A Vision for ACS and Chemistry
Shaping a Better ACS - for Members
Shaping a Better ACS - for Members
To Build a Better ACS We Need to First Imagine it.
I have that Vision.
Building Alliances and focusing the right skills and people on a
problems are central to my beliefs and current ACS activities. In
North Jersey Local Section I am leading a group focused on enhancing the
interactions between our Executive Committee and our many large Topical
(i.e. Technical) Groups. Within LSAC I Chaired the "Alliances"
sub-committee which does the same thing between ACS and non-ACS
groups. I also served as Co-Chair of the joint LSAC/Divisional Activities
Committee (DAC) sub-committee on Local Section-Division interactions.
These roles all let me see how different groups operate, develop their
leaders and match volunteers with responsibilities. This experience has
also shown me the advantages of including diverse opinions and
experiences within an organizing Team.
Mehdi Nafissi and I were able to establish "Bench To Pilot Plant" as an
institution in the North Jersey area and even take it to a National level. As
this meeting developed over time we were able to demonstrate the
potential of the Team approach to meeting organization. This approach
has led to excellent meetings and an increase in the numbers of chemists
getting involved in the leadership of ACS.
The vision of MARM 2005 as a "redefined" Regional Meeting was realized
in May 2005. I was central to the meeting proposal and the idea that MARM
could be a forum to bring together all of the great symposia that the North
Jersey ACS organizes.
I have that Vision.
Building Alliances and focusing the right skills and people on a
problems are central to my beliefs and current ACS activities. In
North Jersey Local Section I am leading a group focused on enhancing the
interactions between our Executive Committee and our many large Topical
(i.e. Technical) Groups. Within LSAC I Chaired the "Alliances"
sub-committee which does the same thing between ACS and non-ACS
groups. I also served as Co-Chair of the joint LSAC/Divisional Activities
Committee (DAC) sub-committee on Local Section-Division interactions.
These roles all let me see how different groups operate, develop their
leaders and match volunteers with responsibilities. This experience has
also shown me the advantages of including diverse opinions and
experiences within an organizing Team.
Mehdi Nafissi and I were able to establish "Bench To Pilot Plant" as an
institution in the North Jersey area and even take it to a National level. As
this meeting developed over time we were able to demonstrate the
potential of the Team approach to meeting organization. This approach
has led to excellent meetings and an increase in the numbers of chemists
getting involved in the leadership of ACS.
The vision of MARM 2005 as a "redefined" Regional Meeting was realized
in May 2005. I was central to the meeting proposal and the idea that MARM
could be a forum to bring together all of the great symposia that the North
Jersey ACS organizes.
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| With Mehdi Nafissi (Co-founder of "Bench"), the Section Chair (Anita Brandolini) and the speakers at the first Bench to Pilot Plant (1997) |
| Bench To Pilot Plant at National. A capacity crowd on a Thursday afternoon! |
Expanding and deepening the Leadership pool is a common thread
through all of my activities and this is an obvious synergy with one aspect of
ConC's mission. ACS needs to reconsider what it means to be a Leader or a
volunteer. Given the current pressures of work, family and other commitments
we need to find ways to involve members in ways which can adjust to their
changing needs and interests. I am particularly proud of the way North Jersey
has developed its leadership pool by giving volunteers opportunities matched
to their skills, interests and time. Central to this is the use of mentoring and
using small diverse groups or committees to carry out a task rather than
allowing an established leader do in all themselves.
Leadership Development and an effective committee structure are vital
for the future success of ACS. I am committed to this goal and my service
on the (ACS) Board Oversight Group on Leadership Development has given
me an insight into both the need for and the opportunity this type of activity
presents. ACS Council and its National Committees should set the standard
in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. We cannot expect volunteers who are
familiar with productive and efficient committee and Team structures common
in large industrial and academic organizations to respond to ACS if we
present them with an overly complex, slow or inefficient system.
I am familiar with many of the other issues facing ACS and I served on
the Geographical Organization sub-group of the Governance Review Task
Force. My membership of LSAC demonstrated that ACS groups all face
different challenges and we will need to help supply diverse solutions tailored
to the different needs and interests of our members and their Local Sections
and Divisions. I firmly believe that ACS should continue to develop and adapt
so that it can continue to provide the best products, programs and services for
its members. As we make modifications we must also consider the impact on
our members - if members will not notice any difference is any proposed
change really worthwhile.
through all of my activities and this is an obvious synergy with one aspect of
ConC's mission. ACS needs to reconsider what it means to be a Leader or a
volunteer. Given the current pressures of work, family and other commitments
we need to find ways to involve members in ways which can adjust to their
changing needs and interests. I am particularly proud of the way North Jersey
has developed its leadership pool by giving volunteers opportunities matched
to their skills, interests and time. Central to this is the use of mentoring and
using small diverse groups or committees to carry out a task rather than
allowing an established leader do in all themselves.
Leadership Development and an effective committee structure are vital
for the future success of ACS. I am committed to this goal and my service
on the (ACS) Board Oversight Group on Leadership Development has given
me an insight into both the need for and the opportunity this type of activity
presents. ACS Council and its National Committees should set the standard
in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. We cannot expect volunteers who are
familiar with productive and efficient committee and Team structures common
in large industrial and academic organizations to respond to ACS if we
present them with an overly complex, slow or inefficient system.
I am familiar with many of the other issues facing ACS and I served on
the Geographical Organization sub-group of the Governance Review Task
Force. My membership of LSAC demonstrated that ACS groups all face
different challenges and we will need to help supply diverse solutions tailored
to the different needs and interests of our members and their Local Sections
and Divisions. I firmly believe that ACS should continue to develop and adapt
so that it can continue to provide the best products, programs and services for
its members. As we make modifications we must also consider the impact on
our members - if members will not notice any difference is any proposed
change really worthwhile.
I established Lunkhead Ideas.org to share "crazy" ideas to transform ACS.
