Category: Press Release
2010 Pruitt Award Winner: H. Scott Fogler, University of Michigan
2010 Success in Research Collaboration Award for the project “Poly(cyclohexylethylene)-based Block Copolymer Materials”
Stephen F. Hahn & Dennis A. Hucul, The Dow Chemical Company
Frank S. Bates, University of Minnesota
Glenn H. Fredrickson & Edward J. Kramer, University of California at Santa Barbara
2010 Diversity Award Winner: Marion Thurnauer, Argonne National Laboratory
The Chemical Industry has recently joined the long list of US industries with a negative trade balance, and investments in chemical science R&D are following the migration of manufacturing to overseas. Chemical sciences are core competences for most industries and are vital for US efforts to improve its competitiveness and energy security. President Obama has proposed to increase US R&D investments from the current 2.6% to 3% of the GDP, but how can this be accomplished, and is it enough to reverse the tide?
The Council for Chemical Research (CCR) organized a CTO Roundtable to bring together science and technology leaders from industry, universities and the federal government to discuss the Future of the US Chemical Enterprise: How can US Policy Enhance Chemical Science Innovation? The Roundtable participants discussed some of the most important questions for the nation, including:
The U.S. News & World Report just published an article entitled, "Obama's Budget Gives a Boost to Science," which discusses the President's budget plans to expand funding to government science agencies. The Obama Administration believes that funding research and science will lead to job growth and technological breakthroughs in areas like clean energy. The article cites a study by the Council for Chemical Research on the positive economic benefits resulting from investment in science research and development. Read the full article.
The Council for Chemical Research (CCR) has selected C. Paul Mendez to be its new Executive Director. Mendez will work closely with CCR's President, Dr. Hratch Semerjian, to advance US chemical R&D, especially in the areas of collaboration, education, and science policy.
"Research in chemistry and chemical engineering is vital to the nation's future, and Paul Mendez's energy and talent will enable CCR to play an even greater role in shaping that future,” says Professor Gregory S. Girolami, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Chair of the CCR Governing Board.
Mendez brings 28 years of association management experience to CCR. Most recently, he was the Executive Director of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals. He is a graduate of the College of William & Mary at Virginia and resides in Maryland.
