ACS COMMENT
International Year Of Chemistry In China JIANNIAN YAO, PRESIDENT, CHINESE CHEMICAL SOCIETY, AND NANCY B. JACKSON, ACS PRESIDENT
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
41
DECEMBER 5, 2011
a variety of topics to the more than 1,500 people who attended the event. Other initiatives sponsored by CCS in 2011 include an IYC commemorative stamp, issued in January by the Chinese Post Office at CCS’s request; a concert on “Joy & Music in Chemistry” by Peking University students that culminated with a chorus of “What Is Chemistry?” and featured lyrics by Qifeng Zhou, vice president of CCS and president of Peking University; and a chemistry popularization exhibition with the theme of “Chemistry—Our Life, Our Future,” featuring articles, games, and photos highlighting chemistry in daily life. There is no doubt that the International Year of Chemistry has been very successful, but it is important to ensure that the tremendous achievements of 2011 are sustained in 2012 and beyond. Key partnerships helped us accomplish our goals during IYC, and key partnerships can help ensure an IYC legacy. We must continue to work together—not only with CCS and our sister societies, but also with organizations such as the International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry and UNESCO, which were directly responsible for the International Year of Chemistry—to identify innovative solutions to the challenges our world faces. Your insights are needed. How can ACS and CCS continue to work together and with other societies from around the world to communicate the value of chemistry to the public? What can we do to further support the chemistry communities in the U.S., China, and around the world in their efforts to achieve this goal? What type of activities, both live and virtual, can we focus on to strengthen our collaborations? Please send your suggestions to intlacts@ acs.org and
[email protected]. PETER CUTTS PHOTOGRAPHY
with programs and events that range from can Chemical Society has been committed hands-on outreach activities for kids to scito improving people’s lives through the ence cafés and competitions. transforming power of chemistry. The CCS organized China’s official IYC Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), founded opening ceremony, which took place at in 1932 in Nanjing (Nanking), has been the People’s Great Hall, in Beijing, in April. dedicated to supporting chemistry profesState Councilor Liu Yandong; Chunli Bai, sionals as they address issues that are important to the social and economic development of China. It is increasingly evident that the world has flattened. We live in a world with global challenges—clean water, alternative energy, food supply, health care, and climate change—that require global solutions. Chemistry, and the men and women of science who practice our discipline around the globe, are key to meeting these challenges. It is for this reason, along with a shared interest in engaging the Yao Jackson Chinese and U.S. chemistry communities, that in 2010 ACS and CCS entered a three-year collaboration alliance president of the Chinese Academy of Scicharacterized by mutual benefit, impact, ences; Gu Xiulian, former vice chair of and commitment to cooperate in service to the National People’s Congress of China; chemical scientists, engineers, and other Jiannian Yao; United Nations Educaprofessionals in our respective nations. Fational, Scientific & Cultural Organization cilitating research, education, and meetings (UNESCO) representatives; and more are all important elements included in the than 700 representatives from academia collaboration agreement. However, perhaps and industry attended the event. the most important aspect of the alliance is Earlier in the year, CCS launched a poster the mutual interest in communicating the competition, the National Fun Chemical significance of chemistry to the public. Experiment Design Competition, and a The International Year of Chemistry monthly series of lectures given by mem(IYC) provided a unique opportunity to bers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at increase the public appreciation of chemthe China Science & Technology Museum in istry. Both ACS and CCS have played a Beijing. CCS also worked closely with Chileadership role in identifying ways to comna’s Association of Science & Technology on municate the importance of chemistry in the Reading for Understanding Chemistry our daily lives. ACS, for example, launched initiative, featuring books that have popuseveral initiatives including the larizd chemistry. IYC Bulletin, the IYC Partners ProIn June, a series of gram, the IYC Virtual Journal, and public lectures were We live in a “365: Chemistry for Life,” which presented in Beijing. world with global Eleven top chemists celebrates chemistry’s contribuchallenges ... tions to the world. ACS local secand chemical industry tions, divisions, and international that require experts from China chapters have also celebrated IYC global solutions. delivered lectures on CHINESE CHEMICAL SOCIETY
FOR MORE THAN 135 YEARS, the Ameri-
The Chinese version of this Comment will be featured in the December edition of CCS Chemistry Letters.
