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Division of Chemistry Newsletter No. 6
February, 2005
UPDATE TO THE COMMITTEE OF VISITORS (COV) REPORT
NSF policy now requires annual updates on how the Division of
Chemistry has responded to the recommendations in its most recent
Committee of Visitors (COV) report. The report and initial response
(2004) may be found at http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/cov/covs.jsp#mps.
The January 2005 update can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/mps/advisory/responses_cov/che-actions-01-31-05-04-COV-report.pdf.
The Division welcomes additional feedback from its community, which
may be sent to chemplans@nsf.gov.
RECEPTION AND TOWN MEETING AT THE ACS NATIONAL MEETING IN SAN DIEGO
We invite you to meet and speak with NSF staff members and Mathematical
and Physical Sciences Advisory Committee (MPSAC) members at a reception
and town meeting to be held at the upcoming ACS National Meeting
in San Diego. On Monday, March 14, 2005, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
at the San Diego Convention Center, Room 30 D/E, the following
NSF staff members and MPSAC members will be available to meet with
you informally: Shenda Baker, Don Burland, Ron Christensen, Luis
Echegoyen, Art Ellis, Rich Foust, Joan Frye, Jean Futrell, Mostafa
El-Sayed, Janice Hicks, Susan Hixson, George Janini, Raima Larter,
Carl Lineberger, Lee Magid, Ty Mitchell, Kathy Parson, George Rubottom,
and Frank Wodarczyk.
A town meeting will be held from noon until 1:00 p.m. as part of
the reception. This is an excellent opportunity to share information
and perspectives on developments in the chemistry community and
at NSF.
As part of the event, a continuous slide show of research “nuggets” provided
by our principal investigators will be presented. Our website now
includes nuggets submitted by principal investigators: http://www.nsf.gov/mps/che/nuggets/nuggets.jsp.
We will also preview an upcoming national on-line poster session
of undergraduate research supported through the Division’s
REU program.
Refreshments will be available at the reception.
WORKSHOP REPORTS
The Division of Chemistry supported community workshops to explore
opportunities associated with: Terahertz science (organizers Mark
Sherwood, Phil Bucksbaum, and Charles Schmuttenmaer; co-supported
by DOE and NIH); and Models of Thought Processes (organizer Irving
Epstein; co-supported by four NSF directorates). Reports for these
two workshops may be found at http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html and http://hopf.chem.brandeis.edu/thoughtworkshop.html.
The Division will be exploring with the community initiatives in
cyber-enabled chemistry. A workshop to help define cyber-related
research and education opportunities was held (co-organizers Mark
Gordon and Teresa Head-Gordon; co-supported by the Division of
Shared Cyberinfrastructure). The workshop report is posted at http://bioeng.berkeley.edu/faculty/cyber_workshop/.
Undergraduate Research Centers (URCs) were discussed at a workshop
(co-organizers Amy Shachter and Michael Doyle). The report is available
at http://www.scu.edu/cas/research/urc.cfm.
A MPS workshop was held for the Approaches to Combat Terrorism
program (organizer Héctor Abruña). The report may
be found at www.actworkshop.org.
Three workshops were held to identify science drivers
for the Molecular Basis of Life Processes, an MPS emphasis area
in the FY2005 budget that the Division of Chemistry was asked
to coordinate on behalf of the MPS Directorate. One of these
workshop reports is now complete (co-organizers Jacquelyn Gervay-Hague
and Jeffery Saven). This report also provides guidance on issues
identified in the COV report (see above) on mentoring for applicants
for CAREER awards and on mid-range instrumentation. The workshop
report is posted at at
http://www.chem.ucdavis.edu/groups/gervay-hague/MBLP_Final_Report.pdf.
We
thank the workshop organizers and workshop participants for their
assistance.
PERSONNEL CHANGES AND AVAILABILITY OF POSITIONS WITHIN THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY
We congratulate Raima Larter and Charles Pibel on becoming permanent
program officers in the Division of Chemistry. Raima serves in
the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry program and Charles
in the Experimental Physical Chemistry program. Don Burland is
stepping down as the Executive Officer in the Division of Chemistry,
but will continue to serve the Division part-time as a Senior Advisor.
Linda (Lee) Magid is serving as Interim Executive Officer while
the Division conducts a national search for an Executive Officer
(see below).
The Division of Chemistry welcomes Ronald Christensen, Walter
Ermler, and Richard Foust as rotators (see below). Ron is from
Bowdoin College and will assist the Special Projects Office and
the Experimental Physical Chemistry program. Walter is based at
George Mason University and is working with the Theoretical and
Computational Chemistry program and the Special Projects Office.
Rich is from Northern Arizona University and will assist the Special
Projects Office. A complete listing of current staff may be found
at http://www.nsf.gov/staff/staff_list.jsp?org=CHE.
