Our Mission
In collaboration with the ACS External Affairs and Communications Office we advocate for :
- Innovation through Research and Technology
- Science Education and Workforce
- Sustainability and the Environment
- Science in Public Policy
Volunteer Opportunities
Committee Membership is open to all those members of the Northeastern Section who wish to participate in the section’s government policy related activities: congressional visits, participation in the Act4Chemistry network, local town halls, or other policy-related activities. Interested members may contact the Committee Chair, and are encouraged to become familiar with ACS policy positions and advocacy tools. www.acs.org/content/acs/en/policy.html
Who We Are
ACS Members John Podobinski, Doris Lewis (left), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA-07, center), Catherine Rawlins, Matthew Jacobsen (right)
Credit: Doris Lewis
Act4Chemistry Legislative Action Network
What is Act4Chemistry?
- ACS’ legislative network with 15,000+ members.
- Suite of tools and programs that provides support to individual members, local sections, state committees, and other groups.
- An easy way to advocate for chemistry and takes only minutes to join!
Link: https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/policy/memberadvocacy/aboutact4chemistry.html
ACS Public Policy Fellowships
ACS has two types of Public Policy Fellowship programs: the Science Policy Fellowship and the Congressional Fellowship. Please see Fellowship Programs for more information.
Meeting with US House Rep. Auchincloss
On June 17 a group of students from Harvard, their professor, and a high school student, led by Dr. Doris Lewis, chair of the NESACS Government Relations Committee, met with 4th District Rep. Jake Auchincloss and his staff to discuss bills to be included in the USICA/COMPETES Act. After sharing their unique paths into the world of chemistry, they presented bills H. R. 476, Innovation Centers Acceleration Act; H. R. 204, STEM Opportunities Act; H.R. 74, Protecting Local Communities from Harmful Algal Blooms Act; H.R. 2307, Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act; and H.R. 1512, Climate Leadership & Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act.
These bills addressed a range of issues: inclusion in the sciences for women, minorities, and immigrants; STEM funding for bright young scientists from under-resourced regions; prevention of natural disasters caused by toxic algae blooms; and awareness about supply chains for helium. During the meeting, we discussed the growth of medicinal chemistry, academia, and international collaboration, in conjunction with policymaking and ACS’s interests. As a representative for one of the biggest scientific communities in the nation, Rep. Auchincloss shared his experiences working with Congress on these and similar bills and how language from these bills could be included in larger legislative packages, offering to take closer looks at some of the bills we mentioned. Overall, the experience allowed the young scientists to share their experiences, build stronger connections with our representatives, and strengthen the bridges between scientists and lawmakers.
Participating in the meeting were Tessa Haining, Harvard senior and undergraduate researcher at Dana Farber; Brammy Rajakumar, Harvard senior and research assistant; and Dr. Heidi Vollmer-Snarr, Director of Advanced Undergraduate Laboratories and Senior Preceptor on Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Zach Snarr is a student at Concord-Carlisle High School. Dr. Vollmer-Snarr is a member of the ACS Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs and has a leadership role in involving research students in public policy.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Dr. Heidi Vollmer-Snarr, Zach Snarr, Brammy Rajakumar, Tessa Haining, Dr. Doris Lewi
