ACS Arrives In Atlanta

It was an interesting study in contrasts to see the Louisiana State University men's basketball team heading out of the Hilton in Atlanta to play the game that put them into the NCAA Final Four just as many chemical scientists were arriving at the hotel for the start of the 231st ACS National Meeting. The ballplayers were extremely tall, very young, and accustomed to an adoring crowd. The ACS meeting attendees were, in general, of more moderate heights and, let???s say, had more patina.

ACS members may not yet have the adoring crowds, but they're winners—and now they have a new vision statement (C&EN, March 27, page 52), which was officially unveiled at the meeting: Improving people's lives through the transforming power of chemistry.??

The ACS vision statement is splashed on tour buses and prominent in all of the hotels and at meeting events. You can't miss it???it's even on T-shirts.

The meeting, located at the Georgia World Congress Center and surrounding Atlanta hotels, had drawn 11,797 chemical scientists as of 5 PM Sunday, March 26. Attendees will participate in 741 technical sessions during which more than 8,000 presentations are scheduled. In the exhibit hall, more than 300 companies are showcasing their products for chemical sciences professionals.

There are three particular areas of emphasis for programming at this meeting: Thirteen ACS technical divisions combined their efforts to create 175 sessions addressing nanotechnology-related issues. Nine divisions are programming 77 sessions in the area of drug discovery, and seven divisions are programming in 79 sessions addressing energy-related issues.

In introducing a Presidential Symposium, "Ensuring the Future: Sustaining and Strengthening Basic and Applied Research," ACS President Ann Nalley observed that a theme of her presidency is "conveying to the public the value of research." Nalley noted that the ACS Congressional Charter specifically mentions improving the "happiness" of citizens and that that can be achieved by transforming basic research findings into useful applications.

Nalley's presidential sessions have been important events so far at the meeting. On March 25, she hosted "Kids & Chemistry???LIVE!" at the Fernbank Science Center. The event had been planned for about 300 three- to eight-year-olds; it drew more than 1,000 children. Nalley, garbed as a science wizard, almost couldn't get in the building because it was so crowded. At this community outreach event, the kids learned about fun science. The facilitators were members of ACS student affiliate chapters. "I got so many hugs," Nalley enthused. "Children were so excited to meet the science wizard!" The science center wants ACS back???perhaps for National Chemistry Week activities.