Celebrating Great Local Sections—Another Great Year of Great Activity for Great Members

On behalf of all American Chemical Society (ACS) members, I would like to thank those local section officers transitioning out of leadership and welcome those who are taking over leadership roles.

The year 2005 has come to a close, and with it comes the transitioning of another year. On behalf of all American Chemical Society (ACS) members I would like to thank those local section officers transitioning out of leadership and welcome those who are taking over leadership roles. To those entering the local section chair position: This is an exciting time for each of you to work more closely with the best professional organization in the world. As we embark on another year, we have the unique opportunity to build on our accomplishments and improve our Society by serving your members as well as working with the excellent ACS staff in Washington.

As a premier professional society we have the responsibility not only to our members, but also to our communities to provide exceptional leadership in technical, educational, outreach and membership issues related to the chemical sciences. I certainly believe that the ACS delivers. Further, the local section is where “the rubber, truly meets the road.” Our local sections are irreplaceable in their ability to help drive the Society in meeting its goals. As a fellow local section officer, I would like to recognize and celebrate a few of our achievements in a “typical” year.

Local sections provide leadership in delivering technical information to the membership outside of national meetings and pubs. For example, in 2004, 9 sections hosted 8 regional meetings with 4331 technical papers presented with more than 5700 in attendance. As ACS Past-President Eli Pearce mentioned sometime ago in a C&EN article, the regional meeting effort, spearheaded by local sections, is a third national meeting. To help ensure the future of our Society, 51 local sections will host an undergraduate research symposium to provide an important venue for future members to begin their professional careers; and 57 local sections will host a meeting with another professional society, building alliances to provide greater service to our membership as well as other scientific groups. This doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of technical activities held by our local sections. In 2005, 312 local section meetings featured 77 topical groups.

We provide great outreach efforts throughout the year, including all local sections participating in National Chemistry Week, which reached more than 8 million people in 2004. Always open to new activities, local sections are embracing Earth Day and almost doubled participation in 2005 to 51 sections. The United States National Chemistry Olympiad program counts on us to provide access to the talented high school students that will lead our technology of the future, and we delivered by interacting with more than 10,000 students nationwide in ’05. Our outreach to high school students is further exemplified by our 37 sections involved in Project SEED, which places 407 economically disadvantages students in a unique opportunity to spend a summer mentored by a professional scientist.

We also deliver services for our members. In 2004, 60 sections provided employment services for their members and 71% reported career programming. Many of these local section members are unable to attend regional and national meetings and, therefore, would not be able to receive this career information without local section sponsorship.

These are the types of great activities our local sections provide in a “typical” year to support their membership and invest in their communities. The vast majority of these events are carried out by the individual volunteer(s), well below the radar screen of recognition. Why do they choose to get involved? A sense of responsibility, pride in the profession, and personal as well as professional growth to name a few. For that volunteer spirit, LSAC and the Society owes you and all those members willing to step up and provide leadership a great big thank you. I encourage all local section leaders to contact LSAC or the staff of the Office of Local Sections Activities to share your ideas and find assistance. Welcome to 2006!!! Let’s all work together to improve on the already outstanding activities that local sections provide for the ACS and the Society. Have a great year, and enjoy the ride!!!

Will Lynch, Chair
ACS Committee on Local Section Activities