For District III director: Diane Krone

North Jersey Section. Retired, Northern Highlands Regional High School, Allendale, New Jersey.

Academic record: Ladycliff College, BA, 1972; Stevens Institute of Technology, MS, 1989.

Honors: ACS Fellow, 2010; Edward J. Merrill Award for Excellence in Chemistry Teaching, ACS North Jersey Section, 2002; Radio Shack National Teacher Award, 2004; Homer J. Hall Educator Award, New Jersey Institute of Chemists, 2000; Gustav Ohaus Award for Innovations in Science Teaching, 1999.

Professional positions (for the past 10 years): Northern Highlands Regional High School, chemistry teacher 1993–2010 (retired); Stride K–12, science instructor (part-time), 2017–21.

Service in ACS national offices: Committee on Committees, 2018–23, chair, 2021–23; Council Policy Committee, member ex officio, 2021–23, 2015, 2017; Committee on Education, 2008–17, chair, 2015–17; Membership Affairs Committee, 2009–11.

Service in ACS offices: North Jersey Section: councilor, 2004–24, chair, 2005, chair-elect, 2004; Education Committee, 2005–; Project SEED poster judge, 2005–, Nominating Committee, chair, 2007, membership chair, 2009–; Creativity in Molecular Design and Synthesis Award Committee, 2014. Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting: Steering Committee, 2005.

Member: Member of ACS since 1992. American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT); North Jersey Section’s Teacher Affiliates Group.

Related activities: AACT Governing Board, 2015–17; AACT, regional representative, 2019–; POGIL Activities for High School Chemistry, editorial board member, 2012; ChemMatters, teacher guide, writer, 2016–17; 2010 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, pre-college program coordinator; ACS Test Writing Committee for Advanced High School Chemistry Exam; Guidelines and Recommendations for Teaching High School and Middle School Chemistry.

Krone’s statement

I am honored to be nominated as a candidate for District III director. I have been a proud member of the American Chemical Society since 1992, and the ACS vision to improve all people’s lives through the transforming powers of chemistry holds extremely true for me. The countless services, programs, and opportunities offered by ACS have helped me grow both professionally, as a high school chemistry teacher, and personally, by advancing my leadership skills.

I have been a councilor of the North Jersey Local Section since 2004. During my term as chair of the section, I supported the topical groups who provided excellent symposia and innovative programming for their members, public outreach programs such as ChemExpo during National Chemistry Week, professional development programs for K–12 teachers, programs such as Project SEED, Chemistry Olympiad, and Chemistry Olympics for K–12 students, and the annual research conference for undergraduates. At the national level, I am currently the chair of the Committee on Committees (ConC) and have served as chair of the Society Committee on Education (SOCED). I was a member of the SOCED working group that researched the formation of a national organization dedicated solely to supporting K–12 teachers of chemistry—the American Association of Chemistry Teachers—and I was privileged to have served on its inaugural Governing Board. These experiences have provided me with an understanding of ACS governance and the skills needed to serve as an ACS district director.

As a member of ACS, I continue to be committed to its four core values:

Passion for chemistry and the global chemistry enterprise

During my tenure as chair of SOCED, two policy statements were revised. The Science Education Policy promotes education of science in accordance with national standards, encourages state and federal support for science education, and supports nurturing of students of all backgrounds. The Visas for Scientific Collaboration and Academic Study policy supports visa policies that facilitate scientific education and exchange and welcome foreign scholars, students, scientists, and engineers as their diverse backgrounds contribute to our nation’s economy, national security, public health, higher education, and scientific enterprises.

Focus on members

The quote “you don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note,” captures the philosophy of the society and highlights the value of diversity. Social and professional diversity bring a wide range of perspectives and contribute to effective governance. As a member of ConC, I supported the Petition to Harmonize Committee Structure, Processes, and Terms. This amendment to the society’s standing rules was approved by the council and the Board of Directors at ACS Spring 2021. As a result of this rule change, more ACS members are now provided with more opportunities to volunteer on society committees.

Professionalism, safety, and ethics

In my roles at both the local and national level of ACS, I support and respect other team members and communicate with others to solve problems.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect

I have worked with teams of ConC members to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) within the committee structure. We developed the online preference form to match the skills, interests, and expertise of volunteers to appropriate committees. We continue to identify and communicate best practices for onboarding new members. This year, ConC initiated annual training on coaching and mentoring for ConC members with an emphasis on DEIR. To help identify gaps and concerns, it is important to identify the status of diverse volunteers. Working with the office of DEIR, we are developing ongoing communication for outreach to organizations that serve underrepresented groups to promote ACS committee service. These DEIR initiatives create opportunities for diverse talent by building networks to drive engagement and belonging.

Hearing and listening to the members of District III

If elected as District III director, I am committed to hearing about your needs and listening to your ideas that will positively impact the society. I hope I am invited to attend your local section meetings and look forward to working with you so that together we can advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and all its people.

I ask for your vote! For more information, visit sites.google.com/njacs.org/dianekrone-acs. To contact this candidate, email dkrone@njacs.org.