Message from Ambarish Singh, 2010 Chair

January, 2010

Dear Fellow Members of the American Chemical Society,

I am truly honored and excited to represent you as the Chair of 2010 American Chemical Society- North Jersey Section (NJ-ACS). I want to take this opportunity to thank Joseph Potenza (2009 Chair) and Michael Miller (2008 Chair) for their leadership. I also wish to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our members, who have served the Section in various capacities. The self-less service and hard work of the volunteers are admirable. My hearty congratulations to Jeannette Brown, Maureen Chan, Edwin Chandross, George Heinze, Elsa Reichmanis, Marian Smith, Susan Fahrenholtz, Malcolm Sturchio (posthumous) and William Greenlee for being inducted into the Inaugural class of ACS Fellows for Excellence in Chemistry, Service to Society. Well deserved!

Over the last 85 years, the NJ-ACS has grown to become one of the largest Sections, with over 7000 members. This has been possible because you believe in what ACS and NJ-ACS offer to you. We should all be very proud that under the leadership of Michael Miller, NJ-ACS was the winner of three ChemLuminary Awards for 2008: (1) Outstanding performance by a local Section in the very large category, (2) Greatest community involvement in Chemists Celebrate Earth Day and (3) Outstanding community involvement in National Chemistry Week.

NJ-ACS is committed to the goal of bringing quality programs during the upcoming year. However, we are living in difficult times and it is becoming increasingly challenging to run a non-profit organization such as NJ-ACS. Due to economic hardships, I no longer can rely on the generous support provided by the local companies. The issues we face over the coming year(s) cannot be addressed by me alone or the executive committee.Your help as an individual is crucial. The Power of One can be multiplied several hundred times over if you get involved.

NJ-ACS executive committee supports activities of a number of Topical Groups — from Organic Chemistry to Chromatography, from Drug Metabolism to Polymer sciences. I believe it is also important to continue to support and promote programs such as Project SEED and National Chemistry Week. These programs are the life blood of NJ-ACS. So, how do we continue to support such programs? I believe it is doable through innovation, collaboration and effective communication. Let me elaborate on this further.

Innovation will come from your involvement in the activities of the topical groups and other programs. Become a member of the ACS, join the topical group of your choice and discuss your innovative ideas that will not only benefit the organization but also benefit the society. I must admit that the value of my own membership was not apparent until I started doing the voluntary work for the Organic Topical Group.You will find that such voluntary work is highly satisfying and rewarding.

The time may be ripe to create additional Topical Groups to address the needs of those colleagues whose line of work may not be distinctly covered by the current Topical Groups. For example, it might be worthwhile to consider creating a “Regulatory Science” Topical Group as a forum to discuss issues and challenges faced by the pharmaceutical industry in getting approval of a new drug in this ever changing regulatory climate.

Through joint collaboration, we can tap into the talents of other local Sections in NY/NJ/PA to organize major events. This will require up-front creative thinking and planning but the rewards are enormous. We will need to explore how we could effectively use webinars to bring the various sections in NY/NJ/PA together, which will keep the overall cost down without compromising the quality of the programs.

Effective communication within the Section and across Sections is of paramount importance. As an example, The Indicator is now delivered to you electronically. This has improved the coverage of the Section activities, while reducing the cost. Likewise, we need to think about the types of electronic communication that would be suitable for other activities. I’d also like to see that we remain focused on those activities that provide greater rewards and satisfaction; we make timely and crisp decisions and maintain transparency.

I am committed to ride through the challenges with your involvement, commitment and collaboration. I welcome your ideas. I encourage you to visit our website www.njacs.org to learn about what this Section offers you and how you could help the Section. If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, please do not hesitate to contact me at asingh.njacs@gmail.com.

I wish you a very joyful and peaceful New Year.

With kind regards,

Ambarish K. Singh
2010 Chair, ACS-North Jersey Section

Message from Joseph Potenza, 2009 Chair

January, 2009

Fellow ACS members,

The North Jersey ACS Section is a community of volunteers dedicated to advancing and perpetuating the chemical sciences through education, research and development, community outreach, and legislative action. We believe that “Chemistry is at the Crossroads of Science” and that our members are making a difference by “improving lives through the transforming power of chemistry.” In the past decade I have been truly impressed by the ability, dedication, and accomplishments of my colleagues in providing opportunities for disadvantaged students, by sharing with the general public the uses and excitement of chemistry as in their volunteer work, and by advancing the research and development component of our mission through numerous topical groups. But these are challenging times, and challenging times breed problems in need of creative solutions. Particularly in this climate, education and career development must prepare us for the future. I suggest that we focus first on the two broad areas outlined below, K-8 science education and redirecting productivity.

