For director-at-large: Daniel Rabinovich

Carolina-Piedmont Section. Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Greensboro, North Carolina.

Academic record: Pontifical Catholic University, Lima, Peru, BS, 1990; Columbia University, PhD, 1994.

Honors: ACS Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution, 2021; ACS Fellow, 2020; ACS Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences (Southeastern Region), 2013; American Crystallographic Association Elizabeth A. Wood Science Writing Award, 2014; Fulbright Scholarship, 2007; International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Young Observer Award, 2005, 2009; Indiana University Excellence in Undergraduate Chemistry Research Award, 2005; Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, 2002.

Professional positions (for the past 10 years): Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, associate dean and professor of nanoscience, 2021–; University of North Carolina at Charlotte, professor, 2006–21, associate professor, 2002–06, assistant professor, 1996–2002.

Service in ACS national offices: Committee on Committees, 2023–; Committee on Nomenclature, Terminology, and Symbols, 2013–21; ACS Southeastern Regional Meeting, program chair, 2017; Committee on Minority Affairs, 2002–10, Committee on Project SEED, 2004–05.

Service in ACS offices: Carolina-Piedmont Section: councilor, 2020–, 2014–16, alternate councilor, 2017–19, 2012–13; History of Chemistry Division: past-chair, 2021–22, chair, 2019–20, chair-elect, 2017–18; Inorganic Chemistry Division: Coordination Chemistry Subdivision, chair, 2016, chair-elect, 2015.

Member: Member of ACS since 1989. ACS Divisions: History of Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry.

Related activities: ACS Project SEED, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, program coordinator, 1999–2007; US National Committee for the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), member, 2016–17, vice-chair, 2018–19, chair, 2020–23; IUPAC Division II (Inorganic Chemistry), associate member, 2012–13, titular member, 2014–17, project coordinator, 2012–19, secretary, 2020–23; Main Group Chemistry, editorial board member, 2023–; Polyhedron, editorial board member, 2012–; Philatelia Chimica et Physica, editor, 2005–16; F. Albert Cotton Award in Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry, selection committee member, 2005–08; 67 peer-​reviewed publications.

Rabinovich’s statement

It is a distinctive honor to have been nominated as a candidate for one of the director-at-large positions on the American Chemical Society Board of Directors. The invitation to run for election, candidly speaking, was also a pleasant surprise since I seldom see myself vying for a leadership position by design, whether it is an opening in an ACS committee or technical division or a vacancy in a college-wide committee at the university. Sure, I joined ACS shortly after arriving in the US for graduate school almost 34 years ago, and I have been a proud wallet periodic table-carrying member ever since. I have participated in more than 45 spring and fall ACS meetings and attended almost every Southeastern Regional Meeting since the beginning of my independent career in 1996, all while serving ACS at the local, regional, and national levels in multiple capacities. I outline in this statement my most relevant qualifications and my personal commitment to serve (if elected) on the board and, more importantly, to continue working tirelessly to advance our society’s mission and vision.

A (spring)board of directors

The ACS Board of Directors is officially chartered to “have, hold, and administer all the property, funds, and affairs of the society.” Members of the board are much more than caretakers of this rather broad mandate. They are in a unique position to verify that current and proposed programs align with the society’s mission and goals while gauging their impact and overall success. They foster partnerships with sister societies such as the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, and the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. They craft policy statements to communicate to the general public the society’s position on topics ranging from climate change and sustainability to federal funding for research, science education, and workforce development. Thus, members of the board are in a unique position to be agents of change at ACS and enhance the value proposition that it offers to its members. That is why I envision the board not only as a management or oversight collective but as a springboard from which new initiatives that benefit all ACS members can be launched. In this regard, Dictionary.com defines springboard as “something that supplies the impetus or conditions for a beginning, change, or progress; a point of departure.” A lofty but worthwhile goal for sure and one that I hope I get an opportunity to directly contribute to in the near future.

What could I contribute to the board?

The composition of the board, which endeavors to include members with a variety of backgrounds and interests, is essential for its effective function and the fulfillment of its transformative potential. This is first and foremost a reflection of the board’s own statement on diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect, which is one of the core values of ACS. How could I contribute to our organization’s effort to build an inclusive community across the chemistry enterprise? My scientific upbringing and the choices I have made throughout my professional career have certainly prepared me well for this new challenge. I have worked both in academia and government, conducting research with close to 250 graduate (MS), undergraduate, and high school students. I gained experience in research administration and funding working at the National Science Foundation for 2 years and, more recently, as an associate dean, and I have served my local ACS section in various roles for the last 24 years. My service to ACS at the national level is centered on the Committee on Minority Affairs, the Committee of Nomenclature, Terminology, and Symbols (done in parallel with IUPAC), the Division of the History of Chemistry, and the Committee on Committees.

Concluding remarks

Writing this statement, and the entire process of running for election to the Board of Directors, has been a rewarding and humbling experience. It has prompted me to look back at my professional career and to better understand the many ways in which I may continue contributing to the organization I love to serve. In the words of the iconic Peter Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and I surely look forward to the possibility of joining the Board of Directors and contributing to its important work to advance our society’s pledge “to improve all people’s lives through the transforming power of chemistry.” Please contact me at Dan.Rabinovich@uncg.edu with any questions, ideas, or suggestions.