Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)

The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is an independent learned society inspired by the creation of the Société de Chimie Industrielle in Paris in 1917. The American Section was formed on January 18, 1918, and held its first meeting on April 4, 1918.

Not to be confused with Society of Chemical Industry (American Section).
Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section)
Formation1918 (1918)
TypeLearned society
HeadquartersNew York, NY
Location
  • United States
Official language
English
Websitewww.societe.org

The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) hosts speakers, grants scholarships, and gives awards. It has given the International Palladium Medal roughly every second year since 1961, and helps to award the Othmer Gold Medal and the Winthrop-Sears Medal every year. The Société also hosts monthly talks, and presents scholarships to writers, educators, and historians of science.

History

One of the first societies for chemists was the Society of Chemical Industry, founded in London in 1881. This inspired a number of other groups, including the Société de Chimie Industrielle in Paris, France. The French Société was modeled on the British organization in 1917.[1]: 125  [2] A number of those active in forming the French Société were elected to its first set of officers, which included industrialist Paul Kestner as president, vice-presidents Albin Haller and Henry Louis Le Châtelier, and Jean Gérard as general secretary.[3]

Creation of the French Société in turn inspired creation of a related American association in New York in 1918. This was part of an effort to rebuild international connections between individuals and institutions that had been disrupted during the First World War.[1][4] René Laurent Engel encouraged the re-establishment of ties between chemists in the two countries in his position as the scientific representative in a French Mission to the United States.[5] Victor Grignard of the University of Nancy also encouraged the creation of an American organization. A circular appealed to the Chemists and Manufacturers of America to "extend to our French fellow chemists and manufacturers our moral and financial support and the right hand of good fellowship."[6]

The American section of the Société de Chimie Industrielle was formed on January 18, 1918, following the presentation of the Perkin Medal by the Society of Chemical Industry (American Section) at The Chemists' Club in New York. Engel, as secretary of the parent organization, addressed the meeting. Officers of the newly created American section of the Société de Chimie Industrielle included Leo Baekeland as president, Jerome Alexander as vice-president, Charles Avery Doremus as secretary, and George Frederick Kunz as treasurer.[7][8] A report describes the Société's purpose as follows:

The outstanding objects of the new society are to aid the development of all branches of chemical industry, to co-ordinate the labours of all workers in pure and applied chemistry for their mutual advantage, and to assist the progress of industrial chemistry not only by means of science, but also from the economic and commercial points of view.[3]

The first official meeting of the American section of the Société de Chimie Industrielle was held on April 4, 1918 at The Chemists' Club in New York. William H. Nichols, president of the American Chemical Society, welcomed the new organization. Frederick J. LeMaistre reported on "Conditions in the French chemical industries during 1916".[9]

Governance

The Société de Chimie Industrielle (American Section) is now an independent organization.[10] It was granted tax status as a 501(c)(3), a registered nonprofit organization as of 1952.[11][12] The American Section is directed by a board of officers including a president. As of 2018, the president of the Société de Chimie Industrielle (American section) is [James M. Weatherall].[13]

Activities

Awards

The International Palladium Medal was instituted in 1958 and first awarded in 1961.[14] The first recipient was Ernest-John Solvay.[15] The medal has generally been given every two years.[16]

The Société has also been involved in nominating and choosing the recipients of the Othmer Gold Medal and the Winthrop-Sears Medal, which are given yearly.[14]

Events

The Société supports a program of monthly speakers featuring CEOs, government leaders, and scientists.[17]

Scholarships

The Société funds scholarships for writers, educators, and historians who place chemistry in historical perspective and explore the influence of chemistry on everyday life.[17][18]

References
  1. Fauque, Danielle M. E. (18 July 2013). "French Chemists and the International Reorganisation of Chemistry after World War I". Ambix. 58 (2): 116–135. doi:10.1179/174582311X13008456751071. PMID 21936238.
  2. Nielsen, Anita Kildebæk; Štrbáňová, Soňa, eds. (2008). Creating networks in chemistry : the founding and early history of chemical societies in Europe. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-85404-279-1.
  3. "A French society of chemical industry". Nature. 2528 (101): 116. April 11, 1918. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  4. Schroeder-Gudehus, Brigitte (2014). Les scientifiques et la paix : la communauté scientifique internationale au cours des années 20. Montreal, Quebec: Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal. ISBN 9782760633643.
  5. St. Amand, Pierre (1980). "Memorial to René Laurent Engel 1887-1980" (PDF). The Geological Society of America. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  6. Roeber, Eugene Franz; Parmelee, Howard Coon (October 15, 1917). "Société de Chimie Industrielle". Metallurgical & Chemical Engineering. 17 (8): 454. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  7. "New York Section". The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 10 (2): 154. 1918. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  8. "Trade Notes". The American Perfumer and Essential Oil Review. 12 (12): 363. 1918. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  9. "Société de Chimie Industrielle". The Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 10 (6): 421–423. 1918. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  10. "Affiliates". Science History Institute. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  11. "AMERICAN SECTION OF THE SOCIETE DE CHIMIE INDUSTRIELLE INC". GuideStar. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  12. "Return of Organization exempt from Income Tax" (PDF). Retrieved 14 June 2017.
  13. "Société de Chimie Industrielle Welcomes new Board Officers". 2018-01-08.
  14. "International Palladium Medal". Société de Chimie Industrielle. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  15. "Belgian Views Europe's Chemical Industry". Chemical & Engineering News. 39 (17): 92–93. 24 April 1961. doi:10.1021/cen-v039n017.p092.
  16. Wayland, Michael (October 12, 2010). "Dow Corning Corp. CEO to become first woman to receive Palladium Medal for contributions to chemical industry". Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  17. "Société de Chimie Industrielle Fellowship". Science History Institute. 2016-07-14. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  18. "History of the Fellowship Program". Société de Chimie Industrielle. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
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