIV OF FLORIDA on December 29, 2017 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date (Web): October 26, 2017 | doi: 10.1021/bk-2017-1256.ch017

There was one large public high school, which required a bus trip downtown. Suddenly I was exposed to students whose family backgrounds were quite different – Greek, French, Polish, Italian, and others. We all got along with few problems. Again, the authority figures were white males. My class of 1952 had 535 graduates with only one African American student. Next I attended the University of Massachusetts – Lowell. At that time it was mainly known for a variety of programs focused on the textile industry but had started to diversify into other industrial areas such as paper, leather, plastics and nuclear engineering. The faculty was almost entirely male; the same was true of the student body. As predicted, about a third of the class survived to graduate after four years. Of the 76 who graduated in 1956, there were six male international students. Of the other 70, there were only four women! Of the 17 chemistry grads, only two were women. This was not unusual sixty years ago. Luckily today, chemistry attracts about 50% women. I spent the summer of 1956 with the Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan. In those days women employees were mostly secretaries or lab technicians. Dow provided a fine learning experience. A year later I completed an M.S. degree in chemistry at U. Mass-Lowell and was ready for an industrial career. I joined DuPont’s Textile Fibers Department in Wilmington, Delaware. Once again I recall a largely white male work force. DuPont had developed Type 501 nylon, a high bulk filament fiber suitable for carpets. The potential market for nylon fiber in this area was very large. However, I suddenly realized that if I was ever going to pursue a Ph.D., now was the time. I accepted an appointment as a Teaching Assistant at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and parted on good terms from DuPont in September 1958. As I recall life at DuPont, all professionals were white and mostly male. African American employees were mainly custodians or grounds keepers. A Wisconsin chemist tried to change that (1). Russ Peterson, PhD in 1942, had enjoyed great success at DuPont. He was a “rising star” and was put in charge of Chestnut Run, a research site outside of Wilmington. He was a moderate Republican and belonged to a local Unitarian Church. He felt that the time had come for DuPont to hire minorities as chemists, lab technicians, and secretaries. This was followed by a visit from a company psychiatrist to determine if he was perhaps “disturbed.” Rumor has it that his upward mobility changed at this point. He retired and ran for the Governorship of Delaware in 1968. His victory came as a great surprise. His first act in Dover was to order the removal of the whipping post! At UNH, I signed on to major in Physical Chemistry. The faculty, staff and students were all white. There was one woman on the chemistry faculty. Diversity did not seem to be on anyone’s agenda. In 1962 I returned to DuPont’s Textile Fibers Department at the Experimental Station in Wilmington. Again it was still a white man’s organization. However, there I met Stephanie Kwolek, a brilliant organic chemist. She was highly respected as I recall and in 1965 Stephanie invented the fiber Kevlar that had superior properties and led to its use in bulletproof vests. I recall a couple of other women scientists but certainly none in management jobs. 190 Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


The world changed dramatically on November 22, 1963. I was working in the Pioneering Research Lab on a Friday afternoon when the first news arrived. We gathered around some radios in the lab and listened in silence. When word of President Kennedy’s death came, we all quietly locked up lab notebooks and headed home to stare at our TV sets. That week had a profound impact on me. I suddenly felt the need to contribute to society in a different way. A job search in academia started in the New Year. This resulted in my move to what is now the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire in September 1964. I took a large cut in salary and benefits. This was quite a shock to my wife Val plus a son and daughter. The chemistry faculty had a woman member who had been there for many years. UW-EC was growing rapidly at that point and the chemistry department hired more white men. The world was changing quickly in the sixties and the terms affirmative action and diversity started to be heard. Gradually more women started to join the university faculty, especially in the arts and humanities. At one point when we were opening a search for a new faculty member, our Dean of Arts and Sciences told us that our final list of five candidates must have at least one woman. We submitted our list to the Dean with the woman ranked fifth and last. We had real concerns about her qualifications. However, the Dean offered her the position. Our tenure committee visited lectures and lab sessions, examined tests and proposals and offered advice and criticism as needed. We made a serious effort to help this new Assistant Professor. Sadly we voted to terminate her after about three years. She charged us with discrimination and appealed. After due process she was denied. Diversity is indeed an important and noble goal, which I support. However, it is like “The Ideal Gas Law” which is great on paper. Gas molecule interactions can lead to poor results. A second case arose when UW-Eau Claire started a search for a new Chancellor. The then Chancellor Leonard Hass had been in the position for many years and was highly respected. A faculty search committee was organized and started a national search for our next leader. About that time the U.W. System President O’Neil decided it was time for Wisconsin to have a campus led by a woman. He then proceeded to select such a candidate who was introduced with much fanfare. She started out with broad faculty acceptance, especially among women. However, she used a governance style, which soon led to problems with the faculty. She survived for about three years and was replaced by a white male. A great attempt at diversity in Wisconsin failed. Fortunately recent history in the state has led to much success in diversity, which I am very pleased to see. I retired in 1996 and we relocated to Delaware in 1998 for a milder climate. Living through long winters near absolute zero is a mighty challenge! The Delaware Section of ACS was very welcoming. I was quickly greeted by H.N. Cheng, then employed at Hercules. Much had changed in Delaware since my departure. Companies in search of the best people found that diversity pays! 191 Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

Old barriers such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and handicaps had been discarded. American society has made significant strides in becoming diverse. Our military has been removing barriers that in the past kept people from serving or from advancement in rank. Most churches have become more accepting. The medical and dental professions continue to amaze me. Diversity is becoming accepted, but we should not be complacent. More work needs to be done.


