ACS NEWS
GOT DRIVE At 86, Meyer is more engaged in ACS activities than ever.
A SENIOR MOVEMENT Recognizing the value of its senior members, ACS finds ways to keep them engaged LINDA WANG, C&EN WASHINGTON
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H E N MEMBERS OF T H E
American Chemical Society retire from their chemistry vocations, they can feel detached from the society. There is no more research to present, no pressing need for professional development, and no desire to get ahead. But the society needs these people more than ever because they come with a wealth of expertise and a rare commodity: time. For years, some local sections have been mobilizing their senior members, offering them opportunities to socialize, network, and give back to the community. Now, ACS as a whole has taken notice, and a fledgling program called Silver Circle is heading a broader effort to tap into this unique and valuable resource. Senior chemists make up a significant proportion ofACS membership. In 2005, retired and emeritus members made up nearly 15% ofACS's membership. This percentage is only expected to grow in the coming years as the baby-boom generation enters retirement.
Currently, ACS has relatively few programs geared specifically toward its senior members. "We have really been neglecting this particular group," says ACS Past-President Eli M. Pearce. "These are people who are talented and have something to offer. This professional society should be taking advantage of their abilities and experience and keep them involved." Some local sections are doing just that. For example, the Chemical Society of Washington's Retired Chemists Group meets three times a year for lunch followed by a lecture or field trip. In June, about 30 retired chemists gathered at a seafood restaurant in Washington, D.C. They reminisced about the days when the region was mostly farmland, chatted about their hobbies and recent projects, and joked about their advanced ages. After lunch, attendees saw a slide show highlighting a fellow member's recent trip to Portugal. The group's next gathering, in September, will include a trip to the Washington Post's printing plant.
The Delaware Section's ChemVets group offers a similar program. About 35 retired chemists and engineers meet for lunch and a lecture eight times a year at a local company cafeteria. Recent lecture topics have included new inks and applications for the ink-jet printer, software for the radiationcuring industry, and the development of a particular DuPont semiconductor technology "I think most of us who were active as scientists recognize that ifyou stay mentally active, you remain physically fit, too," says David F. Eaton, chair of ChemVets. Their next meeting, in September, will include a lecture about global warming. Not all local sections focus on networking and self-improvement. Some make educational outreach their priority The Cincinnati Section's Retired Chemists Committee spends roughly two months every year performing science shows for hundreds of 5th and 6th graders in two local school districts. Ralph Damico, chair of the committee, says that next year they will expand to include a third school district, and he is looking for more retired chemists to join their troupe. About 20 other local sections also have groups geared toward seniors, each with its own flavor and focus. Pearce praises these homegrown efforts, but he believes ACS needs to do more on a national level to involve its senior members. "This has been moving forward, but I think it's bigger than local sections," he says. IN FACT, Pearce says he would like to see seniors have their own committee, just like the Women Chemists Committee and the Committee on Minority Affairs. "There are all kinds of committees serving constituencies right now, and this is going to be one of the largest constituencies in our professional society," Pearce says. In March 2003, Pearce wrote a comment in C&EN in which he coined the term "silver circle" to describe this growing body of senior ACS members (C&EN, March 24, 2003, page 39). "Retirement has become a time for renewal, not retreat," he wrote. "We have a wonderful opportunity to harness the expertise and enthusiasm of our growing number of senior members before they lose interest in ACS activities and let their memberships lapse." The comment prompted the formation of the Silver Circle Working Group and the appointment of an ACS staff member to serve
In 2005, retired and emeritus members made up nearly 15% of ACS's membership. WWW.CEN-0NLINE.ORG
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ACS NEWS They continue to serve as councilors, loas a liaison to the society's senior members. or the Chemistry Olympiad, joining the cal section leaders, and mentors. Take E. Another development is a breakfast for seLegislative Action Network (chemistry, Gerald Meyer, for example. At 86, Meyer, nior members at the national meetings. org/takeaction), and becoming involved emeritus professor of chemistry and dean Silver Circle kicked off its first breakin a regional meeting. The possibilities are of arts and sciences at the University of fast last fall at the ACS national meeting in virtually endless. Wyoming, still enjoys white-water raftWashington, D.C. "The idea of the senior "There are a million things that you could ing; rides his motorcycle; participates in breakfast