Madam President, Members of the Board, and Fellow Councilors

Committee on Project SEED

Indianapolis, IN, September 2013

Madam President, Members of the Board, and Fellow Councilors,

For 45 years, Project SEED has benefitted more than 9,500 students from low-income families. I am pleased to report another successful Project SEED programwith the participation of 444 economically disadvantaged high school students. This number of students matches our all-time record for the number of participants. Students were placed in more than 100 laboratories doing chemically related research under the supervision of nearly 400 volunteer scientists and coordinators in 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.Three new states, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Oklahoma, hosted Project SEED Programs this year. At this meeting, the Committee approved a plan of new initiatives to expand the program to all of the United States. In order to establish Project SEED programs in the14 states that do not have programs,the Committee committed to personally contact potential mentors and coordinators and make presentations on the program at regional ACS meetings, science teachers’ conferences, and other scientific events.We are looking forward to reporting on these efforts at subsequent meetings.

The Committee awarded 28 first year non-renewable SEED College Scholarships to Project SEED students. The SEED College Scholarships were awarded to 22 females and 6 males from 13 states and Puerto Rico. The Committee also awarded three renewable three-year Ciba Specialty Chemicals Scholarships to past SEED College Scholarship recipients. Scholarships are made possible by gifts from organizations and members of the American Chemical Society.

The impact of Project SEED on young lives is observable at this meeting. On Monday evening, thirteenhigh school students presented their Project SEED research as part of SciMix. The students presenting posters hailed from the Indiana, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Georgia Local Sections.

The contributions of local sections to Project SEED are also evident at this meeting.Yesterday evening, the Committee presented the ChemLuminary award to the 2012 Outstanding ACS Project SEED Program to the Georgia Local Section.

The Committee seeks to expand its outreach and facilitate growth of Project SEED Programs throughout the US. The Committee wishes to thank ACS and its members for their support of the program and encourages members to use the dues check-off option on their ACS membership renewal to support this successful program that provides students with opportunities to experience what it is like to be a chemist.

Madam President this concludes my report.

Sandra Bonetti, Chair