The EDUCATION COMMITTEE provides chemistry-related educational programs and information to learners of all ages and actively engages with educators at the pre-K-12 and college levels. In doing so, it maintains liaisons to the Chicago Public Schools and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT). In addition to these liaisons, the Education Committee includes the K-12 Education, College Education, and Continuing Education subcommittees.

The American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) Liaison communicates activities of this K – 12 teachers organization to the Section membership promotes support across organizational boundaries.

The College Education Subcommittee assists growth and professional development of ACS Student Chapters in the Section territory. Members of the committee participates in various activities, such as National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day.

The Continuing Education Subcommittee arranges courses, lectures, and other educational opportunities to meet the ongoing professional education needs of Chicagoland chemical educators and professionals to continue learning about current and past practices. 

The Chicago School Board Liaison works with the Chicago Board of Education and its schools to provide information about ACS and local section activities.  The liaison provides the Chicago schools information about the Chicago Section activities relevant to students and teachers.

TThe K – 12 Education Subcommittee provides educational programs and information in chemistry and related sciences for pre-K through 12 teachers and children.  The subcommittee administers the Annual Scholarship Examination, Chemistry Olympiad Exam, and provides professional development and activities to pre K-12 educators and students. 

The OUTREACH COMMITTEE engages the general public, educators and children in chemistry-related educational activities and participates in many different types of events around the greater Chicago area.   The Outreach Committee includes the Community Activities and Illinois State Fair subcommittees.

The Community Activities Subcommittee organizes, arranges, and participates in Section outreach events in the greater Chicago area.  Two of the feature events are Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) and National Chemistry Week (NCW).  To support these outreach events, the subcommittee also judges the poetry contests and other contests.  Some of the other events that the subcommittee supports are: DuPage Expo, GEMS programming, Scouts programs, K – 12 school events, and many other contests and events.

The Illinois State Fair Subcommittee works on the planning, participation, and execution of the Chicago Section participation at the Illinois State Fair. The subcommittee will annually appoint one of its members as a liaison to the Illinois State Fair Committee.

PROJECT SEED COMMITTEE identifies interested low-income and/or minority high school junior and senior students who are interested in participating in a paid summer research experience with  a college or university faculty member.  It supports financial and logistical concerns for the student/ faculty relationships and communicating  relevant program information to the national ACS organization.  The committee is also responsible for distributing Project SEED awards to support the internships. 

Chicago ACS' Project SEED effort presents a scholarship award to one of the year's Project SEED participant. The Chair of this subcommittee manages that scholarship program.

The PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 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. 

The SCIENCE DIVISION secures speakers for program meetings, maintains a liaison for the Great Lakes Regional Meeting, informs the Section and general public on issues of environmental and laboratory safety, makes arrangements for all awards maintained by the Section, and submits nominations for national ACS awards. The Science Division includes the Program, Environmental and Lab Safety, and Awards Committees.

The AWARDS COMMITTEE prepares and submits nominations for local and national awards, except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws or Policy Declarations. The Awards Committee is responsible for the Section’s Distinguished Service Award, the Emerging Star Award, the Award for Excellence in High School Teaching of Chemistry (with the Education Committee), the Stieglitz Lecture, and for ACS Fellows Program nominations.  It also supports the Willard Gibbs Medalist award arrangements.

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA), established in 1974, recognizes Section members who provided exceptional services to the Section over, above and separate from any other achievements of the recipient, either in the profession or by the National ACS. For information on awardees and about the award, see https://chicagoacs.org/DSA.

TThe Emerging Star Award Subcommittee identifies and recognizes younger members or members with less than 10 years of service with the Chicago Section who have provided exceptional service to the Section over, above and separate from any other achievements of the recipient, either in the profession or by the National ACS.

The Willard Gibbs Award Jury is nominated and elected by the Board and contains 12 chemists in all different branches.  This jury nominates and selects the awardee of the medal.  The chair elect acts at the chair (ex officio) of the jury. 

