Innovative Project Grants for Divisional Enhancement Sponsored by the Council Committee on Divisional Activities (DAC)
REPORT ON FUNDED PROJECT Divisions that are recipients of these funds are required to submit a short report on the use of the funds and the effectiveness of the project receiving funds. This is required 30 days at the end of the project’s completion, or the completion of part of the project for which these funds were used, whichever comes first. In any case, a status or final report on any previous year’s funding shall be submitted by July 1 before any new funding for a subsequent year can be considered. Please fill shaded areas to complete the form. Email the completed form to:
[email protected] Date: 2/21/14
Status
Final
Division Name: MEDI Project Title: Medicinal Chemistry symposium held jointly with the Royal Australian chemistry institute (RACI) Start Date: (DD/MM/YY) 27/10/13 Completion Date: (DD/MM/YY) 14/12/13 Division Chair: Joel Barrish Division Project Contact: (name, email) Shelli McAlpine,
[email protected] Funding Received from DAC: $ $3000 Other Funding Received: $3000 from RACI Project Assessment: The project involved two ACS members, Sam Gerritz from BMS, and Prof Tom Rovis (Colorado State University) giving talks in 5 cities around Australia (see below). The conference was run by RACI, and involved the organic and medicinal chemistry divisions. The number of attendees varied in each city, and is estimated below:
Date Dec 2nd, 2013 Dec 4th 2013 Dec 6th 2013 Dec 9th , 2013 Dec 11th , 2013
City Brisbane Canberra Melbourne Adelaide Perth
Attendees ~150 ~250 ~200 ~75 ~50
The talks went over extremely well, and the two speakers sponsored by ACS were the key note speakers of the day symposia. American Chemical Society 1155 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036
T [202] 872 6096
[email protected] Our outcomes as listed on our applications were: a) the conference attendees at each symposium providing a high rating for the speakers: this was noted through informal feedback. Comments submitted about these two speakers were all positive. b) the ACS division members being well received at these meetings: RACI Organizers at the University of Melbourne and Adelaide were extremely supportive of division members, allowing attendees that were ACS members to pay RACI rates rather than outside rates in order to attend the meeting. c) high attendance rates (at or above last years level of ~50-100 scientists at each city) : Attendance rates were high- as noted above. Typically Perth has lower attendance rates and as such 50 people is a high turnout. d) a RACI symposium being submitted to the MEDI ACS division in September 2013 for the Fall ACS National meeting: A nanotechnology proposal was submitted to the last ACS MEDI division meeting as a possible symposium. It was not chosen, however, it is like to be resubmitted in March. e) an RACI symposium being submitted to the ACS MEDI division every year: RACI is aiming to submit to the MEDI division every year. f) having ACS MEDI division members participate as unfunded participants- in these RACI meetings (ie use their own funding to come over and present), Several ACS members are giving talks as Keynote speakers at the Congress meeting in December 2014 and have agreed to pay their own funding (Prof Molander and Prof P. Andy Evans). g) an increased interest in joining ACS from RACI membership. This will potentially take time to analyze. We will keep track on the Australian membership over the next couple of years and we should see an increase. h) an unexpected outcome: Prof McAlpine is now on the international committee and she anticipates starting an ACS chapter in Australia. These jointly sponsored events have generated significant goodwill towards this goal and as such, an outcome of this proposal is general support for an ACS chapter in Australia. Describe the impact of these funds on the Division (if applicable): The MEDI division benefits by generating visibility to the Australian community. One of our divisional goals is to increase our membership. By supporting speakers and making connections with RACI, the Australian chemists are recognizing the value of the MEDI division and the ACS. A primary aim now, as a follow-up to this program, is to initiate an ACS chapter in Australia (Shelli R. McAlpine is in the process of writing an application for an Australian Chapter). By collaborating on this high visibility RACI meeting, the division promoted membership, and as such we anticipate that the Australian medicinal chemists will be active participants in the ACS chapter that is being
established. Overall the impact and visibility were high for this meeting given that the speakers traveled throughout Australia, representing the ACS and spoke at 5 different communities.
