ACS Spring 2021 will be virtual

The ACS Spring 2021 meeting will take place virtually April 5–16. The American Chemical Society changed the meeting to an all-virtual format because of the rapidly rising number of COVID-19 infections around the world and predictions for worsening conditions over the winter months.

“The decision to go totally virtual was based on the ACS core value of safety. The safety and well-being of our members, staff, and residents of San Antonio is paramount,” says ACS Executive Director and CEO Thomas Connelly. “ACS is committed to making the virtual meeting a success, affordable and highly interactive. The virtual meeting will allow for a maximum amount of science to be shared with the widest possible audience through multiple live sessions that permit attendee interaction with presenters and other attendees.”

The meeting was originally planned for March 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. The ACS Spring 2021 meeting will instead be held in April over 10 weekdays, with each day featuring more than 100 live technical sessions. Some sessions will be available on demand for 2 weeks after the meeting. There will not be an exposition, although ACS is exploring other options for vendor participation.

The meeting’s theme is “Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century,” which was the original theme for the canceled 2020 spring ACS national meeting in Philadelphia.

Abstract submissions will open Dec. 16 and close Jan. 18.The final technical program will be available by mid-March. Registration for the meeting opens in mid-January. The cost to attend is $99 for ACS members, $149 for nonmembers, and $29 for students. Unemployed members and 50-year emeritus members can attend at no cost. To register for the ACS Spring 2021 Meeting, or for more information, visit bit.ly/36uzyHf.