IYC Bulletin

Feature

A Message from the Chair of ACS' Committee on International Activities

I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to you for keeping up with the whirlwind of activities and programs devoted to the celebration of the International Year of Chemistry (IYC), a once in a lifetime global event to recognize chemistry and its power to improve lives. We are grateful for the opportunity to share information on the countless activities and events, as well as learn about the different activities you have conducted in your communities.

The IYC Bulletin was created with the idea of reaching out to individuals involved in grassroots promotion of the IYC, and I certainly hope the Bulletin has provided valuable information, resources, and best practices for the planning and execution of your own IYC programs, events, and initiatives. I am proud to announce that the newsletter, which originally had roughly 2,000 recipients, is now sent to more than 4,400 email addresses from over 100 countries across the globe. We are truly humbled by your enthusiastic and positive response. Although this month’s edition is the final issue of the IYC Bulletin, we plan to continue our correspondence through the Office of International Activities’ bimonthly electronic International Newsletter. Should you prefer to not receive the newsletter, please feel free to email iyc2011@acs.org with “unsubscribe” in the subject line.

As this memorable year draws to a close, I encourage you to write to us at iyc2011@acs.org and share your thoughts on ways to continue the IYC momentum to inspire the public about the wonders of chemistry. We are especially excited at ACS about the recent approval of funding for the ACS International Center, an information clearinghouse website that will assist members looking abroad for professional experience and collaboration. The Center will also provide an opportunity to extend the energy created by IYC 2011. We are also thrilled about a $1 million grant award we recently received from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Chemistry that will help us continue to promote chemistry beyond 2011 by launching IYC Challenge Kits and a Science Festival Series.

You are essential in the efforts to continue the legacy of this very important year. Thank you for your contributions and continued efforts to advance and promote the chemical sciences in the near future.
Sincerely,

Dr. Judith L. Benham
Chair, ACS Committee on International Activities

Join the Movement

Join Pennies for PUR™ Water – You Can Help
As part of the IYC 2011 celebration, ACS has launched the "Pennies for PUR™ Water" initiative to raise funds for the Children's Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) program. The CSDW program, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, provides communities in need with PUR™ water-purification sachets that purify heavily contaminated water so that it meets World Health Organization standards for safe drinking water. Through the Pennies for PUR™ Water effort, ACS hopes to raise funds to provide more than 1.5 million gallons of safe water before the end of 2011 – a powerful demonstration of ACS’ Vision of "improving people's lives through the transforming power of chemistry”. We are asking all members to participate in raising or donating funds. Visit the Pennies for PUR™ Water web page to find out how you can help.

ACS IYC Partner Program
Many thanks to our 40 IYC Partners for generously contributing valuable online real estate and featuring the IYC logo prominently on their websites. In addition, including IYC-related articles in their respective trade publications and blogs; featuring IYC-related symposia in their meetings’ technical program; and giving away IYC promotional items and literature during conferences. We are grateful for your assistance in spreading the word about the IYC.

Spread the Word

ACS IYC Virtual Journal – New Issue Now Available!
The issue highlights four special subject areas with summaries of more than a dozen research articles. The summaries, written in non-technical format, are based on research published in ACS’ 43 peer-reviewed scientific journals and Chemical & Engineering News, its weekly newsmagazine. Some of our interests include an advance toward a breath test to diagnose multiple sclerosis; a better imaging agent for heart disease and breast cancer; the first self-powered device with wireless data transmission; answering that age-old lament: Where does all this dust come from? In addition, how the resilient gypsy moth continues to shrug off best pesticides, a new molecular robot that can be programmed to follow instructions, and much more. The IYC Virtual Journal‘s also includes other vignettes on chemistry. Free access is available to the full text of the selected content in the ACS IYC Virtual Journal throughout 2011.

IYC in China
Learn more about IYC activities sponsored and conducted by the Chinese Chemical Society, as well as CCS and ACS' three-year collaboration alliance.

The Global Chemistry Experiment - Water: A Chemical Solution
Developed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Global Chemistry Experiment is a set of activities designed to encourage students around the world to explore the chemistry of water and its importance in the environment. To date, experimental protocols have been downloaded 46,000 times. As of the end of October, over 24,000 students and 1,174 teachers from 63 countries on five continents have shared their results on the central website. Visit the global IYC website to learn more.

Find Out More about the Global Celebration of IYC 2011
Visit the global IYC website, the primary source of information on the IYC, created and maintained by IUPAC with the guidance and sponsorship of UNESCO.

Get Connected

Learn More about the Benefits of ACS Membership
ACS is working to advance chemistry around the world, and is dedicated to supporting the global chemical science community, as well as collaborating with scientists and engineers worldwide through a broad range of activities and events. Find more information at Worldwide.ACS.org.

Network Your Way to IYC 2011
Join the IYC group within the ACS Network and share your plans and activities for this historic year. The ACS Network is a professional networking platform for the global chemistry community hosted by the American Chemical Society. Signing up is easy and quick. We look forward to seeing you there!