Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society (NESACS)
Candidates for 2011 Election as printed in the April 2011 issue of The Nucleus
Chair-Elect (vote for 1)
Jennifer Maclachan
Liming Shao
Chair-Elect Candidate Statements as printed in the May 2011 issue of The Nucleus
Jennifer Maclachlan
Education: B.S. Boston College
Professional Experience: HNU Systems, Inc./PID Analyzers, LLC 1994-present. I have worked for HNU PID Analyzers since 1994 beginning ininside sales and marketing, setting up and attending trade shows in the USA and Europe, developing advertising copy, direct mail pieces and worked with trade magazines. In May 2003, I became an owner and manager of PID Analyzers alongside my father and currently specialize in web-based marketing initiatives, direct mailings and social & digital media. I will be presenting a paper at Pittcon in Atlanta, GA next week titled: “Analysis of ppb levels of photochemical smog components in air with a portable analyzer.” Centerville Civic Association May 2009 to September 2011. Membership coordinator: responsibilities included maintaining a current member database, collecting member email addresses and transitioning from monthly paper mailings to a monthlyemail newsletter. Out of 400 members I was able to convert 150 members to
email. I am currently serving as a board member on the Centerville Civic
Association. Centerville Historical Museum May 2010-August 2010. PublicityCommittee. Based on my work at the Centerville Civic Association I was
asked to assist the Museum with their publicity plans. Through a series of meetings with members of the board I worked with them to create a marketing plan for the historical museum.
ACS Service: After joining the ACS in May of 2010 I joined the Sustainability Engagement Event (SEE) Action Group 7 in response to the call to action from the weekly ACS email newsletter “ACS Matters.” I was asked to facilitate this group and had the opportunity to attend my first National Meeting in Boston 2010 to make a presentation to the Committee on Public Relations and Communications (CPRC) on behalf of SEE Action
Group 7. I have currently accepted a position to serve as an Associate on CPRC for 2011 assigned to their Work Technology sub-committee and attended a training retreat in DC last month (February 2011). Next week I am presenting a poster at Pittcon inAtlanta, GA in the ACS Analytical Chemistry Division titled: “Leveraging social media to educate the public about sustainability practices”. I am looking forward to my first presentation in the ENVR Division at SCIMIX and General Posters at ACS Anaheim: “Selective GC Detectors and
their Role in Environmental Analysis” which is being considered for a Certificate of Merit Award. I am actively recruiting local Cape Cod educators to sign up for The Global Water Experiment: the world’s largest chemistry experiment- an official IYC activity. Currently I have five third grade teachers signed up and will be going into that local school at the end of April with my pH meters using a Chemists Celebrate Earth Day theme. I have several
Cape Cod Science Café kick-off event attendees that are interested in
the Global Water Experiment and participating in the Q4 event which will
be held at the end of National Chemistry Week using the theme: Healthy Kids. I have been invited by the ACS Office of Public Affairs to speak on the subject of Social Media at the Sparkle Conference (Public Relations Chair Training of the PR Chair from each of the local sections) April 30, 2011 at ACS Headquarters.
NESACS Service: During the Boston National Meeting I went to the International Year of Chemistry training event which inspired me to act as a Chemistry Ambassador in my own community of Cape Cod. I attended my first local section meeting
(NESACS) in order to prepare for my own National Chemistry Week event at
our local YMCA and to meet with the Chairs with whom I had discussed
applying for a mini-grant to host a Cape Cod Science Cafe as an official
International Year of Chemistry Kick- Off Event. The response to the marketing
effort to the general public,local science community including
educators and students (grades 9-12 and college level) and to the local section
members (NESACS) was so overwhelmingly positive that I have
decided to host and organize a Cape Cod Science Cafe for each Quarter of
IYC with the support of NESACS. The next event is scheduled for Friday
April 29, 2011 in accordance with the IYC Q2 theme: Energy featuring Dan
Nocera from MIT as the keynote speaker.
