Comment: The ACS 150-year commitment to lifelong learning

Education: the light and path to a fulfilling future and the way to a legacy of achievers.

The current political climate has many students, faculty, and researchers concerned about how they will prepare for—or continue—their careers in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields. The following is not the Comment I had planned to write a month or even a week ago, but as a society, we must keep pace with the ever-changing needs of our members at all stages of their careers. This year, the American Chemical Society launched its new strategic plan that reaffirms its mission to advance scientific knowledge, with one of its four core values being lifelong learning, which includes promoting equitable access to science education, resources, and career pathways. Fulfilling the strategic goal of empowering scientists embodies our commitment to fostering accessible science education and continuous learning to enable all people to make informed decisions and address global challenges. ACS designed this mission, core value, and strategic goal to provide a path to success for everyone in our worldwide community.

An example of ACS’s commitment to education is Project SEED, a deep-rooted education program established in 1968 for high school students. Project SEED offers opportunities for economically disadvantaged students to begin a focus on chemistry in high school and to be the first in their families to attend college. This program has been successful, with over 85% of the students attending college and more than 60% majoring in chemistry-related fields.

Project SEED has grown and diversified its services of providing hands-on summer research experiences (lasting 8 to 10 weeks) and virtual summer camps to more than 13,500 students in 40 US states and territories. Each year, the program supports 350-plus students with research opportunities and qualified mentors in both academia and industry. The program also offers a virtual summer camp to students focusing on college readiness and professional development, lab preparedness, and exposure to chemistry-related career paths.

Another aspect of ACS’s lifelong learning mission is providing guidance to those pursuing chemistry careers at all stages of their education and learning process. This guidance stresses both technical skills and soft skills. On more than one occasion this year—at the ACS Leadership Institute and the New Councilor Orientation Program—I have charged my audience of ACS volunteers with finding a mentor. ACS has courses that stress the importance of mentors. ACS offers the course Mentorship for the Next Generation of Chemists. This course is a 7-week email series that guides a student through the process of finding, nurturing, and leveraging a mentor to propel their career forward. The four sections are “Build a Sustainable Relationship with Your Mentor,” “Assemble a Personal Board of Directors,” “When One Mentor Is Not Enough,” and “Explore Your Professional Identity.” The course covers points like the importance of mentorship for career growth and learning how to build a network of mentors to address the spectrum of your needs.

Regardless of what is happening globally or politically, ACS will continue to offer opportunities for lifelong learning. The society is committed to providing learning resources, whether you are a high school student or an emeritus member of ACS. I encourage you to search the ACS website for specific programs that will advance your career or give you more information to make choices about your next step.

ACS will continue to strengthen its mission to advance scientific knowledge over the next 150 years. Lifelong learning is and will continue to be a core value of ACS as it focuses on preparing the next generation of chemists and chemical engineers for careers in STEM.