C&E News Statement

Visible. Credible.

WHAT THE PRESIDENT CAN DO, AND WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

As the most identifiable representative of the Society and its activist-in-chief, the ACS President has the best opportunity to speak out for chemistry and the people who practice it. This election is about realizing that potential.

If elected ACS President I will work to be:

• To the public, the most visible face and credible voice for chemists and chemistry. A President's visit to a Local Section can be much more. It can include a newspaper interview and a radio call-in show; a speech to a local civic leaders group; a visit to the high school and then a speaking and listening session with the members. One trip, five opportunities: four directly impact public perception of chemistry. This added value comes through planning, energy and the goodwill generated by the most recognizable office in chemistry. Three trips a month potentially translate to tens of thousands of positive impressions. Presidential outreach can make a difference.
  
  
• To Federal and State Government, the most influential advocate for the chemical enterprise. Government at all levels has a huge influence on chemical business and education. Academic research-both graduate and undergraduate--depends on government funding. Today there is danger of losing that funding as state governments in crisis cut appropriations for higher education.
  
  Already universities struggle financially to provide their students with the requisite undergraduate research experience. Industrial partners are more difficult to find in times of economic uncertainty. Increased NSF support is of little help if offset by lower state budgets.
  
  We advocate effectively for federal research support now. We should also collaborate with other chemical organizations to advocate in the states on behalf of university science. I will be a forceful spokesperson both inside and outside of Washington DC.
  
  
• To the Members, a careful listener and most accountable officer. The best way to understand the needs of members is to ask them. I welcome your counsel and comments at http://www.billcarroll.org and bill_carroll@oxy.com. The President is just one of 15 board members and is limited to a three year term; but, as the only nationally elected officer, the President has a special place in Society governance and a special responsibility to all the members. Translating needs into responsive, successful programs requires leadership, vision and diplomacy. I will work to bring those attributes.

Change will happen in this President's term. There will be a new Executive Director and Chair of the Board and a new focus on fiscal decision-making to assure ACS' viability for the next generation. Choices matter more this year.

• Our Infrastructure Deserves Attention. Local Sections and Divisions are driving forces of the Society. Increased financial support for them is coming, but money isn't everything. We must be more creative in helping them engage members, whether through programs devised at the national level, or through Section and Division mutual aid.
  
  This means thinking beyond traditional models and experimenting with new activities that fit with members' interests and lifestyles. Some groups, most notably the Younger Chemists Committee, have led the way in promoting a public service model of involvement. Showcasing chemistry in service to society provides the opportunity to discuss its benefits with the public. Local Sections are the ideal launching pad for this dialogue.
  
  
• Employment Issues Have Become Critical. Unemployment for chemists in industry is at record levels. Careers in chemistry--economic engines for nearly a million families in the US--are at risk. Commodification and a global marketplace are changing the nature of the US chemical industry and the nature of employment of chemists. We must understand those changes, find the opportunities and work to mitigate the impacts to our current and future members. Our knowledge and employment tools need to evolve quickly to better protect and nourish those careers.
  
  We welcome excellence. Diversity matters to us; we are diminished when perspectives are absent. Talent and desire should see no barrier to entry or advancement in chemistry.
  
  
• Well-crafted Alliances Help Us Do More. The entire chemical enterprise is focused on the need to improve the public image of chemistry. Partnerships can make sense.
  
  When we work together we mobilize more human energy in the service of chemistry. I chaired a Presidential task force that boosted involvement of American Chemistry Council members in National Chemistry Week-many had never participated before last year. International Activities Committee, which I also chair, allies with our global counterparts to advance chemical communication and education worldwide. Alliances succeed if they are based on common goals, people of goodwill and mutual respect.
  
  
• The Next Generation Can Be More Chemically Literate if We Invest. Pointedly, 60 percent of high school students enroll in chemistry classes, and we don't have enough teachers to accommodate them. Many chemistry classes are taught by dedicated teachers from another field; few high school students take the course from a degreed chemist.
  
  We can equip capable chemical professionals-early retirees are a good example-with the pedagogical tools they need to take their technical expertise into the classroom. Also, some colleges offer summer enrichment courses wherein non-chemist teachers gain new methodology and recharged enthusiasm. ACS can perform a service by cataloguing and publicizing these courses, compiling curricula, communicating best practices, and helping teachers identify potential tuition aid sources.
  
  These teachers may not be our members, but they have been entrusted with the preparation of our incoming undergraduates and ultimately our Society's next generation. We benefit when they all are the best they can be.

Difficult times like these hold challenge and opportunity. Typically, over 85 percent of ACS members throw their ballots away. This year can be different. We create the future when we confront the challenges, embrace the opportunities and make them our own.

In a spirit of resolve, respectfully but directly, I am asking for your vote. In return I offer enthusiasm, energy and my personal commitment to work with you to realize the potential of what the ACS President can do.

http://www.billcarroll.org