Refocus on Contacts

One of the most gratifying responsibilities that IUPAC officers have is to represent the Union at meetings, conferences and celebrations around the world. Since 2013, I have had the privilege to take part in events in Taiwan, China, Kuwait, Colombia, Peru, New Zealand, and the USA. I have spoken about IUPAC at these events and talked with leaders of National Adhering Organizations (NAOs), prospective NAOs, and national chemical societies, as well as with working chemists, students, and other professionals. In all of these visits, the people I have met have expressed their concerns and needs, and I have listened for ways that IUPAC could meet those needs and enhance its contributions. Everyone’s enthusiasm for both chemistry and IUPAC has been very impressive.

Some of these visits have been at meetings of Associated Organizations and at other scientific events at which IUPAC’s presence has value. In September, 2014, I represented IUPAC at the General Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU), of which IUPAC is a member. As ICSU Secretary General and past IUPAC Secretary General David Black wrote in a recent article for Chemistry International [May-June 2014, pp. 2-4], ICSU members include over thirty international scientific unions (natural and social sciences), over one hundred national governmental organizations, and many affiliated non-governmental organizations. ICSU’s web site describes its mission “to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.” To do this ICSU focuses its activities on international research collaboration, the universality of science, and science for policy. Although IUPAC is the only scientific union in ICSU specifically representing chemistry, several other unions focus on aspects of chemistry, and every current ICSU activity relies on chemistry to achieve its goals. In addition, many chemists were “embedded” in their national delegations and in our many scientific unions. Chemists, including past IUPAC Presidents Nicole Moreau, Leiv Sydnes, and Kazuyuki Tatsumi, as well as David Black, hold positions of leadership throughout ICSU. As IUPAC seeks to expand its capabilities to supply objective scientific data to inform rational public policy, collaboration with ICSU can be important in developing the relationships that will lead to success.

In 2013, I represented IUPAC at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in the USA at a celebration of the discovery and naming of livermorium, element 116. As it happened, the mayor of the city of Livermore was a chemist! He was delighted that his city and the Laboratory were being honored with the name of the newly discovered element. His excitement was shared by everyone at the event, at which IUPAC received special recognition and thanks.

I have also had the privilege over the past several months to speak about IUPAC and meet with chemists and students at events organized by the Chemical Society located in Taipei, the Chinese Chemical Society, the Chemical Society of Kuwait, the Sociedad Colombiana de Ciencias Químicas, and at the biennial Congress of the Federación Latinoamericana de Asociaciones Químicas. All of these events were showcases of national and regional scientific excellence. The pride of each organization in being part of IUPAC was prominent at every event. In particular, at COLACRO XV, a conference on chromatography coordinated by members of the Sociedad Colombiana de Ciencias Químicas in Cartagena, Colombia, posters celebrating their new provisional NAO status were seen throughout the venue.

IUPAC’s value to its NAOs takes many forms, and perceptions of IUPAC differ around the world. However, chemists everywhere hold IUPAC in exceptionally high regard and want to participate in IUPAC’s activities. They see value in being better connected to the world chemistry community, they look forward to hosting IUPAC conferences, and they want their students to be exposed to the world of chemistry early in their careers. It was exceptionally gratifying to witness first-hand the enthusiasm of the many students that participated actively in each of these events. Many young people want to become chemists. They are proud of the capabilities of the people where they live, and they see the value of chemistry as a means of improving people’s lives. IUPAC’s presence at these conferences strongly reinforced the importance of the contributions of chemists everywhere to meet the world’s needs.

As volunteers in IUPAC, we are all ambassadors for the organization. We all have opportunities to represent the Union when we take part in scientific conferences, make presentations, or hold exhibitions for students and the public. We should take the opportunity to speak about IUPAC when we attend scientific conferences or other similar gatherings. When we speak about IUPAC’s structure and functions, we can cite projects, publications, and programs through which IUPAC has contributed in areas of interest to the audience. This helps to illustrate the relevance of our work to real-world issues and can spark productive discussions about new projects, programs, and collaborations. The IUPAC web site has a comprehensive list of all the projects currently under way, arranged by Division, by Committee, and in other ways. This resource can be used to construct presentations focused on the theme of the scientific meeting. For example, at a meeting whose theme is Sustainable Chemistry, many IUPAC projects across all of the Divisions and Standing Committees can be mentioned to highlight IUPAC’s important work in the field.

When we speak about IUPAC, we can also encourage suggestions and look for ways to better serve our constituencies, involve new people in projects, and improve and enhance IUPAC’s contributions. The outcomes of such interactions can be part of productive discussions at Division and Standing Committee meetings.

It is also important to acknowledge and thank our many volunteers that are members of project task groups and IUPAC governance bodies. Task group members span every NAO in the Union, and even some countries that have not yet joined.

Finally, thanks to all of you for your contributions to the work of IUPAC in 2014. Let’s look forward to an exciting and productive 2015!

Mark Cesa <mcesa@iupac.org> is president of IUPAC since January 2014. Previously he served as vice president in 2012-2013 and on the Committee on Chemistry and Industry as secretary (2000–2003), vice chair (2004–2005), and chair (2006–2009). Cesa is a process chemistry consultant with INEOS Nitriles in Naperville, Illinois, USA.