For International District director: David Wu

Taiwan International Chemical Sciences Chapter. Academia Sinica, Taiwan.

Academic record: Harvard College, BA, 1985; University of California at Berkeley, PhD, 1991; Cambridge University, UK, Post-doc Physics, 1993; University of California at Santa Barbara, Post-doc, 1996.

Honors: Junior Research Fellowship, Wolfson College, Cambridge University, 1992–93; Research Innovation Award, Research Corporation, 1997; Visiting Joliot Chair Professor, ESPCI, Paris, France, 2003; Foreign Expert, China 111 project, China University of Petroleum, 2017–21; Science and Technology Recruitment Fellowship, CTCI Foundation, Taiwan, 2021; Outstanding Scholar Award, FOAS Foundation, Taiwan, 2023.

Professional positions (for the past 10 years): Academia Sinica, Director of the Institute of Chemistry, Taiwan, 2021–present; Colorado School of Mines, Assistant, Associate & Professor of Chemistry and Geochemistry and of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 1996–present, Department Head of Chemistry, 2012–17, Associate Director of the Center for Hydrate Research, 2009–14; National Taiwan University, Invited Visiting Professor, 2017, 2018, Joint Professor, 2021–24.

Service in ACS national offices: Committee on International Activities, 2019–24, Asia & Pacific Basin, Subcommittee Chair, 2019–21; Strategic Planning Committee, 2019, Committee Associate, 2015–18.

Service in ACS offices: ACS Colloid and Surface Science Symposium, Local Organizer, 2006, 2021.

Member: Member of ACS since 2005. Materials Research Society; Chemical Society Located in Taipei; Taiwan Theoretical and Computational Molecular Sciences Association. ACS Divisions: Physical Chemistry; Computers in Chemistry.

Related activities: National Taiwan University, College of Science, Evaluation Committee, 2023; World Scientific, Materials and Energy Series, Scientific Advisory Board, 2022–24; Health Sciences Education Foundation, Taiwan, Board of Directors, 2019–24; CECAM (Centre Européen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire) Council Member, 2024–present; ACS National Meeting, Symposium Co-Chair on “Water, Ice, and Clathrate Hydrate Geochemistry,” 2019; Telluride Science Research Center, Workshop Co-Organizer on “Clathrate Hydrate Fundamentals,” 2017; 6th International Powders and Grains Conference, Local Organizer, 2009; American Physical Society National Meeting, Symposium Chair on Jamming, 2007; American Institute of Chemical Engineering, Symposium Chair on Polymer Thin Films, 2000; Proposal Reviewer & Review Committee Member for NSF, NIH MABS Study Section, DOE and ACS PRF; Consultant to Porous Power Technologies, 2008–09; published 87 journal articles, one book, and four book contributions; holds one patent in Colloidal Chemistry.

Wu’s statement

I am deeply honored to be nominated as a candidate for the inaugural role of International District director on the American Chemical Society Board of Directors. This landmark initiative signifies ACS’s commitment to embracing its global membership and extending its influence and service worldwide.

With a career spanning nearly three decades, I have garnered extensive experience across various facets of the chemistry enterprise. My tenure as a professor of chemistry and geochemistry, as well as chemical and biological engineering, has allowed me to develop deep expertise in these areas. Additionally, I have maintained a robust 15-year partnership with the chemical and energy industries in the United States, Asia, and Europe.

As the Department Head of the Chemistry Department at the Colorado School of Mines, I led the department through a significant transitional phase, which included substantial faculty recruitment, launching new programs, and increasing female representation in our faculty to approximately 45%. As the current Director of the Institute of Chemistry at Academia Sinica, Taiwan’s National Academy and Lab, I am engaged in national initiatives and international partnerships, particularly in research and education in sustainability.

International members deserve an ACS that provides excellent value and invites engagement. International members are a vital part of ACS, bringing diverse perspectives, needs, and goals to our community. They often face challenges such as time constraints, local administrative hurdles, and the need for greater integration within ACS. My primary focus will be on enhancing engagement and delivering significant value tailored to these needs. My eight years on the ACS Committee on International Activities were marked by the establishment and support of a rapidly growing number of international chapters. As subcommittee chair for Asia, I helped to address a variety of challenges, including how to run successful outreach activities, how to reward student participation, or how to partner successfully with local societies. My experience has taught me the importance of addressing the specific challenges faced by our international members, from varying administrative environments to diverse professional focuses such as industry, research, and education. As International District director, I am committed to ensuring that ACS initiatives resonate with and support our global community effectively.

With its international membership and reach, ACS can help build bridges between communities differing in geography, culture, chemistry emphasis, and purpose. My global experience as a postdoc in the United Kingdom, visiting faculty in France, and researcher and institute director in Taiwan has enriched my understanding of the unique cultures and circumstances of chemistry communities in these regions. As an institute director in Taiwan, I have fostered global connections, including ties with African universities in Ethiopia and Nigeria, new partnerships in Asian countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and India, and collaborations in Europe including with the European Center for Atomic & Molecular Calculation. As subcommittee chair for Asia, I facilitated the sharing of best practices among chapters and served as a partner for several international chapters, deepening my understanding of the diverse challenges and opportunities within ACS’s international involvement. By leveraging such connections, ACS can create a more inclusive and collaborative global chemistry community.

ACS’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect takes on particular importance for our varied international communities. ACS’s mission to improve lives globally through chemistry resonates deeply with me. As International District director, it is crucial to seek and understand, then realize the value at the intersection of diverse communities. Chemistry, already one of the broadest scientific fields, is increasingly practiced in countries and communities with diverse outlooks, circumstances, and focuses. As such, I view the core values of ethics, communication, and professionalism as fundamental for building bridges effectively. I envision leveraging this diversity as a core strength of ACS. The engagement and representation of our international members are not just opportunities but necessities. It will be crucial to address the complex issues of governance, participation, and finances while focusing on delivering value to our members worldwide, recognizing that their needs may differ significantly.

Why I can serve ACS and its international members effectively in this role. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to ACS’s vision and mission through this new role. My comprehensive professional experience across the global chemical enterprise, deep knowledge of ACS’s international activities and aspirations, coupled with my administrative and leadership skills in supporting diverse groups, uniquely position me to represent and advocate for the varied interests of our international members on the ACS Board of Directors. I am confident that my background and dedication will enable me to serve effectively as ACS’s first International District director.