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[email protected] C&EN Online: http://pubs.acs.org/cen EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Madeleine Jacobs MANAGING EDITOR: Rudy M. Baum ART DIRECTOR: Robin L Braverman, Nathan Becker (Assistant Art Director) SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Lois R. Ember NEWS EDITOR: Janice R. Long SPECIAL FEATURES EDITOR: Celia M. Henry ONLINE EDITION: Melody Voith (Editor), Luis A. Carrillo (Editorial Assistant) EDriOR-AT-LARGE: Michael Heylin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Κ. Μ. Reese, Susan J. Ainsworth ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Patricia Oates PROGRAM ASSISTANT: Stephanie Wahl BUSINESS William J. Storck, Assistant Managing Editor Northeast: (732) 9068300. Rachel Eskenazi (Adminis trative Assistant), Michael McCoy (Senior Editor), Marc S. Reisch (Senior Correspondent), Alexander H. TÙHO (Assistant Editor), Karen J. Watkins (Associate Editor). Houston: (281) 48&3900. Ann M. Thayer (Bureau Head). Hong Kong: 852-2984-9072. Jean-François Tremblay (Bureau Head). London: 44 20 88706884. Patricia L Short (Senior Correspondent) GOVERNMENT & POLICY David J. Hanson, Assistant Managing Editor Washington: (202) 8724495. Bette Hileman (Senior Editor), Cheryl Hogue (Senior Editor), Jeffrey W. Johnson (Senior Editor), William G. Schulz (Associate Editor) SCffiNCE/IECHNOLOGY/EDUCATION Pamela S. Zurer, Assistant Managing Editor Washington: (202) 8724411. Stuart A Borman (Senior Correspondent), Mairin B. Brennan (Senior Editor), Doron Dagani (Senior Correspondent), Rebecca L Rawis (Senior Correspondent), A. Maureen Rouhi (Senior Editor), Sophie L Wilkinson (Associate Editor). Northeast: (732) 90&8301. Stephen C. Sanson (Senior Editor). Chicago: (847) 679-1156. Mitch Jacoby (Associate Editor). West Coast: (510) 8490575. Elizabeth K. Wilson (Associate Editor). London: 44 1256311052. Michael Freemande (Senior Editor) ACS NEWS Linda R Raber (ACS News Editor), Kevin R. MacDermott (Assistant Editor) EDITING & PRODUCTION Robin M. Giroux, Assistant Managing Editor Janet S.Dodd (Associate Editor), Arlene Goldberg-Gist (Associate Editor), Deanna Miller (Assistant Editor), Susan R Morrissey (Assistant Editor), Stephen K. Rhter (Senior Editor), Diana LSfede (Assistant Editor) PUBUSHING & CREATIVE SERVICES William R Succolosky (Head), Linda Mattingly (Staff Artist). Production & Imaging: Vincent L Parker (Manager), Mehem Akbasli (Assistant) MARKETING MANAGER· Scott Nathan ADVISORY BOARD Paul S. Anderson, Bernard D. Azoulay, Shenda M. Baker, Robert T. Betz, Ronald Breslow, Vincent A. Calarco, Margaret A. Cavanaugh, Jean Chmielewski, John R. Danzeisen, Mark E. Davis, Earnest W. Deavenport Jr., John G. Ekerdt, J. Michael Fitzpatrick, Renée G. Ford, Cynthia M. Friend, Lynn R Goldman, Ryota Hamamoto, Peter R Heinze, J. Roger Hirl, Nancy B. Jackson, Carl A. Jennings, Robert L Lichter, Chad A. Mirkin, James C. Mullen, Riccardo Pigliucci, David B. Price Jr., Douglas J. Raber, David R Rea, Eisa Reichmanis, Mark C. Rohr, Richard R. Schrock, Ian Shott, Richard E. Smalley, Gabor A. Somorjai, Mary C. Waltham Published by AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY John Kistler Crum, Executive Director Robert D. Bovenschulte, Director, Publications Division EDITORIAL BOARD Joan E. Shields (Chair); ACS Board of Directors Chain Henry F. Whalen; ACS President Daryle H. Busch; Peter C. Jurs, Attila Ε. Pavlath, Barbara J. Peterson, Lura J. Powell. © Copyright 2000, American Chemical Society Canadian GST Reg. No. R127571347
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Looking Back At 2 0 0 0 . . .
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his week's cover story, "Chemistry Highlights 2000," js the first time that we have published a lengthy end-of-the-year feature in which we've at tempted to look back at some of the fas cinating research developments we've reported on during the past year. Even if you've been reading C&EN diligently ev ery week, I think you'llfindthis to be an engrossing feature (see page 23). Over the years, we've had many con versations about whether we should do such a story. Other publications run such stories, but C&EN has always shied away from doing so because we've worried that our readers would interpret it as the "best" research accomplish ments or a Top 10 list Last year, we took ourfirststab at a retrospective when As sistant Managing Editor for Science/ Technology/Education Pamela Zurer chose five research developments that intrigued her for a Science Insights arti cle (C&EN, Nov. 29,1999, page 38). Em boldened by the lack of reader outrage over singling out these five accomplish ments, Senior Correspondent Stu Bor man convinced us to broaden our hori zons for a story that would launch the new millennium (yes, it is finally here, the real start of the new millennium). In the introduction to his story, Bor man explains what his feature is, and isn't "News stories often appear quickly. Like flashes of light in the night, they disappear quickly too, sometimes never to be seen again," he writes. aIn the next few pages, C&EN casts new light on some of the sig nificant chemical research stories we cov ered in the year 2000." In whatfirstappeared to be an over whelming task, Borman looked at all the research accomplishments—well over 500—reported in C&EN in 2000. Begin ning in January, he selected several ac complishments per month. Those he chose to write about were significant, in triguing, and interesting to him for any number of reasons. Then he contacted each lead researcher and asked for infor mation on what had happened since and what other developments in their fields were particularly significant this year. In terestingly, once Borman selected all the highlights, they fell somewhat neatly into eight categories: chemical synthesis, chemical genomics, structural biochemis
try, biochemistry-based drug research, materials, nanomaterials, molecular elec tronics, and the chemistry-physics interface. Borman notes that the selections are subjective and not intended to be com prehensive. They are "not the winners of a contest" and "do not represent a *besf list," he explains. To his relief, Borman tells me, "it did not turn out to be a re hash of what we'd already written, or a long and boring mishmash." Rather, the final story is more of a dialogue between Borman and the researchers, and far from being only a retrospective, there is a look ahead. Best of all, these highlights once again emphasize the vibrancy and vitality of thefieldof chemistry.
. . . and ahead to 2 0 0 1 With this issue, we close out this year—and the millennium. I wanttothank our readers for challenging us always to be the best we can be. We strive each weektobe worthy of the time you devote to us and to be responsive to your con cerns. Our New Year's resolution istopro vide the most accurate, readable, and in formative weekly package of news about the chemical enterprise. I also want to thank C&EN's advertising sales group for our extraordinarily successful advertising year, Brown Printing, for the quality and timely service it provides; the Information Technology, Marketing, and Publishing and Creative Services Departments of the American Chemical Society Publications Division for their dedicated assistance; and last, but certainly not least, the talent ed staff of C&EN who bring their love of chemistry and the chemical enterprise to their jobs every day. Our next issue is Jan. 1,2001. To each and every reader, and to all our friends and colleagues at the American Chemical Society, we wish you and your family a very happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season and a wonderful New Year. We look forward to serving you, and hearing from you, in the new millennium!
Editor-in-chief
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those ofACS DECEMBER 18,2000 C&EN
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