K-8 science (read chemistry for us) education is an area in which I have observed many excellent individual efforts in professional organizations, industry, and government. But it is also one where collaborative efforts could really make a difference. K-8 science education needs our concerted help for the sake of our children, our economy, and our welfare. Our new collaborative social networking tools let us share our efforts, choose the best ones, and train our members to make a difference. I encourage you to visit our website www.njacs.org to share your company's, institution's, group's, or your individual efforts in addressing K-8 science education with us, so that we may learn from them and take appropriate action.

Future chemists will be developed at every level. Join us in creating a brighter future for them.

Change is also liberating chemists with productive capacity at a time when their expertise is needed. A section-wide meeting has been proposed to discover how their entrepreneurial talents might be harnessed and refocused to make a difference. Our topical groups have provided a starting point by agreeing to address this challenge. Collectively, we in industry, academia and government must, as a first step, identify best practices to meet the existing and future needs of our state and our nation.

Within the section, a major cost is the Indicator. By moving to an electronic version, we can cut our cost by 75%, while at the same time providing color copy and increased coverage of the exciting happenings in the section. Additionally, web-based technology will give our members a chance to share ideas and to create interactive forums using social networking tools. For these reasons, we ask for your understanding and support for the proposed change.

Membership has declined as many jobs were moved out of our area, yet we have many peers who would profit from the new benefits of membership in ACS. ACS Career Services has significant new offerings that can help members in transit and members between jobs. The new Leadership Institute, for example, brings unprecedented value. A new program incorporating these benefits will be promoted aggressively in our schools and companies by ACS.

Lastly, it may be time to consider creating additional topical groups. Green chemistry, Environmental chemistry and Materials chemistry come to mind, but there may be others as well. During the coming year, we should assess need, feasibility and impact factors for such additions.

As noted above, I have been truly impressed by the accomplishments of my colleagues in the North Jersey ACS Section. In the next year, I hope to contribute more to its development and success. I also hope that many of you reading this message will understand better the importance of our work, and will take the opportunity to participate. If you are unaware of what we do or need a refresher course, please take ten minutes to visit our website at http://njacs.org/about_njacs for a detailed description of NJACS and its activities. And, don't hesitate to contact us if you wish to become a member of the section.

Joseph Potenza
2009 Chair, ACS-North Jersey Section

Message from Michael Miller, Ph.D., 2008 Chair

January, 2008

My Fellow Members of the ACS,

I am honored to represent you as the 2008 American Chemical Society – North Jersey Section Chair. With the outstanding leadership of those that came before me, our Section has become the most productive and engaged local group in the country with a reported membership of nearly 7000. In fact, the NJ-ACS was recently presented a ChemLuminary Award for its performance by the National Society. On behalf of all of our members, I would like to thank Diane Krone, our past Chair, for her excellent management throughout 2007. I would also like to acknowledge the numerous other volunteers – from Executive Committee Members to Topical Group Leaders – throughout the Section for their dedication and continued involvement.

Over the past several years, I have been fortunate to observe, interact with, and get to personally know many of these individuals and numerous others who have dedicated their time and efforts to the betterment of the field and to the mission of extending and enhancing the human condition through science. My appreciation of the various disciplines and diversity of interests that our Section embodies stems from the opportunities which I have been given through my employment in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as my involvement in the American Chemical Society. These experiences have allowed me to see the very best that our Section has to offer. The commitment that the NJ-ACS has to the advancement of chemistry and the promotion of chemical research through the organization's devotion to its members is a deserving goal and one that is paramount for the overall development of the chemical industry and general chemical education in the area. I continue to be humbled by the efforts of the dozens of core volunteers in our Section that tirelessly and passionately provide opportunities to the overall Section membership in the form of career events, technical meetings, symposia, networking avenues, and awards.

