American Chemical Society Other Committee of the Board, Chemists with Disabilities

ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities

Meeting Minutes

September 2003

New York, NY

1. Judy Summers-Gates opened the meeting with thanks to members for their commitment to CWD and a request to members to introduce themselves. The members approved the minutes from the March 2003 New Orleans meeting.

2. CWD reviewed the status of the strategic plan. Mission and vision statements were accepted. Under the first objective/strategy, the committee discussed reviewing ACS activities for inclusion and the need to ensure that all videos produced by ACS are closed-captioned. The committee asked that an ACS central clearinghouse be created for quality control regarding compliance with accommodation laws. Summers-Gates suggested CWD identify ten video titles and examine if they meet guidelines. Ed Wasserman mentioned that sub and supra titles could be used to help everyone more effectively experience talks given at ACS meetings. Based on a recommendation from Todd Blumenkopf, the committee will use SMART goals to produce specific, measurable tasks. Anne Swanson noted that Action Items might serve this purpose.

Subcommittees were assigned for the completion of the strategic plan. Blumenkopf, Landis and Zelda Wasserman will focus on industry; Everly and Moore will concentrate on the first objective; Sikes and Summers-Gates on the third. Swanson raised the concern that this structure for the plan maintains the traditional breakdowns of industry vs. academia. Internships, which fall between the two arenas, are crucial to advancement and getting jobs and it is even more important for students with disabilities to get that on record. The first report from each group will be shared with the committee by January 1.

3. Blumenkopf moved to the second Objective and expressed concern that companies are not addressing compliance with ADA within the context of supervisor training. He asked if ACS/CWD might produce a video directed to technology and scientific companies to help them understand nuances of the law and how to communicate that to employees. Blumenkopf proposed a three-year plan.

1) Develop a comprehensive plan that identifies the audience and means of distribution;

2) write a grant;

3)produce the video.

Wasserman added CWD might partner with other societies and not limit the content to chemistry only. Swanson advised that EntryPoint has conversed with a biotech company and NIH about partnerships and it is likely that more opportunities for students with disabilities will be opening in biotech areas. Jinny Stern could advise CWD about the possibility that AAAS would partner with ACS to produce the video. Mike Everly stated the need to mentor upcoming chemists to educate them about situations that can occur when they apply for a job and to advise employers how to handle such situations. Other strategies for the second objective should be that both CWD and ACS staff have materials for students who are seeking employment.

4. Citing the success CWD has had with the activities in the exhibit hall, Wasserman suggested CWD make efforts to use the exposition as a way to raise awareness among employers about available resources. CWD might partner with a commercial firm, select one type of assistive technology such as voice recognition, and demonstrate it in the exhibit. Wasserman indicated that CWD should alert C&EN of potential articles since they do not seem to reach out to this community of disabled. He also reminded CWD of the potential to use the Journal of Chemical Education. Sikes offered to do an article focusing on sending a student from high school to college and will have draft by January 1. JCE will be contacted to establish timelines after the draft is received.

Wasserman suggested CWD make phone calls to top 50 companies about stories of those who are successful dealing with employees with disabilities. Landis noted this relates to a strategy within the third objective. Swanson revisited the concept of promoting and facilitating internships to students in the chemical sciences and indicated she knows three students who could provide stories. Swanson will consult with Stern to reach agreement to pursue this as a second article. John Terschak will talk to the DSS office of the University of Alaska about writing review of Teaching Chemistry to Students with Disabilities. Dorothy Miner wrote to Mike Moore and asked him serve as editor for a series of articles for the Journal of Chemical Education that focus on success stories of chemists with disabilities.

Sikes demonstrated the activity used at the Membership booth in the exhibit hall.

5. Thompson needs to be copied on response to anyone who asks for advice through the CWD mailbox. Information about the services the ACS Department of Career Services provides to those with disabilities seeking employment information will be researched.

6. Summer-Gates asked for suggestions that would enhance ChemCensus, a publication from the Department of Career Services. Blumenkopf noted the design of the form might prohibit responses from those with disabilities. Summers-Gates asked for members to review additional questions that may be added to the survey. She also proposed that CWD add questions to the website and solicit responses from visitors. Questions that were suggested include “Do you have a disability?” and “Do you declare your disability to your employer?” Retain #29 from the form (During your professional career, have you ever experienced adverse professional treatment because of your Sex (gender?), Age, Race/Ethnicity, Disability) and add CWD suggestions. Swanson noted that AAAS has found asking the questions “What type of disability do you have?” and “What was the age of onset?” result in two pieces of revealing information. It is critical to extract if the disability occurred at birth during the school years or at the peak of career.

