ACS Senior Chemists

Advocate for chemistry, share your experiences, inspire students and young scientists!

The ACS Senior Chemists Committee encourages engagement and collaboration across the Society, its local sections, and within the scientific community. The objectives are to:

Improve communication among senior chemists
Increase the number of senior chemists’ groups and their level of engagement within local sections
Encourage the involvement of senior chemists in programs focused on K-12 education, undergraduate networking, and mentoring
Encourage Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect within the chemical enterprise

Learn more about the ACS Senior Chemists Committee.

Support the Senior Chemists Committee (SCC) campaign to foster diversity, inclusion, and equity in the chemical sciences by donating to the ACS Scholars Program

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Under the ACS Scholars Program, African American, Hispanic/Latino and American Indian students enrolled in chemical science programs are eligible to compete to receive up to $5,000 per year in renewable college scholarships.

Since the program’s inception in 1994, many of the more than 3,500 men and women who have participated are now established in important roles in industry, academia, and government. Examples of former ACS Scholars, recently featured in Chemical and Engineering News (insert date), include: Chyree Batton, a chemist at SC Johnson; Bart Bartlett, a chemistry professor at the University of Michigan; and Corina McClure, an analytical chemist at the Food & Drug Administration.

To support tomorrow’s chemistry leaders, please go to www.donate.acs.org/scholars. The site provides instructions for how to donate by credit card or mail. For information on how to contribute via an individual retirement account (IRA) or estate plan, please visit www.acs.org/legacy or contact Mary Bet Dobson at m_dobson@acs.org.

Donate Now

Great Connections

In 2021, the Senior Chemists Committee conducted a pilot program of outreach to students grades 3-5. Senior volunteers performed virtual visits to classrooms to share an activity from the National Chemistry Week 2021 booklet. The visits involved a video and script and were designed for less than 30 minutes. Schools with high underrepresented populations, as indicated by free lunch programs, were targeted for this activity. The script and video are available at Slow the Glow – Great Connections at ACS - American Chemical Society. In 2022, a SCC subcommittee will finalize revisions and announce plans for future expansion of the Great Connections program

Senior Chemists Committee (SCC) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) Grants

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In addition to the two programs developed in 2020 (ACS Scholars Program and Great Connections), the SCC has allocated funding for new activities to advance the DEIR goals of the ACS. The project must be led by a senior ACS member (i.e., over 50 years in age) and a proposal submitted by a technical division, international section, or any official ACS entity other than a local section. After review by the SCC Awards Subcommittee, grants up to $500 will be awarded to a limited number of the submitted proposals.

The proposal should address:

Impact of the project on diversity, equity, inclusion and/or respect
Estimated potential magnitude of the impact on systemic racism
Level of engagement by senior ACS members and/or other seniors
Current and potential support from partners, including the possibility of long-term continuation of the proposed activity

A report on the project must be submitted within 30 days of the event or the start of the activity. More information and the application can be found at the SCC Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect (DEIR) Grant page. If you have any questions, please send them to seniorchemists@acs.org.

Looking for another grant or award?

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Local Section Senior Chemists Committees

Senior Chemists Committees can be created in any ACS Local Section with a focus on creating opportunities, representing the needs of, and offering programming and services for senior chemists in a particular geographical area. In addition, senior chemists are in a unique position to share a lifetime of experiences with students, young chemists, and the public.

Benefits of Participating

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Socialize With Peers

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Stay Active After Retirement

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Advocate for Chemistry Through Community Outreach

Senior Chemists Mini Grant for Local Sections

The SCC offers a limited number of grants to ACS Local Sections that wish to sponsor an event or activity (this includes virtual events) to increase the engagement of senior members and encourage innovative activities that will benefit the local community, schools, or legislative government. For more information and an application, visit the SCC Mini Grant for Local Sections page. If you have any questions, please send them to seniorchemists@acs.org.

You can make a difference!

There are many ways to get involved through your local section or local community. Share a lifetime of experiences and help the next generation of chemists.

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Science Coaches

Lend your expertise as a coach and help a teacher advance science education.

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National Chemistry Week

Organize or participate in events in your community to promote the value of chemistry in everyday life.

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ACS Career Consultants

Help an emerging chemist with career advice.

Explore More Opportunities

Let's stay connected.

SCC Zoom Guides

Senior Chemists Committee members have enjoyed using Zoom to stay connected. These Zoom guides are designed for novices and avoid the use of computer jargon. The illustrations are screenshots taken when the guide was written and may change as Zoom is updated. Please send us a note at seniorchemists@acs.org with suggestions for additional guides that you think would be helpful.

Senior Chemists on the Move

Join Senior Chemists on the Move, the senior chemists group on the ACS Network. Engage in conversations, ask questions and post announcements of upcoming events from your local sections.

Stay up to date on volunteer activities by senior chemists, such as working in schools, leading science events for the community, judging science fairs, mentoring, and more. Browse our newsletter archive.