EuCheMS ECC7 in Liverpool: Chemistry and More!

Abstract

“… Our mission is to promote the role and image of the chemical and molecular sciences among policymakers and the public, and to present chemistry as an essential and indispensable provider of solutions to global challenges. We actively encourage the need to place chemistry at the heart of policymaking in Europe. We are able to speak with one single independent voice while representing a large diversity of chemical societies …” Read more in the Guest Editorial by Pilar Goya. EuCheMS is organised in Divisions and Working Parties, where committed chemists from different subdisciplines and countries actively participate to fulfil our mission. Our activities are varied and extensive. We actively encourage the need to place chemistry at the heart of policymaking in Europe, both through offering advice and feedback to policymakers, to organising joint workshops with the European Union institutions. We write position papers and draft articles and declarations, such as the recent statement deploring the use of chemical weapons. Moreover, EuCheMS reaches its stakeholders through publications, social networks, and media platforms, as well as through the best general and subject-specific chemical conferences in Europe, in collaboration with our member societies. On a biennial basis, EuCheMS organises its Chemistry Congress (ECC). The first of these was held in Budapest in 2006, followed by Torino 2008, Nuremberg in 2010, Prague in 2012, Istanbul in 2014, and Seville in 2016. We are now very much looking forward to the 2018 EuCheMS congress, which will take place in Liverpool on 26–30 August, co-organised with the Royal Society of Chemistry (see www.euchems2018.org. With the theme “Molecular Frontiers and Global Challenges”, the Liverpool congress will take place over five days that are filled with plenary lectures, oral and poster communications, an exhibition, an ancillary programme, and social activities. The Scientific Committee, chaired by Bengt Nordén and co-chaired by Tom Brown, has prepared an exciting programme that is divided into seven main subjects: catalysis; chemistry in the life sciences; energy, environment and sustainability; inorganic chemistry advances; materials, interfaces and devices; organic chemistry advances; and physical and analytical chemistry advances. All of these main themes are themselves subdivided, resulting in a total of 30 sessions. In addition, there will be an ancillary programme consisting of special symposia, panel discussions, and other events covering not only scientific topics such as carbohydrates or computational chemistry, but also open science, public trust in chemistry and the cultural heritage of chemistry, just to mention a few. For the selection of speakers and conveners, scientific excellence has been the first criterion, whilst maximizing diversity and inclusion in all its forms. The 50 keynote speakers come from some 20 countries, 40 % of whom are women. We are also delighted to note that we have the same number of male and female plenary lecturers. A number of important events will also take place at this congress for the first time. EuCheMS is particularly aware of the crucial role that the recognition of merit plays in the advancement of chemistry, and so we have a well-established scheme of different awards to encourage individuals and teams in their lasting commitment to chemistry and society. Now, for the first time, we will be awarding our European Chemistry Gold Medal to reward the exceptional achievements of one scientist working in the field of chemistry in Europe. Our International Award Committee has selected Professor Ben Feringa, Nobel Laureate in 2016—setting a very high standard for future occasions. The award ceremony and his lecture will take place during the opening session of the Liverpool congress. At the closing session, the August Wilhelm von Hofmann Award from the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh; German Chemical Society) will be presented to Michael Graetzel. Despite the fact that Chemistry is a fundamental part of the cultural heritage of Europe, there is a noticeably limited number of identified chemical sites, especially in comparison to other sites that recognize important intellectual events. EuCheMS therefore decided to launch a Historical Landmarks Programme that will reinforce the sense of belonging of European chemists, and bring to the public a better understanding of how chemistry has played a vital part in defining the cultural makeup and history of Europe. During the Liverpool congress, the selected places and sites where the commemorative plaques are to be located will be presented. EuCheMS was established in 2006, taking over the role of the Federation of the European Chemical Societies founded in 1970, and so we are looking forward to our 50th anniversary in 2020. However, without our member societies, we would not have got very far. Because they lie at the very heart of our organisation, we have decided to acknowledge and celebrate those nine societies that will be commemorating their 100th, 125th or 150th anniversaries either in 2017, 2018, or 2019, (in order to take the biennial character of our ECC congresses into account). In 2019, the Estonian Chemical Society, the Finnish Chemical Society, the Polish Chemical Society and the Romanian Chemical Society (all founded in 1919) will be celebrating their 100th anniversaries, and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry (founded in 1894) will celebrate its 125th anniversary. In 2018, the Norwegian Chemical Society (founded in 1893) will be celebrating its 125th anniversary, and the Mendeleev Russian Chemical Society and the Swedish Chemical Society in Lund (both founded in 1868) will celebrate their 150th anniversaries. And finally, the GDCh (founded in 1867) commemorated its 150th anniversary in a splendid ceremony in Berlin in 2017. Therefore, we will celebrate all these anniversaries and the 100th anniversary of IUPAC in 2019 during the welcome reception. Not only do we look back to our history with pride, we also look ahead with excitement. The future generations of chemists are represented by the European Young Chemists’ Network (EYCN), an enthusiastic group of young researchers who have already shown that they are capable of collaborating across borders. They are with us in the present, and they hold the reins for the future. I had the privilege of attending their General Assembly in Torino this year, and could not have been more favourably impressed. They will also play a very important role in Liverpool with an exciting programme of activities running throughout the congress. Following the congress—to which you are all cordially invited—EucheMS will continue working for the best of chemistry. Interesting events lie ahead: 2019 has been declared the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT2019), in which we will actively participate jointly with our member societies, and with IUPAC who commemorate their 100th anniversary; in 2020, we will celebrate our 50th anniversary and our ECC8 Congress will take place in Lisbon, co-organised by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Química. One of EucheMS' missions is to play a crucial role in safeguarding ethical behaviour and research integrity in the chemical sciences and practices. A new initiative that we are very much looking forward to is the interactive online course on “Good Chemistry: Methodological, Ethical and Social Dimensions” aimed at final-year masters or first-year PhD students. The module will first be piloted in a small number of universities for operational and acceptability checks, before being rolled out to all higher education institutions in the countries of our member societies.