Foreword In 1970 as part of the Golden Anniversary celebration of the founding of the Division of Chemical Education a conference on chemical education was held at Snowmass-at-Aspen, Colorado. The Snowmass Conference attemoted to evaluate chemical education and to define its role in world society. In 1972 the Division of Chemical Education held its Second Biennial Conference a t Mount Holyoke College where 450 oarticioants met for two and a half davs. Both the scheduled gnd un&heduled sessions of the ~ o u & Holyoke Conference ~rovokedviaorous discussions and generated a great deal of knthusiasm among the participantsT~n1974 t h e ~ h i r d Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was held a t the Pennsylvania State University in conjunction with The Second "Centennial of Chemistry" celebration which commemorated the discoverv of oxveen hv Josenh Priestlev on August 1,1774. About 300 part%pants were at The ~ e h State n Conference which featured formal svmoosia on research and on teaching topics as well as celehra&& of historical turning ooints in science. Ir is impartant to point out the special nature and character of the hiennial conferences wonsored hv the Division. llnlike national and regional ACS meetings the summer conferences provide extended opportunities for discussion and exchange bf ideas and views bn matters affecting chemical education and chemistry. National and regional ACS meetincs provide opportunities to chemical educators to attend technical sessions organized by other divisions where current research results in soecialized areas of chemistm are oresented. Both ACS meetings and biennial conferenceson chemical education attest to the rich offerine of the Division and enhance its versatility in meeting some of the needs of all chemists who are interested in chemical education. A
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Journal of Chemical Education
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In planning for the Fourth Biennial Conference on Chemical Education we picked the successful features of previous conferences and we introduced several innovations. The scheduling of only single sessions enabled each participant to take part in any or all of the Conference events he or she desired. Five Catalvtic Addresses were oresented. their aim was to provoke thought and help focus d&ssions on important aspects of chemistry and chemical education. Three presentation formats were explored and evaluated: the traditional lecture mode, discussion sessions where most of the participatio? was from the audience, and exhihit sessions. Included in the exhibit session were demonstrations of the use of computers in chemical education particularly in the area of simulation. A special salute to the Bicentennial (USA) and Centennial (ACS) celehrations was aimed at showing how the history of science can he used effectively in teaching chemistry. 1000-word summaries of all presentations were provided to help each participant in formulating questions and comments in advance of the scheduled sessions. Another new feature of this Conferencewas the commercial exhibits dealing with textbooks. lahoratorv.eauioment and instruments. and . . other educational material. In organizing this Conference I received advice and help from numerous individuals and groups from all over the countrv. I thank all of them for their cooperation. Special thank;go to the Conference Committee, the Staff a i d Reoorters for their excellent collaboration. I wish to express personal and professional gratitude to Jerry A. Bell who in effect served as co-chairman of the Conference Committee. Bassam Z. Shakhashiri General Chairman
