Dorothy J. Phillips is the 2025 President of the American Chemical Society (ACS). At the Science Forum Chemistry in Karlsruhe, she spoke with Nachrichten aus der Chemie about the role of the ACS in challenging times and the advice she would give to young chemists.
You are President of the American Chemical Society during a very turbulent time. To what extent is the ACS affected by political decisions?
Our focus is on advocating for chemistry, supporting our members, and promoting research and advancement. Some of our members may be impacted by events such as reduced funding.
Dorothy J. Phillips Photo: Christine Brennan Schmidt
And to which extent is ACS directly impacted by political decisions?
Overall, we are not directly impacted. As a nonprofit organization, we cannot engage in direct politics or align with any party. ACS does have an advocacy group, and we focus on securing funding for f