About Us

The American Chemical Society is a self-governed individual membership organization that consists of more than 158,000 members at all degree levels and in all fields of chemistry. The organization provides a broad range of opportunities for peer interaction and career development, regardless of professional or scientific interests. The programs and activities conducted by ACS today are the products of a tradition of excellence in meeting member needs that dates from the Society's founding in 1876. The southern Arizona ACS section has about 425  active members as of August 2022 in Pima, Pinal, Graham, and Cochise counties.

Section Purpose
· To provide opportunities for members in personal and professional growth and networking while being part of a large organization.
· To promote chemistry, and its role in society, to the local community and its leaders.
· To promote the National ACS resources and activities.

Audiences
There are three primary audiences (letter code indicates primary goals/activities for each audience):
Section Members - representing a variety of interests and experiences - M 
Education - teachers/faculty, students - elementary/middle/high school/college - E
Public - all ages and interests - P

Goals and Activities
The goals, and activities under each goal, should be considered part of a dynamic list and are used as examples. While the activities are likely to vary over the next 3-5 years, it is likely the six goals would be relatively constant. This list of primary activities provides a framework for program planning, and offers ideas for possible future programs, but does not prescribe everything in detail. The code letters define primary audiences for each goal. 

Create Professional Readiness for Section Membership - M

Career information and support (mentoring, basic information, sharing member wisdom, interview skills, résumé skills), UA Chemistry club financial support, Section member’s speaker’s bureau for college classes.

Provide Learning Opportunities for Section Membership - M

Local tours, speakers from ACS and locally, formal or technical discussion opportunities, workshops and short courses, newsletter and web content, recognition/awards, panel discussions, special interest groups such as seniors/women chemists, networking opportunities at all events.

Support K-12 Education - E

Science Olympiad, web information for teachers and students, teacher awards, short courses for teachers for professional development credits, make use of SAMEC (Science and Math Education Center) newsletter, chemistry related explanations or vignettes for class, Section member speaker’s bureau. Focus on both teachers and students. 

Build Collaborative Relationships – M, P

Joint meetings, work with other organizations to inform them and their audiences about our activities, learn about their activities, cosponsor events, share information, and coordinate community activities and Section member interests. 

Perform Community Outreach – P, E, M

National Chemistry Week, Earth Day, Science Café, meetings focus on chemistry in society, girl/boy scout achievement programs, and special programs for new audiences and news media. Combine discussions of historical “how chemistry works” with recent innovations or approaches and new materials that use chemistry. Discuss how chemistry addresses national problems (e.g., global climate change, hazardous materials, food or water quality, nano-materials, living organisms, energy efficiency and green chemistry). General Section member involvement in community projects such as “adopt a family” (or school, or roadway). Section member’s speaker’s bureau.

Continually Improve the Section – P, E, M

Increase volunteer involvement and provide mentorship for volunteers, provide awards and recognition, assess efforts and member interests annually, provide variety of activity options, survey Section members or specific audiences as needed, be willing and flexible at trying new things, plan sufficiently in advance for successful activities using SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-based - see Section Operating Guidelines for further description). Maintain a web site that serves as a chemistry-related portal to provide relevant information to our varied audiences.

Operational Guidelines and Long Range Plans

Southern Arizona section long range plan (January 2023) - NEW! 
Southern Arizona section operational guidelines
Southern Arizona section bylaws (January 2019)

Annual Reports (SAZACS)

2022 Southern Arizona Local Section Annual Report
2021 Southern Arizona Local Section Annual Report
2020 Southern Arizona Local Section Annual Report
2019 Southern Arizona Local Section Annual Report
2018 Southern Arizona Local Section Annual Report

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Respect

The Southern Arizona Locations Section of the American Chemical Society supports advancing ACS' core value of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Respect. We believe in the strength of diversity in all of its forms, because inclusion and respect for diverse people, experiences, and ideas lead to superior solutions to worlds challenges and advances chemistry as a global, multidisciplinary science.

SAZACS Land Acknowledgement Statement

WE RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE Southern Arizona Section, ACS IS ON THE LAND AND TERRITORIES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. TODAY, ARIZONA IS HOME TO 22 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES, WITH Southern Arizona BEING HOME TO THE Tohono O’ODHAM, Pasqua YAQUI, Ak Chin and apache. COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, THE section STRIVES TO BUILD SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOVEREIGN NATIVE NATIONS AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION OFFERINGS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. 

About the American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the world’s largest scientific society and one of the world’s leading sources of authoritative scientific information. A nonprofit organization, chartered by Congress, ACS is at the forefront of the evolving worldwide chemical enterprise and the premier professional home for chemists, chemical engineers and related professions around the globe.
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