Committee on Professional and Member Relations (P&MR)
The Committee on Professional and Member Relations (PMR) is a Standing Committee of the ACS Board of Directors. Its focus is members’ need, interest, and stature. In response to its charter, PMR enhances communication between ACS members and the Board by seeking to understand members' wishes and by proposing responses to them.
The Committee establishes its Strategic Plan and foci in consonance with the ACS Strategic Plan. PMR uses many sources to learn and respond to member wishes, including the ACS Strategic Plan, surveys, the resources of the Membership Department, meetings with Committee Chairs, and review of Board, Council, Committee, and other actions and documents. PMR establishes its annual foci in response to these sources.
What’s New
Kent Voorhees’ in C&EN
The ACS Strategic Plan for 2008 and Beyond features six strategic goals. To further elaborate on the goals, and to connect the goals to related ongoing activities and future plans, a series of commentaries appeared in C&EN.
Kent Voorhees, the chair of P&MR, was asked to comment on Goal 1: “ACS will be the indispensable professional and information resource for members and other chemistry-related practitioners.”
Dr. Voorhees’ comment, which focuses on chemists’ fundamental need for information – and how ACS plans to meet these evolving needs – appeared in the March 10, 2008 issue of C&EN.
Diversity Partner Program
P&MR has recently launched a new diversity program. Furthering the interest and advancement of all students and professionals in chemical science is fundamental to scientific and societal progress. To that end, the ACS Diversity Partner Program is designed to broaden participation in the chemical sciences nationwide among diverse and traditionally underrepresented groups. In this pilot effort, four “Diversity Partners” will serve as ACS liaisons to the African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian communities. A new webpage will be available in September with more information about this program.
Contact
If you have any questions or comments about the work of the Committee on Professional & Member Relations, please feel free to contact the Committee's staff liaison, Denise Creech, at 202-872-4414 or Dr. Kent Voorhees, Committee Chair.