Chemistry: Professional Organizations

The ACS is a self-governed individual membership organization that consists of more than 163,000 members-60% from industry, at all degree levels. This provides ample opportunity for peer interaction, regardless of your professional or scientific interests. There are 33 ACS divisions, representing a wide range of disciplines for chemists, chemical engineers and technicians.

CAS is a team of scientists, creating and delivering the most complete and effective digital information environment for scientific research and discovery. CAS provides pathways to published research in the world's journal and patent literature--virtually everything relevant to chemistry plus a wealth of information in the life sciences and a wide range of other scientific disciplines--back to the beginning of the 20th century. Since 1907, CAS has indexed and summarized chemistry-related articles from more than 40,000 scientific journals, in addition to patents, conference proceedings and other documents pertinent to chemistry, life sciences and many other fields. In total, abstracts for more than 20 million documents are accessible online through CAS. CAS is a division of the American Chemical Society.

The American Institute of Chemists (AIC) is a national, non-profit organization. The purpose is to promote the relevance of the chemical profession and its practitioners to society. It engages in a broad range of programs for professional enhancement through its prestigious Fellow membership category, awards program, certification programs, meetings, publications and public relations activities.

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers, AIChE, was founded in 1908. AIChE is a professional association of more than 50,000 members that provides leadership in advancing the chemical engineering profession. Its members are creative problem-solvers who use their scientific and technical knowledge to develop processes and design and operate plants to make useful products at a reasonable cost. Chemical engineers are also at the forefront of research to assure the safe and environmentally-sound manufacture, use, and disposal of chemical products. AIChE fosters and disseminates chemical engineering knowledge, supports the professional and personal growth of its members, and applies the expertise of its members to address societal needs throughout the world.

The Council for Chemical Research (CCR) is an organization based in Washington, D.C., whose membership represents industry, academia, and government. CCR was formed in 1979 to promote cooperation in basic research and encourage high quality education in the chemical sciences and engineering. The mission of the CCR is to enhance research in chemistry-based sciences, engineering, and technology that benefits society and the national well-being, through productive interactions among industrial, academic, and governmental research sectors. CCR's membership represents most of the U.S. chemical research enterprise, currently comprising more than 200 companies, universities, and government laboratories with a combined R&D budget of more than $7 billion.

The objective of the EUROPEAN PHOTOCHEMISTRY ASSOCIATION (EPA) is to promote the development of photochemistry in Europe and contacts among photochemists. The Association is concerned with various experimental and theoretical aspects of the interaction of light with molecular systems, ranging from basic knowledge and practical know-how in photochemistry to application in areas such as chemical synthesis, electronics, material science, nanotechnology, biology and medicine.

The IAPS has been established to promote and disseminate knowledge, and encourage development, of photochemistry and allied subjects throughout the Americas. (The term "Americas" herein refers to the whole of North, Central and South America, and "Americans" herein refers to residents of countries within these areas.) The scope encompasses the numerous areas related to the interdisciplinary nature of photochemistry, e.g. theoretical, photophysics, photobiochemistry, photobiology, etc.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) serves to advance the worldwide aspects of the chemical sciences and to contribute to the application of chemistry in the service of Mankind. As a scientific, international, non-governmental and objective body, IUPAC can address many global issues involving the chemical sciences

Welcome to the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Learned Society for chemistry and the Professional Body for chemists in the UK with over 46,000 members worldwide. The Society is a major publisher and provider of chemical information, supports the teaching of chemistry at all levels, organises hundreds of chemical meetings a year and is a leader in communicating science to the public.

The Science History Institute seeks to advance the heritage and public understanding of the chemical and molecular sciences by operating a historical research library; discovering and disseminating information about historical resources; encouraging research, scholarship, and popular writing; publishing historical materials; conducting oral histories; creating exhibits; and taking other appropriate steps to make known the achievements of chemical and molecular scientists and engineers and of related sciences, technologies, and industries.

The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is an international association of individual members from over 70 countries. Its international headquarters are in London, UK, and hasoffices in Scotland and the USA. Ever since its foundation in 1881, SCI's principal object has been to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit. The Society provides an important interface between industrial, academic and other interests. Although the majority of SCI's activities still take place in Great Britain, a large percentage of current members live in other parts of the world.