The American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society, has created a Board-Presidential Task Force on Education to identify a unique role for the society in transforming education in the US. The task force's charter calls upon it to review recommendations contained in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) reports released in the last five years. This is to identify specific actions the ACS might take to implement those recommendations, and to create a list of priorities to determine areas where the Society might have a unique impact on STEM education.
The task force - created in late 2008 - grew out of discussions among then ACS President Bruce Bursten, Chair of the Board of Directors Judy Benham, and Society Committee on Education Chair Bryan Balazs. It is led by Richard Zare, chair of the chemistry department at Stanford University and a prominent researcher and educator. The task force is slated to report its findings at the ACS National Meeting in Washington in late August.
The task force's charge extends across all educational levels, from primary through graduate and post-graduate science studies, as well as continuing professional development and more informal science education forums, such as museums and programs sponsored by civic and special interest groups.
