Reichmanis Speaks on Innovation

On Oct. 27, Elsa Reichmanis, ACS immediate past-president, made a presentation to the Houston Technology Community on the chemistry innovation process.

She was hosted at a luncheon by Doug Selman, vice president of R&D for Exxon-Mobil Chemical Co. The audience consisted of ExxonMobil's technology managers and similar managers from other companies in the Houston area.

When inviting attendees to this luncheon, Selman emphasized that this meeting was a unique opportunity for technology leaders in the Houston area to meet and discuss the subject of innovation and at the same time learn about ACS efforts in communicating with its industrial members and the companies for which they work.

Reichmanis' talk examined the process leading to chemistry-related innovations for advanced electronics and photonics technologies. She explored in detail the design and development process for 193-nm lithographic materials to present a view of the necessary timescale for a research concept to be developed into a manufacturable product. For comparison, she presented similar timelines for two additional advanced technologies: electronic paper and optical switching.

At the conclusion of her talk, Reichmanis reviewed the services and activities ACS provides and placed special emphasis on Chemical Abstracts Service and the Legislative Action Network (LAN), by which support letters to elected officials are automatically sent when bills of interest to the chemical industry are up for vote. Brochures explaining how to join LAN were left with each attendee. She also encouraged the audience to submit candidates for ACS awards, saying that "there is no better morale booster than recognition by one's peers."