is to bring people together and to do, but nothing happens until you do somehear their viewpoints," says Clifford W.J. thing," Carroll says. He adds that successful the Senior Olympics; manages the coal company he cofounded; attends national Chang, chair of the working group. At this local sections could serve as an inspiration meetings; reads technical papers; serves on year's spring national meeting in Atlanta, to other local sections interested in starting the Rocky Mountain and Northwest ReSilver Circle organized a second breakfast a retired or senior chemists group. "If you gions' Boards; and jets all over the country that drew 80 people, double the attendance have a local section group that has found accepting awards, serving on various comof the Washington breakfast. The lively exsomething that truly appeals to this popumittees and task forces, and touring with change of ideas during the after-breakfast lation, then one of the things we can easily the ACS Speaker Service. discussion indicated that enthusiasm among do in this society is to publicize it to other this group is growing. Meyer admits that his age forces him to local sections." adjust the way he does some things, but he The next breakfast will be held at the ACS national meeting in San Francisco in THE NEXT STEP is getting people to come emphasizes that keeping mentally and physically active is important for a good quality September. Michael Burns, chief technology out. PatrickJ. (Jerry) Hannan, who retired of life. Earlier this year, Meyer accepted the officer at YourEncore, a Cincinnati-based in 1987 from the Naval Research LaboraACS Award for Volunteer Service. company that matches retired scientists tory, admitted that it took him a long time and engineers with technical project opMeyer is optimistic about Silver Circle after he retired before he began attending portunities, will be speaking about the role and challenges all retired ACS members to lunches organized by the Chemical Society of retired scientists and engineers in open get out and do something that could benefit of Washington's Retired Chemists Group. innovation. themselves as well as the society. He suggests "To be honest, I didn't want to admit to mythat retired chemists organize Pearce thinks the society could do even more. "This is a symposium at a future ACS just the bare beginnings," he national meeting where they says. ACS Immediate Pastcould talk about their current President William F. Carprojects and perhaps inspire roll, who delivered a talk on and trigger ideas among other innovation at the breakfast in retired chemists. Atlanta, says one of the chalJames A. Hammond, 81, is lenges will be to keep the moanother one of these "super mentum from the breakfasts seniors." At the spring nationgoing. "The question is, 'Can al meeting in Atlanta, Hamyou turn that enthusiasm into mond was rushing from one results and action?'" he asks. symposium to the next, albeit a little slower than everyone Thomas R. Beattie, chairelse. A retired chemist with elect of the Silver Circle Worka varied career, Hammond ing Group, says that somestill consults for companies times all seniors need is a little that turn waste products into nudge. "People don't always go fuel, serves as a councilor for out and seek these things for the San Gorgonio Section in themselves. If you can call it California, and mentors high to their attention and spark a school students. He likes to little interest, it's amazing how HANDS-ON George Rizzi (left) of the Cincinnati Section's fiddle around in the chemisthey can jump into it." Retired Chemists Committee hands a student a flower dipped in try lab he set up in the garage There are manyways to get liquid nitrogen during a class demonstration. and still finds time to make a involved. The Silver Circle's mean clam chowder. website, chemistry.org/silvercircle.html, self that I was retired," he said. offers a starter kit with numerous program Asked if he sees himself slowing down, Hannan is now convinced that particiideas. For example, seniors could organize he responded: "Not if I can help it." He pation in such groups pays off. He recently a "chemistry of cooking" potluck dinner plans to organize a symposium on fuel and wrote a book called "Serendipity, Luck, where everyone brings a dish and explains environmental chemistry at a future ACS and Wisdom in Research" and gave a presome aspect of the chemistry involved in national meeting and suggests that ACS sentation on the subject earlier this year at preparing the dish. They could also pardevelop a database of senior experts like a meeting of the Retired Chemists Group. ticipate in a career forum to advise younger himself to whom others can turn if they His talk prompted people in the audience to chemists who are considering entering a need technical advice. share their own stories about serendipitous particular field or industry. He has many other ideas, including how findings in research. to motivate more seniors to get involved in Other ideas include serving as a tour Many of the most active senior chemists ACS activities. It's relatively simple. "All you speaker with the ACS Speaker Service, have been go-getters their entire careers, have to do is ask," he says. • becoming a coordinator for Project SEED both in their personal lives and within ACS. 42
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