Last modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2003
IU chemist elected president of world's largest scientific society
William Carroll Jr., adjunct professor of chemistry at Indiana University Bloomington and vice president of Occidental Chemical Corp. in Dallas, Texas, has been elected president of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific association. Carroll's term begins Jan. 1, 2005, and lasts one year.
Carroll, who earned his Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry from IUB in 1978, said two of his priorities as leader of the ACS will be public outreach and chemistry education.
"I'd like to reintroduce the public to the benefits of chemistry and its essential role in products from plastics to medicines," Carroll said. "The science and the people who practice it make a huge contribution to modern life. Sixty percent of high school students now take chemistry, but few will see a teacher with a background in the field. We need to encourage more experienced chemists to consider teaching."
The Washington, D.C.-based American Chemical Society was founded in 1876 and has approximately 163,000 members.
To speak with Carroll, contact David Bricker at 812-856-9035 or brickerd@indiana.edu.