The Chicago Section Award for Excellence in High School Teaching of Chemistry recognizes, encourages, and stimulates outstanding teachers of high school chemistry or a chemical science in the Section.  Awardees are chosen based on criteria which include quality of teaching, ability to inspire students; extracurricular work and professional development in chemistry or related science; leadership, and emphasis on safety; see https://chicagoacs.org/Teacher_Excellence_Award.

The Julius Stieglitz Lecture, named for the former chairman of the Chemistry Department at the University of Chicago and former Chair of the Chicago Section, is given annually by a renowned chemist in the field of chemistry, particularly organic chemistry.  The Section and the University are responsible in alternate years for choosing the lecturer and making arrangements; https://chicagoacs.org/stieglitz_lecture.

The ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAB SAFETY COMMITTEE promotes and advances the strategic goals of the ACS in support of safety as a core value of the Society and its members. The committee provides information, resources and events to help its members and the public integrate safety awareness in both their professional activities and their personal lives.

The PROGRAM COMMITTEE develops programming for the regular monthly meetings.  Working with the Board and members of the Chicago Local Section, the Program Committee identifies potential speakers, confirms dates, and develops information for publicizing the programs.  Some meetings have special themes, such as: Educators night, Public Affairs, Gibbs Dinner, and the annual joint meeting with AIChE Chicago Chapter. 

The Great Lakes Region Board Representative serves as the liaison between the Chicago Section and the Great Lakes Region Board. For meetings where the Chicago Section is one of the sponsoring local sections, this committee recruits Section members to serve.  This committee also keep  the Board informed about progress in planning for Great Lakes Regional Meetings.

The MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE maintains and increases the membership of the Section and serves as an avenue in which the Board of Directors may communicate with members of the Section. The committee works with the members of the Section in matters relating to employment and professional relations.  The Membership Committee includes the Nominations, Employment and Professional Relations, and ACS Council Subcommittees.

The COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE includes several  subcommittees that are devoted to targeted sectors of the chemistry world. These targeted subcommittees engage and provide meaningful programming and help to their membership.  The Communities Committee includes the Minority Chemists, Senior Chemists, Women Chemists, and Younger Chemists Subcommittees.

The Minority Chemists Subcommittee gives support and is committed to foster programming that stimulates and strengthens participation of underrepresented minorities at all levels in chemistry, science and the SOCIETY.  Mentoring, encouragement, and the intellectual and professional enhancement of students, teachers and practicing chemists of all ages and levels of interest is the main focus of the subcommittee.

The Senior Chemists Subcommittee identifies the needs and concerns of senior ACS members and develop programs responsive to those needs. The goals of this committee are to foster interest and participation in the science of chemistry through community outreach and to provide programs and activities of interest to senior ACS members. These programs and activities include interaction with other communities in chemistry, including minority, women, and younger chemists.

The Women Chemists Subcommittee arranges activities that advance the mission of the Women Chemist Committee (WCC): attract, retain, develop, promote, and advocate for women to positively impact diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Society and the profession. The WCC and its activities is open to all individuals who are interested in joining.

The Younger Chemists Subcommittee identifies the needs and concerns of younger chemists and develops programs responsive to their needs. The goals of the Younger Chemists Subcommittee are to make the ACS relevant to younger chemists, increase the involvement of younger chemists in the ACS at all levels and develop mechanisms, including mentoring, to integrate younger chemists into the profession. 

The Membership Committee shall endeavor 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. The committee works with the members of the section in matters relating to employment and professional relations. The committee also provides nominations and a ballot for the annual Section election. The Membership Committee includes the Nominations, Employment and Professional Relations, and ACS Council Subcommittees.

The Councilors and Alternate Councilors of the Section make up the National Affairs Subcommittee.  This subcommittee discusses the agenda of the national ACS Council Meetings, informs the Board and Section of matters of importance, recommends action if deemed desirable, and nominates candidates for national offices of the Society.

The Employment and Professional Relations Subcommittee assists chemists and chemical engineers in obtaining professional employment through continuing education and career development.

