Thinking Creatively About Work

MEMBERS OF THE CLASS of 2009 who will be looking for jobs in the coming year better get busy. Although it's too early to say how the current financial crisis will affect employment in the coming months, job seekers should do all they can now to increase their marketability, such as building up their professional networks and making contacts with recruiters who visit their campuses.

For our annual story on employment prospects, Senior Editor Corinne A. Marasco spoke with company representatives and university department heads about their impressions of hiring for the coming year. All of the company reps reported they are hiring, and department reps reported that recruiting is going forward, but everyone has adopted a "wait and see" position for next year.

The good news is that chemistry is a big field with numerous applications, if you let your imagination work for you. In this issue, C&EN examines how chemists are thinking creatively about work. First, Senior Editor Susan J. Ainsworth profiles women entrepreneurs who are building their businesses around their passion for science. Their experiences demonstrate the many paths that entrepreneurs can follow.

Next, Associate Editor Linda Wang profiles three chemists whose work has taken them from the heights of the Chilean Andes to the depths of oceans. What their work shows is that chemists aren't limited by preconceived notions of "what chemists do."

Finally, Assistant Editor Kenneth J. Moore surveys research opportunities abroad for chemistry and chemical engineering students. These experiences can be useful talking points on a résumé as the chemical industry becomes more globalized.