As Chair of the NJ-ACS, my goal is to provide leadership and support for future growth, the advancement of new ideas, and to continue to bring the national spotlight on the activities of the Section. I believe that the success of the field is dependent on capturing the imagination of today's youth and thus attracting bright individuals to the sciences. It is therefore important to continue to promote and expand programs such as Project SEED and National Chemistry Week (NCW), as well create new innovative ways to build alignment throughout the various Topical Groups and seek new avenues of communication with and support from the local pharmaceutical companies and academic universities within the New Jersey area. I hope to continue to leverage the media to highlight the outstanding efforts of our members, thereby drawing attention to the lifesaving work and intellectual pursuit that our combined disciplines are involved in at all levels of our Section. We are truly at a crossroads within our field and through the hard work of our volunteers and partnership with our state and national legislatures we can impact the future development of the chemical community.

The year ahead promises to be an exciting one for our Section. In the Spring of 2008, we will be part of the “Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting” (MARM), while in the Fall, our Section will once again organize and execute the “Chemistry as a Life Symposium,” as well as bestow the second “Award for Creativity in Molecular Design and Synthesis.” Many on the Executive Committee, together with various Topical Groups, are planning a multidisciplinary “Section Meeting.” This will be a collaborative effort that hopes to combine our disciplines in a singular conference centered on innovation in the pharmaceutical sciences. I would encourage each of you to get involved at some level in the local section, and participate in the excellent programs that the numerous Topical Groups organize each year. These subsections vary in scope as they strive to fit each of our specific interests – from Organic Chemistry to Chromatography, from Drug Metabolism to Polymer Sciences, from Minority Affairs to Small Chemical Business. There is something for everyone.

I look forward to working for and with all of you throughout 2008.

Michael Miller
2008 Chair
ACS-North Jersey Section

Message from Diane Krone, 2007 Chair

January, 2007

My Fellow Members of the ACS,

Greetings! I am excited to begin my term as chair of the North Jersey Section of the American Chemical Society and I thank you for your support. During the last several years I have discovered the seven wonders of the North Jersey Section and I would like to share them with you.

Our first wonder is our volunteers who generously donate their time and talent. They mentor our Project SEED students and judge the poster contest. This year’s SEED meeting will be held at Seton Hall University on September 24th. Our members volunteer to judge at the New Jersey Science Fair. They have helped prepare students to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad. During National Chemistry Week our volunteers share the excitement of chemistry with the general public by presenting hands-on activities. This year we have two big events scheduled to celebrate “The Many Faces of Chemistry.” The first event is scheduled at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison on October 21st. The second celebration will take place at Liberty Science Center on October 27th.

The theme for NCW brings me to the next two wonders of our section — multidisciplinarity and collaboration. The North Jersey Section has many active Topical Groups who have planned innovative programs. The Small Chemical Business Group meets on the third Thursday of every month. Along with their regular monthly meetings, the Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Groups are planning a joint meeting for November. The Organic Topical Group provides excellent symposia for its members. Drug Metabolism is planning meetings for April, June, and October. The NMR Group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Woodbridge Hilton. The Minority Affairs Group and the Metro Women Chemists are planning joint meetings with our Student Affiliates. We are planning a Career Day for High School Students with the Teacher Affiliates Group and we hope to reactivate the Younger Chemists Committee. The Leo Hendrik Baekeland Award Symposium and Presentation is also scheduled for this year.

The fourth and fifth wonders of our section are communication and networking. Read about all of the exciting events going on in our section in the Indicator and at our web site (www.njacs.org). Publicize all the great things that are happening in your group. Participate in the NJACS Blog. Attend our meetings. Send me your innovative ideas and suggestions for improving the way we do things.

Service is our sixth wonder. Our Careers in Transition Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at FDU in Madison. Our Legislative Action Network is alive and well. If you are not already a member, why not join? Help us keep our legislators informed about the importance of chemistry to our state and nation. We are planning a Legislative Activity Day when we will visit with our local and national legislators. Join us.

The section’s seventh wonder is synergy. Because of the enthusiasm, energy, and professionalism of our members our section has been a leader in the American Chemical Society. I look forward to meeting you this year at the wonderful events sponsored by the North Jersey Section.

