President's Message
The Presidential Program for 1979 What kind of a program would ACS members like this president of the American Chemical Society to pursue? There are numerous services that I can provide that include ceremonial representations, participation in ACS programs that include national representation for special events, participation as a speaker in ACS programs, and support and origination of forward-looking policies and programs. I feel divisions, local sections, and many individual members would like the president to listen to their concerns and suggestions and act on them whenever it is feasible. In many instances, they would like to discuss such suggestions directly with the president individually or in group discussions. I am available to visit divisions and local sections, and because I have developed talks of general interest, I might be particularly helpful as a speaker for an awards dinner, a spouses' night program, or at joint meetings with organizations, such as Sigma Xi, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or the American Institute of Chemists. Also, I would be pleased to address ACS student affiliate groups, particularly on special occasions. Although I am situated some distance from many members, as a professor of chemistry at Washington State University, Pullman, Wash. 99164, expenses for such visits are reasonable, and I would welcome invitations. At the same time, I would welcome the opportunity to visit chemically related companies in the area and discuss professional and ACS-related problems with industrial chemists and managers. In addition to a seminar, I would be pleased to conduct a roundtable or group discussion during such visits. I have found these to be stimulating of good ideas and quite effective in covering a variety of questions. Where the local sections primarily encompass one 2
C&EN Jan. 1, 1979
or more educational institutions, visits, of course, involve these as well. Should I not be able to schedule a visit because of a conflict during this presidential year, I would be glad to try to do so in 1980 as immediate past-president. I would be concluding my three-year presidential term on the ACS Board of Directors and still could be quite helpful in regard to member concerns. The subjects upon which I am currently speaking are: "Communicating with the Public, a Responsibility of Chemists to Society," "More Effective Curricula for Educating Chemists for Careers in Industry as well as in Teaching," and "The Energy Problem and How Scientific Societies Can Help." The talks are about 40 minutes in duration, and comment is invited from the audience. These exchanges have proven to be informative and thoughtprovoking for all. The energy problem is such a major concern to me that it will be the basis of a presidential plenary session at the 178th national meeting in Washington, D.C., Sept. 9-14. The plenary session will be just one of several energy-related programs. Others include: "Production and Conservation of Energy: Catalysis," a joint symposium involving the Divisions of Colloid & Surface Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Petroleum Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry; and "Energy Economic Impact—Present and Future Effects," sponsored by the Division of Chemical Marketing & Economics. In referring to these programs, may I express my regret that I am unable to mention all of the energy-related symposia that are planned for the program. Directly following the Washington national meeting, I shall be priviledged to be host at the 7th International Meeting of Chemical Society Presidents. We have come full circle from the inaugural meeting of this series, that was initiated by former ACS president
Charles G. Overberger and was also scheduled in Washington. In the interim, meetings have been held in London, Frankfurt, Rome, Alicante (Spain), and The Hague. The purpose of the meeting is to provide an opportunity for the presidents of chemical societies from various countries to discuss mutual concerns. Certainly such vital issues as the energy problem, food production, and chemical regulatory practices as well as chemical society organizational concerns will be among the items discussed. This important international event is part of a significant international climate within which ACS is currently involved.
There is also, of course, the coming ACS meeting in Honolulu to be held jointly with chemical societies of Japan, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and including the participation of many other chemists from around the world. Chemical society leaders of a number of countries plan to take this opportunity to discuss the merits of establishing an international chemical society to supplement our national organizations, a suggestion that has been proposed by Dr. Glenn Seaborg. At both the national and regional meetings, I'll take the opportunities available to greet members, officers, and councilors. If you have some particular point to bring to my attention, please do not hesitate to do so. Regional meetings, because of their smaller size, often provide a more relaxed opportunity to discuss ACS and the chemical scene with members and officers. I also would welcome the opportunity to give a talk, preferably on the energy problem. Plenary sessions are sometimes difficult to schedule, but perhaps a time could be found that would minimize conflicts. I could also preside at a discussion of ACS activities, programs, and concerns or at the presentation of the regional award in high school chemistry teaching. Also at the regional meeting mixer, in the exhibit area, and in the corridors outside the meeting rooms, I will strive to talk with as many as possible. A further project I am planning is a conference to explore possible new ACS services for the industrial chemist. As former chairman of the board of directors' Committee on Education & Students, I chaired the eighth, ninth, and tenth Biennial Education Conferences and discovered how effective the conference approach is for developing innovative ideas. The conference involves 30 to 40 participants, about eight of whom make concise presentations to stimulate deliberations on topics
selected in advance. Invariably, at least two or three outstanding new ideas are generated by this process. I look forward to the Conference for Industrial Chemists to be especially fruitful. In regard to ACS policies and programs I have supported, may I list some that I feel will develop or continue to develop constructively during the coming year. Immediate past president Anna J. Harrison has done a great deal to establish a sound basis of interaction between ACS and the regulatory agencies. Fortunately for the chemical profession, Dr. Harrison intends to continue working in this vital area involving regulation of chemicals, and I shall do all I can to help. For years, many members have been concerned as to how ACS could provide useful service to secondary school teachers of chemistry. Recently, the Journal of Chemical Education has established a high school section with the objective of providing useful information and classroom material of interest to the teacher. Because the initial response has been most encouraging, a grant proposal was drafted to assist the journal in developing and promoting this program further, and I am pleased to report that the ACS Board recently has acted to support the proposal. Chemistry magazine in the past had found a readership among interested high school chemistry students and also to a significant degree among college students, as well as many nonstudent chemists. Unfortunately, the magazine, although the most widely read ACS publication aside from C&EN, was not financially viable. A committee was appointed to study the problem and with the help of a private consulting firm, it was established that the more appropriate audience for such a magazine might well be all high school and junior high students. It also seemed to many considering this situation that it would provide an outstanding opportunity to
give the many students who would take a minimum number of science courses a positive feeling for science. Because most sciences are so heavily associated with chemistry, the emphasis would be chemical in a highly readable style to excite the interest of the student audience. However, to reach these students the title of the magazine would have to be changed to something like, "Science for the Informed Citizen." This title simply suggests the expected contents of the magazine rather than being a serious proposal of a title. Indeed, ACS would be open to suggestions of appropriate, eye-catching titles. A program to develop and promote this magazine during 1979 has been approved, and I am very hopeful that we can succeed in meeting this important challenge. In conclusion, may I suggest that you read the pamphlet being distributed by national ACS that describes 10 reasons why a chemist might wish to belong to the society. Then perhaps, you might be willing to share this information with a friend who is not a member, so that he or she could consider joining. I am campaigning vigorously for new members because ACS needs the broadest possible support of chemical engineers and chemists so that it can provide the best possible services to all its members and enhancement of the chemical profession. In addition, the increased revenue from new members could help substantially to limit dues increases resulting from inflationary pressures of our economy. So help yourself as well as another chemical professional by finding a new member. If you do not have the time, please pass the names of several colleagues along to our Department of Membership Activities, 1155-Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Your help and interest is greatly appreciated. Gardner W. Stacy Jan. 1, 1979 C&EN
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