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Policy

Happy Holidays

by Rudy M. Baum, Editor-in-chief
December 18, 2006 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 84, Issue 51

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Credit: Susan Morrissey/C&EN
Credit: Susan Morrissey/C&EN

This is the last issue of C&EN in 2006. We never publish an issue on the last Monday of the year, which this year happens to fall on Christmas Day. C&EN will return with a Jan. 1, 2007, issue, the cover of which will feature the new ACS president, Katie Hunt.

This week's issue contains three stories that have become annual items. "Chemistry Highlights 2006" surveys the top research advances of the year (see page 17). The "2006 Year in Review" looks at important trends and events of the year for the chemical industry (see page 30). "A Congressional Reflection" (see page 43) is an essay on the do-nothing 109th Congress.

The chemistry highlights cover story was written by Senior Correspondent Stu Borman, as it has been since we introduced the feature in 2000. As Borman writes: "Efforts to identify the most significant research developments are always fraught with difficulties, as members of the Nobel Prize selection committees and similar groups undoubtedly appreciate only too well. Nevertheless, we believe the selections we make each year are advances that will continue to shape and influence the field of chemistry, both in the near term and for a good number of years into the future." The advances Borman highlights range from the interfaces of chemistry with biology and nanotechnology to space chemistry.

In 2006, the chemical industry completed a "relatively quiet year for a change," write Senior Correspondent Marc Reisch and Senior Editor Alex Tullo. Calm weather and fairly stable energy prices resulted in solid profits and an improved jobs picture overall. India and China continued to exert an influence on the industry as companies in both nations moved further into fine chemicals and Western firms established a greater presence in Asia.

As to the closely divided and highly partisan Congress, "Its performance over the past year was pretty bad," writes Assistant Managing Editor David Hanson. Only two of the 11 appropriations bills needed to fund the government for fiscal 2007 were passed before the 109th Congress mercifully left town.

Meanwhile, at the American Chemical Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., where C&EN's main office is located, there were a number of holiday activities, which culminated with the annual ACS holiday party on Dec. 8. Among this year's activities was a door decorating contest.

In the past, C&EN has been somewhat remiss in its participation in these sorts of events. We have used the excuse that we were just too busy being journalists putting out a first-rate weekly newsmagazine to decorate a wreath or a door. In point of fact, we were just being lazy. Not surprisingly, our efforts were not previously rewarded.

This year, one of C&EN's newest young staff members, Staff Artist Monica Gilbert, assembled a door decorating committee to do the job right. A plan was hatched, photographs of most of C&EN's Washington staff making goofy faces were taken, the resulting heads were mounted on caricatures of ice-skating bodies, and "C&EN on Ice" was created. Pictured with the door are, from left, Art Director Robin Braverman, Senior Editor Arlene Goldberg-Gist, Associate Editor Linda Wang, Gilbert, and Assistant Editor Faith Hayden, who worked together to create it. The door took first place!

C&EN extends its best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to all its readers.

Thanks for reading.

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