From the Editor
From the Editor
 |
If what IUPAC does, or tries to do, is of interest to you, or if you ever ask yourself “How does IUPAC achieve consensus on a particular issue?” please take note: The call for nominations for the 2014–2015 elections has been issued, with a deadline of 31 July 2012.
The opportunity to present yourself as a candidate for a specific committee only comes about once every two years. So, you might ask “What is the role of a member on a so-called division, commission, or committee?” The Statutes of IUPAC say that: “The scientific work of the Union shall be undertaken by the Divisions . . . which shall represent within the Union the branches of chemistry . . . .” Practically, each committee is somewhat different, but members can expect to assist with strategy development, help formulate and solicit new projects, identify task groups, evaluate new proposals, and review and disseminate project outcomes. All these tasks, and more, are shared by committee members. Members also monitor current trends and emerging needs in chemistry, providing valuable feedback to the Union. Now, the best way to find out for yourself is simply to ask a member what he/she does and how well that fits with his/her career.
Becoming a member of IUPAC means that you become part of an international community. As a member, you have the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with the national organization that represents your country within IUPAC, called National Adhering Organizations (NAOs). Because of IUPAC’s international nature, national diversity among and within IUPAC committees is a key ingredient for success. Your participation in IUPAC committees can strengthen your NAO; likewise, active NAOs strengthen IUPAC. In addition, as a committee member you might have the opportunity to become a representative for the NAO for your country.
In the May 2011 Officer’s Column, 1 former Secretary General David StC. Black wrote about how the Union needs members who can proactively contribute ideas and help IUPAC fulfill its global goals. This is a recurring challenge and each biennium, the elections provide an opportunity to engage new members in sharing their views. So, at this time, let the title of Black’s column resonate loud and clear: “Go Forth and Nominate!”
Fabienne Meyers
1. www.iupac.org/publications/ci/2011/3303/oc.html
Cover: Chemistry’s future takes center stage at the IYC closing ceremony in Brussels on 1 December 2011. The International Year of Chemistry Young Leaders Team presents its vision of chemistry and how it will help shape the world in 2050—see feature on page 4. Photo by Vivian Hertz. For more, see www.chemistry2011.org/about-iyc/news/Chemistrysfuture.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Masthead
- From the Editor
- Contents
- For IUPAC, It’s Now or Never
- A Vision of Chemistry for 2050: The International Year of Chemistry Young Leaders Team
- Supporting Innovation in Chemistry
- Water: A Chemical Solution
- Klavs F. Jensen Wins First IUPAC-ThalesNano Prize in Flow Chemistry
- Third Polymer International-IUPAC Prize Awarded to Ali Khademhosseini
- Stephen Hanessian to Receive 2012 IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry
- IUPAC Elections for the 2014–2015 Term
- Metrology for Safety
- In Memoriam–Professor Herbert D. Kaesz
- Regional Water Quality Assessment and Regional Cooperation in the Middle East
- Provisional Recommendations
- Liquid Intrusion and Alternative Methods for the Characterization of Macroporous Materials (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Properties and Units in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Part XXIII. The NPU Terminology, Principles, and Implementation: A User’s Guide (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Remote Sensing in Coastal Water Monitoring: Applications in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Terminology for Biorelated Polymers and Applications (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)
- The 2012 International Vocabulary of Metrology: ‘‘VIM’’
- On the Various Nomenclature Systems
- Recent Advances in Natural Products Chemistry
- Physico-Chemical Methods in Drug Discovery and Development
- Contemporary Chemistry for Sustainability and Economic Sufficiency
- High Temperature Materials Chemistry
- Inspiring Youth in Chemistry – An Exhibit
- The Periodic Table
- Internal Quality Control
- Philosophy of Chemistry
- Mark Your Calendar
- 2011: A Stamp Odyssey
Articles in the same Issue
- Masthead
- From the Editor
- Contents
- For IUPAC, It’s Now or Never
- A Vision of Chemistry for 2050: The International Year of Chemistry Young Leaders Team
- Supporting Innovation in Chemistry
- Water: A Chemical Solution
- Klavs F. Jensen Wins First IUPAC-ThalesNano Prize in Flow Chemistry
- Third Polymer International-IUPAC Prize Awarded to Ali Khademhosseini
- Stephen Hanessian to Receive 2012 IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry
- IUPAC Elections for the 2014–2015 Term
- Metrology for Safety
- In Memoriam–Professor Herbert D. Kaesz
- Regional Water Quality Assessment and Regional Cooperation in the Middle East
- Provisional Recommendations
- Liquid Intrusion and Alternative Methods for the Characterization of Macroporous Materials (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Properties and Units in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Part XXIII. The NPU Terminology, Principles, and Implementation: A User’s Guide (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Remote Sensing in Coastal Water Monitoring: Applications in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (IUPAC Technical Report)
- Terminology for Biorelated Polymers and Applications (IUPAC Recommendations 2012)
- The 2012 International Vocabulary of Metrology: ‘‘VIM’’
- On the Various Nomenclature Systems
- Recent Advances in Natural Products Chemistry
- Physico-Chemical Methods in Drug Discovery and Development
- Contemporary Chemistry for Sustainability and Economic Sufficiency
- High Temperature Materials Chemistry
- Inspiring Youth in Chemistry – An Exhibit
- The Periodic Table
- Internal Quality Control
- Philosophy of Chemistry
- Mark Your Calendar
- 2011: A Stamp Odyssey
