Maclachlan is 2018 Chair of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Multidisciplinary Program Planning Group (MPPG)

American Chemical Society (ACS) Multidisciplinary Program Planning Group (MPPG)

Jennifer Maclachlan (from left) representing MPPG at The Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecture on August 21, 2017 in Washington, DC, together with  Prashant Jain, The Kavli Foundation Emerging Leader in Chemistry Lecturer, Allison Campbell, ACS 2017 President (Earlier in the week, Allison Campbell was involved in a bicycle accident),  Joanna Aizenberg, The Fred Kavli Innovations in Chemistry Lecturer; and Thomas Connelly, ACS Executive Director and CEO.Photo credit: Linda Wang/C&EN

I've just completed my Chair-Elect duties and have assumed the role of 2018 Chair of The ACS Multidisciplinary Program Planning Group (MPPG). Last week I updated my Linked-In profile to reflect the change and have been delighted to receive so much feedback from my connections about this exciting opportunity to work closely with ACS technical divisions and their representatives. "MPPG identifies and selects national meeting themes to promote collaborative, multidisciplinary, Society-wide programming for ACS National meetings.  This multidisciplinary programming reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the modern scientific enterprise, breaks down barriers to collaboration, and provides opportunities for outreach to nascent and existing communities of scientists who are practicing chemistry.

MPPG has representatives from nearly all technical divisions, as well as representatives from programming committees".  

MPPG has two subcommittees: 

• Thematic Programming Subcommittee
• Communications & Outreach Subcommittee

What's new with MPPG? In the coming weeks, MPPG representatives will have an opportunity to choose which subcommittee they would like to serve on. Additionally, the structure of the in-person meetings at the ACS National Meetings will change to reflect the needs and time concerns of this group including participating theme leaders.To represent the broad interests of the society, it is critical that we have a participatory members from each of the technical divisions at our meetings, even if the designated representative or alternate cannot attend.

As part of my MPPG Chair duties, I am responsible for sourcing themes and theme leaders for the 2021 spring and fall ACS meetings. Note that it is possible to partner as theme leaders. The 2021 meeting dates are:

• 261st ACS National Meeting & Exposition
  March 21 - 25, 2021
  San Antonio, Texas
• 262nd ACS National Meeting & Exposition
  August 22-26, 2021
  Atlanta, Georgia

Current themes and theme leaders are as follows:

Date/Location/ThemeOrganizer(s)

Spring 2018, New Orleans, Nexus of Food, Energy and Water, Jerry Schnoor

Fall 2018, Boston, Nanoscience, Nanotechnology and Beyond, Paul Weiss

Spring 2019, Orlando, Chemistry for New Frontiers, Michael Meador and Luke Roberson

Fall 2019, San Diego, Chemistry of Water, Chris Avery and Elise Fox

Spring 2020, Philadelphia, Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century, Timothy Lodge and
Kris Matyjaszewski

Fall 2020, San Francisco, Chemistry from Bench to Market, Judy Giordan

Please contact me with theme ideas and/or theme leader candidates.