ACS COMMENT
Globalization, Opportunities, Readiness, And ACS: ACS International Center JOSEPH S. FRANCISCO, ACS IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT, AND JUDITH L. BENHAM, CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
International Center. The goal is to ensure that catalyze innovation in the global ogy, with the resulting flows of knowledge, that the next generation of ACS members chemical enterprise. These resources will people, and capital, is reshaping the chemiand chemical practitioners is prepared to include existing publications and reports cal enterprise and having a profound imengage in the global chemical enterprise. about methodology, successful practices, pact on the profession. It is changing the The center will encourage international educational form and content, and adway science is conducted. Competition exchange and collaboration for chemists ditional resources for acquiring skills, as for science and engineering talent well as links to external sources of is intensifying, and new centers of information. excellence in chemical research are ■ Development and implementarapidly emerging overseas. tion of best practices for scienceThe U.S. has been a global leader based input to domestic and in the fields of chemistry and chemiinternational policy. This content cal engineering because of its comwill build upon ACS’s successful mitment to and strength in research advocacy efforts to focus attention and innovation. Today, global on the gap in international educaeconomics are driving changes in tion and training, as well as funding, chemical enterprises, including immigration, and other related isexpanded outsourcing of chemical sues. Effective science-based policy manufacturing overseas, increased would enhance U.S. competitivecompetition from abroad in core reness and facilitate engagement in search areas, and domestic declines and actions to address global issues Francisco Benham in research and infrastructure fundand challenges. ing. These combined forces challenge our at all levels through global partnerships. A summary of the presidential task ability to generate new opportunities to The ACS Board of Directors affirmed the force’s recommendations on implementsustain our global competitive advantage. concept of the ACS International Center at ing the ACS International Center will be The recent National Academies report its December 2010 meeting, and teams are posted online on the ACS Network at www. “Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisnow taking steps to implement it. acs.org/network. We ask that you join and ited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5” recThe ACS International Center will be visit this group on the network to provide ognizes these trends and raises considerprimarily virtual and will focus on four us with your ideas as to how we can best able alarm about the status of U.S. science areas: fulfill our goals. in the face of global competition. ■ Creation of an information clearinghouse The ACS International Center concept In many other countries, scholars have to assist chemical practitioners who seek to holds profound promise for ACS to play long viewed international experience as participate in international exchange and a key role in fostering a talent pool that essential to professional success. This is collaboration. Elements will include lists of can contribute to emerging science areas less the case in the U.S. Although American available exchange programs (with links to related to world and national challenges, in Chemical Society member chemists and their websites), suggestions for addressing support of Goals 2 and 3 of the ACS Stratechemical engineers are increasingly engagchallenges inherent in exchange programs, gic Plan (strategy.acs.org). ing in transnational collaboration in their options for language training, and content The ACS International Center can professional activities, we need to promote regarding cultural adjustment. shape the education and training of effecthis trend to strengthen and sustain com■ Development and dissemination of tive science professionals for successful petitiveness. An internationally engaged persuasive evidence of the value of interparticipation in the U.S. and global science scientific community is critical to building national collaborations. This section of the and technology enterprise and provide an the collaborative teams and networks that center will identify metrics and/or assessopportunity to extend the energy created are needed to tackle the scientific and sociment methods to evaluate the success of by International Year of Chemistry 2011. It etal challenges of our time. collaboration and exchange experiences. is imperative that we encourage U.S. talent Last year, the Presidential Task Force The findings would then be used to develop to engage in international research collaboon Implementing the Concept of the ACS communication materials to promote the ration and exchange experiences, to learn International Center—which was led by Juvalue of international exchange, including about the global character of the chemical dith L. Benham, chair of the Committee on customized tool kits for specific audiences. enterprise, and to cultivate new skill sets International Activities—provided recom■ Development and dissemination of that will serve them in globally competitive mendations for development of the ACS best practices in education and training science. ■ PETER CUTTS PHOTOGRAPHY (BOTH)
GLOBALIZATION ENABLED by technol-
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