Statement: The ACS Office of Public Affairs recognizes the importance
of having an active Public Relations Chair in each of the 187 local
sections. In October 2010, 25 PR Chairs from local sections received the
Sparkle Communications Workshop training which addresses issues such as
how to get local press for your local section, how to speak with reporters
and how to participate in IYC activities in the local community. I will be representing
NESACS at the next Sparkle Training this April as a featured
speaker on the topic of social media. As an individual, I organized the
first Tweet-up at the Boston National Meeting last August and through the
use of the ACS Committee Facebook Pages and the Linked-In groups got the
attention of the Women Chemist Committee (WCC), the ACS Division of
Small Chemical Businesses, the ACS Network administrative team as well
as fellow ACS National Meeting attendees on Twitter using the official show hashtag who all attended my Tweet-up.
As a result of the ACS Boston Tweetup the WCC now has a liaison working
with the CPRC to learn how to utilize social media.
As chair-elect of NESACS I would like to adopt a social media plan which
would include an E-Newsletter which expands on the calendar information
contained on the back page of the Nucleus, Facebook, Twitter and ACS
Network presence. Additionally I would like to see more contribution
from the 300+ members of the NESACS Linked-In group. How can
this be done? By engaging our membership and finding out who is using
which social media vehicle and why.
Social media is highly individualized and extremely tailored to one’s own
experience. The feed of each person is
a function of how many active “contacts” one has. The average person
would only use one or two forms of social media based on their comfort
level for that particular medium.
Therefore it is essential to create a following on each social media platform;
the message will be the same but the audience on each is unique. I would
like to see more Chemistry outreach
within NESACS. We have a real opportunity in the International Year of Chemistry to promote and participate in the Global Chemistry Experiment; we can pair local high school students with local college students to complete the experiment. This could lead to mentoring
opportunities amongst these college and high-school students. We can offer
our own time and go into the grade schools and get these kids excited
about chemistry and taking part in an international event. I have been in contact
with all the attendees of the Cape Cod Science Café IYC kick-off event
and the majority of them are interested both in participating in the Global
Chemistry Experiment and in a National Chemistry Week outreach
project. I hope to gather together a team of volunteers who are willing to
act as Chemistry Ambassadors and/or mentors in their local communities
within the Northeastern Section and present their outreach experiences at
the IYC Q4 Cape Cod Science Café at the end of National Chemistry Week.
I am honored to be nominated as the Chair for NESACS. With my enthusiasm
for social media marketing, chemistry outreach, small business leadership experience and event planning skills partnered with the experiences and contacts of the NESACS
members I know that together we can succeed.
Liming Shao
Education: Ph.D. (Industrial Chemistry),
1993, The University of Tokyo,
Japan; M.A. (Industrial Chemistry),
1990, The University of Tokyo, Japan;
B.S. (Organic Chemistry), 1982, Fudan
University, China.
Professional Experience: Research Associate, WHO Collaborating Center
for Research in Human Reproduction (Shanghai, China, 1982-1987); Postdoctoral
fellowship, Chemistry Department, Harvard University, (1993-1996); Research Associate,
Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, Harvard University (1996-1998); Department Associate, Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, Harvard University (1998-present); Scientist, Sepracor Inc., (1998-2000); Senior Scientist,
Sepracor Inc., (2000-01), Associate Director, Sepracor Inc., (2001-2005),
Director (2005-2008), Senior Director, Sepracor Inc., (2008-2010); Senior
Director, Sunovion Pharmaceutical Inc., (2010-present).
ACS/NESACS Service: Chair of Medicinal Chemistry Group/NESACS
(2006-present), Alternate councilor, NESACS (2006-present), NESACS Government Relations Committee (2008-present).