Diane Krone
2007 Chair
ACS-North Jersey Section

Message from Steve Waller, 2006 Chair

January, 2006

My fellow members of the ACS,

I am honored to represent you as the 2006 chair of the North Jersey Section. I feel very fortunate to be involved with very motivated volunteers who do great things for chemistry and chemists. Before I volunteered to help with local ACS events, I did not realize how important our society was to advancing our profession, and I did not realize how many people it took to make it all happen.

Since 1998, I have seen what this section can accomplish when volunteers work together. For some, their efforts have been hours of commitment to section activities, and their efforts have made a huge difference in the lives of many. For their efforts, we are grateful.We have also been lucky to have many that give what time they can at local events and programs, and they too have made our section successful. For every member concerned about the future of chemistry, we have plenty of time-limited opportunities for them to make a difference, like judging high school student posters for two hours once a year or helping send out emails for publicity. Every volunteer is important!

In 2006, our section will continue doing everything it has done so well over the years, including Project SEED, National Chemistry Week, Teacher Affiliates, technical programming, and much more. As chair, I will do all I can to assist with these programs. I have already begun to work on enhancing other programs in our section. In collaboration with the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials Sciece and Engineering (PMSE), we will be having a special polymeric materials science day next fall. This will feature a professional symposium, poster session, younger chemists’ career counseling, and polymers teaching workshop. If you are interested in this topic, contact me, so you can be part of this important event as the details are put into place.

I have also started meeting with our state and federal legislators on issues that are important to chemists in North Jersey. As your chair, I need your input on legislative science issues, so I can present your issues to our section government affairs committee for discussion and then communicate your issues to those in Trenton and Washington, DC who decide on laws and appropriations that can positively or negatively affect our profession. If you are not signed up, take a moment to register as a member of the ACS Legislative Action Network at chemistry.org, so you are informed on what is happening in our government. If we do not defend chemistry in our government, who will?

What is your vision of chemistry in our world? Whatever it is, the ACS is here to help you accomplish it.You can build a professional network.You can discover new career paths.You can help a Boy Scout troop or Girl Scout troop see that chemistry is fun.You can be the person introducig some big name speaker. The future of our profession and our world’s view of chemistry are in our hands. Together, we can make great things happen. It takes very little time and reaps so much more.

The value of my own membership was not achieved until I allowed myself to become valuable to the ACS and our members. Please contact me if you want to discover the real value to your ACS membership or if you have additional ideas on how our section can better represent your interests.

Thanks,
Stephen Waller
2006 Chair – North Jersey Section ACS

Message from Jackie Erickson, 2005 Chair

January, 2005

My fellow members of the ACS,

I would like to extend my greetings to all the members of the North Jersey Section of the ACS. I am honored to have this opportunity to serve you as chair of the largest local section of the ACS, with almost 7000 members.

The year ahead is going to be an exciting one for the section, as we are sponsoring the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting “Chemistry at the Crossroads of Science” at Rutgers University, which will be held May 22-25, 2005. This meeting will be a highlight of our section's events this year, and is sure to be a success. MARM will feature world class technical programming and symposia tailored to the interests of the Mid Atlantic Region. There will be posters, vendor exhibits, career programs, and special events during the meeting. Also, one day will be devoted to Science Education and Careers, and will feature programming for students, parents and teachers. In addition, some of our committees such as the MetroWomen Chemists Committee and the Younger Chemists Committee will have programming and special events. I hope that many of you will attend or participate in this regional meeting.

In addition to MARM, our many topical groups and committees, including the Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group, the Chromatography Group, the Organic Topical Group, Teacher Affiliates, Younger Chemists, etc. will continue their programming throughout the year. Our Careers In Transition Committee will continue their monthly meetings, in order to help our members with their career needs.We will also continue our public outreach activities such as Project SEED, National Chemistry Week, and the Chemistry Olympiad.

Without the many dedicated volunteers who commit their time and energy, these activities would not occur, and I would like to thank all those who volunteer during the year. However, we need more member support and volunteers for these activities, and I would like to encourage you all to get involved in the section. In addition, as the needs of our members change, along with the changes in local industries, we will need to plan new activities and programs. I hope that you will send me your ideas and suggestions for the section.

I look forward to leading the section in 2005. I wish you all a Happy New Year and best wishes for 2005.

Thanks,
Jacqueline Erickson
2005 Chair – North Jersey Section ACS