Although I am a chemist in a non-traditional job (primarily public relations and research), I still found more than enough to do at the National Meeting!  ACS chose five major themes for the Dallas meeting (catalysis, petroleum chemistry, environmental issues, entrepreneurship & technology transfer, and women & minorities in chemistry).  Several of these were of interest to me, and below I summarize the events I attended.  After that I have include a report on the Council Meeting itself.

1.  Panel Discussion on “Diversity in Science and Engineering” - This several hour event was a discussion with a panel of academic and industrial chemists, along with a lot of interaction with the audience.  Attendees discussed work/family issues, problems faced by minority chemists in the workplace, and many other related issues.

2.  The Exposition - As at all National Meetings, ACS sponsors an exhibit area.  This year’s exposition had 392 booths, including a new ACS booth with a Phoenix on top.  ACS also sponsored an Industry Pavilion booth, which seemed to be a big hit - every time I went by, it was full of people.  I attended one event at this booth, a lecture by one of General Motors’ engineers about their electric and fuel cell vehicle development.  GM had one of their EV1 vehicles at the booth so you could see the car.

3.  Women Chemists: Mentoring for Career Growth and a Balance Between Work and Home - This event featured several women chemists (representing academia, government, and industry) discussing how they and others they know are balancing a career with family life.  The presentations were humorous at times, but offered a lot of good advice for women (and men) who are struggling with career and family issues.

4.  Women Chemists Luncheon - Traditionally, the winner of the Francis P. Garvan - John M. Olin Medal addresses the luncheon.  This year’s winner is Dr. Joanna S. Fowler of Brookhaven National Laboratory.  Dr. Fowler gave a really interesting presentation on her research, which focuses on synthesis of short-lived positron-emitting nuclides.  Her group uses these nuclides to study the action of cocaine and other molecules in the human brain.

5.  Pesticides: Managing Risks and Optimizing Benefits - My office, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Prevention Assistance Division, sponsors work in agricultural pollution prevention, and this event discussed several related topics, including Integrated Pest Management, and the effects of pesticide changes on consumers.

Council Meeting - The Council Meeting in Dallas was held on Wednesday morning, April 1.  One major item of business was the election of two candidates to stand for election to president-elect in 1999.  Councilors heard four candidates give oral statements, and we then voted.  Later in the meeting, it was announced that the two candidates to be presented to the Society members will be Daryle Busch and Glenn Crosby.

The president, the president-elect, the past president, and the chair of the Board of Directors also provided short oral reports.  Ed Wasserman, the president-elect, emphasized that a focus on global chemical enterprise and review of the Society’s current nomination and election procedures will be top priorities for him during the coming year.  Later in the meeting it was announced that three task forces (petition process, campaigning, and election procedures) have been set up to assist in this review.

The ACS Board announced that the 219th National Meeting (March 2000) will be relocated to San Francisco from Las Vegas, as a result of the many negative comments from Society members following the last national meeting held in Las Vegas.  The Council Policy Committee announced its concern over the large number of “boutique” meetings for very specific areas of chemistry, and  the committee intends to review what effect these may have on programming and attendance for national ACS meetings.

The Budget and Finance committee reported that ACS’s current finances are over $4 million in surplus, due in part to higher than projected attendance at the Spring 97 national meeting.  The Committee also recommended an increase in dues of $3, which would make 1999 Society dues total $105.  This recommendation prompted a lot of debate, and quite a few councilors took to the floor either for or against this proposal.  In the end, the councilors voted 264 Ayes to 95 Nays to accept the proposal.

Various other committees then reported on their activities.  Some highlights - the Meeting and Exposition committee stated that they will be exploring the addition of programs aimed at the general public in conjunction with future national meetings.  Membership Affairs reported that grants to Local Sections for member retention activities will be available for two more years.  The Economic and Professional Affairs committee reported that 953 candidates registered in Dallas for the ACS National Employment Clearinghouse, and as of Wednesday morning, 349 interviews had been held.  This committee has also published a “Guide for Foreign-Born Chemists”, which is available at the Department of Career Services (ACS) web site.

I very much appreciate the Georgia section’s and my employer’s support that allowed me to attend this meeting.  I learned a lot about how ACS is governed at the national level, and the opportunities that are available for anyone who is interested in getting more involved with the Society.  If you are, please contact me; you can find my address on our section’s website at http://chemistry.gsu.edu.