American Chemical Society

1. American Chemical Society Planning Effective Events Carol Libby Lehigh Valley Local Section Chair, LSAC Subcommittee on Grants and Awards Wayne Jones Binghamton Local Section Immediate Past Chair, LSAC American Chemical Society

2. EVENTS PROGRAMS MEETINGS The primary focus for your Local Section Technical knowledge Enhancing career Sharing chemistry with community Biggest budget item What’s your dream project, a local section event that you feel passionate about? Record this in your New & Improved Events List American Chemical Society 2

3. To Ensure Effective Events American Chemical Society Plan • Use a schedule or timeline • Delegate • Follow-up Tools • Yearly event schedule • Event Planning worksheet 3

4. Take an Overview of Local Section Events ___________________ ACS Local Section 20__ Event Schedule American Chemical Society Fill in the Event Schedule for your local section for 2010. • Add as many details as as you can • Include your “dream project(s)” and mark with * 4

5. Insights from Yearly Event Planning American Chemical Society Type(s) of events • Technical • Career development • Social • Outreach • Education • Advocacy 5

6. How are we engaging the participation of Chemists who are…. Early, mid career and senior chemists? From industry, academic, government, non traditional career fields? From various educational backgrounds? Under 35? Women? Differently abled? (disabled) Of non-US origin (nationality)? Hispanic, African-American, Native American Chemists or from other cultures? Students (grad, undergrad and post docs) Technicians? LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered)? K-12 Educators? Of various socio-economic statuses? American Chemical Society 6

7. Insights from Yearly Event Planning American Chemical Society Calendar, time of day, place, style • Leaders, members, and coordinators can get ACS business on their calendars early • Overscheduled times? Lulls that are opportunities? • Time of day, day of week • Geographic locales varied, analyze section roster by zip code • Vary venues: college/university/school, industrial site, museum • Dietary issues: Dinner/cocktails/snack 7

8. Insights from Yearly Event Planning American Chemical Society Who is doing what? • Is one person taking all the responsibility? • Risk of volunteer burnout • Do coordinator’s responsibilities match person’s interests and management strengths? • Planning meetings require officers’ time, too 8

9. Insights from Yearly Event Planning American Chemical Society Financial aspects • Coordinate with section’s budget planning • Other sources of funding and partnership? • Cost to member 9

10. Some Ideas for Events… American Chemical Society Discuss opportunities for regional cooperation for events • Joint meetings? • Share a speaker to reduce expenses? • Suggest an excellent speaker from your section Add ideas for regional cooperation to New & Improved Events List. 10

11. Some Ideas for Events… Technical events Social events, possibly family inclusive Advocacy - Interface with government Public Outreach National Chemistry Week (NCW), October 17-23, 2010 Chemists Celebrate Earth Day (CCED), April 22, 2010 National Lab Day Museum demos/activities Yearly focus 2010 Mentoring and Continuing Education 2011 International Year of Chemistry American Chemical Society 11

12. Some Ideas for Events… Find partners in community groups/institutions General interest speakers: forensics, beverage making, history, environment, new therapies Educational: co-host science fair or poster session Electronic events: webinars, video feeds of meetings, a PowerPoint skills class Section anniversaries Host a regional meeting!!!! American Chemical Society 12

13. Some Ideas for Events… Add 4 good event ideas to your New and Improved Events list. Choose the event that you would most like to plan. American Chemical Society 13

14. Essentials of the Event Planning Process Why? The right person will have interest, experience, follow through. What has to be done? Verbs: identify, contact, develop, recruit American Chemical Society Please refer to blank Event Planning Worksheets. You’ll work on details later in the session, but we want you to have this worksheet in mind during the next few slides. 14

15. Don’t forget time of year, budget planning restraints. Also consider how many people tasks require. Detail $ amounts Need to know number of participants IPG (January 31 and June 30 deadlines, time, requirements and restrictions) Cosponsors: technical or community organizations, corporations In-kind: printing, event space, AV, advertising, supplies, PR PR: How to appeal to and reach targeted groups? American Chemical Society 15

16. Be specific…… Rain, caterer no-show, extras show up, etc. Objectives met? Define success ahead of time. Not just numbers: reach new constituency, identify new volunteers or partners Ask all participant types: planners, presenters, attendees Feedback helps with saying “thank you” and requests for repeat funding Build on momentum of event…….post event PR? EVALUATE AND DEBRIEF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! memories fade, planners move away What are possible improvements for next time? Write it up: post event PR, Annual Report, ChemLuminary Award nomination American Chemical Society 16

17. Develop Your Event • Work on one of your ideas using blank Event Planning Worksheet (10 minutes) • Share your plan with a partner at your table to get their critique (5 minutes) • What are the biggest challenges to executing your event? American Chemical Society 17

18. Your Section Is Assured of Effective Events American Chemical Society • You know the basics • Plan ahead – Plan ahead • Use a schedule – Create a timeline • Delegate – Delegate • Follow-up – Follow-up 18

19. Your Section Is Assured of Effective Events American Chemical Society You have the tools • Yearly event schedule • Event Planning worksheet • ACS Resources • Get Involved/Stay Involved • Peers: LSAC members, local section leaders met here • ACS Staff 19

20. Your Section Is Assured of Effective Events American Chemical Society You have a great start • Schedule of section events for the year • Possible opportunities for regional cooperation • 6 ideas for new or improved recurring events in your local section • A plan for a specific event, detailed and critiqued 20

21. Applying Saturday Learning Engaging and Motivating Volunteers How to recruit the right people How to encourage people to take on an assignment How to give people a rewarding volunteer experience Collaborating Across Boundaries Gain members’ trust Work with members who are peers or more seasoned volunteers Developing Communication Strategies Communicate new ideas Communicate with non-chemists Keep others informed Strategic Planning Setting the direction for your section Helps you to align the goals of your section with those of the ACS Board of Directors Engaging Colleagues in Dialog Deliver a clear message Understanding the messages’ of others RELEVANT ONLINE COURSES Running Productive Meetings Managing Projects Effectively Understanding Members’ Interests Scholarships are available. 50% off the 4-hour courses and more than 50% off the Extraordinary Leader course. Contact leaders@acs.org to get your local section’s scholarships for 2010 courses. LSAC has scholarships for you to take the Extraordinary Leader course—talk to Lee Latimer if interested. American Chemical Society 21

22. For more information Carol Libby: cblibby@cs.moravian.edu Wayne Jones: wjones@binghamton.edu ACS Staff: olsa@acs.org American Chemical Society 22