ACS Receives $2 Million Gift

Earlier this summer, the Ciba Foundation made a one-time donation of $2 million to the American Chemical Society with the aim of preserving the foundation’s legacy of supporting science education and the development of future scientists.

Following BASF’s recent purchase of Ciba Corp. (C&EN, April 13, page 19), the foundation, which is a separate legal entity from Ciba Corp., will cease to exist in its current form.

The grant will create an endowment to support a number of programs in perpetuity, including those aimed at economically disadvantaged youth who show promise for success in the chemical sciences. Under the auspices of Project SEED, annually the endowment will fund summer research internships for a minimum of six high school students, the Ciba SEED Scholars; it will also provide college scholarships that may be renewable through completion of a chemical science undergraduate degree for nine Ciba Specialty Chemicals Scholars.

“It is a sincere honor for us to have the Ciba Foundation’s legacy entrusted to the American Chemical Society,” says ACS Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Madeleine Jacobs. “We pledge our careful stewardship of the contribution to chemistry made by the innovative scientists who have been part of Ciba’s success,” she says. “Ciba’s commitment to helping develop the next generation of chemists will have an enduring impact on our profession and in our communities. We will be proud to share Ciba’s outstanding heritage of discovery with the students and young scientists who will be the beneficiaries of the endowed programs set up through this gift.”

Through the gift, the foundation has also established endowments to provide travel grants to allow postdoctoral and early-career chemists to attend ACS national or regional meetings and to enable high school, undergraduate, or graduate students to attend ACS green chemistry or sustainability meetings. In addition, it was the primary sponsor of this year’s ACS Summer School on Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy, which was held at the Colorado School of Mines late last month.

“We are extremely proud to support the outstanding work of the American Chemical Society,” says Eric Marohn, chairman of the Ciba Foundation. “This grant demonstrates a long-standing and unwavering commitment on Ciba’s part to enriching science education and equipping young people with the skills they will need to succeed.”