iupac Young Observer Program    
 
Established by the U.S. National Committee (USNC) for IUPAC in 1977 to foster interactions with internationally acclaimed scientists in various fields, the IUPAC Young Observer Program strives to introduce the work of IUPAC to a new generation of distinguished researchers and to provide them with an opportunity to address international scientific policy issues.

The USNC sends U.S. Observers (citizens or permanent residents) under the age of 45 from industry, academia, and national laboratories to the IUPAC World Chemistry Congress and General Assembly, held every two years. To date, the program has supported over 200 scientists, many of whom have continued to serve on IUPAC activities and contribute at the international level.  View a complete list of upcoming IUPAC conferences.

2011 Young Observer Program

The 2011 U.S. Young Observer program was held during the 46th IUPAC General Assembly and 43rd Congress in San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 28-August 5.   The U.S. National Committee sent ten outstanding U.S. chemists to participate in the program this year.  The 2011 Young Observers were:

Leif Abrell, University of Arizona
Catherine Faler, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering
Mick Hurrey, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Anatoly Kolomeisky, Rice University
LaShanda Korley, Case Western University
Mahesh Mahanthappa, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bradley Miller, Environmental Protection Agency
Michele Ostraat, RTI International
W. Justin Youngblood, University of North Texas
Ilya Zharov, University of Utah

2009 Young Observer Program

Glasgow, Scotland hosted the 45th IUPAC General Assembly and 42nd scientific Congress from July 31-August 7, 2009.  The U.S. Young Observers (YO) attended an orientation and welcome session with international Young Observers from countries including Bangladesh, Canada, China, India, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, and Thailand.  YOs actively participated in the scientific sessions of the Congress, and had the opportunity to attend business meetings of the IUPAC Divisions and Standing Committees in their areas of interest, to familiarize themselves with IUPAC activities and projects.  U.S. Young Observers, members of the U.S. delegation, and special guests also enjoyed an informal dinner to share and reflect on their individual experiences,

2007 Young Observers Program

Selected by IUPAC and the National Adhering Organizations of Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom, the 2007 Young Observers (YOs) attending the IUPAC General Assembly (GA) and Congress in Torino, Italy in August 2007 included 17 chemists, representing various disciplines in both academia and industry. The U.S. YOs joined participants from 6 other countries: Canada, Poland, Romania, Mauritius, Russia and the United Kingdom.

Young Observers who attended an orientation and welcome reception prior to the GA gained insight about IUPAC’s structure and various divisions. Several YOs presented posters or gave presentations during the Congress. As is the custom in past General Assemblies, YOs were encouraged to participate in both the GA and Congress sessions related to their professional interests. Prior to the GA’s closing ceremony, YOs were encouraged to attend a final feedback session, which was an opportunity for them share and reflect on their individual experiences.

 Young Observer History

For a historical perspective of the Young Observer program, see the article Young Observer Programs: Getting New Experts Involved in IUPAC, by Ed Przybylowicz, a former USNC/IUPAC Chair.
Download the 2002 Chemistry International article (28 KB PDF) .

For more information on the U.S. Young Observer program, contact IUPACYO@nas.edu.