Slide 1 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the American Chemical Society

Lorrin R. Garson Robert L. Swann

August 21, 2000

Slide 2 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Organization of ACS Publications Division

Publishing Operations. Special Publications. Chemical & Engineering News. New Product Development. Information Technology. Sales & Marketing. Business Operations and Publishing

Services.

Slide 3 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Publishing Operations

Journal Publications—Columbus Editorial Office (~80 staff).

– Technical editing.

– Processing softcopy manuscripts.

– Almost almost all chemists.

Composition Services (~50 staff).

Slide 4 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Special Publications

Analytical Chemistry, and ES&T. LabGuide and Chemcyclopedia. Chemical Innovation. Today’s Chemist at Work and

Modern Drug Discovery. 29 staff, 90% chemists, mostly

Ph.D.s. Writing, editing, managing.

Slide 5 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Chemical & Engineering News

Writers in science, government and business.

Production editors.

44 staff, all but 10 have at least B.S. in chemistry. 10 Ph.D.s

Slide 6 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

New Product Development

Evaluate potential for new products for editorial and business success.

Understanding of chemistry essential.

Understanding of business and scientific publishing essential.

9 staff, some Ph.D.s in chemistry.

Slide 7 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology within the ACS

Society Programs and Administration (IT/SP&A).

Publications Division (IT/Pubs)

Chemical Abstracts Service Division (RIN* Research Information Systems and New Product Development)

Slide 8 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information TechnologyChemical Abstracts Service

Research. Information Systems. New Product Development. About 300 staff, some PhD chemists.

Most have bachelor degrees in computer science, math, or chemistry. Wide variety of other degrees e.g. physics, economics, music, philosophy, medicine, statistics, etc.

Slide 9 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Chemical Abstracts Service: Purpose & Function

To provide computer systems, software, & support for internal CAS operations and for products and services delivered to customers worldwide.

Slide 10 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Chemical Abstracts Service: Examples of past projects

Database Building Automation.

Web-based products.

Network architecture.

Database content enhancements.

Slide 11 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Chemical Abstracts Service: Examples of current projects

Customer information systems.

Automation of operations.

Product Enhancements.

Slide 12 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Publications Division

Systems Support.

Research & Development.

40 staff, some Ph.D.s in chemistry and physics. Most staff with degrees in computer science or electrical engineering.

Knowledge of chemistry very useful in R&D.

Slide 13 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Publications Division: Purpose & Function

To provide computer support for the Division’s operations and collaborate in the development of new products and services.

Slide 14 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Publications Division: Examples of past projects Development of Web journals.

– Digitization of Supporting Information.

– Linking references including to secondary services, (CAS, NLM, etc.).

Creation of databases.– Chemcyclopedia.

– LabGuide.

Slide 15 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Information Technology Publications Division: Examples of current projects

Creation of archival journal file.

Peer Review System (WebPR+).

Re-engineering of journal production system.

Enhancement of Web journals in collaboration with CAS.

Slide 16 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

No. of Abstracts of Papers in Chemical

Abstracts

1907-1916

1917-1926

1927-1936

1937-1946

1947-1956

1957-1966

1967-1976

1977-1986

1987-1996

100,000

600,000

1,100,000

1,600,000

2,100,000

2,600,000

3,100,000

3,600,000

4,100,000

4,600,000

1907-1916

1917-1926

1927-1936

1937-1946

1947-1956

1957-1966

1967-1976

1977-1986

1987-1996

No. of Paper Abstracts

Slide 17 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

No. of Abstracts of Papers in Chemical

Abstracts

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

550,000

600,000

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

No. of Paper Abstracts

Slide 18 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Growth in ACS Journal PublishingGrowth in ACS Journal Publishing

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

22000

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 199840000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

pages/yeararticles/year

articles/year

pages/year

Slide 19 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Comments on Chemical Education

Chemistry is a core science and has broad application in numerous areas of business, education and a variety of services.

Scientific education tends to be narrowly focused, especially graduate programs.

A scientific education generally does not include training in business or economics.

Scientific training sometimes generates a level of hubris which can be detrimental.

Slide 20 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Director of RIN*/CAS (1995 - present). Vice President, Information Systems,

Sterling Winthrop ( 1992 - 1995). Global Director of IT, DowElanco

Information Systems. Director of IT, Dow Chemical Company. BS degree Chemistry & Mathematics,

MS degree Physical & Analytical Chemistry.

Personal Information: Bob Swann

* Research, I/S and New Product Development

Slide 21 of 21Nontraditional Careers in Chemistry at the ACS

Director of IT/Publications Division.

Associate Professor, University of Tennessee Medical Units (1967-74).

Medicinal Chemist, Riker Laboratories.

BA, MS, Ph.D. in chemistry.

Farm boy.

Personal Information: Lorrin Garson