Summers-Gates and Thompson will craft questions for the survey and then consider placing a survey on web. Landis noted that forms are numbered and this could make some reluctant to disclose.

7. Zelda Wasserman indicated that she would like to see more background information available from those who seek advice from CWD. Summers-Gates reminded that a similar situation occurred with the travel grants where mentoring appeared to be needed. Terschak composed a letter to academic advisors of those who apply for travel grants. Bob Gates cautioned that CWD should not represent itself as an employment bureau. Those making inquiries must make clear what services they are seeking. Terschak cautioned that screening questions should not be used. Mike Moore offered to work with career services to help them understand needs of those with disabilities.

8. Everly reported on the travel grant program. Expressing concern about the lack of applicants, he asked if this is a worthwhile program and, if so, what should be the next steps. Sikes pointed out that it takes time to build a program and Landis suggested that it continue and the committee agreed. The timing of the announcements is crucial. Hoffman suggested the Journal of Science College Teaching might be a good venue for publicity. Minority Affairs attends conferences and could promote the program. Thompson will investigate sending announcements to NSTA reports and LaTrease Garrison for dissemination. Summer-Gates indicated that Chrissie Sullivan might give permission for funds to be used in other ways.

9. Melissa Hellman reported from YCC. Besides those under the age of 35 they also serve those with less than 5 years in the profession. YCC sponsors Leadership Development awards for workshops held at regional meetings. They also are having trouble getting applicants. The awards are for full members only. YCC also sponsors the Younger Chemists Network. It is a means of gathering people to volunteer so they are always looking for volunteer opportunities. The newsletter is in transition and they are exploring a change to electronic issue. They are also looking for articles for their newsletters. YCC will celebrate its 30^th anniversary in 2004. Perhaps YCC and CWD could hold a joint reception in Philadelphia to kick off the 25^th anniversary of CWD.

10. Staff liaison reports: Hoffman announced the Lawrence Scadden award program for teachers of students with disabilities administered by NSTA and sponsored by New Mexico State University, Regional Alliance for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics for Students with Disabilities and SESD (Science Education for Students with Disabilities). Landis announced his appointment to the Site Selection subcommittee of M&E. Summers-Gates asked if CWD could track concerns that arise during a meeting in order that Landis be able to bring issues before M&E. Bob Gates reported that the Committee on Chemical Safety asked if TCSWD covered subnormal IQ students and/or Down’s Syndrome and, if not, will this be included in future. Corporation Associates offered money to safety committee and they may be a source of seed money. Representative from Los Alamos said they gave publications to management and they were well received. Summers-Gates noted that Sandia and Argonne also have used it. NCW requests continued review of the activities.

11. A former member who had sought advice from the committee visited CWD. She mentioned a number of items including the importance of being sensitive to the issue of disclosure and the helpfulness of CWD members in motivating members of the community of those with disabilities.

12. The committee agreed to present a ChemLuminary Award for events that occurred in 2003 but removed language that would have qualified events for senior citizens.

13. Summers-Gates spoke with the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) about the 25^th anniversary of CWD. Summers-Gates will meet with CHF soon to discuss the possibility of having an event in Philadelphia to launch the celebration. While CHF has diversity programs, they have not included those with disabilities. Stern volunteered to write an article for the CHF magazine.

14. A discussion took place regarding updating Working Chemists with Disabilities that has the goal of illustrating how those with disabilities conduct their careers. The 17 stories serve to inspire those with disabilities and help educate employers and mentors. To produce the first edition there was a symposium to brainstorm and set up the grant proposal. Two major points emerged. One thrust would be to get good statistics about the kinds of disabilities chemists had and how they coped with them while the second wanted to focus on anecdotal stories. Swanson noted that, for this update, we need to keep a vision in mind—we are communicating THAT we can do it and HOW can we do it. Sikes suggests that the book not be reinvented but added to. Summers-Gates suggested asking advice from Sterns regarding feedback on Rampways that would assist CWD in deciding on the focus and content. Swanson will share with Thompson a contact who runs a medical youth education program that focuses on disadvantaged young people.

A subcommittee was named to initiate the investigation of producing a new edition. It includes Summers-Gates, Swanson, Sikes, and Landis. The goal is to establish a timeline by Anaheim. Zelda Wasserman described a lab being constructed at DuPont for a particular employee who had an accident. Summer-Gates suggested CWD tour the facility during the Philadelphia meeting since it could produce a profile for next book and serve as an industry standard.

15. CWD will next meet on Monday, March 29 in Anaheim, CA.