We thank Brian Tissue, who returns to Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University; Carol Korzeniewski, who returns to Texas
Tech University; and George Rubottom, who, as noted below, is moving
to NSF’s EPSCoR Office as Senior Advisor. We thank Brian
for his assistance with the Special Projects Office; Carol for
her help with the Analytical and Surface Chemistry program; and
George for his stewardship of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry
program. The Division of Chemistry and the chemistry community
have benefited greatly from Brian’s, Carol’s, and George’s
contributions.
The Division of Chemistry asks you to consider serving as a program
officer should your circumstances permit it, and to help us identify
other individuals who might serve in this capacity. Rotators are
responsible for planning, coordinating, and managing programs that
support research, education, and human resource development in
the chemical sciences. Applicants should have a Ph.D. or equivalent
training in the chemical sciences, extensive knowledge of one or
more chemistry subfields, and at least six years of successful
independent research activity. Applicants should be familiar with
the chemistry community and have administrative experience. Other
important attributes are strong verbal and written communication
skills, organizational skills, facility in using technology tools,
and the ability to work effectively on a team. If you are interested
in serving as a rotator, please see http://www.nsf.gov/about/career_opps/careers/science.jsp.
About half of our 16 program officers are rotators, and they bring
fresh insights to our work at NSF. Rotators can maintain their
research programs while working at the Foundation. NSF provides
time, travel resources, and use of technology to enable rotators
to stay in touch with co-workers at their home institutions. Rotator
positions are typically held for one or two years, but other arrangements
are possible. Rotators not only serve the community and help to
shape chemistry, but they also have excellent opportunities for
professional development and establishment of new research directions
upon returning to their laboratories.
Information about current open rotational program officer positions
can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/publications/ods/results.cfm?
TextQuery=&Current_status=Current&timeframe=Restrict+timeframe+to%3A&docType=
Vacancy+Announcements&docSubtype=Scientific+and+Professional&search2.x=28&search2.y=8.
Applicants interested in rotational positions should send an email
describing their interest and CV to Art Ellis at aellis@nsf.gov.
NSF is an equal opportunity employer committed to employing a highly
qualified staff that reflects the diversity of our nation.
GEORGE RUBOTTOM JOINS NSF’S EPSCOR OFFICE AS A SENIOR ADVISOR
We wish George Rubottom farewell as he leaves the Division of
Chemistry after 20 years of extraordinary service. George is joining
NSF’s EPSCoR Office as a Senior Advisor. A mainstay of the
Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry program since he arrived at
NSF, in 1984, George has assisted many individuals at NSF and in
the chemistry community, and he has contributed substantially to
the advancement of basic research and education in the chemical
sciences. The Division of Chemistry looks forward to continuing
to work with George in his new position and wishes him continued
success in his professional activities.
THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY SEEKS AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER
NSF’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
(MPS) seeks candidates for Executive Officer of its Division of
Chemistry. The Division supports basic research and education in
the principal subdisciplines of chemistry and closely related areas,
as described at http://www.nsf.gov/mps/che/about.jsp. Appointment
to this Senior Executive Service position may be on a career basis,
or on a 2-to-3 year limited term basis, with a salary range of
$135,136 to $162,100. Assignment under Intergovernmental Personnel
Act provisions is also possible.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent professional experience
in chemistry or a related field, substantial research administration
experience, and demonstrated leadership skills. Announcement S20050036,
with position requirements and application procedures, is located
on the NSF Home Page at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/s20050036/s20050036c.txt,
or can be obtained by calling NSF’s Executive Personnel staff
at 703-292-8755 (Hearing impaired individuals may call TDD 703-292-8044).
Applications must be received by March 18, 2005. NSF is an Equal
Opportunity Employer.
MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MPSAC) NEWS
Carl Lineberger is the new chair of the Mathematical and Physical
Sciences Advisory Committee (MPSAC). David Oxtoby, President of
Pomona College, has joined the MPSAC. Other chemists who continue
to serve on the MPSAC are Shenda Baker, Luis Echegoyen, Mostafa
El-Sayed, and Jean Futrell. The MPSAC has organized workshops on
cyberscience and on theory for MPS this past year. The MPSAC chemists
are organizing a poster session to feature the broader impacts
of NSF-supported projects that will be held in conjunction with
the Fall, 2005, ACS national meeting in Washington, D.C.
Information about the MPSAC may be found at http://www.nsf.gov/mps/advisory.jsp.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFIED REVIEWERS
The Division of Chemistry seeks to enhance its pool of qualified
reviewers of proposals. We invite researchers in the chemical sciences
who have not previously reviewed for the Division of Chemistry
but are interested in providing this service to contact us by visiting
our website at http://www.nsf.gov/mps/che/reviewer/reviewer_info.jsp and completing the online registration form. We welcome qualified
reviewers from academic, industrial, and government employment,
as well as from other countries. It is important to recognize that
the National Science Foundation reserves the right to choose reviewers.
While we are unable to assure individuals that they will be asked
to review proposals, we do attempt to call upon as many qualified
reviewers as possible, and we try to limit the number of requests
that we make to any single individual, recognizing the many demands
our reviewers have on their time.
NSF CUSTOM NEWS SERVICES
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