Statement: NESACS is one of the largest and more influential sections of the American Chemical Society. NESACS has a long and rich history. The Section’s base covers many academic institutions and a broad range of chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech
companies. The diversity of the people and the organization make this chemistry
community quite dynamic and vibrant. 2011 is the International Year
of Chemistry (IYC 2011) to celebrate worldwide the achievements of chemistry
and its contributions to the well being of humankind under the unifying
theme “Chemistry—our life, our future.” It is a great honor to be a candidate
for Chair-Elect this year for the opportunity to help achieve NESACS’
and IYC’s goals of generating enthusiasm for the creative future of chemistry.
Since 2006, I had the honor of serving NESACS as a member of the
board of directors as well as the chair of the Medicinal Chemistry Group (MCG) of NESACS, where I organized a number of symposia that brought together academic and industrial
scientists for lively discussions on “Building bridges between the pharmaceutical
industry and academia,” “Outsourcing in Asia,” “Ion Channels drug
discovery” and “New approaches on depression.” The exchange of ideas and initiation of partnerships that these symposia encouraged and nurtured is at the core of the spirit I would bring to the office of Chair-Elect of NESACS. As Chair, I would like to expand the amount of cross-functional activity in NESACS between the different NESACS groups (MCG, YCC
(Younger Chemists Committee), Continuing Education, Government Relations and Chemical Education); for example, local medicinal chemists of the MCG could be encouraged to support
the Chemical Education group by making trips to local high schools foroutreach. As Chair, I would also help enhance international cooperation by supporting an expansion in the number
of “international” symposia, and exchange program that bring academic
and industrial scientists based in Europe and Asia to NESACS events to
share ideas and network. As Chair I would sponsor work-shops to help
local scientists with their career development. Finally, I would proactively
reach out to students and our local communities to increase the public
appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, to encourage interest in chemistry among young people and to increase membership and attendance at
NESACS events and meetings. The NESACS is a very active organization full of talented chemists that I’ve served for the last several years as chair of the MCG and I would like to continue that service as Chair-Elect. Thank you for your consideration and your support. I look forward to seeing you at local NESACS/IYC events in 2011.
Secretary (vote for 1)
Michael Singer
Trustee (vote for 1)
Michael Strem
John Neumeyer
Councilor/Alternate (Vote for 10)
Morton Hoffman
Doris Lewis
Michael Filosa
Christine Jaworek-Lopes
Larry Scott
Katherine Lee
Jennifer Larese
John Podobinski
Marietta Schwartz
Michaeline Chen
Raj Rajur
Sonja Strah-Pleynet
Andrew Scholte
Mary Burgess
Director-at-Large (vote for 2)
Ralph Scannell
John Burke
Jenny Li
Nominating Committee (vote for 2)
Michael Hewitt
Mindy Levine
Esselen Award Committee (vote for 2)
Steve Buchwald
Gurmit Grewal
Mukund Chorghade
Richards Medal (vote for 2)
Rosina Geoirgiadis
Sheila Hauck
Christopher Cummins
Petition candidates: “Any group comprising
2 percent or more of the members
of the Northeastern Section (136
members) may nominate candidates….”
See the NESACS
website
for details.
Join us tomorrow evening at the Cape Cod Science Cafe Q2 International Year of Chemistry celebration where we will have a live demonstration of the Global Water Experiment conducted by local area chemists. Click here for full event information and registration. 
We're preparing our materials for the experiment and we will record the data on the Global Water Experiment website after the event. The goal is to have Cape Cod Science Cafe attendees and local area science educators partake in the world's largest chemistry experiment as a National Chemistry Week focused outreach exercise. Ideally we will encourage local college chemistry majors within the Northeastern region of the American Chemical Society who attend the Cape Cod Science Cafes to mentor local high school students in their communities and get science educators to form teams to go into the K-12 schools in their neighborhoods. The Q4 celebration of the International Year of Chemistry will celebrate all the volunteers and attendees of the previous three Cape Cod Science Cafes featuring the local outreach experiences to school children in accordance with IYC Q4 theme: healthy kids. 
