January, 2008

I am honored to represent you as the 2008 American Chemical Society – North Jersey Section Chair. With the outstanding leadership of those that came before me, our Section has become the most productive and engaged local group in the country with a reported membership of nearly 7000. In fact, the NJ-ACS was recently presented a ChemLuminary Award for its performance by the National Society. On behalf of all of our members, I would like to thank Diane Krone, our past Chair, for her excellent management throughout 2007. I would also like to acknowledge the numerous other volunteers – from Executive Committee Members to Topical Group Leaders – throughout the Section for their dedication and continued involvement.

Over the past several years, I have been fortunate to observe, interact with, and get to personally know many of these individuals and numerous others who have dedicated their time and efforts to the betterment of the field and to the mission of extending and enhancing the human condition through science. My appreciation of the various disciplines and diversity of interests that our Section embodies stems from the opportunities which I have been given through my employment in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as my involvement in the American Chemical Society. These experiences have allowed me to see the very best that our Section has to offer. The commitment that the NJ-ACS has to the advancement of chemistry and the promotion of chemical research through the organization’s devotion to its members is a deserving goal and one that is paramount for the overall development of the chemical industry and general chemical education in the area. I continue to be humbled by the efforts of the dozens of core volunteers in our Section that tirelessly and passionately provide opportunities to the overall Section membership in the form of career events, technical meetings, symposia, networking avenues, and awards.

As Chair of the NJ-ACS, my goal is to provide leadership and support for future growth, the advancement of new ideas, and to continue to bring the national spotlight on the activities of the Section. I believe that the success of the field is dependent on capturing the imagination of today’s youth and thus attracting bright individuals to the sciences. It is therefore important to continue to promote and expand programs such as Project SEED and National Chemistry Week (NCW), as well create new innovative ways to build alignment throughout the various Topical Groups and seek new avenues of communication with and support from the local pharmaceutical companies and academic universities within the New Jersey area. I hope to continue to leverage the media to highlight the outstanding efforts of our members, thereby drawing attention to the lifesaving work and intellectual pursuit that our combined disciplines are involved in at all levels of our Section. We are truly at a crossroads within our field and through the hard work of our volunteers and partnership with our state and national legislatures we can impact the future development of the chemical community.

The year ahead promises to be an exciting one for our Section. In the Spring of 2008, we will be part of the “Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting” (MARM), while in the Fall, our Section will once again organize and execute the “Chemistry as a Life Symposium,” as well as bestow the second “Award for Creativity in Molecular Design and Synthesis.” Many on the Executive Committee, together with various Topical Groups, are planning a multidisciplinary “Section Meeting.” This will be a collaborative effort that hopes to combine our disciplines in a singular conference centered on innovation in the pharmaceutical sciences. I would encourage each of you to get involved at some level in the local section, and participate in the excellent programs that the numerous Topical Groups organize each year. These subsections vary in scope as they strive to fit each of our specific interests – from Organic Chemistry to Chromatography, from Drug Metabolism to Polymer Sciences, from Minority Affairs to Small Chemical Business. There is something for everyone.

I look forward to working for and with all of you throughout 2008.

Michael Miller
2008 Chair
ACS-North Jersey Section