Chicago Section American Chemical Society

The Awards Committee shall prepare and submit such nominations as it deems suitable for local and national awards, except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws or Policy Declarations. More info.

The Chicago School Board Liaison enhances the science interest and training of high school and middle school students by working with the Chicago Board of Education, its officials and teachers, and with other boards of education within the geographical area covered by the Section.  More info.

The College Education Committee works with the ACS Student Chapters in the territory of the section to assist with their growth and professional development. This shall include preparing and hosting activities during National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day.  More info.

This committee is responsible for creating web content and creating and modifying web pages based on this content and content provided by other members of the Chicago ACS Board.

The Community Activities Committee organizes outreach events, including the local celebration of National Chemistry Week.  It helps coordinate and publicize Chemistry Week activities in the Chicago Section and work with the National Chemistry Week office as part of the overall outreach activities for the Section.  More info.

The Continuing Education Committee arranges for the offering and announcement of courses and lectures in chemistry and allied subjects of professional interest to members of the Section.  More info.

The Development Committee devises and executes methods for increasing the endowment of the Section and shall raise funds for activities of the Section as directed by the Board of Directors.

The Employment and Professional Relations Committee shall assist chemists and chemical engineers in obtaining professional employment.  More info.

The Environmental and Laboratory Safety Committee shall provide information and counseling on chemical safety problems and their solutions.  More info.

The Gibbs Arrangements Committee shall arrange the details connected with the Willard Gibbs Medal Award Dinner.

The high school education committee administers the annual scholarship examination sponsored by the Section and encourages and arranges liaisons between different components of local educational systems concerned with the teaching of chemistry and allied subjects by means of conferences, meetings, workshops, plant tours and speakers.  More info.

The Hospitality Committee shall promote fellowship among the members and shall introduce new members and visitors to the Section and its activities, including inviting them to attend dinner meetings as guests of the committee.

The House Committee is responsible for selecting locations for our monthly/general meetings, making dinner arrangements, securing practical equiment needed for meetings (tables, poster boards, easels, AV equiment), etc. The House Committee is also responsible for taking an annual inventory of Section property.

The Long Rang Planning Committee, working collaboratively with the Section's committees, develops 5-year plans for the Section, determines whether standing committees should be added, removed, or restructured; makes periodic recommendations to the Board, and helps ensure the Section's actions are consistent with its long-term goals. The Board of Directors must vote on this Committee's plans and recommendations for them to take effect.

The Membership Affairs Committee endeavors to maintain and increase the membership of the Section and shall serve as an instrument through which the Board of Directors may communicate with the members of the Section.  It shall similarly serve the Chicago Local Section Affiliates. 

The Minority Affairs Committee conceives, develops, coordinates and implements programs that are designed to encourage and support under-represented minority involvement in the chemical sciences.  More info.

The Elementary Education Committee shall meet the science needs of students and teachers at the elementary level.  More info

The Program Committee shall arrange programs and secure speakers for the dinner meetings of the Section.

This committee is charged with finding interested low-income and/or minority high school junior and senior students that are interested in participating in a paid summer research experience with an interested college or university faculty member.  It is also charged with the financial and logistical concerns for such student/ faculty relationships and also communicating  relevant program to National ACS.  More info.

The Public Affairs Committe ensures that section members and public officials and bodies are informed of matters where the knowledge and practice of chemistry is of substantial public importance. These matters can include government issues, environmental issues and the social responsibility of chemists. The Public Affairs Committee gives the Public Affairs Award biennially.  More info.

The Public Relations Committee shall promote the Section and its activities to the general public by way of public media.  More info.

The Women Chemists Committee aims to attract, develop and promote women in the chemical sciences. (WCC web page)  More info.

The Young Chemists Committee aims to attract young people to a profession in the chemical sciences, provide leadership for career development opportunities for young scientists in the chemical sciences, promote and recognize the professional accomplishments of young chemists, and hold activities that are of personal and professional interest to young chemists. More info.

The Bylaws Committee is charged with investigating, proposing and altering the Bylaws of the Section and with bringing any such changes to the Board of Directors for their discussion and possible approval.

The Policy Committee maintains and reviews the Section's Policy Declarations, serves as the nominations committee for Board elections (Councilors & Alternate Councilors, Comptroller, Editor – Chemical Bulletin, Publications Business Manager, Nominating Committees, Section Trustees, and Willard Gibbs Jurors).

This body consisting of three elected individuals monitors the investments of the Section with our broker(s).  These individuals make decisions, when appropriate or necessary, on holding, selling, or acquiring options on behalf of the Section.

The Annual Report Committee is an Appointed Committee entrusted with the gathering and editing of reports from all Section Committees (standing, appointed and ad hoc) and the inclusion of this and other relevant information detailing Section activities for a given calendar year.  Such information needs to be in the “hands” of the immediate past Chair as so requested by this individuals.  This individual is charged to prepare and submit the annual report by the deadline given by National ACS.

The Chicago Section gives an annual award to a member who deserves special recognition for a long period of distinguished service.  This committee selects the individual who receives the award.

This committee is charged with being the organizing body responsible for a Great Lakes Regional Meeting when it is held in the Chicago area.  This includes site selection, making hotel arrangements for participants, setting registration and conference fees and conference program, in part.  Organizing and/or assisting at other ACS local meetings of interest my also be the charge of this body.

Members coordinate with other local sections to host the Great Lakes Regional Meeting in 2019, which will be held in the the Chicago area.

The Section Historian is responsible for managing the Chicago Section's archives and ensuring recent events are adequately recorded or posterity.

The National Affairs Committee coordinates Chicago Section relations wth National ACS.  

The Nominating Committee identifies and selects candidates for the annual election of Section officers and Directors. 

This committee (comprising the Director of Budgets, the Chair, the Chair-Elect, and the Immediate Past Chair as well as the committee Chair) advises the Board of Directors on such matters as office staff, leasing of office space, purchase of office equipment, and custody of historical material belonging to the Section. The committee reviews performance and salary of Section employees. 

The Pre-Dinner Meeting Committee provides programming for special interest groups relating to the specialties of chemistry. It is expected that at least twice a year this group will meet as part of the regular monthly meeting of the Section.

The Senior Chemists Committee serves two constituencies within the ACS: (1) seniors who are still active either as full time or part time employees, consultants, or those who still wish to stay closely connected to the ACS and its spectrum of activities; and (2) younger members and students who have questions about a chemistry based career or who have started careers but are looking for guidance in how to progress. The Committee organizes and co-organizes events for senior chemists and others, particularly outreach events for K-12 students. Further, the Committee makes policy recommendations on matters of interest to senior chemists.  More info.

This committee, in a joint effort with members of the Chicago section and the other Illinois ACS sections, plans and executes the organizing, fundraising, and gathering of supplies and volunteers for the cooperative exhibitor tent at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, IL which is typically held in early to mid-August each year for ten days.  Collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources and other local ACS sections is crucial for this public outreach project.

This committee works with the University of Chicago to select a special lecturer in honor of Prof. Julius Stieglitz. Responsibility for selecting the speaker and making arrangements for the meeting at which the annual lecture will be deliveres alternates years between the Section and the University. 

The Willard Gibbs Medal Jury selects the winnder of the Willard Gibbs Award. The Chair of this jury is defined as the Chicago Section's Chair-elect in the year before the award is given; the Jury Chair has no vote but in exceptional circmstances.