For director-at-large: Frank D. Blum

Oklahoma Section. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla.

Academic record: Eastern Illinois University, B.S., 1976, and M.S., 1977; University of Minnesota, Ph.D., 1981.

Honors: Special Service Award, ACS Polymer Division, 2010; Fellow, ACS Polymer Division, 2010; ACS Fellow, 2009; Special Service Award, ACS Polymer Division, 2002; Distinguished Service Award, ACS Polymer Division, 2002; Regents’ Professorship, Oklahoma State University, 2011; Outstanding Graduate Alumni Award, Eastern Illinois University, 2011; Harrison I. Bartlett Chair, Oklahoma State University, 2009; Guest Lecturer, Symposium on Polymer Science & Technology, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2017; Distinguished Polymer Lecturer, Pittsburg State University, 2014; Plenary Lecturer, Oklahoma Pentasectional ACS Meeting, Tulsa, 2013; Clarence J. Karcher Lecturer, University of Oklahoma, 2004; Jefferson Smurfit Lecturer, University College Dublin, 2002; Distinguished Alumni Award, Eastern Illinois University, 2001.

Professional positions (for past 10 years): Oklahoma State University, Harrison I. Bartlett Chair and Regents’ Professor of Chemistry, 2009–, chair of chemistry, 2009–16; University of Missouri, Rolla, Curators’ Professor of Chemistry, 1994–2010.

Service in ACS national offices: Council Policy Committee (voting), 2013–17, (nonvoting), 2000–02; Committee on Nominations & Elections, 2005–10, chair, 2009–10; Committee on Budget & Finance, committee associate, 2012, 2003–04; Younger Chemists Committee, consultant, 2012; Committee on Divisional Activities, 1999–2002, chair, 2000–02, committee associate, 2003; Committee on Publications, 2018, 1997–2001, committee associate, 2018, 1997–2002, consultant, 2007; Advisory Board for Industrial Relations, 2000–01; Advisory Board, Office of Technical Programming & Conferences, 2000–01; Joint Board-Council Policy Committee, Task Force on Governance Design, 2016–; Task Force on Division & Local Section Allocation & Representation, 2003, 2000; Presidential Task Force on Bylaw Changes for Division & Local Section Support, 2001–02; Presidential Task Force on Electronic Council Communications, 2001; Canvassing Committee, Award for Volunteer Service to the ACS, 2003–05; Canvassing Committee, ACS Award in Applied Polymer Science, 1992–95, chair, 1994–95.

Service in ACS offices: Division of Polymer Chemistry: bylaw councilor, 2017; councilor, 2011–16; chair, 1999; chair-elect, 1998; vice chair, 1997; secretary, 1990–95; webmaster, 1995–2010; POLY e-list manager, 1993–. Polymer Preprints: assistant editor, 1986–90. South Central Missouri Section: councilor, 1988–2010. Materials Secretariat: secretary general, 1996–97. Midwest Regional Meeting: program chair, 1997.

Member: Member of ACS since 1976; ACS divisions: Colloid & Surface Chemistry; Polymer Chemistry; Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering.

Related activities: Joint CPC-N&E Working Group on Electronic Voting at Council, 2008; University of Missouri Research Board, member, 2006–08; University of Missouri, Rolla, Academic Council, president, president-elect, secretary, parliamentarian, 2004–08; Graduate Council and Graduate Faculty (UMR), chair, 1994–96; Lund University, visiting professor, Physical Chemistry 1, 1997; IBM Almaden Research Center, visiting scientist, 1992; published 240-plus publications; supervised 10 postdoctoral scholars and 35 Ph.D., 22 M.S., 13 undergraduate, and seven high school students in the areas of polymer science, colloid chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, and friction materials.

Blum’s statement

It is indeed an honor to run for director-at-large of the ACS Board. I have been a councilor for 30 years from the South Central Missouri Local Section and the Division of Polymer Chemistry. Through these experiences, including leadership roles, I have developed a good understanding of ACS and the many ways it serves its constituents. If elected, I pledge to keep my close connections to the ACS Council and councilors.

In more than 35 years of volunteering in ACS (42 as a member), my belief is that ACS is an amazingly strong technical organization that has no equal in terms of impact, service to its members, our profession, and the public. Our volunteers are deeply vested with a critical and meaningful place in the society. This vesting results in an outstanding professional staff who provides permanent stewardship and program support. These things make ACS my home.

Connection to the society. ACS has members with many different levels of interaction with the society. For some, the attraction is access to chemical information, National Chemistry Week, education, green chemistry, member insurance, or other programs. There is something to offer all chemical scientists. Our activities need to continue to be broad but also cost effective. Some members are content with the services that keep them as members, while others take on leadership roles, such as those in local sections and technical divisions. We need to ensure that we offer programs, services, and opportunities of interest to our members, many of whom stay empowered as volunteers.

Local section and division support. As a long-term councilor, I am proud that I never missed a council meeting. I have been very pleased to be involved in governance while also maintaining a scientific presence at ACS meetings. However, my proudest ACS accomplishment was when the council, board, and membership changed the constitution and bylaws to earmark 20% of membership dues for direct assistance to local sections and divisions. I was pleased to work with several others to make the case for this impactful effort. A significant effect of these changes was to shore up the finances of these units.

ACS phoenix. Through my experiences, I am convinced that one of the most important things we can do is ensure that the two wings of the ACS phoenix, local sections and technical divisions, continue to be robust and thrive. We must ensure that volunteers in each kind of unit appreciate what the other does for the society, as both are critical to ACS’s success.

Governance redesign. I am a member of the Task Force on Governance Redesign as a Council Policy Committee representative. We have made significant progress sorting out the distinction between the bylaws and regulations. The next stage will be determining the roles of groups within the society. In this stage, local sections and technical divisions should continue to be the core of the volunteer membership experience.

The task force believes that the volunteer and membership experience needs to be enhanced by a new governance structure.

Employment. ACS must work hard to ensure that the benefits of hiring chemical professionals at home are understood by employers. This will help students entering the workforce and more experienced members. We need to attract and retain the best and brightest to the chemical enterprise and grow employment opportunities for our members.

Diversity. I am a firm supporter of diversity and inclusion within the society. Diverse groups make better decisions, can be more forward thinking, and are better prepared for the future. As our future workforce changes, we need to ensure that students see that there is a meaningful place for them in a technological workplace, regardless of their demographic.

International. Last summer, on a scientific trip to Sri Lanka, I visited two universities and was able to encourage each to establish international student chapters. I saw how being associated with ACS was a dream for some of these students. Expansion of both member and student international chapters has my strong support.

I am running for the board of directors because I am committed to ACS. My experience, judgment, and ability to work with others will help me effectively fulfill this role, as a member of a team, to lead ACS. My fellow candidates are friends and colleagues, and your decision is both easy and difficult, but best of all, it is a win-win for ACS.

For additional information, please see fblum.weebly.com.