For District I director: Katherine L. Lee

Northeastern Section. Pfizer, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Academic record: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD, organic chemistry, 1996; Yale University, BS, 1991, summa cum laude, with distinction in chemistry; University of Texas at Austin, postdoctoral fellow, 1996–98.

Honors: Henry A. Hill Award for Outstanding Service to the Northeastern Section, 2020; invited panelist, 5th Annual Advancing Women’s Leadership Conference, 2020; ACS Fellow, 2017; invited speaker, ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry, First-Time Disclosures, 2016; ACS ChemLuminary Award for Best Industry Event, Northeastern Section of the ACS Process Chemistry Symposium, recipient, 2015; Department of Defense, Office of Naval Research, Predoctoral Fellowship, 1991–94.

Professional positions (for past 10 years): Pfizer, Scientific Planning and Operations, Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit, senior director, 2019–; Pfizer, research fellow, medicinal chemistry, 2018–2019; Pfizer, associate research fellow, ­medicinal chemistry, 2011–18.

Service in ACS national offices: Board of Directors, District I, director, 2019–21; councilor ex officio, 2019–2021; Committee on Professional and Member Relations, 2019–21; Committee on Strategic Planning, 2021; Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs, 2017–18, 2014, committee associate, 2013.

Service in ACS offices: Northeastern Section: Board of Publications, chair, 2020–, member, 2016–; councilor, 2016–18; 2012–14; immediate past chair, 2016; chair, 2015; chair-elect, 2014; chair, Nominating Committee, 2016; program chair, 2014; Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society Process Chemistry Symposium Committee, 2014–18; Host Local Section Committee, chair, 2010; Organic Chemistry Division: chair, 2018; chair-elect, 2017; member-at-large, 2011–16; Technical Achievements in Organic Chemistry Award Committee, chair, 2015, 2013; Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Committee, cochair, 2016, 2012–13.

Member: ACS member since 1992. ACS Division: Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry.

Related activities: ACS career consultant; Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, mentor, 2009–10; published 14 peer-reviewed journal articles; 17 patents or published patent applications.

Lee’s statement

I am honored to be a nominee for reelection for District I director and share my vision for the future of the ACS.

Clearly communicate the value of the ACS. Perhaps you joined ACS as I did, as a graduate student, and promptly benefited from receiving discounts for journal subscriptions and books, reading C&EN each week, and attending national meetings. As the parent of a college student, I am keenly aware of the challenges of capturing the attention of the next generation of scientists. Why should one maintain membership in the ACS, our technical divisions, and local sections?

As an active member of my local section, a past chair of the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry (DOC), and the current District I director, I believe that the solution is generally not to do more, but to better communicate—through our web presence and various forms of outreach, including social media—the exclusive benefits of ACS membership and embracing the ACS community (see my comment in the Feb. 28, 2021 issue of C&EN on “My favorite ACS things”). What do you value most about the ACS?

Advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR). We bear a responsibility to recast our intentions and actions with respect to DEIR. As a longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion and a fellow leader in the DOC, Mary Boyd inspired me to speak up about considering diversity when we make decisions in our executive committee. I do the same as a member of the board, and was honored to serve in 2020 on a board working group focused on developing an ACS strategy for DEIR. This led to an update of the ACS Strategic Plan and the addition of a goal on DEIR.

Support ACS members in all stages of our careers. After working as a medicinal chemist at Pfizer for many years, in 2019 I became the head of scientific planning and operations for Pfizer’s Inflammation and Immunology Research Unit. My experience as an ACS member and volunteer was instrumental in preparing me for this leadership role. I believe that ACS should be the go-to resource for chemists at all stages of our education, careers, and retirement. Are we thinking broadly enough about career opportunities? Can we raise ACS members’ awareness of what career resources are available? Are members aware of the value of serving as a volunteer for ACS? Please see my comment in the May 9, 2020 issue of C&EN on “How ACS can help chemists grow in their careers”, in which I dispelled some potential misconceptions, while highlighting diverse ACS career resources, many of which are exclusively for ACS members.

Advance excellence in chemistry. ACS journals and SciFinder are highly respected sources of scientific knowledge; as District I director, I have enjoyed strategic discussions with leaders of ACS Publications and CAS. As a scientist, I have gained valuable experience from presenting at ACS national meetings and publishing papers in ACS journals. As a dedicated volunteer, I have enjoyed helping to shape organized symposia for DOC technical sessions at ACS national meetings. Perhaps you have attended an ACS virtual event, such as a webinar or an ACS national meeting. How well have we responded to the impacts of COVID-19 on our membership, communication of information, and businesses? What should the global impact of the ACS be? Can we creatively educate people about the beauty and relevance of chemistry and help the general public embrace science?

Apply the resources of the ACS wisely. Serving on the ACS Board of Directors involves fiscal responsibilities for implementing the mission and vision of the ACS. As the 2015 chair of the Northeastern Section, I gained firsthand experience in influencing decisions for our over $300,000 annual operating budget. Likewise, I recognize that time and energy are resources that we should commit intentionally: our ACS volunteers and staff must be confident that what we are all working on is clearly defined, not redundant, free from unnecessary process, and relevant to our mission.

In closing, thank you for considering for my reelection for District I director. With your support, I will continue to deliver fresh eyes to the role of ACS District I director, with my experience in ACS as a local section and technical division leader, as a leader in the pharmaceutical industry, and as a person who fosters clear communication and team engagement in her endeavors. See my website for more information: katherineleeacsdistrictone.blogspot.com.