Members also generously supported ACS programs that contribute to the future of chemistry. More than 7,500 members and friends made donations to help foster the next generation of scientists through Project SEED, a high school summer research program, and the ACS Scholars Program, a scholarship and mentoring program for minority students pursuing undergraduate degrees in the chemical sciences. Grants from corporations and foundations allowed us to extend the reach of these programs and significantly increase our offerings for teacher professional development to include interdisciplinary training for middle school science teachers, green chemistry training for high school chemistry teachers, and new undergraduate faculty development. Individuals, corporations and foundations also contributed to protecting human health and the environment through support of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® and sponsorship of the Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference.
In addition, the Society introduced a planned giving newsletter, confirmed several deferred gifts, and planned the formal launch of ACS Legacy Leaders to recognize members who have included the Society in their estate plans. Dr. Alfred Bader, a longtime ACS supporter, along with his wife, Isabel, presented the Society with an estate-intent document that will provide $100,000 annually for 30 years to fund college scholarships for students who have completed two summers of Project SEED.
Globally, the Society continued to promote education and international cooperation. For instance, ACS and the U.K.-based Society of Chemical Industry entered into a partnership to organize a series of events around Global Innovation Imperatives designed to foster knowledge exchange and innovation on topics of particular urgency for the global community. In conjunction with the U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation, ACS provided professional training for Iraqi chemists during the Society’s national meeting in Boston. And with the cooperation of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, ACS organized a collaborative workshop to catalyze research between young Chinese and American chemical biologists.
As we face the realities of globalization, fashioning a comprehensive and effective international strategy is critical. To address these concerns, the Board of Directors appointed an International Strategy Working Group in early 2007 to identify opportunities to enhance our international alliances and be more welcoming to chemical scientists worldwide. After nearly a year of consultation, the working group made several recommendations for ACS to better serve an increasingly global chemistry community. ACS will implement several key elements of the international strategy in 2008.
While much changed in 2007, one thing remained constant: ACS continued to provide top-notch scientific information through our publications — our journals and C&EN — and products of the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) that help make progress possible.
CAS celebrated 100 years of service to the chemical sciences in 2007. Of course, we are also proud of many other significant ACS celebrations that occurred this year — the 20th anniversary of National Chemistry Week, the 80th year of the Women’s Chemists Committee, the 85th anniversary of the ACS History Division — but CAS is the granddaddy of them all.
Beginning with slightly more than 11,000 abstracts in 1907, CAS has become the world’s most comprehensive digital source of chemical information and has truly transformed the way scientists conduct research. In recognition of these accomplishments, CAS was designated a National Historic Chemical Landmark in June. C&EN devoted a special issue to CAS, and it was the subject of a 100th anniversary Presidential symposium at the 234th ACS National Meeting in Boston. International celebrations were held in Berlin and Tokyo.
As it enters its second century, CAS remains committed to keeping the CAS Registry SM the most authoritative collection of disclosed chemical substance information, drawing upon
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