Delaware’s ChemVets This organization was founded forty years ago in 1976 by the late Herman Skolnick and has been very active all these years. The vision was to create a group of retired chemists in Delaware who meet socially to share their enthusiasm for chemistry, for each other, and to share their enthusiasm for chemistry with others. One of their early projects was to work wth children in grade schools to foster and encourage their interest in science. It has evolved over time but has always had capable leadership. Currently ChemVets chemists, chemical engineers and other scientists in the Wilmington area meet monthly for lunch and lectures (2). (In contrast, regular meetings of the Delaware Section meetings were normally held at night, a problem for some seniors.) We are allowed to gather for lunch at DuPont’s Chestnut Run location, using one of their cafeterias. At one o’clock we gather at the conference room in a nearby building for a talk. These meeting are open to all scientists in Delaware. We appreciate this support from DuPont. We do not meet over the summer. ACS has realized the great importance of keeping retired members involved since they have a wealth of experience and a variety of talents. The Delaware ChemVets model is being promoted across the country and now many similar organizations are up and running. Currently the ChemVets have a diversity problem. It tends to be a group of aging white men. Luckily we have an Asian American woman who attends regularly. Since corporations in the old days hired mostly white males, we do not yet have a pool of retired women and minorities to attend. Luckily time will solve this problem. I should point out that our meeting notices appear in the Del-CHEM Bulletin (the newsletter for ACS Delaware Section’s members), so all are invited. When I entered college in 1952 and signed up for a chemistry major, I became a chemist for life. I intend to be buried with a Periodic Table. Chemical solutions will be served at my wake!

The ACS Senior Chemists Committee The Senior Chemists Committee (SCC) was approved as a Joint Board-Council Committee effective January 1, 2013 (3). The mission of the SCC are: 1) To share with ACS members of all ages a rich variety of personal experiences and expertise gained over many years of professional service. 2) To foster interest and participation in the science of chemistry through community 192 Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.


outreach, especially in grades K-12. 3) To act as science advisers/ambassadors for the purpose of cultural exchange at home and abroad. 4) To provide senior ACS members with challenging, diverse, and enjoyable professional experiences that enable them to contribute to the cultural experiences of their communities. 5) To recommend policies that address issues of interest to senior chemists. The SCC consists of 16 members and several associates, and are appointed by the ACS President and Chair of the Board of Directors. The Committee serves two constituencies within the ACS: (1) seniors who are still active either as full time or part time employees, consultants, or those who still wish to stay closely connected to the ACS and its spectrum of activities; and (2) younger members and students who have questions about a chemistry based career or who have started careers but are looking for guidance in how to progress. Examples are mentoring, career guidance and counseling, job training seminars and webinars, alternate career selection, problem support, workshops, and tutorials. I signed on at the beginning of this group in 2013. Great leadership has been provided by George E. Heinze and now Thomas R. Beattie. We meet at both national meetings and have occasional telephone conferences. We have a rather diverse committee of chemists and chemical engineers from industry, academia, government and the nonprofit sector. Our members are well dispersed geographically and represent both large and small sections. We have the diverse physical handicaps that come with age. Our present membership has about 20% women. We have a couple of members with Asian heritage. Since my term on the committee expires this year, more diversity can be expected. There are a number of active programs being organized by the SCC. We have been actively supporting the Speed Networking Sessions at national meetings, helping to attract chemistry students to chemical careers. We are increasing our presence at Regional Meetings. We are initiating more joint activities with ACS Divisions (Polymer, Small Business and History of Chemistry). A newsletter on the committee activities has very wide circulation. I have been impressed by the efforts of the Senior Chemists Committee and it has been a joy to serve as a member.

Conclusions Diversity is good for us!We can all learn from people of different backgrounds and perspectives. Together we are stronger and our future more secure. I appreciate the efforts of the American Chemical Society to promote diversity in our organization and in our interactions with other groups. A particular diversity group is highlighted in this article – the senior chemists. When an ACS member retires, he or she should not fade away. Instead, the chemistry profession needs them more than ever because they come with a wealth of expertise and discretionary time. It is important for the ACS to engage them as resources. It is also important to find ways to satisfy their professional needs.

193 Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

References 1. 2.


3.

Peterson, R. W. Rebel With A Conscience; University of Delaware Press: Newark, 1999. ACS Delaware Section ChemVets. http://www.delawareacs.org/chemvets (accessed July 22, 2016). ACS Senior Chemist Committee. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/ membership-and-networks/acs/welcoming/silvercircle/senior-chemistcommittee.html (accessed July 22, 2016).

194 Nelson and Cheng; Diversity in the Scientific Community Volume 2: Perspectives and Exemplary Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017.

Diversity: The ACS Senior Chemists Committee and Delaware's

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