The Nominations Subcommittee gathers nominations for the annual election of Section officers and directors and assemble them into a ballot.

The COMMUNICATION DIVISION disseminates appropriate chemistry-related news and information to the greater community within the Section, advertises and announces all events and news-related content through the appropriate channels, supports outreach to the public, maintains archives of all Section records, and supports communication policies. Communication platforms include the Section website, social media, traditional public news media, and the monthly newsletter (The Chemical Bulletin). The Division also handles the logistics of the annual election for the Section in electronic format. The Communication Division includes the Public Relations, The Chemical Bulletin, and Historian Committees.

The CHEMICAL BULLETIN COMMITTEE gathers content for the Section newsletter distributed to our membership. This committee transforms information from the committee chairs and other sources into a monthly newsletter, The Chemical Bulletin, which is distributed to the Section membership. The committee works closely with other committees to assemble, format, edit, publish timely information in both printer- and web-friendly formats as well as to secure advertising and archiving the information.   The Bulletin also provides official notification such as election information and results to Section members.

The Historian Committee shall maintain the historical records of the Chicago Section including reports, photos, and documentation from other committees and subcommittees, serve as a historical consultant for the Section, and work to provide historically-pertinent content for the Chemical Bulletin, web site, news media, and social media.

The PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE uses public news media, our website, and social media to provide information to members and the greater community. This committee obtains the information from other Section committees and edits output as appropriate for each media channel. The committee also handles the logistics of Section elections. The Public Relations Committee includes the News Media, Web, Social Media, and Elections Administration subcommittees.

The Elections Administration Subcommittee handles electronic logistics for Section elections.  This includes posting candidate information, providing web-based ballots, and vote tallying.  The subcommittee provides voting results to the Section Secretary. 

The News Media Subcommittee promotes the Section and its activities to the public using media press releases. This subcommittee also sends notices and program announcements (Obituaries, Gibbs Award Lecture, etc.) to C&EN as appropriate for national publication. Content for distribution is obtained from Section committees and edited for publication.

The Web Subcommittee is responsible for the Section website and email distribution. This committee publishes key information about meetings and collects reservations. It also provides the platform for The Chemical Bulletin and other information vital to our membership. This committee also provides a key outreach to schools and the public for special public events such as National Chemistry Week and Chemistry at the Illinois State Fair.

The Social Media Subcommittee feeds information about meetings and other key events from Section committees and officers to members and the public. This approach is becoming increasingly important as additional social member subscribers join our network. By maintaining accounts on several social media platforms, posts by this committee on social media now provide highly effective communication.

The ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION handles office operations for the section, oversees program arrangement details, performs fundraising, oversees the long range planning for the section, and maintains the bylaws and policy declarations. The Administration Division includes the House, Development, and Long Range Planning Committees.

The DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE develops and executes methods for increasing the endowment of the Section and raises funds for activities of the Section as directed by the Board of Directors.

The HOUSE COMMITTEE is responsible for selecting locations for our monthly general meetings, making dinner arrangements, and securing practical equipment needed for meetings (tables, poster boards, easels, AV equipment), etc.

The A/V Support Subcommittee develops, maintains, and actively applies communication tools, other electronic applications and audiovisual hardware for Section board meetings and program meetings.

The Gibbs Arrangements Subcommittee arranges the details for the annual Gibbs Award ceremony dinner meeting.

The Hospitality Subcommittee promotes fellowship among the members.  This committee is responsible for greeting and welcoming all new members and  visitors at local program meetings. 

The Office Subcommittee is an advisory committee to the Chair of the Section and the Board in areas of  office staff, office space, office equipment, and custody of Section historical material. 

The Program Arrangements Subcommittee secures in-person venues for program meetings, determines dinner menus and pricing, and coordinates other arrangements related to in-person meetings.

The Long Range Planning Committee includes the Division Coordinators and elected officials. This committee develops strategic planning goals and direction for the Section that align with the national ACS vision.

The Policy and Bylaws Subcommittee  recommends ongoing modifications to the policy declarations and Section bylaws.