Career Services Committee
Jim Murray (Chair)
Andreea Argintaru
Catherine Bentzley
Benjamin E Blass
Kevin C. Cannon
Michael Castaldi
Steve Fleming
Linda Gerz
Sharon Haynie
Joe Martino
Michael McLoughlin
Dennis Murphy

Our mission is to: proactively assist section members with their careers in a way that facilitates intramember relationship building, develops personal growth, and assists in career establishment, maintenance and growth so that members can successfully manage their own satisfying and fulfilling careers. We are an active committee of volunteers who meet monthly to plan career workshops and consulting events in the Philadelphia area. Contact acsphillycareerservices@gmail.com for information about the next ACS Philadelphia Section Career Services Committee event.

Program Planning Committee
Christine McInnis (Chair)
Gangotri Dey
Matthew Irwin
Taylor Keller
Ziang Li
Candice Pelligra

The Program Planning Committee develops, organizes, and hosts our monthly Section meetings. This process starts well in advance of the event so that an appropriate budget can be drafted and submitted in the fall of the year before the event. The Program Planning Committee is newly revived and will be chaired by me this year. Please reach out if you are interested in joining us. (PhilaACS@gmail.com) I hope that you will join us for at least some of the events we have planned for you this year.

Academic Relations Committee
Melissa Cichowicz (chair)
Amy Brown
David Salas de la Cruz

Teller’s Committee
Jason Cross (Chair)

Education & Outreach Committee
Tom Umile (Chair)

Project Coordinators:
Herb Bassow Memorial Chemistry Demonstrations
Jaskiran Kaur – Co-coordinator
Daniele Ramella – Co-coordinator

National Chemistry Olympiad
Laura Grande – Co-coordinator
Craig P. McClure – Co-coordinator

Scholastic Achievement Awards
Mike Vogel – Coordinator

The National Chemistry Week Illustrated Poem Contest, CHEMAGINATION competition, Chemists Celebrate Earth Week competition, and Philadelphia Science Festival do not currently have specific, designated coordinators. Until those positions are filled, Tom Umile has assumed the duties of coordinator.

Purpose: The Education & Outreach Committee organizes and executes events that engage the community with chemistry-themed demonstrations, celebrations, and activities. Events involve K-12 students, college and university students, and the larger community in the southeastern Pennsylvania region. At present, seven such events are conducted annually: a National Chemistry Week Illustrated Poetry Contest, the Herb Bassow Memorial Chemistry Demonstrations, local testing for the National Chemistry Olympiad, the CHEMAGINATION article contest, a Chemists Celebrate Earth Week Illustrated Poetry contest, hosting a table at the Philadelphia Science Carnival, and the ACS Scholastic Achievement Awards for local college and university students.

Structure: The Education & Outreach Committee ideally has seven Project Coordinators, each who operate one of our annual events. (In the absence of a coordinator, the committee chair assumes the duties for that event.) The coordinators operate relatively autonomously, with the support of the Committee Chair. The Committee Chair submits an annual budget to the Philly ACS Board based on the coordinators’ anticipated costs; regularly communicates with, supports, and advises the project coordinators to ensure their success; communicates coordinator needs to the Board (and vice-versa); and supports the advertisement of committee activities in publications such as the Catalyst.

Senior Chemists Committee
Michael Castaldi (Chair)